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 and everything peasant bread for snacking, 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.
Expert Tips & FAQs
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.
- 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.
- 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.
You can freeze the dough for up to 3 months. If kept in the fridge, the yeast will continue to grow, even if it’s slowly. This can be done for about a day, but I wouldn’t do it much longer than that. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and store in freezer bags. When ready to bake, remove from the freezer and thaw at room temperature. It will take about 4 hours to thaw. Then bake according to the recipe.
Helpful kitchen tools:
- Mixing bowls
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Baking sheets
- Wire cooling rack
- Pastry brush
- Rolling pin
- Bread knife
Bread Machine instructions are at the end!
How to Make Italian Bread
- Dissolve yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar in a small bowl.
A NOTE ABOUT YEAST: You can use either active dry yeast or instant yeast. If you use active dry yeast it needs to be proofed in order for it to be reactivated. Instant dry yeast doesn’t need proofing. Active dry yeast must be reactivated by proofing in warm water, or the bread won’t rise properly. This process is to “prove” that the yeast is still alive.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine 2 cups hot water, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, the salt, and the oil. Add 3 cups of flour to the mixture in this 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, cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour. (If using a mixer, remove the bowl from the mixer and cover it with a towel. Otherwise your paddle attachment or dough hook will get covered in dough when it rises).
- Divide dough into 2 (or 3 if you want smaller loaves) pieces.
NOTE: This dough does not require kneading.
- 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.
- Cover and let loaves rise 30 more minutes.
- While loaves are rising, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Whisk the egg white and brush over the top of loaves.
- Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.
How to Make Italian Bread in a Bread Machine
Several people have asked if this Italian bread can be prepared in a bread machine. We were able to test it successfully and have provided the instructions below. Please note, the preparation of the dough is in the bread machine, but you will still remove the dough, form a loaf, and bake it in your conventional oven.
- Using the printable recipe below, cut the ingredients in half, and eliminate the water and sugar step used for proofing the yeast.
- Put 1 cup of water (110 F) and 1/4 cup oil in the bread machine bucket (make sure the paddle is on).
- Add 4 1/2 teaspoons sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
- Gently add 3 cups flour over the water mixture so that it is all covered.
- Place 2 1/4 teaspoons (one packet) of yeast on top of flour with nothing else touching it.
- Place bucket in bread machine and enter dough cycle.
- When it beeps, take out and roll dough, adding more flour if needed.
- Roll up (follow instructions in printable recipe for forming loaf) and place on baking sheet, add slashes to top, and cover with towel to let rise (again, according to recipe).
- Brush with egg white and bake at 400 F (see recipe instructions below).
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 or my Cheddar Cheese Potato 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.
Try our new Crockpot Lasagna, it would be perfect with this bread!
Need more ideas? Find all my dinner recipes here!
What Our Readers Are Saying
Never baked bread before? Want to make sure before you invest the time and ingredients? Here’s just a small sampling of what our readers are saying about this recipe! You can find more reviews in the comments down below!
“I have made this twice and it is very tasty, good crust and soft inner not dense , very good flavor, I have been baking bread for 40 years, this is in the top five, Thanks.” ~ Thomas
“By far one of the best and easiest bread recipes I have come across!! Dough comes out perfect and is so easy to roll!! So glad I came across this recipe it’s a game changer.” ~ Tracy
“This bread was so, so delicious! I am proud of myself for going through with it. I was scared to do it and usually need video ( visual learner ) but went ahead and one of the two loaves is already gone! I wish I could attach a pic! I will make this over and over!” ~ Desiree
“I never post reviews… but after making this, I had to!!! I only had bread flour, so used that… but that was the only deviation. I followed the recipe exactly. The bread came out PERFECT! Crispy outside and moist inside. This is some of the best bread I’ve ever made. It will definitely be made again. Thank you!!” ~ Terri
“‘This is a million times better than store bought bread’
‘You have to make this every time we have pasta now’
‘Nom nom nom…’Feedback from my family after serving them this bread for dinner. Excellent recipe!” ~Dave
“OMG! I made this bread today and have to say this is the BEST bread I have ever made, and I’ve tried a lot of recipes! It was very light and fluffy yet just crispy enough on the crust. The only changes I made were I used bread flour and only used 2.5 tablespoons of the sugar instead of three. Thank you for sharing this! I am throwing away all my other bread recipes!” ~ Nadine
Homemade Italian Bread
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons active dry yeast 2 packets
- ½ cup warm water
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 cups hot water hot to the touch, not boiling
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 5-6 cups all-purpose flour add more if needed to get to a pliable dough
- 1 large egg white for brushing on loaves
Before You Begin
- If your dough is still super sticky, you can add small amounts of flour until the dough just comes together.
- 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. If you use active dry, just follow the instructions in the recipe and let it sit for a few minutes to proof (it will get a little foamy).
- 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.
- In a separate step, you’ll also use hot water in this recipe. 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.
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine 2 cups hot water, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, the salt, and the oil. Add 3 cups of flour to the mixture in this 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, cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour. (If using a mixer, remove the bowl from the mixer and cover. Otherwise your paddle attachment or dough hook will get covered in dough when it rises). NO KNEADING IS REQUIRED.
- After the rise, if the dough is too sticky to handle, add more flour until its workable. For some people this can be up to a cup or more! Just don't dry out the dough. Add by quarter cupfuls until its workable.
- 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 lengthwise like a jelly roll. If it's still too sticky, add more flour until it's workable but not dry.
- 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.
- Cover and let loaves rise 30 more minutes.
- While loaves are rising, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Whisk the egg white and brush over the top of loaves.
- Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published here on January 28, 2009
Amanda Davis
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Izzy says
Could I swap out the vegetable oil with melted butter?
Amanda Formaro says
We haven’t tested that method but would love to hear your results if you decide to experiment!
Wendy Hayes says
I have used vegetable oil, extra virgin olive oil, and melted salted butter. All three makes an excellent loaf. I usually use melted salted butter. I omit the salt when I use the butter.
Tiffany says
I am currently making this right now, I skimmed over the recipe and made the mistake of adding 1/2 cup of sugar instead of 3 tbs *oops*. I’m hoping everything will be just fine with some chicken noodle soup.
Charla says
I found this recipe over Christmas when I realized I had cut myself short on enough time to get my sourdough bread made before Christmas dinner. This is now one of our favorite breads to make in a pinch. Super fast, super delicious. It reminds me of Jimmy John’s bread. I could sit and eat the whole loaf! We also use this recipe to make hoagie rolls. Thanks for the recipe!
Paul says
I don’t know what the issue is but I have tried this recipe twice and had the same result each time. The second time I had someone read it to me as I was working on it just in case I misunderstood something. In both cases, after the initial rise having used 6 cups of flour at this point I do not have dough, I have a slowly pourable mixture and adding 1/4 cup flour at a time until I get to 8 cups of flour total does not result in dough that does not sag and slowly flow. It cannot be formed into anything
I cook and bake all the time, never have I seen anything like this. It seems like 1/2 cup water in the yeast and 2 more in the initial mix is too much. If I am doing something obviously wrong please let me know but at this point I have gone through an entire bag of flour in two attempts and not come close to dough.
Amanda Formaro says
I’m so sorry you’ve had trouble. Are you in a high altitude climate? Was your water too hot? I just don’t know what could be the issue. I have never experienced what you are describing and I’ve made this bread more times than I can count.
Whitney Evers says
What modifications would you recommend in a higher altitude? I have yet to attempt but love at around 7000 ft and want the best outcome possible!
Amanda Formaro says
Here is a good article on high altitude bread making https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/packages/baking-guide/high-altitude-baking-tips
Doug Hasler says
I tried this recipe last week. Despite adding as much if not more flour than the recipe called for, I ended up with two sticky piles of dough on my cookie sheet which defied my attempts to shape them properly. I am just a homebaker, but feel that I havve quite a bit of experience making doughs. I make pizza dough every week. I have made dough for cinnamon rolls and pretzels. As I have gained experience, I feel that my dough-making experiences have improved. One area of conern that I have about this recipe is that it calls for 5 to 6 cups of flour (and add more if necessary). Other dough recipes that I have used have had a more precise amount of flour. I baked my piles of sticky dough, and they ended up being OK (though in odd shapes). I see that this recipe has an overwelming number of positive reviews, so it is pretty easy to discount my experience. I will be looking for another italian bread recipe in the future.
Kris says
Easy to make- very tasty as well. This is my go to recipe for Italian bread. Thanks so much!!
Albert says
I made this for a pasta dinner and everyone loved it! I had enough left over for grilled cheese sandwiches and some amazing french toast. Another keeper!
Susan says
Awesome! I made 1/2 recipe for 1 loaf. So easy to make and so light a fluffy. I sprinkled Italian seasoning and grated Parmesan cheese over the egg white prior to baking. I absolutely will make this again.
Andrea L Coleman says
This is has been my go to bread for a couple months now. It’s super easy and the bread is so fluffy! I use 3 cups flour and 3 cups bread flour.
Claire says
The bread recipe creates a nice texture, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, but the flavor is very similar to that of American white bread rolls. Extremely sweet, this is not similar to Italian bread which would be more bland or even savory. Americans tend to have sweeter breads than Europeans and this recipe is no exception. Not a bad bread, but just not Italian bread.
Matt says
First time making bread and it came out perfectly! I used coconut oil in place of regular oil and confectioner sugar in place of regular sugar (I didn’t realize I was out of granulated sugar) and it came out better than store bought. I cooked it for 20 minutes as opposed to 25 and it stayed very soft, especially upon storing it.
Gary says
What do you think about baking in cast iron bread pans, would it come out good?
Amanda Formaro says
I have never tried it in cast iron bread pans. Many people in the comments have been successful using regular bread pans though. Here are some great tips from Lodge Cast Iron https://www.lodgecastiron.com/story/tips-for-making-bread-cast-iron I would love to hear your results if you try!
Teri says
Why is sugar in 2 spots on the recipe ?
Amanda Formaro says
It’s used in two different places in the recipe. Step 1 and step 2.
1. Dissolve yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar in a small bowl.
2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine 2 cups hot water, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, the salt, and the oil. Add 3 cups of flour to the mixture in this large bowl/mixer and mix well. Stir in yeast mixture.
Michelle says
Hi. Apologies if I missed it but can this recipe be halved? Thank you!
Amanda Formaro says
believe that people have had sucess with that. However, this is such a yummy bread you may be sad that you didn’t make both loaves! ;)
Tasha says
BEST BREAD RECIPE HANDS DOWN!!!!! Thank you SO much Amanda for this simple, delicious and turns out perfect everytime bread recipe! I, like others have tried multiple different bread recipes I have found online over the years, and NONE have turned out even half as light, fluffy or tasty as this bread does. This page is officially bookmarked and is my only go to for bread now! My hubby loves herb and garlic buns, so today as I type…my dough mixed with herb and garlic seasoning is on the rise! First time trying this mod, so fingers crossed these will be the best buns he has ever tasted! You rock Amanda!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you lol!!! :)
Mo says
Found this recipe and I have literally made it three times, over the past three days. I have brought the loaves to my family members. Amazing bread. Super easy. Never buying Italian bread again from the store.
Ps..Amazing with Italian herbs/olive oil dip.
Jim Evans says
I have Diabetes and high blood pressure, I have found that Italian bread is one of the better breads for me besides being my favorite. I found this recipe to try and make a couple modifications to it to make it better for my diet. I used regular sugar and Nu Salt for the proofing. In the dough I used 1 Tbsp sugar and 1 Tbsp Sevia sugar and unbleached all purpose flour. I made 1 slight mistake, I added the yeast after mixing the dough, it was rough on the hand mixer. The mixer was happier after addng the yeast. The bread turned out nice and airy with a nice gentle crunch on the crust. When I did the basting with egg white, I added sesame seed and some cheddar cheese and Mrs Dash Onion and Herb seasoning.
Kaylee says
There are sugar free whole wheat breads out there, I recommend this bread as it uses quick yeast and it’s faster than average bread.
Russell Lalonde says
Came out sour and top split badly. Might have put too much yeast but followed directions to the T.
Amanda Formaro says
If you might have put too much yeast, then you didn’t follow the directions to a T.
Jennifer says
Prior to rolling up, would I be able to spread softened butter and garlic over the dough?
Amanda Formaro says
I’m sure that would be fine!
Christie Goodwin says
I just made this bread today. I am not a baker by any stretch of the imagination. I followed the recipe exactly, or so I thought. After covering the dough to rise, I skimmed over the recipe and realized I had only used 1 packet of quick rise yeast and I started to panic! Took a deep breath and gathered myself thinking I can just feed the squirrels.. I quickly prepped another pkt of yeast, let it activate and then added it to the dough that had been rising for about 20 minutes. I stirred it in well and covered again. I restarted my 1 hour timer. It rose beautifully and was sticky as you said it should be. I had to add a little over a cup of flour to get it to a point of just being “tacky” enough to turn out onto a well-floured surface and it was a little difficult to lift off and onto the pan after rolling, but it turned out wonderfully!!! 😀 Light and airy with a nice chew. We enjoyed it toasted with a pot of stew. Tomorrow, bruschetta!! I can’t wait! Will definitely make again. I don’t usually eat white bread, but this was well worth it. Family was pleased and couldn’t believe that I actually “made” it! Lol! Is it possible to simply cut the ingredients list in half for one loaf? Thank you so much for an easy recipe even us non bakers can accomplish!