Garlic and Herb Knots

Garlic and Herb Knots-1-26You know what makes any dinner extraordinary? Dinner rolls. Think about it. Most holiday meals or special occasions have dinner rolls on the table. When we go out to eat at a fancy restaurant, they usually have some sort of bread to munch on. Warm, fluffy and tender yeast breads give any occasion a special touch. I actually survive mostly on carbs, (yes, I realize that is a very weird diet) and these cute knots are something I make when I want to give any weeknight dinner a special flair. They are so easy to make, that it’s a shame we don’t make them more often.

These beautiful rolls take so little effort and are topped with garlic, herbs and Parmesan. You can even make the dough ahead of time, shape them and keep them refrigerated a day in advance and then you’ll magically have warm Garlic and Herb Knots on the table fresh out of the oven. They will disappear from the basket faster than you would believe. They are perfect any time of year, whether you’re serving them on a Wednesday evening with a bowl of soup of a full blown Thanksgiving dinner.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup warm water (100-110 degrees Fahreneheit)

2 teaspoons dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more to brush the knots

2 cups bread flour (or all purpose flour)

1 teaspoon salt

4 Tablespoons butter

3-5 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated

1 Tablespoon fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, etc., finely chopped

Instructions:

Garlic and Herb Knots-1-45Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over it and set is aside for about 5 minutes until it starts foaming. Garlic and Herb Knots-1-44Add 1 1/2 Tablespoons of olive oil, flour and salt to the mixing bowl. Mix to combine. Garlic and Herb Knots-1-43Knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic. Garlic and Herb Knots-1-42Coat the dough lightly in oil, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and set aside to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 90 minutes. Garlic and Herb Knots-1-41

Garlic and Herb Knots-1-40Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Transfer the dough from the bowl to the counter. Divide it in half and roll each half into the shape of a rope. Garlic and Herb Knots-1-39Cut each rope into 10-12 pieces. You will have 20-22 knots. Garlic and Herb Knots-1-38Shape each piece of dough into a cigar and then use the palms of your hands to roll it back and forth against the counter, about 5 inches long. Garlic and Herb Knots-1-37Tie it into a knot. Garlic and Herb Knots-1-35

Garlic and Herb Knots-1-36Place the knots on the prepared baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil. Garlic and Herb Knots-1-34Cover lightly with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Brush the knots lightly with olive oil again and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Garlic and Herb Knots-1-29While the knots are baking, melt the butter and the last remaining 1 1/2 Tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan or a skillet. Add the minced garlic and cook on low heat until the garlic is lightly golden. Garlic and Herb Knots-1-33

Garlic and Herb Knots-1-31Be careful to make sure the garlic doesn’t scorch. Pour the garlic butter mixture into a large bowl. Add the fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese. Garlic and Herb Knots-1-30When the knots are baked, cool briefly for about 3 minutes and then place them into the bowl. Garlic and Herb Knots-1-28Toss gently to coat in the butter and herbs. You can also add some extra salt if you’d like. It’s important to do this while the knots are still hot so that the Parmesan will melt and the butter coats the knots evenly.Garlic and Herb Knots-1-27

Garlic and Herb Knots-1-25

Garlic and Herb Knots-1-23MAKE AHEAD:

Shaped knots can be refrigerated, covered, for 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake them, take them out of the refrigerator and place them in a warm place to rise for about an hour. Proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Garlic and Herb Knots
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Miscellaneous
Serves: 20-22 knots
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup warm water (100-110 degrees Fahreneheit)
  • 2 teaspoons dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more to brush the knots
  • 2 cups bread flour (or all purpose flour)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 3-5 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, etc., finely chopped
Instructions
  1. Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over it and set is aside for about 5 minutes until it starts foaming.
  2. Add 1½ Tablespoons of olive oil, flour and salt to the mixing bowl. Mix to combine. Knead the dough until it's smooth and elastic. Coat the dough lightly in oil, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and set aside to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 90 minutes.
  3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  4. Transfer the dough from the bowl to the counter. Divide it in half and roll each half into the shape of a rope.
  5. Cut each rope into 10-12 pieces.
  6. Shape each piece of dough into a cigar and then use the palms of your hands to roll it back and forth against the counter, about 5 inches long. Tie it into a knot.
  7. Place the knots on the prepared baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil.
  8. Cover lightly with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
  9. Brush the knots lightly with olive oil again and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
  10. While the knots are baking, melt the butter and the last remaining 1½ Tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan or a skillet.
  11. Add the minced garlic and cook on low heat until the garlic is lightly golden. Be careful that the garlic doesn't scorch.
  12. Pour the garlic butter mixture into a large bowl. Add the fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese.
  13. When the knots are baked, cool briefly for about 3 minutes and then place them into the bowl. Toss gently to coat in the butter and herbs. You can also add some extra salt if you'd like. It's important to do this while the knots are still hot so that the Parmesan will melt and the butter coats the knots evenly.
  14. MAKE AHEAD:
  15. Shaped knots can be refrigerated, covered, for 24 hours. When you're ready to bake them, take them out of the refrigerator and place them in a warm place to rise for about an hour. Proceed with the rest of the recipe.

19 Comments

  • Mariya

    I noticed an error and wanted you to know that in the instructions on the top you wrote- ” Add 1 1 1/2 Tablespoons of olive oil, flour and salt to the mixing bowl. Mix to combine.” I believe you meant to write 1 1/2 Tablespoons of olive oil not 11 1/2.

  • Enessa

    Just made these for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving dinner. I baked a small batch to test and put the rest of the doubled recipe in the fridge. The testers came out amazing. What a great quick and easy recipe. And delicious 😉

  • Tanya

    Olga, What a great and yummy recipe!!! I can’t wait to make it, I love carbs. Will let you know how they turn out. Just wanted to let you know that I combined your turkey recipes with mine and my turkey turn out perfect. I was really nervous since I didn’t have the thermometer, but the timing 2.5 hours covered after your browning method at 500 F, breast first, then flipping the turkey over is perfect. The turkey looked beautiful, was completely cooked through and tasted awesome!!! Every single recipe that I’ve tried from your web site, always turned out perfect!!!! May God bless you and your growing family and reward you for all of your hard work!

  • Shinee

    Olga, these knots look and sound delicious! Growing up, we ate all meals with bread of some sort. It must be a Russian thing, that we, Mongolians borrowed. :)) Gonna try this recipe soon.

    • olgak7

      Thanks, Shinee:). This is a recipe I actually discovered just a few years ago, and we didn’t grow up eating it, but we do have a lot of yeast bread recipes in the Slavic kitchen.

  • Olga Korotkyi

    Hi Olya 🙂
    Thanks for all of your amazing recipes! Quick question: are these knots freezable once baked?

    • olgak7

      Store them in an airtight container and then reheat them in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Although, I personally don’t think they will taste as fresh. I would recommend not baking them ahead of time, just making the dough ahead of time, like I specified in the recipe, for the best results.

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