Description

This Cheese, Garlic and Herb Quick Bread is a delicious no-yeast bread bursting with savory flavors from fresh herbs, garlic, and cheddar cheese. It’s a quick and simple recipe that combines a moist, tender crumb with cheesy ribbons and aromatic herb swirls, perfect for a flavorful snack or side dish. The layered herb and cheese swirls create an inviting texture and taste, baked to golden perfection in under an hour.

Ingredients

Scale

Cheese

7 oz / 200g block of cheese (cheddar or tasty), cut into 3mm / 0.1″ thick slices, varied widths for random ribbons throughout

Herb and Garlic Swirl

2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 garlic cloves, crushed using garlic press or finely grated
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for fine table salt)

Dry Ingredients

2 1/4 cups plain flour (all-purpose flour)
1 tsp baking soda (bi-carbonate soda), substitute 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt)

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup plain yogurt, Greek or regular (full fat, unsweetened)
3/4 cup milk, full fat best, low fat okay
2 large eggs (~50-55g/2oz each)
3 1/2 tbsp (50g) unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp olive oil
2 small garlic cloves, crushed with garlic crusher or grated

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Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (both fan and standard ovens) to prepare for baking the quick bread evenly.
Prepare Loaf Pan: Lightly grease a 21 x 11 x 7 cm (8.3 x 4.5 x 2.75″) loaf pan with butter or oil spray, then line it with baking paper to prevent sticking.
Make Herb and Garlic Swirl: In a small bowl, combine fresh rosemary, parsley, dried oregano, thyme, crushed garlic, 3 tbsp olive oil, and 1/2 tsp salt to create a thick, dollop-able herb and garlic mixture.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking soda, and 3/4 tsp salt to ensure they are evenly distributed.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk the yogurt, milk, eggs, melted butter, olive oil, and crushed garlic until smooth and combined.
Combine Batter: Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour in the wet ingredients. Mix gently until just combined to avoid overmixing and ensure a tender crumb.
First Layer of Swirls and Cheese: Pour one-third of the batter into the loaf tin. Dollop one-third of the herb and garlic mixture across the batter’s surface. Using a knife, swirl the herbs through the batter with up-and-down and twisting motions. Add one-third of the sliced cheese, pushing some slices deep into the batter and leaving some partially exposed.
Repeat Layers: Repeat the swirling and cheese layering process two more times with the remaining batter, herbs, and cheese slices to build beautiful layers throughout the bread.
Bake Bread: Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove the bread from the oven, cover it loosely with foil, and bake for an additional 20 minutes. The total baking time is about 50 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a skewer into the center; it should come out clean.
Cool Bread: Allow the bread to cool in the loaf tin for 5 minutes before carefully turning it out onto a cooling rack. Let it cool for at least another 10 minutes before slicing into thick pieces. Serve warm with optional butter for extra richness.

Notes

Cheese: Using sliced cheese cut into varying widths creates visually appealing cheese ribbons. Shredded cheese can be substituted with 2 cups (200g), added after mixing wet and dry ingredients.
Herbs: Feel free to experiment with herb combinations or substitute fresh herbs with 1 tbsp dried herbs. You can blend herbs with a stick blender for a finer mixture, adding more oil if needed.
Loaf Pan Size: A larger pan will yield a flatter loaf but works fine for the recipe.
Storage: Bread keeps for 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature and longer in the refrigerator. Refresh by toasting before serving.
Do not use mozzarella cheese as it lacks sufficient salt and flavor for this recipe.
The recipe was updated on June 6, 2025, with improvements and includes a recipe video and new photos.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/10th of loaf)
Calories: 220 kcal
Sugar: 2 g
Sodium: 370 mg
Fat: 12 g
Saturated Fat: 6 g
Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Fiber: 1.2 g
Protein: 8 g
Cholesterol: 65 mg