Panini Bread, The Italian Way
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This easy panini bread recipe makes crusty, delicious panini rolls that make your kitchen smell like an Italian bakery! It’s a no-knead recipe, an absolute dream when you want fresh bread in about 1 HOUR. Video recipe and photos included!
Published on February 2020 /Updated on September 2024
I first published this panini recipe in 2020 and had to share it again to encourage you to make it. It’s AMAZING and has been my go-to bread recipe for ages.
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It’s on par with this no-knead pizza dough in terms of simplicity and method and makes the best bread for panini sandwiches. Still, these crusty and flavorsome rolls also pair wonderfully with soups, salads, cheese, and charcuterie. Their crispy texture is just addictive!
And best of all, it’s effortless. You only have to mix all the ingredients in one bowl; no kneading is required, which means the dough itself comes together in minutes. Next, let it rise, shape, and bake.
And you’re done. Your freshly baked panini bread will be on the table in about 1 hour, and you’ll love it!
What’s Panini
“Panini” is an Italian word. One panino (singular), two panini (plural). In Italian, the noun panino means a small bread roll without filling. However, the word is also used to indicate a sandwich made from Italian bread. The bread is cut horizontally (not sliced!) and filled with deli ingredients, often served warmed or grilled.
Panetteria is the Italian word for bakery, and every panetteria in Italy sells plain panini. And if you visit Italy, visit one of the many bakeries in the morning, get fresh bread, and think of me for a second. 🙂
Watch how to make it
List of the ingredients
- Flour
- Olive oil
- Active dry or instant yeast
- Salt
- Sugar
- Water
HOW to make PANINI bread DOUGH
(Note: this is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- In a small bowl, mix water, yeast, sugar, and let sit until foamy.
- In a larger bowl, combine flour and salt.
- Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and add olive oil.
- Mix well with a fork; you want to incorporate all the liquid. If the dough doesn’t have the consistency shown in the photo below, gradually add a little extra water until the flour has been incorporated.
- Place the dough and its bowl in a slightly warm oven for 35-40 minutes. This trick creates a warm environment and helps the dough rise faster. Below is what the dough looks like after this rest.
- Next, using a spatula, pour the dough on a floured surface.
- Dust with flour and divide it into 10 roughly equal pieces.
- Roll out each piece as shown in the photo on the right (don’t worry if it’s not perfect).
- Place them on a baking sheet and bake until golden and crusty. You will enjoy the comforting aroma of freshly baked bread filling your kitchen!
RECIPE NOTES
ingredients & substitutions
Flour: You can use all-purpose flour, bread flour, or a combination of all-purpose and whole-wheat flour. Bread flour contains a higher protein content, resulting in a crispier crust, while all-purpose flour gives a softer crumb but is cheaper and works just as well. Whole-wheat flour produces a denser crumb and less crusty bread, so it’s best not to exceed half of the amount called for in the recipe.
Yeast: For this recipe, I used Active dry yeast, which needs to be dissolved in water to activate before adding it to the dry ingredients. But you can also use instant yeast and stir it directly into the flour; no need to activate it in water.
Salt & Olive oil: For flavor and texture.
Sugar: A small quantity of sugar helps the yeast and speeds up the proving process, but it doesn’t contribute any sweetness to the bread. If you use instant yeast, mix the sugar with the dry ingredients.
Important! Make sure to measure all the ingredients properly. I recommend using a digital scale.
WHAT DO YOU EAT WITH PANINI BREAD?
The sky is the limit! That being said, the most popular filling for panini is any salami, cured meat, cheese, or fresh or grilled vegetables. Here are a few examples of the usual ingredients for an authentic Italian stuffed panini:
- Meat: Salami, mortadella, ham, parma ham, bresaola, coppa, speck, porchetta, grilled chicken or chicken milanese.
- Cheese: Mozzarella, brie, soft cheese, toma, Emmental, gouda, goat cheese.
- Vegetables: Tomatoes, lettuce, rocket, grilled vegetables such as zucchini, peppers, eggplants.
- Eggs: Sliced hard-boiled eggs or any kind of frittata, like this spinach frittata, or this potato frittata.
- Dressing: Extra virgin olive oil and salt are the most popular dressings. But basil pesto, red pesto, mustard, or mayonnaise are often used to jazz up classic panini recipes.
Last but not least, Italians eat panini bread with any dish except pasta and pizza. Do we love carbs?! Yes, we do!
Storage Tips
Homemade panini bread doesn’t contain preservatives and keeps fresh for a short period. Panini bread lasts for about 1-2 days.
- Store your panini bread in a closed paper bag at room temperature. Within 12 hours, the crust will soften, and the crumb will become firmer. To restore crispiness, toast or grill the panini bread.
- Freeze your panini bread while it’s fresh. Place your bread in a sealed plastic bag and freeze it. When you want to use it, let it thaw at room temperature.
More easy baking recipes you’ll love!
- Quick no-knead panini bread
- Italian breadsticks (aka grissini)
- Easy Italian focaccia
- Spinach pizza
- Black pepper focaccia
- Pesto garlic bread
I hope you’ll enjoy this amazing panini bread recipe as much as we do. If you make it or have any questions, please leave a comment, rate it, or tag a photo #theclevermeal on Instagram (without posting the recipe, please!).
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Panini Bread, The Italian Way
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup (420 ml) lukewarm water, plus more if needed* (leveled)
- 2 teaspoon Active dry yeast or instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 4 cups (500 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour*, plus more for dusting
- 1 ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
Instructions
- Mix water, yeast, and sugar in a jug or bowl and let it rest until foamy (about 5 minutes). If using instant yeast, add it directly to the flour; there's no need to mix it with water (follow the manufacturer's directions).
- Combine flour and salt in a large bowl.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 250℉/120℃ and turn it off.
- Add the liquid to the dry ingredients, add olive oil, and mix with a spoon or a spatula to incorporate the flour*. Mix well until no dry flour remains, and add a bit more water if needed.
- Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel or cling film, place it in the warm oven, and let it rest for 30-40 minutes*.
- After this proving time, remove the dough from the oven, preheat it to 440℉/220℃, and cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Gently scrape the edge of the bowl and pour the dough on a floured working surface. The dough is fluffy and a bit bubbly now, and you don't want to deflate it.
- Dust the dough with flour, and using a dough scraper or a large knife, divide it into 10 small pieces, as shown in the pictures above*.
- Gently roll out each portion, dusting hands and surface with flour if needed. Place each piece of dough on the baking sheet.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes until golden and crusty. They're delicious while they're still warm and freshly baked.
Video
Notes
When you add water to the flour, start with the amount stated in the recipe. If the liquid is not enough to achieve the dough consistency shown in the pictures above, add a little extra water until the flour has been incorporated. Warm oven method: This trick helps the dough rise faster. Preheat the oven to a low temperature, then turn it off to create a warm environment for the dough to rise. This shortcut works great when you run out of time. Dough cutting: I use a dough scraper, but if you don’t have one, use a knife large enough not to require a slicing motion. The dough is fluffy, and you don’t want to deflate air pockets. Nutrition facts: The nutritional values are for one serving only. They are based on an online nutrition calculator. It’s an estimate and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. Please see my disclosure policies.
excellent recipe works every time. I roll dough in sesame seeds before cutting rolls. thank you
Wonderful feedback! Thanks so much for sharing and rating the recipe, Mai.
I’m so pleased you love it. x
Think bread would work if I was making a pressed sandwich like a cubano?
Hey Matthew!! Yes, but if you’re planning to make a pressed sandwich, I recommed making larger panini rolls but cutting the dough into 6 pieces rather than 10.
Also, let them rest a bit longer before baking so they spread a bit more getting the right shape for a pressed sandwich recipe. x
Wow what an awedome recipe. I live in Cape Town, South Africa and tried this recipe. Followed it except that I cut it in shape, did not roll it and left it another 15 minutes or so before baking. When it came out of the oven I put some garlic butter on the top. Served it with some nice soup. My family simply loved it! Thanks again.
That’s wonderful! I’m so glad everyone loved this panini bread, thanks for your lovely feedback, Elaine. x
vous parlez de levure instantanée ? est ce de la levure de boulanger en sachet ou de la levure chimique ?
C’est la levure de boulanger (‘yeast’ en anglais), pas la levure chimique (‘baking powder’ ou ‘soda’)
Thanks, Peter.
Hi,
Is the video still up? I can’t seem to find it on this page. Thanks 🙂
Yes, the video recipe is still there. : )