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Image of a freshly baked loaf of Italian sandwich bread, with a golden brown crust sprinkled with sesame seeds and a slice cut off to reveal a soft, airy interior.
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4.84 from 6 votes

Italian Sandwich Bread Recipe

Makes 1 loaf
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Rising time2 hours
Total Time3 hours 15 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: Italian- American
Keyword: italian sandwich bread, Sandwich Bread
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 145kcal
Author: Katie

Ingredients

Bread Dough

  • 2¾ cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
  • 2 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus extra for greasing)

Topping Loaf

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients. Combine the flour, yeast, sugar, water, salt, and olive oil in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. If the dough looks very dry, add a little water. Add a bit of flour if it's sticky and not coming off the bowl.
  • Knead the dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes until it's smooth and stretchy. You can also use a stand mixer with the dough hook on low speed for 5-10 minutes. The dough is ready when it's very smooth and stretchy, and you can stretch it thin without it tearing.
    Image of a stand mixer bowl with a dough hook attachment, containing a well-mixed, smooth bread dough ready for the first rise.
  • First rise. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
    Image of bread dough before and after rising, showing the dough's expansion from a tight ball to doubled in size in a round, floured bowl.
  • Shape into a loaf. Put the dough on a counter and stretch it into a rectangle about 9 by 18 inches. Fold the corners in and roll it up into a log. Pinch all the seams closed and put it in a greased loaf pan.
    Image of the bread dough being shaped, where it's stretched out on a baking pan before being rolled and tucked into a loaf shape.
  • Second rise. Place into a loaf pan and let it rise again for 1 hour. It should rise at least 1 inch above the top of the loaf pan.
    Image of the bread dough in a loaf pan before and after the second rise, demonstrating the dough's rise to fill the pan and crest over the top.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Preheat your oven to 350°F with the rack in the center while the bread is rising. Then, brush the loaf with a beaten egg mixed with a tablespoon of water and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
    Image of the final risen dough in a loaf pan, topped with sesame seeds, ready to be baked into a golden loaf of Italian sandwich bread.
  • Bake the bread. Once the dough has risen, bake it in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until the crust turns golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when you tap it.
    A loaf of Italian sandwich bread in a loaf pan, freshly baked with a golden-brown crust, sprinkled with sesame seeds on top.
  • Cool before slicing. Remove the bread from the oven, turn it out of the loaf pan, and let it cool on a wire rack before slicing.
    Slices of Italian sandwich bread laid out, showing the even crumb and sesame seeds adorning the crust.

Notes

Check if your yeast is fresh and active by dissolving it in warm water with a pinch of sugar. If it bubbles and froths after a few minutes, then it's good to use.
Make sure your water is at the right temperature (about 110°F) for activating the yeast. Using a kitchen thermometer can help with this.
Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife instead of scooping directly from the bag to avoid a denser loaf.
For a shiny and golden crust, evenly brush the egg wash on top of the loaf before baking.
When shaping your loaf, roll it to avoid large air pockets inside and help the bread maintain its shape during the second rise and baking.

Nutrition

Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 298mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 2mg