Italian Bread Recipe
You won't believe how easy this Italian bread recipe is to make! With its soft interior and crusty exterior, it tastes like a loaf straight from your favorite bakery. With hardly any hands-on time and a very forgiving dough, this is a perfect beginner yeast recipe. Be sure to have a lot of softened butter ready to slather on these slices!
Well over a decade ago, I had planned to make spaghetti and meatballs on a Sunday afternoon when I was suddenly hit with the craving for a loaf of Italian bread to soak up all of the extra sauce on the plate.
Not wanting to venture to the grocery store while in the middle of the meal, I began looking up recipes. I mashed a couple together and ended up with the most enormous, most delicious loaf of homemade Italian bread. For the very first time making Italian bread, I had seriously hit the jackpot. I've never wavered from this recipe and it remains a favorite of many of my friends.
It's easy to see why - with a perfectly crisp outer crust and a soft, chewy interior with a tight crumb, it's a bread dream come true!
Why We Use Bread Flour
If you've made my favorite white bread recipe, you may remember that I opt for all-purpose flour because it produces a super light and fluffy bread.
In contrast, we want to use bread flour for this Italian bread due to its higher protein content, which will create a bread that is chewier in texture and a bit denser. Since this is a free-form loaf of bread, using bread flour also helps the bread to retain its shape while rising.
Creating Steam for a Crisp Crust
The one unconventional step to this recipe comes during the baking step. While the oven is preheating, you'll place a metal baking pan on the bottom rack of your oven. Once you place the bread in the oven, you'll pour a cup of water into the pan, which will create a ton of steam, resulting in a wonderfully crisp crust on the bread.
Important Note: Please be sure to use a metal pan, NOT GLASS. If you pour water into a glass pan that has been heated, it has the potential to shatter. Go ahead and ask me how I know this ;-)
How to Make This Italian Bread
You won't believe how many times I've received the comment, "I couldn't believe how easy this was to make, and it was just like a loaf from the bakery!" It truly is incredibly simple and mostly hands-off; even better is that you can have fresh-baked homemade bread in just a few short hours.
Here's what you'll need to do:
- Combine the yeast in warm water, then add it to the flour, salt, brown sugar, and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Mix on low speed until a dough starts to form (you may need to add more flour here!).
- Knead for 7 minutes, then do a couple of minutes by hand for a smooth, firm, and elastic dough.
- Rise! Put the dough in an oiled bowl and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in size.
- Shape & Rise - The bread dough will be shaped into a torpedo and left to rise once more until doubled in size again.
- Top & Bake - Brush the dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds (if desired), then pop it into the oven.
Tips for Bread Success
- Bread Flour - I outlined above why I'm a big advocate of bread flour for this particular recipe; you can find it in nearly all grocery stores or can buy it online. If you substitute all-purpose flour, the bread will still turn out, but there will be a definite difference in texture.
- Yeast - This recipe calls for active dry yeast, but you can substitute instant yeast without an issue or any modifications.
- Mixing by Hand - While using a stand mixer with a dough hook makes this easier, you can absolutely use a large mixing bowl and mix and knead entirely by hand.
- Extra Flour - Note that the recipe states you may need to add a little extra flour during the mixing process to get a dough to come together. I find that this varies during different times of the year, as well as what the weather is like. If it's warmer/more humid, you may need more flour. When it's colder and drier, I rarely, if ever, need to add more flour.
- Metal Pan - I want to emphasize once more that the pan you place on the bottom rack of the oven to create steam needs to be METAL and not glass. If you don’t already have one, I recommend this one.
- Baking Stone - This is the baking stone that I use, and this is the pizza peel you see pictured above. If you don't have a baking stone, you can flip a baking sheet upside down, put a sheet of parchment paper on top, and bake the bread on there (you would not need to place the upside-down pan in the oven during preheating).
Freezing Bread Dough and Baked Bread
You can successfully freeze both unbaked bread dough and completely baked bread. Below are instructions for both:
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Freezing Bread Dough
You can freeze the unbaked bread dough by following steps #1-4 in the recipe below, finishing with shaping the dough.
Immediately place the shaped dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer for 12 hours to freeze completely. Once completely frozen, remove the dough from the baking sheet, wrap the frozen bread dough tightly in plastic wrap, then in a layer of aluminum foil, and place in a ziploc freezer bag. Freeze the dough for up to 3 months.
When ready to bake, remove the dough from the freezer and allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator and proceed with step #5, getting the oven ready and allowing the bread to do its final rise. It may take a little longer for that second rise since the dough will be cold. Bake as directed.
Freezing Baked Bread
Once the bread has cooled completely, you can decide to freeze it sliced or unsliced. I prefer to freeze my loaves sliced, which makes it easier to remove just a couple of pieces at a time, but you can do either.
If you want to freeze the whole loaf unsliced, simply wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a ziploc freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before slicing and serving.
To freeze a sliced loaf, wait until the bread has cooled completely, then slice evenly. Keep the loaf pushed together as well as you can and wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap, then store and thaw as directed above for the whole loaf.
How to Enjoy This Italian Bread
While you can absolutely use this to make sandwiches, it’s also a wonderful accompaniment to hearty meals with rich sauces and gravies. Serve it alongside these dishes with salted butter for spreading:
- Cheesy Lasagna Bolognese
- Italian Meatballs
- Hearty Beef Stew
- Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
- Use it as a base for your own homemade garlic bread
More Bread Recipes
If you love to bake bread, you will thoroughly enjoy these recipes as well:
Watch the Recipe Video Below:
If you make this Italian bread recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating - it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
Italian Bread Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2 cups (480 ml) lukewarm water, ~100°F
- 1 package active dry yeast, (2.25 teaspoons)
- 5 cups (600 g) bread flour
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2½ teaspoons salt
For the Topping (Optional)
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Instructions
- Stir the yeast into ½ cup of the warm water. Let proof as you measure out the dry ingredients.
- Combine 5 cups flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the yeast mixture, remaining water, and olive oil. Using a dough hook attachment, mix on the lowest speed of electric mixer (stir setting on a KitchenAid) until a dough starts to form, adding more flour as needed, up to an additional ¾ cup. Knead on low speed (2 on a KitchenAid) for 7 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 1 to 2 minutes, or until a smooth, firm, elastic dough is formed.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and spray the dough with a thin coating of cooking spray. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to proof in a warm, draft-free place for 1½ hours or until doubled in size.
- Remove the plastic wrap, punch down and flatten the rounded dough with the heel of your hand. Roll the dough up tightly, sealing the seam well after each roll. The dough should be elongated and oval-shaped, with tapered and rounded (not pointed) ends.
- Place a baking stone on the center oven rack and preheat the oven to 425°F. Place a metal baking pan on the lowest rack.
- Place the dough on a baker's peel heavily dusted with flour, or alternately on an inverted baking sheet. Allow the dough to proof, loosely covered with a floured dish towel, for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- If using the topping, brush the dough with the egg white and sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top. Using a razor blade or sharp knife, slash the dough lengthwise about 1/4-inch deep, keeping the blade at a 45-degree angle.
- Just prior to placing the bread in the oven, pour 1 cup of water into the metal pan you placed on the bottom rack of the oven. Then, transfer the loaf from the peel to the stone in the oven.
- Bake the dough until golden brown and a hollow thud is heard when tapping the bottom of the bread (it should register at least 195 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer), about 30 to 40 minutes. Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- Bread Flour - I outlined above why I'm a big advocate of bread flour for this particular recipe; you can find it in nearly all grocery stores or can buy it online. If you substitute all-purpose flour, the bread will still turn out, but there will be a definite difference in texture.
- Yeast - This recipe calls for active dry yeast, but you can substitute instant yeast without an issue or any modifications.
- Mixing by Hand - While using a stand mixer with a dough hook makes this easier, you can absolutely use a large mixing bowl and mix and knead entirely by hand.
- Extra Flour - Note that the recipe states you may need to add a little extra flour during the mixing process to get a dough to come together. I find that this varies during different times of the year, as well as what the weather is like. If it's warmer/more humid, you may need more flour. When it's colder and drier, I rarely, if ever, need to add more flour.
- Metal Pan - I want to emphasize once more that the pan you place on the bottom rack of the oven to create steam needs to be METAL and not glass. If you don’t already have one, I recommend this one.
- Baking Stone - This is the baking stone that I use, and this is the pizza peel you see pictured above. If you don't have a baking stone, you can flip a baking sheet upside down, put a sheet of parchment paper on top, and bake the bread on there (you would not need to place the upside-down pan in the oven during preheating).
- Freezing Bread Dough – Once the dough is shaped, it can be placed on a lined baking sheet and placed in the freezer for 12 hours. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze in a ziploc freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then remove and proceed with step #5 of the recipe. The final rise may take longer since the dough has been cold.
- Freezing Baked Bread – Once the bread has been completely cooled, you can wrap a whole sliced or unsliced loaf in a double layer of plastic wrap, place in a ziploc freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]
Recipe originally published in August 2008.
Can I use extra virgin olive oil?
Best bread recipe I’ve ever made! It comes out perfect every time! I make it often, slice it up and keep in the freezer. Just wanted to take the time to say thank you for this beautiful bread recipe!
The bread is delicious! My loaf is really big compared to the pictures on the blog. It looks amazing and tastes even better. Soft crumb and chewy crust. I used my Instant Pot to proof (1/2 the recommended time) and that was my only change. I used a trick I learned making pizza, and that is I use a silicon mat for the second rise. I lift the mat with bread onto the baking stone,. I removed the mat from underneath about 10 minutes into baking. No transfer issues.
This is one delicious bread! I added some thyme, garlic and onion to ours the second time I make it for a herbed Italian loaf. I am wondering if there is a way to get a thinner, crispier crust on this though. (similar to the loaves bought at the grocery store) Ours was delicious but thicker than I wanted and a little chewy.
Tried this recipe this afternoon. It worked out wonderfully well first time. Love, love, love it.
Thank you so much.
This is now a family favourite. Fantastic!.
The video seems to have disappeared.
So easy, makes a huge loaf, great texture
Excellent outcome using hand mixing and kneading! Great tips
I made this Italian bread and it is to die for. I love it and so does my husband. I will be making it all the time. The recipe was very easy and I have made Italian bread from another recipe and it was definitely not as good as yours. It didn’t turn out as good as yours.
What type of bread flour? Bleach or unbleach?
Hi Mary, Either one will work!
Omg , I have been trying all different bread recipes this was awesome! The BEST bread ever! This will definitely going to be my go to bread recipe!
Seriously the simplest, most delicious recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it!
I made the recipe today for the first time. Great taste and will definitely make it again. I have to say that mine didn’t look at all like the one in the picture. My crust was crunchy but smooth.
I don’t have a baking stone and used a shallow foil pan, lightly oiled and dusted with flour which is what I’ve used for other recipes. However, I found that in this recipe the bottom of the bread was not crusty and too white; thinking that the pan of water might have contributed to this?
I made 2 loaves and although the dough had a good rise, i found that after shaped and while baking, they spread out more than they rose up. Any idea/suggestions regarding this? (I used King Arthur bread flour and dry active yeast.
I had the exact same experience. Bread was not brown on the bottom and didn’t rise like I thought it would. I also made two loaves.
Super bread
This bread was good!
I did so many times this bread is amazing and delicious. Recommend!
This bread is delicious. I’ve made it several times now. I usually cut it into 2 smaller loaves.
On the second rise, it rises mostly out instead of up. Id there a way to make it rise up more?
I made this and it came out amazing! I did do the egg white wash but didn’t add seeds, and the crust was perfect.
The only thing I would recommend is changing the recipe to say you need a 6 quart stand mixer. I have the artisan one that’s 5 quarts and some of the dough was flopping around above the dough hook because it was too much for it to handle. I ended up having to pull it out and hand knead it so my stand mixer didn’t break.
So the bread came out amazing! Thank you so much.
My question is – if I want the bread to have a finer texture in the middle (more light and fluffy, very very tiny holes, less dense etc.) – what would I need to do? I added flour (quite a lot; probably 1.5 cups instead of 3/4 cups extra when the dough looked like batter after several minutes of kneading) – would omitting the extra flour help to achieve this?
Or is it more about doing a third rise – instead of forming the loaf after the first rise, have it rise in the bowl a second time before forming the loaf and proofing?
Any suggestions would be appreciated!
So very good!
Soooo easy to make and worked at high altitude, 6509ft, too!!!
Dough made a huge loaf here so I am diving it in half for (2) loaves today.
Use the egg wash, without sesame seeds, if you want it crispy on outside or leave it off and it is more like traditional sandwich bread! MY 87 year old Mom, hubby and I all gave this a 5 STAR KEEPER RECIPE!
Love this recipe! Question from a busy mom – could the first rise be overnight in the fridge?
Hi Michelle, if I could give ten stars I would. The taste and crunch of this Italian bread is so good. Everyone in my household is raving about it. I never made bread before and I found your blog. I’m so glad I did because the flavor of the Italian bread is just wonderful. I made a great big loaf and then made pizza crust with the rest of the bread Dough. Both were exceptional. One question however, I had trouble moving the proofed bread onto the heated stone. It didn’t hold the rise, unfortunately. I Don’t have a peel so I inverted a cookie sheet and floured it heavily, but the risen dough didn’t slide off so I had to give it a little help, and well, It deflated. It still tasted amazing.
I have made this twice. It came out fantastic both times! I am 100% Italian and love my bread, so that is a high compliment. This will be my only bread recipe moving forward. Bravo, brown-eyed baker!
PS. I used regular flour.
This recipe has become a staple in our home. My friends (roommates) and I cannot get enough of it. I actually split the recipe into 2 loaves and we use it for good homemade garlic bread. Or ill make the one big loaf for sandwiches. With everything on lower production due to Covid-19. We are seeing a difference in the bread quality from local stores. So i went ahead and started looking for a good day to day recipe. This is Definitely the one I’ve been looking for. Thank you so much!!!! Also once thing I’ve noticed. The quality of the olive oil you use will make a MASSIVE difference in flavor. Ive been using Laconiko Evoo and it works wonders.
The bread came out great. Thank you.
There is no video included even though it says there is
I’ve baked this bread twice! It’s a great recipe and easy to follow instructions. My family loves it! Thank you fir sharing!!
I have made this bread several times now and it is an excellent recipe to try for bakers who are just starting out. I do not use the peel or stone with the pan of water. That being said, it turns out beautifully. I use milk to wash the top and not egg. I also brush butter on the crust after I pull it from the oven which also makes a nice color texture on the crust. Definitely recommend this recipe.
Really liked this recipe. Question: thinking about making two smaller loaves with it. Thoughts?
Hi Mike, Glad you enjoyed it! And yes, two smaller loaves are definitely doable.
Would there be a change in baking time when making two smaller loaves instead of one big loaf?
Beautiful bread. Keeps greasy, two loaves cooked every Sunday, one in the bread bin one in freezer.really easy to make.i prefer fresh yeast as the result is even better than dried. Thank you for your recipe.