Garlic and dill bread is a soft yeast bread made with a surprise ingredient – cottage cheese – and can be baked in a casserole dish or Dutch oven – minimal kneading is required!
Garlic and Dill Bread Origin
This garlic and dill bread is a yeast bread adapted from the recipe, Dilly Casserole Bread, named so since the original recipe stated to bake this bread in a casserole dish. This recipe became extremely popular after it won at the Pillsbury National Bakeoff® (not sponsored!) in the 1960’s. The original recipe came from a baker here in the Midwestern state of Nebraska and earned the baker a $25,000 cash prize! This recipe really has stood the test of time and you can find many similar versions in vintage cookbooks.
About this Recipe
This garlic and dill bread uses an unusual ingredient – cottage cheese – which makes the bread really soft and bakes into the bread (you won’t be able to see it in the bread after baking). I remember my mom making this bread often growing up and I have really enjoyed it ever since. I adapted this recipe, simply based out of necessity when I was out of two ingredients the original recipe called for: minced onion and dill seed. I had minced garlic and dill weed on hand. While dill weed isn’t as strong as dill seed, I ended up adapting the amount of dill weed required to get the same dill taste in the baked bread. The bread turned out great and I have made it that way ever since; I can never resist a piece of this bread when it is still warm!
To make this bread, the liquid ingredients (including the cottage cheese) are all warmed to at least 110 °F. After the yeast is dissolved with the warm water, the rest of the liquid ingredients, spices and dry ingredients are added to form a soft dough. After the dough is formed, it is slightly kneaded to form a soft ball of dough before it is placed into a bowl to rise until doubled. After it has doubled, it is stirred to remove any air bubbles and then placed into a greased and lined casserole dish or Dutch oven to rise again before it is baked. After baking, it is brushed with melted butter and salt.
Tips for Garlic and Dill Bread
- Full fat cottage cheese works best for this recipe
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days
- Will keep frozen up to 3 months
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Garlic and Dill Bread
Equipment
- mixing bowls of various sizes
- small saucepan
- casserole dish or Dutch oven
- parchment paper optional
- instant read thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese * see notes below
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter + additional butter, for brushing after baking
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt + additional salt for sprinkling after baking
- 1 Tablespoon dill weed
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 0.4 oz pkg dry active yeast
- 1/4 cup water, warmed to 110°F
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat the 1 cup cottage cheese to 110°F. Add 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 Tablespoon dill weed and 2 large cloves garlic, minced. Stir until the butter has melted.
- In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the 1 0.4 oz pkg dry active yeast in the 1/4 cup water, Once bubbly, add cottage cheese mixture.
- Add 1 large egg,, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; stir until combined. With floured hands, knead slightly in bowl until a ball of dough is formed.
- Place call of dough into a greased bowl; cover and allow to rise 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, stir dough to remove any bubbles. Re-shape dough into a round loaf; place in parchment lined casserole dish or Dutch oven. Cover and allow to rise again 30 minutes.
- Bake @ 350°F for 40-45 minutes, or until golden on top. Immediately after baking, brush with additional butter and sprinkle with additional salt.
Notes
- Full fat cottage cheese works best for this recipe
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days
- Will keep frozen up to 3 months