French Savory Ham and Gruyere Quick Bread
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This easy, delicious French Savory Ham and Gruyere Quick Bread is the ultimate treat to bake for lunch or as part of a bigger spread inspired by sun-drenched French summers. This easy version of a popular cake salé is simple to make, and is adaptable enough to enjoy made with leftover ham or cheese.

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Quick breads, familiar favorites to most, become extraordinary when made in the French tradition. My delicious Savory Ham and Gruyere Quick Bread is one way of making a delicious and savory cake salé.

These French savory loaves, or cakes salés, are the expressed genius of a country known for their amazing baked bread. From baguettes to croissants, they just get it right… every time. And their cheese breads, called gâteaux by some, are simply rustic snack breads without sugar and enriched with a variety of savory ingredients. Eaten in the afternoon, almost every day.

What should I serve this quick bread with?
For an easy snack, it is just delicious simply spread with a good unsalted butter. Extra good if you then sprinkle the unsalted butter with your best flaky sea salt.
I love serving this as part of a Gallic-inspired spread with a few things picked up from the market, French breakfast radishes are good, as are simply washed cherry tomatoes – they sell them in special tubs in French supermarkets to enjoy as a simple snack or with an apéritif.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a simple bread, wholly dependent on quality ingredients. Here are a few tips for choosing the very best!
The ham should be fully cooked u002du002d and is a great way to use up leftover ham stashed in the freezer.
Sure! Just make sure your cheese is suitable for vegetarians too.
No! I just have as it works really well and it is very traditionally found in French kitchens – it is essential to make a classic Quiche Lorraine, and to make the croutons for a French Onion Soup!
Just use any grateable hard cheese you have on hand.
Yes! Sliced black olives work really well, as well as drained and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
I use a buttered 9 x 5 loaf pan for this quick bread u002du002d but if preferred, the batter can be portioned into muffins as well. Bump up the oven temperature to 400-degrees and bake for 15-28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

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French Savory Ham and Gruyere Quick Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon tarragon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 cup diced ham
- 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated gruyere cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350-degrees and butter a loaf pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, tarragon, and cayenne.
- In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs and then add the milk and olive oil. Whisk together.
- Using a spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until mostly combined. It’s important not to overmix. Fold in the ham and grated cheese.
- Transfer batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan about 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool. Before taking the loaf out of the pan, run a knife along the edges to release the loaf. Allow the bread to cool about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
This bread sounds so delicious and right up my alley. I’m wondering can buttermilk be used?
Hi Catherine, I hadn’t tested this savory bread using buttermilk, but did have all of the ingredients today so I went ahead and make a loaf for some guests we’ve having later. It works wonderfully with buttermilk with one adjustment. Use the same measurement for the buttermilk but adjust the leavening to be 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. If the ham is especially salty (the one I had was on the saltier side) so I adjusted the salt measurement to 1/2 teaspoon. Baking time was about 50 minutes in my oven. Hope you enjoy it!