Perfect Homemade Italian Bread

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You will be amazed at just how easy it is to make Italian Bread at home. This Homemade Italian Bread recipe comes together with pantry staples and features a crispy crust and a soft, tender interior.

Sliced Italian Bread with butter on a cutting board.

There is something about walking into a kitchen and smelling homemade bread baking. Whether it is Honey Whole Wheat Bread, Dutch Oven Bread, or Italian Bread, the aroma wafting through the kitchen is both magical and comforting.

And while people can be intimidated by the thought of making homemade bread, this recipe for Italian Bread happens to be one of the easiest homemade bread recipes to make!

Ingredients for Italian Bread

Flour: Use unbleached bread flour for best results. All-purpose flour can be substituted if needed.
Water: Be sure to use warm water that is at about 105 degrees. If the water is too hot the yeast will be killed and if the water is too cold the yeast will not be activated.
Sugar: You will need a small amount of granulated sugar to help the yeast bloom.
Yeast: Be sure you use Dry Active Yeast (not quick-rise yeast) and be sure yeast is not expired for best results.
Spices: I like to add garlic powder to give my Italian bread more flavor, but this is completely optional and is not traditional.

How to Make Italian Bread

The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step One: Prepare the Dough

Combine warm water and sugar in a bowl. Sprinkle yeast over the mixture and let the yeast bloom in the water for 5-10 minutes or until foamy.

While the yeast is blooming, mix the flour, salt, and optional seasonings in either the bowl for the stand mixer or a large mixing bowl.
Pour the yeast water into the flour mixture and using either a wooden spoon or the mixing hook on a stand mixer, mix until just combined.
Once the flour is fully moistened, it is time to knead the dough. You can do this by using the dough hook on a stand mixer and mixing at medium-low speed until the dough is nice and smooth and pulls away from the bowl easily. This will take about 5 minutes. If you are kneading the dough by hand, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand until the dough is nice and smooth. This will take about 10 minutes.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until double in size--about 1-2 hours depending on the temperature of your house.

Step Two: Shape

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch down the dough and shape it into a long oval shape.
Cut diagonal slits on top of the bread every 2-3 inches.
Cover Italian Bread Dough with a kitchen towel and let rise for another 30 minutes.

Italian Bread Dough Shaped in bread loaf on baking sheet.

Step Three: Bake

Place a While the bread is rising, heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
After the second rise, brush the bread with olive oil for a golden crust.

Olive oil being brushed on Italian Bread Dough

Sprinkle with Parmesan if desired for additional flavor, keeping in mind this is not traditional.
Bake the bread for 20-25 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 190 degrees F.

Italian Bread in Bread Machine

You can prepare the dough for Italian Bread using a bread machine if you happen to have one, making this recipe even easier!

To prepare the dough using a bread maker, place the ingredients into the loaf pan in the order indicated per your machine's instructions. For most bread makers, this would be to pour in the warm water, top with the flour and salt, make a well for the yeast, and add the yeast to the well. Set the cycle to "dough" and let the bread machine do its thing. After the dough is prepared proceed with the recipe by shaping and baking as directed.

Serving Suggestions

Italian bread is delicious when served in any shape or form, but below are a few of my favorite suggestions.

Serve warm with butter or an Italian bread dipping oil.
Use leftover or stale Italian bread to make homemade croutons.
As a base for garlic toast.
Serve Italian bread with a bowl of pasta topped with Bolognese Sauce or Homemade Spaghetti Sauce.
Alongside a cozy soup, such as Lasagna Soup, Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana, or Instant Pot Minestrone Soup.

Storing Italian Bread

At Room Temperature: Once cooled, store the Italian bread in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days at room temperature.
Freeze: Allow the baked Italian bread to fully cool. Wrap the cooled bread well wrapped in plastic wrap and/or a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.

Recipe FAQs

How do you know the bread is fully baked?

Bread is finished baking when you tap the bottom of the loaf of bread and it sounds hollow. But a surefire way to know your bread is baked perfectly is to take its internal temperature. Do this by placing a thermometer in the center of the bread. When it reads 190 degrees, your Italian Bread is baked to perfection.

My bread is dense--what happened?

Chances are you used too much flour in the bread dough. It is important to measure the flour by lightly spooning the flour into a measuring cup, rather than scooping the flour, to ensure accurate measurement.

How do I adjust for high altitude?

King Arthur Flour has a guide for baking at high altitudes that will help you make the appropriate adjustments.

My bread became hard--what can I do now?

If you don't store the bread in an airtight container, the bread will quickly dry out. Prevent this from happening, by storing it in an airtight container. But in the meantime, use the stale bread to make croutons or french toast casserole.

More Easy Homemade Bread Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe for homemade Italian Bread, I would love for you to leave a review and comment below.

Homemade Italian Bread

This simple recipe for Italian bread has a crispy crust and soft interior and is one of the easiest recipes for homemade bread.

5 from 10 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Bread

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 35

Servings: -10

Calories: 238kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup warm water
▢ 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
▢ 2-¼ teaspoons active dry yeast NOT instant yeast
▢ 2-½ cups unbleached flour
▢ 1 teaspoon salt

Optional Add-Ons

▢ 2 teaspoons olive oil to give bread a golden exterior
▢ ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese optional
▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder optional

Instructions

Using a Bread Machine

Place water, sugar, flour, and salt into the bread machine in the order specified by your machine. Make a well into the flour and add the yeast to the well. Set to dough cycle and turn on.
Once the dough cycle is complete, punch the dough down shape into a large oval shape. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for another 30 to 60 minutes, or once the dough has nearly doubled in size.
Once the dough has doubled again, cut diagonal slits on top of the bread dough every 2-3 inches
Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until browned and the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190 degrees. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Preparing without a Bread Machine

Pour water and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over warm water and let the yeast bloom, or get foamy and bubbly, for 5-10 minutes.
Mix the flour, salt, and oregano, and garlic powder (if using), together and stir in the foamy water with a wooden spoon (or dough hook of a stand mixer) until incorporated.
Knead by hand or using your dough hook on low speed on a stand mixer, until the dough is nice and smooth. This will take anywhere from 5-10 minutes.
Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size--about 1-2 hours depending on the temperature of your house.
Once the dough has risen, punch the dough down and shape it into an oval-shaped loaf. Cut diagonal slits on top of bread dough every 2-3 inches. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for another 30 to 60 minutes, or once the dough has nearly doubled in size.
Brush the loaf with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until browned and the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190 degrees. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Equipment Needed

Digital Thermometer

Notes

Bread is finished baking when you tap the bottom of the loaf of bread and it sounds hollow. You can also take its internal temperature. When it reads 190 degrees, your Italian Bread is baked to perfection.

Flour–use unbleached bread flour for best results. It is also important to measure by lightly spooning flour into a measuring cup to ensure accurate flour measurement.

Water–be sure to use warm water that is at about 105 degrees because if the water is too hot the yeast will be killed and if water the yeast will not be activated.

Yeast–Be sure you use dry active yeast (not Quick Rise Yeast) and be sure yeast is not expired for best results.

Baking at a high altitude? Check out these adjustments that you may need to follow.

Optional Seasonings--If you would like to season your Italian bread, add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder to the flour mixture, brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese before baking.

Storage: This bread will keep at room temperature for 3-4 days and can be frozen for up to a month.

Nutrition

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Homemade Italian Bread Recipe

Ingredients for Italian Bread