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A fool-proof bread machine recipe for Italian bread that's soft on the inside with a chewy, crusty outside that tastes like it came from a bakery (or better!).
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- JUMP TO THE RECIPE
- FAQ ABOUT BREAD MACHINE ITALIAN BREAD
- HOW TO SHAPE ITALIAN BREAD (WITH PICS)
- WHAT'S THE BEST BREAD MACHINE
I never thought I'd see the day I'd be making fresh Italian bread. With ease! Frequently! But here I am, making my weekly batch and this time I took some photos so I could share with y'all.
If you read the article that went with my recipe for Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls, you'll remember I am NOT good with dough. I didn't inherit kneading genes from my grandparents.
But what I can do? I can use my bread machine to do that part for me. And since I figured that part out, I've been a bread making fool!
Perfecting the Bread Machine Cinnamon Roll recipe got me over my fears about handling dough (once it's been kneaded and done its first rise in the machine).
Once that scary, tricky, Lord-I-can't-breathe, I'm-ruining-this-right-before-my-very-own-eyes kneading part is over thanks to the bread machine, the rest is easy!
Once you get past the first rise, yeast dough is very forgiving and even dough dummies like me can take the baton and run with it!
OK, I know what you're thinking... how I can call this the best bread machine Italian bread? It's because, like with the cinnamon rolls, I kept at it until I got the results I wanted.
I made a lot of so-so loaves before I got to this recipe. I screwed it up and wasted my time PLENTY so that you don't have to! And I think this final recipe is truly perfect.
I don't know how interested y'all are in all the details (I'm a giant nerd who loves to learn about the chemistry of cooking) so I'll list some FAQ you may be wondering about.
10 FAQ ABOUT BREAD MACHINE ITALIAN BREAD
1. What's the difference in Italian Bread and French Bread? Traditional French bread doesn't have fat or sugar so it's not as soft and evenly textured on the inside. Italian bread makes a fatter, shorter loaf, whereas French bread is long and thin (la baguette). The crust on Italian bread will be a little thinner and chewy whereas French bread has a thicker, crispier crust.
2. Can I use another type of oil? Technically, yes, but extra virgin olive oil is where some of that great Italian flavor comes from. If needed, you can use any vegetable oil. I'm not sure about melted butter because I haven't tested it.
3. Can I make 4 smaller loaves instead of 2 large ones? YES!! They make excellent sub rolls!! Follow the recipe the same, cutting the dough into four sections instead of two, then bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
4. How long will the bread stay fresh? An uncut loaf will stay good up to 4-5 days if stored properly. Once completely cool, double-wrap in foil or plastic wrap then store in a cabinet or other place where no light gets in.
5. Can the bread be frozen? It can! double-wrap in foil or plastic wrap then freeze up to 3 months.
6. Can the dough be frozen? YES!! As soon as the loaves are shaped, pop them in the freezer, uncovered, until firm (just a few hours, not overnight or they will dry out). Once frozen, wrap tightly (I store mine in the giant 6-quart zip-top bags I get at my annual pilgrimage to Ikea) then freeze up to 4 months. For the final rise, place frozen loaf on a parchment lined pan, cover with a tea towel then thaw/rise at room temperature 3-4 hours (until doubled in size) then bake per the recipe. You can also let them slow-rise in the refrigerator overnight (plan for 10-12 hours).
7. Light or dark brown sugar? Dark is always best for most recipes but there's such a small amount in this one, it really doesn't matter. You can use regular white sugar in a pinch if needed! The sugar is mostly there to feed the yeast.
8. Do I need to use Rapid (Bread Machine) yeast? Not for this recipe! I use regular active yeast.
9. What type of flour should I use? I use a Type 0 flour from Italy. Type 0 flour is most like all-purpose flour. We don't need delicate bread flour for this recipe. I fell down a rabbit hole about how we process our flour in the US and have been only using flour from Italy since. If you want to read more about why, I'll write more at the very bottom of this post. This is the flour I buy and have just this very minute discovered you can get it on Amazon.
10. Can I make this recipe without a bread machine? The recipe ingredients are not specific to bread machine preparation (no special or extra yeast) so you can use them with any standard dough recipe preparation instructions (for mixing, kneading and first rise).
HOW TO SHAPE ITALIAN BREAD
The recipe card will walk you through the details but here's all you have to do to shape the bread. See step-by-step image above.
- Remove the dough from the bread machine after the "dough only" cycle has completed and the dough has finished its first rise. Almost all bread machines have a dough cycle that mixes the dough, kneads it and completes the first rise.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into two even pieces.
- Flour your rolling pin then roll one piece of dough into a rectangular(ish) shape that's approximately 12" at its longest side.
- Roll the dough into a cylinder shape.
- Pinch the seam together to seal it closed. Pinch the ends closed as well. You can tuck the ends under the loaf a bit if they are ragged looking.
- Place each loaf onto a parchment lined pan with the seam-side down then let rise again.
WHAT TO SERVE IT WITH
Obviously, any Italian food goes with well with Italian bread but there are other recipes out there that just beg for a hunk of good bread! Here are the ones that come to mind for me!
POTATO GOULASH WITH SAUSAGE - Saucy, stewed potatoes with onions and smoked sausage or kielbasa, seasoned with paprika and garlic make this recipe for rustic Hungarian-style potato goulash.
CHICKEN & WILD RICE SOUP - A super flavorful, creamy soup recipe with tender chicken, hearty vegetables and wild rice that’s not too heavy but still oh, so satisfying.
BRAISED PORK & CABBAGE - A rustic recipe with cabbage and fork-tender pork pieces cooked down in a light tomato broth with caramelized and crispy bits on top.
PIEROGI SOUP - A hearty potato dumpling soup made with cabbage, smoked sausage or kielbasa and frozen mini pierogi with under 10 ingredients.
CLASSIC BEEF STROGANOFF - An easy-to-follow recipe for classic Beef Stroganoff with tender strips of steak, sliced mushrooms and sauteed onions in a velvety sauce made with real sour cream.
SHELLFISH CHOWDER - A family recipe for hearty, creamy chowder loaded with shrimp, scallops, clams and crab that's surprisingly simple to make.
CHICKEN NOODLE STEW - A hearty stew with chunks of chicken and bite-sized pasta with all the comfort and flavor of homemade soup that’s robust enough to satisfy even the biggest appetites.
South Your Mouth exists because of the community who reads it. Occasionally, I may suggest a product I use at home and personally recommend. If you purchase it, I will likely receive a small commission.
WHAT IS THE BEST BRAND OF BREAD MACHINE TO BUY?
I did a ton of research before buying my Breville Custom Loaf Bread Maker and absolutely love it. The key features that I enjoy are:
- The pan is rectangular instead of square so bread baked in the machine is shaped like a traditional loaf.
- The paddle flattens before baking so there's no big dent in the bottom of baked loaves.
- It is very user-friendly (even for dough dummies like me).
- The custom functions I like to use are preprogrammed and easy to select (standard dough, pasta, pizza dough, etc.).
Recipe for Bread Machine Italian Bread
The BEST Bread Machine Italian Bread
A fool-proof bread machine recipe for Italian bread that's soft on the inside with a chewy, crusty outside that tastes like it came from a bakery (or better!).
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 pkt active yeast (2.25 tsp)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Add water, brown sugar, salt and oil to bread machine pan. 1.5 c. warm water, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 tsp each salt and olive oil
- Add flour on top of wet ingredients then add yeast on top of flour. 4 c. flour, 2.25 tsp yeast
- Set machine to dough cycle then start. This will knead the dough and proof it through the first rise (mine takes 90 mins).
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface then cut into two even pieces using a sharp knife.
- Roll each half of dough into a rectangular(ish) shape that's approximately 12" at its longest side.
- Roll each half into a long cylinder, pinching the seam closed and ends.
- Place both loaves onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper (or sprinkled with cornmeal) with the seam facing down.
- Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap then let rise until doubled in size (about 40 minutes for me). Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Optional: Brush both loaves with the egg wash using a pastry brush. Loaves pictured here were made with egg wash.
- Using a super sharp knife or razor blade, cut a slice (about 1/4-inch deep) down the middle of each loaf. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until deep golden brown.
Notes
- The egg wash gives the bread its glossy crust but is optional.
- After the egg wash is applied (before scoring the loaves) you can sprinkle on sesame seeds, poppy seeds or everything bagel seasoning if you'd like!
- All other questions have likely been answered in the FAQ section above.
WHY I'VE QUIT AMERICAN FLOUR
First things first, I'm not a conspiracy theorist or very "crunchy" as the kids say. And I eat plenty of junky, overly processed food. But since traveling to the UK last year, I try to avoid flour that's been processed the US.
I spent two weeks walking (and walking and WALKING) all over Scotland last year when we took the Baby Girl over to attend the University of Edinburgh. I'm 50 years old and overweight. We walked over 10 miles a day and everything on my body should have HURT (ankles, knees, hips... all the achy parts) but... I felt great.
I suffer with pretty substantial joint pain. Whether it's menopause, age/weight, early rheumatoid arthritis (verdict is still out, getting the blood screening again at my next physical) or a combo, I'm not sure. But after just a few days in Scotland, almost all of the pain went away.
After a few interesting conversations with folks I met and falling down a rabbit hole online about it, I learned that some of the chemicals and processes used to grow and mill flour in the US are banned in the UK and Italy (and maybe every other first world country).
Removing the overly processed, refined flour from my diet for two weeks made me feel twenty years younger. My joints felt great! I felt great!
When I asked the Scottish woman I was speaking with why she thought the UK was stricter, she sheepishly said, "Well... our government pays for our healthcare so they don't want us poisoning ourselves." And I was like... man, dang... that makes a lot of sense.
I'm mostly focused on inflammation but, in my research, I've learned that Celiac disease and gluten allergies are practically nonexistent in Europe. I've also learned that processed white sugar is another devil. Those are whole other rabbit holes to fall down so I'll have to let you research those topics.
I can easily find pasta made in Italy at the grocery store but I've had a hard time finding European grown and milled flour. I buy my flour from Manny's Choice and just today discovered it can be purchased on Amazon.
Here's a summary of what I've learned about US flour and inflammation:
White flour grown and refined in the US is strongly linked to chronic inflammation because it is highly processed, rapidly digested, and causes blood sugar spikes. It acts as a pro-inflammatory agent, contributing to obesity, insulin resistance, and gut health issues.
Key Links to Inflammation:
- High Glycemic Index: Refined flour triggers the production of advanced glycation end (AGE) products, which stimulate inflammation.
- Gut Health & Zonulin: The proteins in processed wheat, specifically gliadin, can cause the body to overproduce zonulin, triggering immune responses that cause joint inflammation.
- Processing & Additives: US flour is highly refined and contains bleaching agents and preservatives that may contribute to sensitivity and inflammation (as well as some cancers).
- Nutrient Depletion: The refining process removes fiber and nutrients, resulting in a product that encourages metabolic dysfunction rather than satiety.
Sources:
- Chris Kresser, M.S., L.Ac.: 10 Ways Refined Flour Can Damage Your Health
- Arthritis Foundation: 8 Food Ingredients That Can Cause Inflammation
- Josh Gitalis: The Dark Side of White Flour
- Pam Rezai: The White Flour Epidemic
- Fall Line Ridge: American Flour Made Her Sick (video)
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