Bread Machine Italian Bread

Bread Machine Italian Bread recipe. These easy step by step instructions show how to make crusty Italian bread in your machine. I make this homemade bread weekly for family!

Italian Bread Recipe For Bread Machine

One of the main reasons why I got a bread machine was because I found myself stopping at the local general store twice a week to pick up an Italian loaf. One of my first recipe goals was to make an Italian Bread that my family would love served with dinner. Now, this bread is made weekly in my kitchen, and I’ve been experimenting with even more bread machine recipes!

If you love homemade bread, try my Bread Machine Garlic Bread for a garlicky (cheesy!) twist or Bread Machine Italian Herb Bread for a flavorful loaf filled with dried Italian seasonings next!

Bread Machine Recipes

If you’re new to the bread machine world you’ll want to first read the manual that came with it.   Not only will the manual give you some basic recipes, but it’ll also talk about the order you should add your ingredients into the pan.  

This is a important step that shouldn’t be overlooked, so please follow your bread machines ordering for the best possible bread.  Most likely the order will look something like this:

1. Water (Liquids)
2. Flour
3. Sugar
4. Dry Milk (note: you don’t need milk for this recipe)
5. Salt
6. Butter / Oils
7. Yeast

It’s important to add them in the right order as it will affect the bread quality when it’s kneading it.  

I have a Zojirushi BB-SSC10 bread maker which makes 1 pound loaf sizes, perfect for my family.

If you are looking for something a little larger check out Cuisinart 2 pound bread maker.  If you aren’t sure what bread maker to get, check out my bread machine guide.

Italian Bread Ingredients

Here’s the ingredients you’ll need to make this Italian Bread.   The ingredients are so basic you probably already have everything in your pantry.

• water
• bread flour
• sugar
• salt
• olive oil
• active dry yeast

How to Make Homemade Bread

Time to make Italian Bread!  Grab your bread machine and plug it in.  Bread machines take on average 3 hours to make bread from beginning to end.  The only work you’ll do is in the first 5 minutes!

Add your cold water to the bread pan.  Cold water is important for this bread, so don’t use warm water.

Now add your bread flour.  

Everyone has their favorite bread flour but in my opinion they aren’t all created equally. I stick with King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill, I’ll buy whichever one is on sale at the grocery store.

Next, add your sugar.  You only need 1 tablespoon.

And now your salt..

And now 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Finally add your dry active yeast on top.

Now place your bread pan into the machine and close the lid.  If your machine has a Italian bread setting, choose that.

If it doesn’t, just select the basic bread option.  Now press start.

Now the bread will start the process of rising, kneading, rising some more and finally baking. 
Here’s how it looks in the kneading process in the very beginning.

And this is after it has risen.

And this how it looks when it’s fully baked.  Beautiful, isn’t it?

When it’s done baking your machine will probably let out a fun little jingle.  Do a little dance because you just made delicious Italian Bread!  (Want to know something really crazy? While I was typing the last line my loaf of bread finished and it started playing the jingle!  How’s that for perfect timing? Now I’m worried that my bread machine is watching me!).

After it’s finished baking, your machine will most likely turn on warm mode to keep it warm.  You can keep it like this, or if you’re impatient like me you’ll take it out of the machine (careful: it’s hot!) and then remove the bread from the pan.  No matter how many times I bake bread I’m always amazed by how easily it slides out of the pan!

Now it’s time to cut a slice of this bread and enjoy!  I love my Italian bread with a little bit of butter, or raspberry jam if I’m looking for a treat!

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