Tomato Basil Bread (Quick Bread Recipe)
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This savory tomato basil bread is made with real diced tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, and cheese. No yeast and no kneading– just mix, pour, and bake.
NOT YOUR AVERAGE QUICK BREAD
So when you think “quick bread,” where does your brain go? Banana bread? Zucchini bread? Apple bread? Pumpkin bread? Basically anything that ends in a streusel topping or a swirl of cinnamon sugar?
Well, knock it off. Savory deserves a turn in the quick bread spotlight, even if it’s just a brief detour before we go running back to sugar and sprinkles (we always do).
This recipe has been living on my site since 2015, and it is still one of the most requested “what do I bring to dinner” recipes I have. We’re talking tomatoes, cheese, basil, and garlic, mixed into a bowl with flour, eggs, milk, and good (!!) olive oil, to make what has basically become our house “dinner bread.” It shows up instead of dinner rolls more often than not in the summer.
Wait — is this Panera’s tomato basil bread?
I get this question a lot, usually before people scroll down far enough to read the recipe (or even the description, bless you all). So let’s clear it up right away: no, this is not a copycat of Panera’s tomato basil bread. Panera’s version is a yeast bread with a sweet element, and it has a honey crumb topping baked right on top. It’s genuinely delicious! But it’s a different animal entirely.
This bread is truly and unapologetically savory. No honey or sweet crumb, and no yeast or rise time. Just a tender, tomato-and-basil-studded loaf you can have in the oven within fifteen minutes of deciding you want it (my favorite kind of recipe).
Where this bread came from
I sort of modeled this after my grandmother’s Parmesan parsley bread, a recipe that’s been a staple in our family for generations. Hers is a yeast bread, and a wonderful one, but I wanted something I could throw together in one bowl on a weeknight without planning three hours ahead (no shade, yeast bread, I really do love you). So this is my quick bread answer to that same savory, cheesy, herby craving.
What You’ll need (and why)
TOMATOES: you’ll need one large tomato, diced, or however many smaller ones it takes to get you a heaping 1 cup of diced tomatoes. Here’s the good news– I’ve made this over the years with everything from heirloom to plum to cherry tomatoes, and it truly does not matter which kind you use. What matters is dicing them small enough that you get little pockets of tomato in every single bite. And make sure that measuring cup is truly heaping.
BASIL: a hefty amount and fresh. This is not a “sprinkle a little on top” situation.
CHEESE: the type is totally your call, but I’m partial to cheddar (mild or sharp, either works) for how much flavor it brings to the party.
GARLIC: just enough to round everything out and keep the flavor from feeling too basily.
OLIVE OIL: this is where I’ll push back a little if you’re tempted to swap it for vegetable oil. You can, technically. But the olive oil is doing real flavor work here, not just moisture work, and it’s what makes this bread taste like something instead of just a vehicle for tomatoes and cheese. I really do urge you to use it.
MAKE THIS BREAD ASAP
Tomatoes, basil, garlic, and cheese, baked into a bread you don’t have to knead, proof, or wait on? Put this on your next dinner menu. Whether it’s replacing your dinner rolls, sitting next to a big bowl of pasta, or just getting torn into slices and eaten warm off the cooling rack (my favorite), you and your guests will not be disappointed.
Tomato Basil Quick Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- 1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 and ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large tomato1 diced; about 1 heaping cup
- ¼ cup packed fresh basil finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- ⅓ cup (80mL) extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup (120mL) milk any, but I prefer whole cow
- 1 and ½ cups + ¼ cup shredded cheese2 any kind; divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF(177ºC). Spray a loaf pan with nonstick spray or wipe with olive oil. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper. Set aside.3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour, 1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 and ½ teaspoons baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- In another large bowl, stir together the tomato, basil, and garlic. Add the eggs, olive oil, and milk, and stir again to coat everything.1 large tomato1, ¼ cup packed fresh basil, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 large eggs, ⅓ cup (80mL) extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup (120mL) milk
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until everything is mostly combined. Add 1 and ½ cups of the cheese and continue to stir until everything is evenly dispersed. The batter will be thick.1 and ½ cups + ¼ cup shredded cheese2
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of cheese on top of the batter.
- Bake loaf for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Allow to cool in the pan at least 15 minutes before removing and serving warm. Store leftovers covered tightly at room temperature up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator up to one week (since this bread is so moist, it can spoil quickly at room temperature). Warm slices in the microwave or toast in a toaster oven or broiler, if desired. Loaf freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight.
Video
Notes
- Tomato: I recommend one large heirloom tomato or a few small Roma tomatoes. Use whatever you prefer or have on hand, but aim for the 1 heaping cup for consistency of instruction.
- Shredded cheese: I highly recommend using freshly shredded cheese as it melts the best. Pre-shredded is totally fine.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
OMG. I can’t wait to try this. Sounds like it will be a perfect side to veggie soup in the winter. I may even try substituting the tomato with fresh chopped salsa…….
YES! A PERFECT bread for soup! I like your idea of salsa– you’ll have to let me know if you try it!
Yum, this bread looks out of this world delicious. I am so excited about your goal of 6 quick and 6 yeast breads I can’t wait. Meanwhile my goal is to make this herb tomato bread this weekend!!
I hope you like it, Mary!
I say to kids, bump the egg on the counter and open it like a book.
Then we eat scrambled eggs.
That’s a good way to word it… I’ll have to try that!
This bread takes far longer to bake! After 60 Minutes I pulled it out and the middle was doey. if and when I make this recipe again I will try the muffin tins because right now I have a half Baked loaf of bread well it is delicious at least the part that is baked through the rest of it I don’t know what to do with.
I’m sorry to hear that, Joansy! Any chance you have a convection oven? This bread never takes me more than an hour to bake.
I modified this to make it GF due to allergies and it turned out great. I subbed 1:1 gf flour, added 1.5 tsp xanthum gum (may be more for you if your flour doesn’t already have it in there) and also made sure to beat dough in stand mixer on low for a few minutes. Add cook time since gf flour takes longer. Turned out great.
Thanks so much, Kaela! And thank you for sharing your subs.
I used this recipe but instead I put it into muffin tins. Half the time which I love on a hot day. House smells amazing! Just took them out they look great and they are very flavorful. Used mozzarella cheese. Posted it on my food page on Facebook. Not sure how to tag you but I will add you site to it. Thank you again
Thanks so much, Robin! I love your adaptation. And I did see your post– thank you for sharing 🙂
This was SO good! Baked for 58 minutes and it was perfect. Had some last night with dinner, then made grilled cheese sandwiches with it, and it was AMAZING! Going to make another loaf soon, as I have a bumper crop of tomatoes and am always looking for recipes to use them when they’re fresh and perfectly ripe. Thank you for this recipe!
Thank you so much, Karen! Grilled cheese with this bread sounds AMAZING– so smart!
I made this using roasted garden tomatoes and Kalamata olives. Delicious, but EVEN BETTER when I experimented with putting slices in the dehydrator and making crunchy melba toast! It holds together well. I’m adapting this recipe to experiment with using other veggies and herbs. I plan to grow some new varieties of high-protein greens (seeds from Baker Street) and I think these might sell very well at our Farmers Markets. I think I can substitute two cups of ANY wet veggies.
Thanks so much, Morgan! Can’t wait to hear what other combos you make 🙂
I’ve enjoyed cooking for family and friends for years. I received the most compliments ever for this receipt which I followed exactly. My neighbor from whom I get the fresh tomatoes said she was honored her tomatoes went into this beautiful bread.
Thank you so much for this 🙂
I made this today and I really liked it, but next time I will add 1 tsp. salt instead of 3/4 tsp. It may just be my personal taste preference, but I thought it was delicious! Thanks for sharing! I will make it again!
Thanks so much, Melody! 🙂
I agree with adding a tad more salt
I would actually give this recipe 4.5.
This recipe is very easy and makes a very tasty tomato bread. I took half a star off because, for whatever reason, the loaf wound up rising lopsided. I very accurately followed the recipe including placing the batter into a ‘prepared bread pan’ and smoothing it out before placing in my oven. Perhaps the reason for the lopsided appearance was due to a trapped air bubble, or baking it in a convection oven at 370 feet above sea level or…? Anyway, it is a very tasty, moist bread and should be consumed or frozen readily as mentioned in the recipe.
Thanks for the feedback, Laraine! 🙂
I made this recently and added mild pepper rings and I shredded Asiago cheese in the middle and on top and it was amazing! 🤩
Yum! Thanks for sharing, Melissa!
Two questions.
1. What size pan?
2. If you make muffins, then how long would you bake them for?
Hi, Cynthia– you’ll want to use a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan. If you were making muffins, I’d start with 12-15 minutes and go from there, but this is just a guess!
Can I make as a Focaccia bread in a larger pan?
Hi, Irene– this will not work as a focaccia. If you want that, I have a caprese focaccia recipe you can use.