BREAD MACHINE ITALIAN HERB BREAD RECIPE

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This simple Italian Herb Bread Recipe is quick to throw together in your bread machine. It is a fragrant, savory bread infused with a classic blend of Italian herbs. Its aroma reminds me of the warmth of an Italian kitchen.

The bread has a soft, fluffy texture, and a golden exterior. Perfect as a side for soups, pasta dishes, or even toasted as a sandwich base. Italian herb bread is a versatile and flavorful addition to a variety of meals.

It’s also delicious on its own with a simple smear of real butter or olive oil.

The star of this bread though are the Italian seasonings. They give it the savory flavor and leave beautiful specks throughout the loaf.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

• bread maker – mine is no longer available, but this one is similar
• measuring cups & spoons
• spatula (optional)
• bread pan (if you want to bake in oven vs. bread machine)
• oven mitts
• cooling rack

BREAD MACHINE BAKING TIPS

1. Familiarize yourself with your bread machine. Read you manufacturer’s instructions and follow the order of ingredients recommended for your specific bread machine.
2. Read and understand the recipe. Make sure you only use the ingredients called for in the recipe and measure the ingredients carefully. Over-measuring or under-measuring ingredients can affect the results.

ITALIAN HERB BREAD INGREDIENTS

• 2/3 cups milk (can use unsweetened almond milk for dairy free)
• 1/3 cup warm water + about 2 Tbsp (divided)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasonings, dried
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast

CAN I USE FRESH HERBS INSTEAD OF DRIED?

Absolutely. If you choose to do that, omit the dried herbs above and substitute 1 teaspoon each of fresh chopped basil leaves, oregano leaves, and thyme leaves.

HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN HERB BREAD IN A BREAD MACHINE

This recipe makes a 1 1/2 pound loaf size.

Measure ingredients into bread machine pan. Carefully measure all ingredients. Place them into bread machine pan in the correct order according to the manufacturer’s instructions for your bread maker. (Mine calls for liquid ingredients, followed by dry ingredients. The ingredient list above is the exact order I follow.)

For the warm water, start out with 1/3 cup and add in additional water 1 tablespoon at a time as bread machine starts to cycle only if dough is too dry.

Start bread maker. Select Basic/White bread cycle for 1 1/2 pound loaf size. Choose either medium or light crust color depending on your preference. Press start.

Cool. Carefully remove bread machine pan from bread maker with oven mitts. Allow bread to cool in bread machine pan slightly (usually about 10 – 15 minutes) and then dump loaf onto wire rack to finish cooling.

Optional step: Brush a 1/2 tablespoon of melted butter on top of loaf.

Let bread cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife.

CAN I BAKE THE ITALIAN HERB BREAD IN THE OVEN INSTEAD?

Yes, I have done it both ways. My preference is to bake homemade bread recipes in the oven instead of my bread machine, so here are the instructions for that process:

Measure ingredients into bread machine pan. Carefully measure all ingredients. Place them into bread machine pan in the correct order according to the manufacturer’s instructions for your bread maker. (Mine calls for liquid ingredients, followed by dry ingredients. The ingredient list above is the exact order I follow.)

For the warm water, start out with 1/3 cup and add in additional water 1 tablespoon at a time as bread machine starts to cycle only if dough is too dry.

Start bread maker. Choose the dough setting. Press start.

Form loaf & rise. Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Remove dough from bread machine pan and form bread loaf by tucking the edges beneath the loaf and pinching the seams together. Place formed loaf in greased baking pan with seam side down. Cover loosely with a towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until it’s close to double in size (usually takes 30 – 40 minutes depending on the temperature of your home).

Bake. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake loaf for 20 – 25 minutes until bread is golden brown on top. You will know when it’s done if you gently tap the top and it sounds hollow.

Cool. Let baked bread cool in pan for 10 minutes. If necessary, carefully loosen edges of bread from sides of pan using a butter knife. Dump bread out on to a cooling rack. Flip bread so it is upright. (Be careful. If pan is still too hot to touch – use oven mitts.)

Let bread cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife.

STORING LEFTOVER HOMEMADE BREAD

The shelf life on homemade bread is a lot less than store bought because it does not have any of the preservatives.

Let the bread cool completely to room temperature before storing it in either an airtight container or plastic bag. It should be kept out of direct sunlight.

PIN IT!

I love easy bread machine recipes. Measure out the ingredients and let the kneading blade do all the work – ha!

I encourage you to get out your bread machine and try this Bread Machine Italian Herb Bread Recipe. Be sure to let me know your favorite way to enjoy it in the comments below.

If you want more bread machine recipe ideas, you can also check out some of my other posts such as HOW TO MAKE WHITE BREAD DOUGH IN A BREAD MACHINE or BREAD MACHINE DINNER ROLLS.

Blessings,