Vegan Italian Bread

Italian bread is the BEST. It is soft and fluffy so it can soak up all that extra sauce from your pasta. It has a rich yet sweet taste unmatched by other breads.

This Vegan Italian Bread recipe will give you the freshest, best-tasting Italian Bread at home ANY time you want. Seriously, this recipe takes less than 3 hours. In the bread, world that’s akin to microwaving your baked potato vs making it in the oven… SO. MUCH. FASTER.

This recipe is the main ingredient in my Vegan Cheesy Garlic Bread.

For more delicious bread recipes, check out this Vegan Rye Bread or Cinnamon Raisin Bread.

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Italian Bread Recipe

• Quick & Easy – Did I mention this recipe is super fast? It takes only about 15 minutes of hands-on work, the rest is waiting for the dough to rise and baking it. Do not let homemade bread intimidate you, I promise it is so easy.
• Delicious – Seriously, the taste of homemade Italian Bread is unbeatable. The fresh, rich taste with just a touch of sweetness pairs perfectly with any meal, not just Italian food!
• Versatile – This bread makes AMAZING homemade Garlic Bread. Or you can toast it and slather some vegan butter on top. OR throw some Bruschetta Dip on top for a servable appetizer. This bread can do it all.

Ingredients For Vegan Italian Bread

• Active Dry Yeast – This bread only requires one packet (2 1/4 tsp) of active dry yeast. If all you have is instant yeast, use it (place it in a 1:1 ratio) and skip the activation stage.
• Sugar – Just 1 tsp of sugar helps feed the yeast, activate it quicker, and give the bread a better rise. If you are looking for no added sugar, you can replace this with agave or honey if you aren’t vegan.
• Water
• Flour – You can use bread flour or all-purpose flour for this recipe. The only difference is that bread flour has a high protein content and tends to result in a stronger dough with a chewier texture.
• Olive Oil – Some added fat is needed for this type of bread. If you don’t want to use olive oil, you can add melted butter instead if you aren’t vegan.
• Salt – Just a touch of salt helps highlight the flavors in this bread.

Helpful Equipment For Vegan Italian Bread

• Mixing bowls
• Kitchen towel or bowl cover
• Large baking sheet
• Bread lame (optional)

How to Make Vegan Italian Bread

Activate the Yeast

You can skip this step if you are using instant yeast. Active dry yeast does need to be activated.

Mix the yeast, sugar, and water in a large mixing bowl and let sit for 5-10 minutes or until tiny bubbles start to form. The water needs to be at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit to activate the yeast. Too hot will kill the yeast, so try to stay under 120 degrees F.

I find that 110 F feels warm to the touch but comfortable. It will feel different for everyone though, so whip out that trusty kitchen thermometer if you aren’t sure.

Mix the Dough

Once the yeast/water/sugar mixture is bubbly, add the flour, olive oil, and salt and mix until a shaggy dough has formed.

Shaggy dough looks like the picture below. There should be no streaks of flour remaining, but it is also not a cohesive texture.

Knead the Dough

Turn the shaggy dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it gently for 8-10 minutes or until the dough becomes elastic.

‘Elastic’ just means that if you were to pinch and stretch a part of the dough it would bounce back steadily.

Once the dough is smooth and elastic, shape it roughly into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl.

First Rise

Cover the bowl containing the freshly shaped dough with a kitchen towel or bowl cover and let it rest in a warm place in your kitchen for 1 hour.

Shape the Loaf

After 1 hour, the dough will have almost doubled in size. Turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a long loaf.

The easiest way to get the torpedo shape is to flatten the dough into a rough rectangle and then roll the long end of the rectangle to create the long loaf shape.

Second Rise

Place the shaped loaf on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.

Now is a good time to preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Score the Loaf

Once the loaf has rested again, make 3 scores along the loaf to provide a place for the steam to release while baking. You can use a bread lame to do this, or get super fancy and just hack away with kitchen scissors. Either way, just make sure the scores are about 1 inch deep.

Bake the Loaf

Bake the loaf at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes or until a rich golden brown crust is achieved.

That’s it!

As tempting as it will be to bite into this loaf right away, allow it to mostly cool before slicing.

Enjoy!

How to Serve Vegan Italian Bread

Eat this bread solo with some vegan butter, or pair it with your favorite Italian-inspired dishes like these:

• Vegan Cacio e Pepe
• Vegan Italian Wedding Soup
• Homemade Garden Veggie Pasta Sauce
• Roasted Chickpea Lemon Pasta

How to Store Vegan Italian Bread

• Room Temp: This bread will store best when loosely covered at room temperature for 3-5 days. To soften, spritz with water and zap in the microwave for 10 seconds or reheat in the toaster.

More Tips for Making Vegan Italian Bread

• Not Vegan? Use melted butter instead of olive oil for the fat source in this bread.
• Gluten-Free? I have not attempted this recipe with gluten-free flour. I suspect a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour could work. If you try it, let me know!

Frequently Asked Questions About Vegan Italian Bread

Is store-bought Italian Bread Vegan?

Sometimes, yes. Some brands include milk or other added vitamins that are derived from animals, so always check your labels.

Can I use this bread for sandwiches?

Heck yea! Slice to your preferred thickness and stuff it with whatever your fave sandwich fixings are!

Looking for more delicious vegan breads? Check out this easy No-Knead Bread or Easy Vegan Focaccia.

Vegan Italian Bread Recipe

This easy vegan Italian Bread recipe is so simple anyone can have fresh homemade Italian Bread every day!

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Resting Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 12 servings

Calories 109 kcal

Equipment

• Mixing Bowl
• kitchen towel (or bowl cover)
• Large baking sheet
• Bread lame (optional)

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 packet active dry yeast (2 ¼ tsp)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 ¼ cups bread flour
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

 

Activate the Yeast

1. You can skip this step if you are using instant yeast.
2. Mix the yeast, sugar, and water in a large mixing bowl and let sit for 5-10 minutes or until tiny bubbles start to form. The water needs to be at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit to activate the yeast. Too hot will kill the yeast, so try to stay under 120 degrees F.

Mix the Dough

1. Once the yeast/water/sugar mixture is bubbly, add the flour, olive oil, and salt and mix until a shaggy dough has formed.
   

Knead the Dough

1. Turn the shaggy dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it gently for 8-10 minutes or until the dough becomes elastic.
2. Once the dough is smooth and elastic, shape it roughly into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl.

First Rise

1. Cover the bowl containing the freshly-shaped dough with a kitchen towel or bowl cover and let it rest in a warm place in your kitchen for 1 hour.

Shape the Loaf

1. After 1 hour, the dough will have almost doubled in size. Turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a long loaf.
2. The easiest way to do get the torpedo shape is to flatten the dough into a rough rectangle then roll the long end of the rectangle to create the long loaf shape.

Second Rise

1. Place the shaped loaf on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
2. Now is a good time to preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Score the Loaf

1. Once the loaf has rested again, make 3 scores along the loaf to provide a place for the steam to release while baking.
   

Bake the Loaf

1. Bake the loaf at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes or until a rich golden brown crust is achieved.
2. That’s it!
3. As tempting as it will be to bite into this loaf right away, allow it to mostly cool before slicing.
4. Enjoy!

Notes

• Not Vegan? Use melted butter instead of olive oil for the fat source in this bread.
• Gluten-Free? I have not attempted this recipe with gluten-free flour. I suspect a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour could work. If you try it, let me know!

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 109kcalCarbohydrates: 18.4gProtein: 2.7gFat: 2.6gSugar: 0.4g

Keyword dairy-free, easy, egg-free, nut-free

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Last Updated on February 14, 2025