60 Minute Italian Herb Bread Recipe

This 60-minute homemade herb bread is not only a showstopper, it’s delicious and one of the easiest yeast breads you’ll make! Perfect for any skill level!

Why you’ll love this Italian Herb Bread Recipe

Surprisingly, this homemade herb bread recipe is the first bread recipe I’ve shared on this blog! I think it’s because I love making bread so much I really want the recipes to be 1,000,000% perfect. I’ve been making this homemade herb bread for a while now, and I have consistently loved the way it’s turned out so I thought it was a great time to share it!

Bread is my favorite thing to make. For real, it’s my one true favorite. I love cooking and I love making other baked goods, but I have loved baking bread since I was a child.

I learned to bake bread from my grandmother so long ago I really can’t remember the first time we made it together. It’s just something that has always been.

I get asked for this homemade herb bread recipe by at least one person every time I bring it somewhere. People love it because it is delicious, but it’s also an easy and fast yeast bread that is perfect for someone not totally comfortable with baking homemade breads. Not to mention the braided loaf makes it look oh-so-fancy!

If you are nervous about baking bread, this herb bread recipe is perfect for you. It’s faster than most yeast bread {60 minutes total!!} and it is a total confidence booster because it turns out every time.

Even if you’re a seasoned bread baking pro, this homemade herb bread is a nice break from the typical long bread baking process. It’s a great bread recipe to have on hand if you need to bake something up last minute!

PS: If you’re a total bread making junkie like me, you need this book: The Bread Baker’s Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread. {affiliate link}

It is full of delightful recipes for all kind artisan-style breads plus it explains so many awesome things about making bread, pre-ferments, flour types…I could go on. I want to marry this book. Just kidding. But I read it like a bed time story.

Quick Italian Herbed Bread Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Sugar
• Yeast
• Salt
• Rosemary
• Oregano
• Basil
• Garlic powder
• Milk
• Olive oil
• Egg
• Water
• Butter

Equipment needed for Italian herb bread

• Stand mixer
• Glass mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Spatula
• Liquid measuring cups

How to make Quick Herb Bread

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In a large bowl or the bowl for a standing mixer, whisk 4 cups of flour and the rest of the dry ingredients together.
3. Whisk milk, olive oil, and egg together. Pour into dry mix and start to combine.
4. While the dry ingredients and milk mixture combine, slowly pour in the water.
5. The dough should be slightly tacky. It will clean the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. Add more flour, if needed.
6. Once dough is the correct consistency, knead for about 5 minutes until the texture is smooth and elastic. You should be able to stretch the dough a bit without it breaking.
7. Cover the dough and let rest in the mixing bowl or on the counter for 15 minutes.
8. After the dough has rested, form it however you’d like.
9. To make a braid, separate it into 3 pieces and lay them flat on a lined or greased cookie sheet. Starting at the top, bring the outside strand over the middle strand, so it becomes the new middle strand. Repeat with the opposite side. Repeat this pattern until the whole loaf is braided.
10. Pinch and tuck under both of the ends.
11. Cover and let rest 15 more minutes.
12. Bake on a lined or greased cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden brown. The internal temperature should register between 205-210 degrees F if you prefer to use a thermometer.
13. Brush top of baked bread with melted butter and let cool.

How to know when the yeast is ready

If you want to, you can bloom the yeast in the water before adding it to the dough. For this recipe, we just add it straight to the flour.

Herb Bread Recipe Tips and Substitutions

• This dough is meant to be slightly sticky. It should stick just to the bottom of the bowl.
• You can substitute whatever herbs you want to use.
• Whisk the egg before adding it to the dough.

How to store Herb Bread

Herb bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Another reason I love this homemade herb bread recipe is that the dough freezes perfectly. Often, I’ll make a double batch and form rolls instead of the braid. I place about 6 rolls {just do however many your family will eat in one sitting}, leaving out the last 20-minute rise step, in greased disposable pie plates.

I label a gallon zip top bag with the baking instructions {in the recipe!} and then slide the pie plate in the bag and seal it up! Once they are frozen a bit, you can stack them in your freezer and have a nice stockpile of instant warm homemade herb bread waiting for you!

Serving ideas for Herbed Bread

• Sausage Alfredo Pasta
• White Bean and Kale Pasta
• Pasta Primavera Recipe
• Lemon Ricotta Pasta
• Zucchini and Sausage Spaghetti

Herbed Bread Recipe FAQs

Can I substitute fresh herbs in herb bread?

Yes, you can substitute in fresh herbs, just double the amounts written in the recipes.

Do I need a stand mixer to make homemade bread?

No, you don’t need a stand mixer to make this bread. You can mix it by hand and knead it by hand as well. Double the kneading time if you are kneading it by hand.

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Quick Herb Bread

This 60-minute homemade herb bread is not only a showstopper, it's delicious and one of the easiest yeast breads you'll make! Perfect for any skill level!

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Keyword herb bread, herb bread recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 12 people

Calories 257kcal

Author Longbourn Farm • Alli Kelley

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Equipment

• Redmond Real Salt
• ThermoPop
• Thermoworks MK4 Thermapen

Ingredients

• 4-4 1/2 cups flour see note
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary 2 teaspoons chopped fresh
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano 2 teaspoons chopped fresh
• 2 teaspoons dried basil 2 teaspoons chopped fresh
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter melted and cooled

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375ºF. 
• In a large bowl or the bowl for a standing mixer, whisk 4 cups of flour and the rest of the dry ingredients together.
• Whisk milk, olive oil, and egg together. Pour into dry mix and start to combine.
• While the dry ingredients and milk mixture combine, slowly pour in the water.
• The dough should be slightly tacky. It will clean the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. Add more flour, if needed.
• Once dough is the correct consistency, knead for about 5 minutes until the texture is smooth and elastic. You should be able to stretch the dough a bit without it breaking.
• Cover the dough and let rest in the mixing bowl or on the counter for 15 minutes.
• After the dough has rested, form it however you'd like.
• To make a braid, separate it into 3 pieces and lay them flat on a lined or greased cookie sheet. Starting at the top, bring the outside strand over the middle strand, so it becomes the new middle strand. Repeat with the opposite side. Repeat this pattern until the whole loaf is braided.
• Pinch and tuck under both of the ends.
• Cover and let rest 15 more minutes.
• Bake on a lined or greased cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden brown. The internal temperature should register between 205-210 degrees F if you prefer to use a thermometer.
• Brush top of baked bread with melted butter and let cool.

Video

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Notes

The exact amount of flour you will need for this recipe (or any baking recipe) can vary by as much as a cup. This is due to altitude, humidity, and weather. I live in an arid high-desert mountain climate, so often my readers need to add additional flour if they live at a lower elevation with more humidity. Reference the video for how sticky the dough should be. 

If you'd like to make rolls, divide the dough into 12-16 pieces. Push up and stretch the dough down over your thumb and then pinch the bottom together to create tight rolls that will rise well. Check these after 15 minutes, they will bake more quickly.

This dough freezes very well. I often divide a batch or two up into rolls, skipping the last rest step, and place them in greased disposable pie or cake plates. I put the whole plate in a zip-top bag and freeze flat for about 30 minutes until the dough is firm, then you can stack them in your freezer to conserve space. To bake the dough, I get it out about 45 minutes before I'd like to bake it. Bake at the same temperature and time as listed above. If you want to bake the frozen dough, place it in a cold oven and preheat to 350 degrees F and extend the baking time about 5-7 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 418mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 105IU | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2.5mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @longbournfarm or tag #longbournfarm!

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