Skip the bakery and make your own artisan Italian bread at home! This bread is perfect for subs and sandwiches of every kind. Besides, no one can resist the smell of fresh bread hot out of the oven! I just love making bread at home! Yeasted breads used to intimidate me, but after lots of practice I have all the tips you will need to have the confidence to tackle any bread recipe. If you still feel like making a few no-yeast bread recipes first, then you’ve got to try this easy Beer Bread, this yummy No Yeast Flatbread, and Soda Bread.
Artisan Italian Bread
If you love getting your hands in some dough, this Italian bread recipe is for you! It’s so easy, and the end result is a fluffy inside with a slightly chewy outside. There is just nothing that tastes better than homemade bread! It’s totally worth the extra effort to make bread that is better for you, but also so much better tasting than what you can find at the grocery store. I grew up eating my grandma’s sandwich bread, and there is still nothing like it! If you’ve been to Subway and ordered your sub on Italian bread, then you kind of know what to expect with this one. It’s similar to that, but way tastier! It reminds me of Cuban bread, but with a few differences in the method of making it. I really like this recipe because it’s as easy to whip up as a pizza dough, but the end result is a super versatile loaf that you can use for sandwiches, toast, and whatever else sounds good!
Ingredients
I just love how simple the ingredients are for this Italian bread dough. It’s just the basics and nothing more. This recipe calls for bread flour, which has a higher protein content than all purpose flour. If you want to use all purpose, I have a tip below in the tip box for how to adjust the recipe for that. You can find the measurements below in the recipe card.
Active Dry Yeast: Use warm water to activate it, it should only take a few minutes to get frothy. Warm Water: To help the yeast activate and come alive. Sugar: Sugar helps the bread rise better and to give it more flavor. You could use honey instead. Bread Flour: You could use wheat flour or all-purpose flour instead, but I talk about how to do that successfully down in the tip box. Bread flour has a high protein content which makes it different than all-purpose. Salt: Brings out all of the lovely flavors.
Italian Bread Recipe
Yes, you can absolutely make this recipe by hand! All you need is a large mixing bowl and a wooden spoon. Anything that mentions the bowl of a stand mixer, just add it to your mixing bowl instead. When you knead by hand, try not to add too much extra flour, you don’t want your bread to be dry.
Make Dough
Shape and Bake
Using A Different Flour: I know you are all thinking it! If you don’t bake bread frequently, you might not have bread flour on hand. What I will say is this- I haven’t tested this recipe with another flour. I can tell you from experience that sometimes substituting 1:1 bread flour for all purpose doesn’t always turn out. You should be able to use the same amount of flour with a little less water, or add extra flour if the dough seems way too sticky. Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose, so it sucks up more water. Don’t be afraid to experiment until you get it right! Whole Wheat Italian Bread: If you want to make this loaf whole wheat, I would recommend using half all purpose and half whole wheat. Using all whole wheat may cause a really dense and dry loaf that doesn’t really hit the spot.
On the Counter: Make sure your bread has completely cooled for at least a few hours before storing. You can store in a bread bag or bread box for a few days, or transfer bread directly to a plastic bag for up to a week. In the Refrigerator: Store your bread in the refrigerator in an airtight bag for up to two weeks.
Focaccia Bread
Cloud Bread
Perfect Naan Bread with Garlic Butter
Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
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