Homemade Italian Bread

Warm Italian bread from the oven is nothing short of good old fashioned comfort food!

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5 from 5 votes

Homemade Italian bread is actually very easy to make and tastes delicious! While you could buy a loaf of Italian bread from the grocery store, baking bread is fun and satisfying. Warm, toasty bread from the oven is pure comfort food.

I love my 1963 homemade white bread for sandwiches, but this Italian loaf is perfect with a bowl of spaghetti, or alongside a plate of my crockpot roast beef!

Italian Bread Recipe

There’s a definite difference between French bread and Italian bread. Most of the general population either doesn’t know or simply doesn’t care, but there are differences nonetheless.

Basically though, French bread only uses flour, yeast, salt, and water. In fact, French law states that added oils or fats are prohibited. A French loaf is usually long and thin, while an Italian loaf is shorter and wider.

Ingredients you need for homemade Italian bread:

In this section I like to provide tips and recommendations about the different ingredients used. I also try to answer questions about substitutions. You will find the full list of ingredients with measurements in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. 

• You can use the packets of active dry yeast available at any grocery store. I bake a lot of bread, so I prefer to by SAF instant yeast in larger packages.
• When a bread recipe calls for warm water, the temperature should be around 110 degrees F. If the water is too hot it will kill the yeast, and too cold will delay the rise process.
• Use regular white granulated sugar for this recipe.
• You’ll also use hot water in this recipe, but since you are mixing it with other ingredients before adding the yeast mixture it will be fine. You want hot tap water, not boiling water.
• Regular everyday table salt is used, not Kosher or sea salt.
• This recipe calls for vegetable oil, but olive oil can also be used.
• We are using all-purpose flour, white not wheat, to make this bread.

Helpful kitchen tools:

• Mixing bowls
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Baking sheets
• Wire cooling rack
• Pastry brush
• Rolling pin
• Bread knife

How to make Italian Bread

1. Dissolve yeast, warm water, and 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar in a small bowl.
2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine hot water, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, salt, and oil. Add 3 cups of flour to the mixture in the large bowl/mixer and mix well.

1. Stir in yeast mixture.

1. Add 2 – 3 cups more flour and mix until well blended. (At this point your dough will still be quite sticky).

1. Leave in bowl and let rise for 1 hour, mixing a few strokes a couple of times during the hour.

1. Divide dough into 2 (or 3 if you want smaller loaves) pieces.

1. Roll out each piece on a floured surface into the length desired then roll up length wise like a jelly roll.

1. Put on a greased cookie sheet, sealed side down, and tuck the ends under. Slash the top diagonally across the top every couple of inches with a sharp knife.

1. Brush with egg white.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Let loaves rise 30 more minutes.
2. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.

How to Enjoy this Italian Bread

There are plenty of dinners that we like to eat this homemade bread with, and they aren’t all Italian meals! I’ve been known to sop up the juices of my favorite pork sirloin roast using a hunk of this bread.

A big bowl of Italian Sausage Tomato Orzo Soup screams for a piece of warm, buttered bread. It’s also amazing with this Zuppa Toscana for those Olive Garden fans out there! Another dinnertime favorite is this Chicken Cacciatore, and it’s great to have a hunk of bread for dipping into the sauce. 

Need more ideas? Find all my dinner recipes here!

Homemade Italian Bread

Warm Italian bread from the oven is nothing short of good old fashioned comfort food!

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Recipe Rate

Course: Breads

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: homemade bread, italian bread

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Rise time: 3 d 1 hr 30 mins

Total Time: 3 d 2 hrs 15 mins

Servings: 32 slices (2 loaves)

Calories: 106

Author: Amanda Formaro

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast 2 packets
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 cups hot water
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 5-6 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

• Dissolve yeast, warm water, and 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar in a small bowl.
• In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine hot water, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, salt, and oil. Add 3 cups of flour to the mixture in the large bowl/mixer and mix well. Stir in yeast mixture.
• Add 2 – 3 cups more flour and mix until well blended. (At this point your dough will still be quite sticky). Leave in bowl and let rise for 1 hour, mixing a few strokes a couple of times during the hour.
• Divide dough into 2 (or 3 if you want smaller loaves) pieces. Roll out each piece on a floured surface into the length desired then roll up length wise like a jelly roll.
• Put on a greased cookie sheet, sealed side down, and tuck the ends under. Slash the top diagonally across the top every couple of inches with a sharp knife. Brush with egg white. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Let loaves rise 30 more minutes.
• Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 106cal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 219mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg

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This recipe was originally published here on January 28, 2009