This homemade Italian bread recipe is an easy yeast bread recipe made with simple ingredients for a flavorful, soft bread perfect for serving with pasta or homemade lasagna and great for making into garlic bread.
This homemade Italian bread is a simple and easy homemade yeast bread recipe. Made with simple ingredients, this bread is ready in less than 2 hours and is perfect to serve with homemade Lasagna, pasta or as homemade garlic bread.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy Homemade Bread
- Great for Homemade Garlic Bread
- Yeast Bread Recipe
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Yeast - A dry active yeast works beat for this recipe.
- Water - Warm water helps to proof the yeast.
- Sugar - Cane sugar helps to proof the yeast.
- Flour - We recommend using an unbleached flour.
- Salt - Salt helps the dough work together and enhances the flavor of the bread.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Mixing Bowl - A large mixing bowl is necessary to mix the dough together.
- Dough Hook - A dough hook helps to easily mix the dough together.
- Plastic Wrap - We like to cover the dough with plastic wrap while it is rising.
- Sheet Pan - A sheet pan is necessary to bake the bread on.
- Bread Lame - A bread lame or knife help to easily score the loaf.
How to Make Italian Bread
Step 1. Mix the dough together in a large bowl.
Step 2. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise.
Step 3. Shape the dough into a loaf and allow to rise.
Step 4. Bake the Italian bread in the oven.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
This recipe makes 1 large loaf of Italian bread that can be sliced into 12 slices. We love serving this bread warm with butter, as garlic bread, and for sandwiches like grilled cheese.
If you like this recipe, you will love our other easy bread recipes.
- Homemade Bagels
- Homemade French Bread
- Easy Sourdough Bread
- Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread
- Cinnamon Twist Loaf
- Homemade Biscuits
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread
Expert Tips & Variations
- Use active dry yeast. We have made this recipe with quick acting yeast and regular active dry yeast. The regular active dry yeast works best.
- Allow the dough to rise and double. When you allow the dough and then the shaped loaves to rise, make sure they double in size before moving to the next step.
- Freeze the bread. You can easily freeze this bread and save for later. Simply freeze the entire loaf or cut into slices and freeze.
How to Store Italian Bread
- Countertop - in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQ
We recommend using active dry yeast as the leavening agent in this bread recipe.
More Easy Recipes
Homemade Italian Bread
This homemade Italian bread recipe is an easy yeast bread recipe made with simple ingredients for a flavorful, soft bread perfect for serving with pasta or homemade lasagna and great for making into garlic bread.
Ingredients
- 1 and ¼ cups warm water
- 2 and ¼ teaspoons yeast
- 1 Tablespoon cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 and ¾ cups unbleached flour
Instructions
- Add the warm water, yeast and sugar to a large bowl. Stir to combine, cover, and allow the yeast to proof for 7-10 minutes.
- Once the yeast has proofed, add the salt and flour to the bowl.
- Use your hands to work the flour and salt into the yeast mixture to form a ball of dough.
- Place the ball of dough in the mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
- Allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes to an hour or until doubled in size.
- After the dough rises, line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and stretch the dough out into a rectangle.
- Roll the dough up into a log-shape and pinch the outsides of the dough into the center while rolling into a log.
- Place the shaped dough on the sheet pan.
- Cover the loaf with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
- While the loaf rises, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Use a bread lame or knife to add one long score down the side of the loaf.
- Place the bread in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Remove the bread from the oven when the top is golden brown.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 61Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 353mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 2g
