Easy Bread Machine Italian Herb & Cheese Bread
A simple, flavorful loaf you can make mostly hands-off in your bread machine. Herb-infused dough with a cheesy, golden top — perfect for sandwiches, grilled cheese, or to enjoy with soup. Measuring flour properly and using the machine’s add-in signal (if available) make this foolproof.
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water about 110°F / 43°C
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter for richer flavor
- 3 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary mix
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast or bread machine yeast
- For topping optional but delicious:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter for brushing
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Layer ingredients in the bread machine (order matters): pour warm water and olive oil into the pan first. Add flour, then sugar, salt, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Make a small well in the flour and add the yeast (keeping yeast away from the liquid).
- Select cycle: Choose the “Basic” or “White Bread” setting. Select your loaf size (1½ lb commonly) and crust preference. Start the machine.
- Add cheese (if machine has an add-in beep): When the machine signals for add-ins, add half the mozzarella and half the Parmesan so some cheese is incorporated into the dough. If there’s no signal, you can skip or add cheese after baking.
- Finish & top (if not added earlier): When the loaf is finished, remove it from the pan. Brush the top with olive oil or butter while warm, then sprinkle remaining mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley, and paprika. For extra melt and browning, you can place the topped loaf under the broiler for 1–2 minutes—watch closely.
- Cool & slice: Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing so the crumb sets.
Notes
Measure flour properly: Spoon flour into the cup and level it—don’t scoop directly from the bag (prevents a too-dense loaf).
Keep yeast away from salt/liquid when loading (a small well helps).
If your machine has a dough cycle, you can use it and then bake in the oven; this lets you add more cheese on top and get a crunchier crust.
If the dough looks too wet or dry during the knead stage, add flour or water 1 tablespoon at a time.
For an extra cheesy top, add a handful of shredded mozzarella during the last few minutes of baking or broil briefly.
Storage & Reheating
Store in an airtight bag at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days.
Freeze slices individually wrapped up to 2 months; toast straight from frozen.
Reheat: 325°F (160°C) oven 5–7 minutes or toast slices for best texture.