Easy Italian Herb Bread
on Oct 22, 2017, Updated May 18, 2018
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This Easy Herb Bread Recipe is versatile in both forms and flavor. Use Italian seasoning like we did or make it your own with garlic, sage, or whatever herbs and flavors cause your mouth to water. What’s more, you can serve it as a traditional loaf of bread or in fun and individual size rolls. Either way, it is wonderfully delicious.
What is this?
There is nothing like the smell of fresh homemade bread baking in your oven. However, I have to confess that I had never attempted to make my own bread. The closest thing to homemade bread for me was to pick up a “take and bake” loaf of bread from the grocery store and reheat it in the oven.
Steaming the dough in the oven while it bakes gives the bread a nice crusty finish. See our crusty bread recipe here.
And so this weekend at our cottage in the middle of Nowhere, Wisconsin, I changed this oversight and made my very first loaf of bread from scratch. Not only was it delicious, but it was also easy too. Let me tell you about my Herb Bread Recipe.
In the past, I have posted how I like to challenge myself to only create meals or recipes using the ingredients that we have available in our pantry. This is difficult at times when we are at the cottage.
What you need
- Bread Flour (Or all-purpose flour if that’s all you have.)
- Water
- Yeast
- Herb seasoning of your choice
- Oil
- Sugar
- Salt
I found that this recipe yields enough for 2 loaves of bread, or you could divide that dough in half and make one loaf of bread and 12 rolls using a muffin pan. This is what I did. I saved the loaf of bread for dinner and the family and I ate the rolls warm from the oven. What could be better than that?
Herb Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups water, warm to 110° F.
- 2/3 cups sugar
- 1.5 tbsp yeast, dry active
- 6 cups bread flour, msy use all-purpose flour as well but bread crumb may be more dense.
- 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in the warm water. Stir in the dry active yeast and allow the yeast to “proof”. It will become foamy and will bubble. If it does not do this, then your yeast is no good or your water is either too hot or too cold.
- Add the Italian seasoning and mix in the oil and salt and add one cup of flour at a time combining until a dough forms
- On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for several minutes until the dough becomes less sticky. You may need at add a pinch or two of flour during this process. Lightly grease a large bowl and place your dough into this bowl. Cover bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm area and allow the dough to double in size. This will take approximately an hour. If you choose to cover with plastic wrap, grease the plastic wrap with oil so that it does not stick to the dough.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, “punch” the dough down and place on a lightly floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes. Again, you may need to add a pinch or two of flour so that the dough does not stick to your hands as you knead. Divide the dough in 2 equal pieces. Place in either 2 well greased loaf pans, or make into rolls by cutting into equal pieces and rolling in small balls and putting in well greased muffin pans. Cover loaf pan, or muffin pans, and allow to rise again until the dough is about 1 inch above pan. This can anywhere between 30 minutes and could be as much at 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350° F.
- Boil 3 cups of water and pour into an oven safe pan and place on the lowest rack in your oven, This will create steam while your bread is baking and will make for a crustier loaf of bread. You can omit this step if you prefer. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes for a loaf of bread and approximately 18-20 minutes for the rolls.
- Half way through the baking process, brush melted butter on the bread/rolls. Bread is done when golden brown and will sound hallow when you give it a little thump.
- Optional to brush a little more butter on bread when you remove from oven (why wouldn’t you?) Allow to cool for a few minutes on wire rack before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
All you had to do is say Italian. Love the herbs and the aroma is incredible. We love to work in the kitchen and it’s so satisfying to make homemade bread. The whole process is fun and the biggest benefit is delicious bread you can slather with butter. YUM.