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Two stacked pieces of fluffy Italian cheese bread on wood cutting board.

Easy Italian Cheese Bread

Yield: 16 servings (1 loaf)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Rising Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

Dough:

  • 3 cups (426 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon instant yeast
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 ¼ cups warm water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the pan

Toppings:

  • ⅓ cup bottled Italian salad dressing (see note)
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Pinch dried thyme
  • 1 cup (113 g) shredded mozzarella cheese (see note)
  • ¼ cup (28 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese (see note)

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add the water and the 2 tablespoons olive oil and mix until the dough starts to come together in a shaggy ball.
  • Lightly grease your hands and continue mixing the dough, folding it over on itself and kneading it lightly (pressing it with the heel of your hand) 5 to 6 times, until the dough has formed a rough ball shape.
  • Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until noticeably puffy, 30 to 60 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Brush two tablespoons oil evenly across a half sheet pan.
  • Lightly punch down the dough and turn it out onto the prepared pan. Press the dough lightly into a rough oval shape, about 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick. It won't cover the entire bottom of the pan. It's ok to flip the dough once or twice while shaping; add more oil to the pan, if needed.
  • Brush the top of the dough evenly with the Italian salad dressing. In a small bowl, combine the basil, oregano, garlic, salt and thyme. Evenly sprinkle this mixture over the dressing.
  • Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses across the top of the dough.
  • If you have the time or want a slightly fluffier bread, let the bread rest for 10-20 minutes before baking. Otherwise, you can bake right away.
  • Bake for 15 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is sizzling. Let rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into squares and serving. The bread is delicious warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Salad dressing: use a brand of store bought Italian salad dressing you enjoy the taste of, and it will work fine in this recipe. Shake the dressing really well before using. The dressing in this salad recipe would make a great homemade option (leave out the Parmesan cheese in the dressing, if using for this recipe). 
Cheese: if you have the time, freshly grated mozzarella cheese from a block is best (it melts much better than pre-shredded cheese from the store). It isn't a deal breaker if you need to use pre-shredded mozzarella cheese; however, I highly recommend using freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the perfect cheesy crust (pre-shredded Parmesan is often dried out and won't melt as well as freshly grated Parm).