This amazing quick bread is filled with all of the flavors of caprese salad - tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. Fantastic with soup or salad!
Each morning, my 7-year old son sneaks outside for "Produce Patrol". He starts with the strawberry plants, then gradually makes his way over to the tomatoes and lettuce, picking off any specimens he deems ripe enough for immediate consumption. If his bounty includes four strawberries, he washes them and doles one out to each family member. If there are only two, he carefully cuts them in half first, which is no small feat considering the strawberries are no bigger than his thumbnail. His favorite time is mid-August, when the tomatoes are plentiful and he can load his lunch plate with a handful of the sweet little orbs. Until those days of endless caprese salads, we have to satisfy ourselves with pairing bocconcini and fresh basil with jarred sun-dried tomatoes.
The beginning of our summer crop in the awesome raised planters built by my husband.
Last year, I started making one of my favorite summertime breakfast dishes, a Caprese Frittata with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella and Basil. Around the same time, Caramelized Onion and Spinach Olive Oil Quick Bread stole my heart. Why not the combine the two? Out came the onions and spinach, in went the sun-dried tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil. The bread is dense, with a crumbly but moist crumb and filled with the fresh flavors of the season. It should hold us over until those tomatoes make their appearance.
Serve this bread with a hearty soup, such as Chicken Vegetable Soup or Beef Barley Soup. Or serve it with a dinner salad, such as Mediterranean Chicken Couscous Salad Bowls or Salmon Panzanella Salad.
How to Make Caprese Olive Oil Quick Bread
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, and extra-virgin olive oil. Whisk well until combined.
Pour the flour mixture into the eggs mixture and stir until just combined. Do not overmix or the bread will become tough. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, bocconcini and basil, and stir until just combined. I found these extra-mini bocconcini at the grocery store (something straight out of Gulliver's Travels), but you can also use larger bocconcini and cut them into smaller pieces.
Coat a loaf pan with cooking spray. Scoop the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
Okay, the mini bocconcini look like marshmallows in this photo. Try to push past that.
Bake until the top is light golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out dry, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan, and cool completely on a wire rack. Slice and serve.
Other savory quick bread recipes:
Caramelized Onion Spinach Olive Oil Quick Bread
Mushroom Rosemary Olive Oil Bread
Printable Recipe
Caprese Olive Oil Quick Bread
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- ¾ cup 2% milk
- â…” cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 ounces bocconcini small fresh mozzarella balls
- ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, and extra-virgin olive oil. Whisk well until combined.
- Pour the flour mixture into the eggs mixture and stir until just combined. Do not overmix or the bread will become tough. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, bocconcini and basil, and stir until just combined.
- Coat a loaf pan with cooking spray. Scoop the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
- Bake until the top is light golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out dry, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan, and cool completely on a wire rack. Slice and serve.
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Megan
This sounds incredible! And I cant help but think of a savory french toast with a few pieces! Your garden looks like it's doing awesome. How fun for your little helper.
Kathryn
What an absolutely fantastic idea! This bread looks heavenly.
marla
Dara, I love this idea for a quick bread. Giggling over the thought of your son cutting those teeny tiny strawberries in half and rationing them. Soooo cute!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks, Marla. He's pretty diligent about the whole process.
SMITH BITES
i am DYING over this - must, must, MUST make!!
Liz
Haha...I took a double take at the photo with the "marshmallows." Love that your 7 year old does garden patrol...too cute. And now to this magnificent bread! All my favorite summer ingredients...how could this be anything but spectacular?????
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks, Liz. I did a double-take myself when I first looked at that photo.
Carolyn
I LOVE this. Caprese is one of my favourite salads and to put it into a soft quick bread is just brilliant. I will definitely be making this!
Guava
How am going to sleep with visions of caprese olive oil bread dancing in my head?
It looks so colorful and scrumptious...........and such a sweet story about your little one.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thank you, Guava. Those visions will only go away once your make the bread. Go for it!
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen
I want a slice of that now! I can already imagine how wonderful those little pockets of cheese would be! Mmmm.......
foodwanderings
Your son sounds absolutely adorable I can see him being so serious cutting the strawberries into equal halves. Love the raised bed and this bread is to die for!!
Nancy@acommunaltable
Love that story about your son!!! Also love this bread - it would be the perfect nibble with some dry white wine or rose in the garden before dinner - definitely think it will be "on the menu" at one of my next gatherings!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Nancy, you're right. It would be lovely with a glass of white wine. I may have to try that this evening.