Copycat Subway Italian Herb and Cheese Bread
Who doesn’t love a good sandwich? I know I do! I love sandwiches, and one of my favorite places to get one is Subway. I love the Veggie Delight or a turkey sandwich loaded with all my favorite toppings. But there is one little problem: every time I see the price, I cringe and think to myself, “I could make this cheaper at home!”
Well, you’re in luck because I have an amazingly delicious and fragrant Copycat Subway Italian Herb and Cheese Bread recipe for you.
This homemade Italian Herb and Cheese Bread is soft, flavorful, and topped with Parmesan cheese, Colby Jack cheese, and a delicious combination of herbs and seasonings. It makes the perfect bread for all your favorite sandwiches, and it freezes well, too!
My Confession About Italian Herb and Cheese Bread
I’m going to be honest with you. I have never actually ordered a Subway sandwich on Italian Herb and Cheese Bread.
When I was younger—like six years old—I always got white bread. Then, as I got older, I switched to Honey Oat. And then Subway just had to discontinue the Honey Oat bread.
Yes, it’s still a sore spot for me.
But I suppose it left the door open for another great bread recipe in the future. Once the Honey Oat was discontinued, I started ordering the wheat bread instead.
So why on earth would I try making Italian Herb and Cheese Bread?
Well, first of all, it’s my husband’s favorite bread. He gets it every time he orders a sandwich from Subway. Second, my mom mentioned that she started getting Italian Herb and Cheese Bread after Subway discontinued the Honey Oat.
Knowing that this bread was already a favorite in my family, I decided it was time to give it a try.
Oh boy! It did not disappoint.
It has quickly become a family favorite. Maybe one day I will repent and actually order a sandwich from Subway with Italian Herb and Cheese Bread. Or maybe I’ll just keep making it at home because it is more cost-effective, tastes amazing, and stores well in the freezer.
Honestly, I’m pretty happy with that option.
Why You’ll Love This Copycat Subway Bread
If you love soft, flavorful sandwich bread, you are going to love this recipe.
The bread itself is soft and tender with just a hint of sweetness. Then comes the topping, which is where the Italian Herb and Cheese flavor really shines. Parmesan cheese, Colby Jack cheese, oregano, garlic powder, and parsley come together to give this bread its delicious flavor and irresistible aroma.
And let me tell you, this bread smells amazing while it is baking.
Every time I open the bag of homemade bread, I get excited because I know a delicious sandwich is waiting for me!
Another thing I love about this recipe is that it makes several loaves, so you can enjoy fresh bread now and freeze some for later. Having homemade sandwich bread waiting in the freezer makes putting together a quick lunch or dinner so much easier.
How I Came Up With This Recipe
If you have read some of my other recipes here on Daily Home Cooking, you probably already know that I like to try different recipes and then make them my own.
That is exactly what I did with this Italian Herb and Cheese Bread.
I combined a recipe I found online with the bread recipe my mom uses all the time. After making a few adjustments, the result was this soft and flavorful homemade bread that my whole family loves.
Sometimes the best recipes come from taking something you already love and making it work for your family.
That is definitely what happened here.
What You Need to Make Italian Herb and Cheese Bread
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this homemade sandwich bread.
For the Bread dough, you will need:
For the Italian herb and cheese topping, You will need:
The mashed potato flakes might seem like an unusual ingredient for bread, but don’t skip them! They help give the bread a soft texture that makes it perfect for sandwiches.
How to Make Copycat Subway Italian Herb and Cheese Bread
Making homemade bread may sound intimidating, but don’t let it scare you away. This recipe is actually quite simple, and you don’t even need to activate the yeast separately.
I start by adding all of the bread ingredients directly to my mixing bowl and letting my mixer do the hard work. Once the dough has finished kneading, I let it rest for a little bit before dividing it into individual portions.
For evenly sized loaves, I like to use a kitchen scale to weigh the dough. I divide the dough into 16 equal portions, about 4.5 ounces each. This gives me loaves that are about 6–8 inches long. Using a kitchen scale makes it much easier to get evenly sized pieces, which means the bread will bake more evenly, too.
Once the dough is divided, it’s time to shape your loaves.
How to Shape the Dough
This is actually my favorite part because it’s simple and doesn’t require any fancy techniques.
Take one piece of dough and place it on a clean countertop. Using both hands, gently roll the dough back and forth, slowly working it into a long, even log. Continue rolling until it reaches your desired length, then gently shape and round the ends.
As you roll, pay attention to the thickness of the loaf. You want it to be fairly even from end to end rather than having a thick center and skinny ends.
For this recipe, I like to make my loaves about 6–8 inches long. Once the loaf is the length and thickness you want, place it on your baking sheet and move on to the next piece of dough.
Don’t worry if your loaves aren’t perfectly shaped. They will puff up as they rise and bake, and those little imperfections are part of the charm of homemade bread!
How to Add the Italian Herb and Cheese Topping
Now comes my favorite part—the Italian herb and cheese topping!
Lightly spray the tops of the shaped loaves with water. Then gently dunk the tops into the herb and cheese mixture, making sure the seasonings stick to the surface of the dough.
Once the loaves are coated, lightly score the tops with a sharp knife. This gives the bread that familiar bakery-style appearance and gives the dough a place to expand as it rises and bakes.
Cover the bread and let it rise until the loaves have noticeably increased in size and look nice and puffy.
Right before the bread goes into the oven, sprinkle finely shredded Colby Jack cheese over the tops. I like adding the cheese at the very end so it sits on top of all those delicious herbs and seasonings while the bread bakes.
Then it’s time for the oven!
Bake the bread until the loaves are golden brown and cooked through. Your kitchen is going to smell incredible!
Allow the bread to cool before slicing. I know it can be difficult to wait when you have fresh homemade bread sitting on the counter, but letting it cool will make it much easier to slice without squishing the soft center.
Once it’s cooled, slice it up and use it for your favorite sandwiches. And don’t be surprised if you find yourself wanting to make another batch before the first one is gone!
Tips for Making the Best Italian Herb and Cheese Bread
Use warm, not hot, water. Water that is too hot can kill the yeast. You want the water to feel warm to the touch.
Give the dough enough time to rise. The rising time can vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen, so pay attention to the dough rather than just the clock.
Don’t skimp on the topping. The herbs and cheese are what give this bread its signature Italian Herb and Cheese flavor. Add plenty!
Let the bread cool before slicing. It can be tempting to slice into a warm loaf right away, but allowing it to cool will give you much nicer slices.
Freeze extra loaves. If you aren’t going to eat all the bread right away, wrap it well and place it in the freezer. Then you’ll have homemade sandwich bread ready whenever you need it.
More Than Just Sandwich Bread
Now, don’t let the name fool you. This bread can be used for so many things!
Of course, it makes an amazing sandwich. I’ve used it for egg salad sandwiches and toasted tomato sandwiches, and both are delicious.
But you don’t have to stop there.
This Italian Herb and Cheese Bread would also be delicious served alongside a bowl of soup, with spaghetti and meatballs, or even simply toasted with a little butter.
Basically, anywhere you would normally serve bread, this homemade Italian Herb and Cheese Bread can probably make an appearance.
And if you ask me, that’s a pretty good reason to keep a loaf in the freezer!
Why Make Homemade Italian Herb and Cheese Bread?
I love making bread at home because it gives me the chance to make something my family already enjoys while saving money at the same time.
You don’t have to make a trip to Subway every time you’re craving an Italian Herb and Cheese sandwich. With this copycat Subway bread recipe, you can make delicious sandwich bread right in your own kitchen.
Plus, there is something so satisfying about pulling a loaf of homemade bread out of the oven.
Whether you use it to make your favorite turkey sandwich, an egg salad sandwich, or simply serve it alongside dinner, this bread is sure to become a family favorite.
So, if you’ve been missing Subway’s Italian Herb and Cheese Bread—or if you’ve never tried it before—give this homemade version a try.
Just be warned: once you start making your own sandwich bread, you may have a hard time going back to store-bought!
Instructions
- In the bowl of your stand mixer combine all of the ingredients for the bread dough. (warm water, instant yeast, sugar, butter, salt, mashed potato flakes, eggs, and bread flour)
- Mix the dough and add more flour if needed until the sides of the bowl are clean and the dough is slightly tacky.
- Knead the Dough for 6 mins.
- Once dough is done let rest for 10 mins.
- While dough is resting make the herb and cheese topping.
- In a pie dish combine the oregano, garlic, parsley, and parmesan cheese, and mix well. Finely shred colby jack cheese, set everything aside.
- Once the dough has rested and the herb and cheese topping is made. Divide the dough into 18 equal sized portions. (I like to use a kitchen scale for this step.)
- Shape into 6-8″ long loaves. Using a clean spray bottle lightly mist the the top of the dough and dunk loaf in the herb and cheese topping. Continue until all loaves are coated in the herb and cheese topping. (See how to shape the dough section)
- Lightly score the tops of the bread 3 times. Then cover and let rise until doubled in size.
- Sprinkle bread with colby jack cheese and bake.
- Once Bread is done remove from oven and let cool.
- Use right away, or place in freezer-safe bags and freeze for later.
Copycat Subway Italian Herb and Cheese Bread
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer with Dough Hook
- 2 Baking Sheets with Liners
- 1 Kitchen Scale optional
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Warm Water
- 2 TBSP Instant Yeast
- 1/2 Cup Butter
- 1 TBSP Salt
- 1/3 Cup Mashed Potato Flakes
- 2 Large Eggs
- 7 Cups Bread Flour * More if needed
Herb and Cheese Topping
- 2 TBSP Oregano
- 2 TBSP Garlic Powder
- 2 TBSP Parsley
- 2 TBSP Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 Cup Finely Shredded Colby Jack Cheese
Instructions
- In the bowl of your stand mixer combine all of the ingredients for the bread dough. (warm water, instant yeast, sugar, butter, salt, mashed potato flakes, eggs, and bread flour)
- Mix the dough and add more flour if needed until the sides of the bowl are clean and the dough is slightly tacky.
- Knead the dough for 6 mins.
- Once dough is done let rest for 10 mins.
- While dough is resting make the herb and cheese topping.
- In a pie dish combine the oregano, garlic, parsley, and parmesan cheese, mix well. Finely shred the colby jack cheese. set everything aside.
- Once the dough has rested and the herb and cheese topping is made. Divide the dough into 16 equal sized portions. (I like to use a kitchen scale for this step.)
- Shape into 6-8" long loaves. Using a clean spray bottle lightly mist the the top of the dough and dunk loaf in the herb and cheese topping. Continue until all loaves are coated in the herb and cheese topping.
- Lightly score the tops of the bread 3 times. then let rise until doubled in size.
- Sprinkle bread with colby jack cheese and bake for 18-20 mins at 375℉
- Once Bread is done remove from oven and let cool.
- Use right away, or place in freezer-safe bags and freeze for later.
