Soft Italian Sub Rolls Anyone Can Make
The best sandwiches always start with really good bread. And these Italian sub rolls are exactly what you’re looking for super soft all around but sturdy enough to pile with all your favorites. They are easy (really), even if you’re brand new to yeast breads. And I’ll walk you through every step. Shall we?
Soft Italian Sub Rolls
Equipment
- Stand mixer or bread machine
- large bowl (for first rise)
- kitchen scale (optional)
- Plastic wrap or a damp cloth (to cover the dough while rising)
- Baking sheet or parchment paper
- Pastry brush
- cooling rack
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups bread flour
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
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Instructions
- Knead the dough. Add all ingredients to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, a bread machine, or a large mixing bowl if kneading by hand. Then, knead until the dough is smooth and stretchy, about 8-10 minutes. To see if it's kneaded enough, try the "windowpane test": stretch a small piece of dough thin enough to let some light through without it breaking. The dough should be smooth and slightly sticky to the touch but should clear the sides and bottom of the bowl. If using a bread machine, allow the kneading cycle to finish.
- First rise. Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size and is very puffy.
- Rest. After the first rise, gently deflate the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. For best results, use a kitchen scale to make sure even portions. Loosely shape each piece into a log. Then, cover the logs with plastic wrap and let them rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes. This rest period will make the dough easier to shape.
- Shape. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper and dusting it with cornmeal. To shape the rolls, gently stretch each log into an oval roll. Pull down the bottoms of the dough to smooth out the tops and pinch the ends underneath to create a smooth, seam-free surface. Place the shaped rolls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving enough space between them for the second rise.
- Second rise. Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter using a pastry brush. Cover them with heavily greased plastic wrap to prevent sticking and allow them to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes, or until very puffy. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 425°F. Place a rimmed metal baking sheet on a lower rack in the oven to preheat as well.
- Bake with steam. When the oven is hot, pour 1 cup of water onto the preheated metal baking sheet to create steam. Immediately place the rolls on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 15-19 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cool and serve. Remove the rolls from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Let them cool completely before slicing for sandwiches. These rolls are best enjoyed within 2 days or can be frozen for later use.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
But what really makes these special is the technique of adding steam to the oven. I know it seems scary to be pouring things into a hot oven, but don’t skip it.
When you’re working with the dough, you’ll notice it’s slightly tacky, but it shouldn’t stick to your hands. It just means there’s enough moisture for a light, fluffy interior while still being easy to shape.
Tips for Success
If you live in a high altitude, everything’s a little different. The biggest change is dough rises fast! Watching your dough and maybe using less yeast or cutting down on rise time can help. For more advice on adjusting recipes for altitude, here’s a high-altitude baking guide from King Arthur Baking.
The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but still stick slightly to the bottom during kneading
You want your dough to be smooth and stretchy – if you can stretch it thin enough to see light through it (the windowpane test), it’s ready.
When adding water to create steam, pour it into the preheated pan quickly and step back to avoid the burst of steam hitting you in the face.
Let the rolls cool completely before slicing. They finish baking as they cool.
Ingredients and Equipment
Bread Flour: This creates chewier rolls with better structure than all-purpose flour. In a pinch, all-purpose works, but the texture won’t be quite the same.
Instant Yeast: Mixes right into your dough, rises without trouble, no proofing first.
Equipment: A rimmed metal baking sheet is essential for creating steam, definitely no glass or ceramic pans which can shatter when the water hits the hot pan.
Make It Your Own
This is a basic dough you can customize.
- Brush with olive oil instead of butter before baking
- Top with sesame or poppy seeds
- Add dried herbs to the dough – oregano or basil are both good!
- Shape into shorter rolls for slider buns or longer loaves for hoagies
- Try semolina instead of cornmeal on the bottom
Common Questions
There are a couple possibilities. Old yeast and cold room are the most common. Next time, let the dough rise in a warmer spot like in a turned-off but slightly warm .
Eh, not really. It does look lovely and helps prevent sticking. If you don’t have any, use parchment paper alone or sprinkle a little flour.
Don’t overthink this. Just shape it into an oval with seams at the bottom. After you do it yourself a few times, you’ll see there’s no real wrong way to do it.
They should be golden brown and feel light for their size. But if you aren’t sure, it’s better to let them bake a minute or two longer than to take them out too early.
Yes, you can. I personally hate this, but it’s doable. It will take at least 15 minutes and you’ll need to keep going until you see those “windows”.
Yes! After the first rise, you can cover the dough and place it in the refrigerator overnight. Let it come to room temperature the next day, shape the rolls, and allow them to rise a second time before baking.
You’ll want to look for a gluten-free bread recipe for best results. It’s not my speciality, sorry.
Don’t let bread baking scare you. If you’re a beginner, these rolls are a perfect place to start. I promise they’ll deliver results that will make you proud. Even if your first batch isn’t perfect, you’re still going to end up with fresh, homemade bread. That’s always something to celebrate.
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.
Love this recipe. I make triple batch every week. It’s great
Hey Maureen, wow, that’s amazing! I’m so glad you love the recipe. Making a triple batch every week is impressive! Thanks so much for sharing.
Hi Maureen, When you triple batch, do you triple the yeast as well or keep it at 2 1/2 teaspoons. Thank you
you’l want to increase the yeast but don’t need to quite triple it. 5-6 teaspoons would be good.
I turned this into 8 beautiful burger buns. The cornmeal added the best texture. I was able to mix it in my bread machine and rise it for a little over an hour inside, then pour out the dough, shape immediately, and let rise another 40 minutes. I baked for 18 minutes on a silicone baking mat. They were perfect!
Hey Shaylin, that sounds delicious! I love the idea of using this recipe for burger buns. The cornmeal really does add a nice texture! Thanks for sharing your process, I’m so glad they turned out perfect for you!
didn’t rise the first time and barely the second – too sweet and heavy.
hello Joan sorry they were not your favorite.
Hi, I’m going to try and make these later today. I was wondering if I could use Olive oil instead of vegetable oil?
yes that will work just fine 🙂
These were amazing! They didn’t rise during the first rise for some reason, but they rose a bit during the second rise. They baked up nicely and were delicious!
Hey Diane, so glad you loved them! Sometimes dough can be a little tricky, but it sounds like they turned out perfectly in the end. Thanks for sharing!:)
made these they were excellent
want to know if I could use this recipe and make smaller dinner rolls out of it what would be a good weight for each roll maybe 60 grams
hi christie, I think that would be good, arrange them so they are close together so they touch as they rise and stay softer.
I made this bread recipe today but had to adjust a few things due to being gluten-free and oh my this is the best homemade gf bread I’ve ever made in my bread machine by far. I’ve made several loafs with different recipes but this is a winner for me and I won’t make it any other way now. I was so shocked that it held together when I cut it and it didn’t crumble apart like all my others did. I wrapped it I’m foil and set it on top of my air fryer to keep it in a cool dry place. I had it in a container and when I opened it up that was a bad idea there was already condensation everywhere so I quickly took it out Googled how to store fresh baked gluten-free bread it said to wrap I’m foil so that’s what I did. i just wanted to share my experience. I posted earlier but I’ve made this recipe since and it’s the best. Yes it’s different texture and not soft like it should be but it’s gluten-free and holds up doesn’t crumble keeps it shape and tastes good that’s all the matters to me. This is now my go-to gluten-free bread machine recipe.
Hi Summer,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It’s always inspiring to hear how people adapt recipes to suit their needs, and I’m so happy this one worked so well for you as a gluten-free option. Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback, happy baking!
After using this recipe for hoagie rolls a few weeks ago and loving it, I decided to try them out as hamburger buns. I adjusted the time to about 12 minutes since they’re smaller and they were perfect! Wonderfully versatile recipe. now I’m curious about making them ever smaller and trying them as dinner rolls!
Hey Arden,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience—I’m happy to hear that the rolls worked out so well for both hoagies and hamburger buns!:)
I made these today and it was delicious ,very soft bread.Can I just leave it over the counter for a day or two?
Hey Liza,
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the Italian sub rolls and found them delightfully soft! To keep them fresh for a day or two at room temperature, it’s best to store them in a bread box or a paper bag. These methods allow for proper air circulation, helping to maintain the rolls’ texture and prevent mold. Avoid using plastic bags, as they can trap moisture and lead to quicker spoilage. If you don’t have a bread box, wrapping the rolls in a clean kitchen towel can also work well. For longer storage, consider freezing the rolls; just ensure they’re completely cooled before wrapping them tightly and placing them in the freezer. Enjoy your baking!
Excellent recipe. I made some sub rolls and some 90 gr burger buns with it. Perfect texture, light and fluffy, but still held up to a burger.
Thanks!
Hey Rick,
I love hearing this—thank you so much for sharing and happy baking!
It looks like you slashed the tops with a lame’ in the pictures but I didn’t see it in your instructions. Should we do this? I haven’t tried your recipe yet but oh I plan to! Thanks!
Hi Stanley,
Yes, a quick slash on top of the rolls with a lame or sharp knife can definitely help give them that classic, bakery-style look with a little extra rise. It’s not essential, but it does allow the rolls to expand beautifully in the oven and gives them a lovely, professional finish. Just make a shallow slash down the center right before baking. I hope you enjoy making (and eating!) these sub rolls—happy baking!
Very nice rolls, same recipe I use pretty much but u made them seem less daunting for ppl who are nervous to bake with yeast so ty! I don’t pour water on the pan, I throw ice cubes in the bottom of my oven. Works perfectly 😉
I made these by making the dough in my bread machine and then followed the instructions from there. They are so good! I have been searching for a good recipe to make sandwich or burger rolls and I have finally found it!
Hey Diane,
I’m so glad to hear that these rolls worked out so well for you! Using the bread machine for the dough is such a smart shortcut, and it’s wonderful that you’ve finally found a go-to recipe for sandwich and burger rolls. Happy baking, and thank you for sharing your success! 🙂