This Italian herb bread is not only delicious, but quick and easy too! It comes together in just over an hour and a half and packs a flavorful punch!

Two loaves of bread on a cooling rack, close up on one end

Isn’t making bread super difficult?

Honestly, not at all! It is even easier with a few modern conveniences, like a Kitchen Aid or other type of mixer. Yeasted bread, any bread that uses dry yeast rather than sourdough starter, only takes a few hours and is quickly ready to serve! The only caveat I would give alongside that statement is, it takes a while to cool the bread. Most bread is easier to cut when it is cool.

Is all Italian seasoning the same?

NOPE and fun fact you can make it at home! The absolute best part about being a home chef is making up my own herb blends for my family to enjoy! The Italian blends in the stores all have different herbs and different proportions in them. Some have preservatives and anti-caking agents as well, which for me in particular, are deal breakers. Another great reason to make blends, like Italian seasoning, at home is the cost! You can make a better quality product for a fraction of the cost! I personally prefer organic ingredients, when I can find them, and have rarely seen organic blends. But, for most herbs I can find an organic individual option! My ITALIAN SEASONING BLEND is made from must have staples and can be whipped up in a matter of minutes!

What equipment do I NEED to make Italian herb bread?

NEED

Large Bowl
Measuring spoons and cups
Hands and a counter
Baking pan
Small bowl, for egg wash
Fork, to mix egg wash and spread it on the bread, in the absence of a pastry brush
Tea towel
Glass baking dish

VERY HELPFUL

Kitchen Aid, or other mixer
Dough hook attachment
Bench scraper, to cut the dough
Pastry brush
Cooling rack

Do I need to let the yeast “bloom” before I use it?

Firstly, blooming yeast is letting it sit in warm water with sugar for 5-10 minutes. If the yeast is active they will be foamy on top of the water after 5 minutes, consequently if not your yeast is no longer viable. Warm water is necessary for activating active dry yeast as opposed to instant yeast. So, if your package says instant yeast you might not need to bloom it! By blooming the active dry yeast you are ensuring that your bread will rise. I highly recommend storing your yeast in the freezer to drastically increase the longevity! I have kept mine active for about a year this way, but that is another reason I bloom my yeast, I’m not positive how old it is!

Yeast bloom ing in water in a mixing bowl

How should I eat this bread?

One of my favorite ways to eat this bread is as garlic bread! Italian herb bread spread with ROASTED GARLIC COMPOUND BUTTER and topped with shredded Parmesan is delicious! You could serve it as is with a little olive oil and balsamic, topped with ITALIAN SEASONING. I also use this bread in my THANKSGIVING STUFFING RECIPE! When the bread is delicious there are so many options!

Variations:

My first thought for variations, add fresh herbs, like Rosemary, all by themselves. This will emphasis an individual herbs flavor and allow you to use any herbs you have in your garden, or fridge. My next thought is to add some cheddar cheese sprinkled on top, for a super savory option. You could also add roasted garlic or even green olives if you were looking for a Mediterranean spin. Basically, this bread is the building block for just about any Italian style bread you could desire! The only real change would be in the proving time, bread with large fillings will take longer to rise.

Storage

On the counter:

This bread will last for 5-7 days in a plastic zipper style bag. But it will start to mold if left for any longer.

In the fridge:

When stored in a zipper style plastic bag the bread will store for 7-10 days, but will dry out as days pass.

In the freezer:

When vacuumed sealed in the freezer Italian bread can last for 3-6 months. When ready to defrost, place the vacuum sealed package in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Ingredients

1 ⅓ cups warm water, NOT HOT
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast, or instant yeast
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 tsp GARLIC INFUSED AVOCADO OIL (or extra virgin olive oil)
2 tbsp ITALIAN SEASONING
4 tsp salt
4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp olive oil
Egg wash:
1 egg
1 tbsp water

How to make Italian herb bread

1.Firstly, combine the warm water, brown sugar, and yeast into the bowl of your stand mixer. (If you do not have a stand mixer a large bowl is fine.) Allow the yeast to “bloom” in the water for about 5 minutes.

Yeast blooming in a mixing bowl with Italian seasoning

2. After the yeast has proven itself, add in the oil, the Italian seasoning, the salt, and one cup of flour. (If you are mixing by hand, add in three of the four cups of flour to start. Then sprinkle some of the last cup onto your work surface, to knead the bread. I recommend measuring out that last cup of flour before starting to knead.)

Shaggy Italian herb bread dough in a mixing bowl

3. Now, fitted with the dough hook attachment, turn your mixer on low and slowly add in the other 3 cups of flour. Allow the mixer to knead for about 10 minutes on low. You want the dough to pull away from the sides into a ball, be glossy looking, and not sticky to the touch. (If kneading by hand this may take a little more than 10 minutes depending on your technique.)

Partially mixed Italian herb bread on a dough hook of a mixer

Italian herb bread dough mostly mixed hanging on a dough hook of a mixer

4. Now, remove the dough from your bowl and coat the bowl in about a teaspoon of olive oil. I use the back of my hand to spread the oil over the inner surface of the bowl.

Italian herb bread dough bowl in hand, mixer in background

5. Return the dough to the oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel, and allow it to rise for 30 minutes.

Italian herb bread rising in a mixer bowl

6. After the first rise, the dough should have approximately doubled in size, remove the dough from the bowl and cut it in half. Stretch out the two loaves into long sausage shapes, and place them on your baking sheet

Italian herb bread dough ball on counter

7. Cover the dough with a damp tea towel and allow the bread to rise for another 30-45 minutes. PRO TIPS: Tuck the towel around the loaves so they don’t grow together, and if the towel sticks to the dough, dampen it with a little bit of water to release.

Two loaves of Italian bread sitting on a baking dish

Two proved Italian loaves of bread on a baking sheet

Two loaves of bread covered with a damp tea towel

Two proved bread loaves under a tea towel

8. Arrange your oven with one oven rack on the bottom and one in the middle.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

9. Start about 3 cups of water to boiling, and place a glass baking dish, I used a pie pan, into the oven on the bottom rack.

10. Combine the egg and water into a small bowl and whisk together, this is your egg wash.

11. With a pastry brush, apply the egg wash to the entire top and sides of the bread. Try to limit the amount of egg that gets on your baking sheet, with a toddler assistant this can be tricky!

Two loaves of Italian bread covered in egg wash on a baking sheet

12. Make a deep cut down the length of the loaves with a bread lame, or a bread knife.

Two loaves of bread covered in egg wash with long cuts down the center in baking sheet

13. Right before you place the bread in the oven, fill the baking dish in the oven with the boiling water. This will create a steam oven in your convection oven, allowing for a crustier loaf of Italian herb bread.

Clear glass pie dish with boiling water in an oven

14. Place the bread into the preheated oven, above the baking dish with water, and allow it to bake for 25-30 minutes. Monitor the bread to make sure the top doesn’t get too brown. Try to not open your oven until you are ready to take the bread out.

Two loaves of baked Italian herb bread on a baking sheet

15. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes on the baking sheet.

16. The bread should then be placed on a cooling rack until ready to eat. Enjoy!

Italian Herb Bread

Yield: 2 loaves