Crusty Italian Bread has a crisp, golden crust with a soft and chewy center. Made from scratch with bread flour, yeast, olive oil, and a few simple ingredients, this homemade bread is baked in a Dutch oven for a bakery-style crust.
Homemade bread takes a little extra time, but this is one of those recipes that makes it worth waiting for the dough to rise. I like baking it in a Dutch oven because the crust gets beautifully crisp while the inside stays soft and chewy.
Why I Love Crusty Italian Bread
About the Ingredients ⭐
- Bread Flour: Gives the bread its chewy texture and helps create a sturdy loaf with a crisp crust.
- Warm Water: Use water between 110°F and 115°F to activate the yeast.
- Active Dry Yeast: Helps the dough rise. After mixing it with the warm water and sugar, it should become foamy before you continue.
- Salt: Adds flavor to the dough and balances the other ingredients.
- Granulated Sugar: Gives the yeast a little sugar to feed on while it’s being activated.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Adds flavor and a little richness to the bread dough.
- Cornmeal: Optional, but it can be sprinkled beneath the loaf for extra texture and to help prevent sticking.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How to Make Crusty Italian Bread
- In a small bowl, mix the warm water, active dry instant yeast, and sugar. Allow it to sit for about 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour and salt. Create a well in the center, then add the activated yeast mixture and olive oil.
- Stir the ingredients until a dough begins to form. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for approximately 10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.
- Place the kneaded dough into a greased bowl, turning it once to coat the top with oil. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm environment for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) with a Dutch oven inside it for at least 30 minutes before baking to get it hot.
- After the dough has risen, punch it down gently and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a round loaf.
- If desired, sprinkle a piece of parchment paper with cornmeal and place the shaped dough on it. This step is optional but helps prevent sticking and adds a bit of texture to the bottom of your bread.
- Cover the dough again with the towel and allow it to rise for an additional 30 minutes.
- Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from your preheated oven. Lift the dough using the parchment paper and lower it into the Dutch oven. (If not using parchment, simply place the dough directly into the Dutch oven.)
- Cover with the lid and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, remove the lid and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the oven, and carefully lift out the homemade Italian bread. Let it cool on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!
Tips I Found Helpful 💙
- Check the water temperature: Keep the water between 110°F and 115°F. Water that’s too hot can damage the yeast, while water that’s too cool can slow the rise.
- Make sure the yeast gets foamy: After adding the yeast and sugar to the warm water, let it sit for 5–10 minutes. You should see foam forming before moving on.
- Give the dough enough time to rise: Don’t rush the rising time. Let the dough rise until it has roughly doubled in size.
- Preheat the Dutch oven: A hot Dutch oven helps create that crisp, bakery-style crust.
- Let the bread cool before slicing: As tempting as warm bread is 😂, cutting it immediately can make the inside gummy. Give the loaf time to cool and finish setting.
FAQs for Homemade Italian Crusty Bread
More Bread Recipes I Love 🍞💙
Yield: 1 Loaf
Crusty Italian Bread
4.7 Stars (3 Reviews)
Crusty Italian Bread with a crisp golden crust and a soft, chewy center.
Prep Time
2 hours 20 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Total Time
3 hours 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 cups bread flour
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (110°F to 115°F)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Cornmeal, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the warm water, active dry instant yeast, and sugar. Allow it to sit for about 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour and salt. Create a well in the center, then add the activated yeast mixture and olive oil.
- Stir the ingredients until a dough begins to form. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for approximately 10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.
- Place the kneaded dough into a greased bowl, turning it once to coat the top with oil. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm environment for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) with a Dutch oven inside it for at least 30 minutes before baking to get it hot.
- After the dough has risen, punch it down gently and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a round loaf.
- If desired, sprinkle a piece of parchment paper with cornmeal and place the shaped dough on it. This step is optional but helps prevent sticking and adds a bit of texture to the bottom of your bread.
- Cover the dough again with the towel and allow it to rise for an additional 30 minutes.
- Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from your preheated oven. Lift the dough using the parchment paper and lower it into the Dutch oven. (If not using parchment, simply place the dough directly into the Dutch oven.)
- Cover with the lid and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, remove the lid and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the oven, and carefully lift out the homemade Italian bread. Let it cool on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
Use warm water between 110°F and 115°F and make sure the yeast becomes foamy before making the dough. Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, and preheat the Dutch oven before baking. Let the finished loaf cool before slicing so the inside has time to set.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
20Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 198Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 166mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 6g
2 Comments