This copycat Subway Italian Herb and Cheese bread recipe is soft, fluffy, and topped with savory herbs and melted cheese. It’s the perfect homemade sandwich bread with that same irresistible flavor you know and love from Subway.
Be sure to check out my other copycat bread recipes:
Why You’ll Love This Subway Bread Recipe
- Tastes just like Subway’s signature Italian Herb and Cheese bread.
- Soft, slightly sweet interior with a golden, cheesy crust.
- Perfect for sandwiches, subs, or serving warm with butter.
What Makes This Recipe Unique
Unlike Subway’s frozen loaves, this recipe uses a starter sponge that you make the night before. It develops rich flavor and helps create a light, fluffy crumb.
Start this bread the night before
Just a heads up, this bread recipe requires a little planning – you'll want to kick things off the day before you plan to bake it. Don't worry, though, the extra time is worth it for the amazing flavor and texture you'll get in the end!
Ingredients in Subway Italian herb & cheese bread
Lately, there's been a bit of an uproar about the ingredients in Subway's Italian herb and cheese bread! Seems like the recipe packs in so much sugar that some folks are calling it "unhealthy"!
I'll be adding quite a bit of sugar to this recipe to really nail that copycat flavor, but if you want to cut back, you can reduce the sugar by up to half and still end up with delicious copycat Italian herb and cheese bread.
- Bread Flour – Gives structure and chew. You can substitute all-purpose flour but add a little vital wheat gluten if you have it.
- Sugar – Subway bread is sweeter than most sandwich breads. Keep the full amount for a true copycat, or reduce by half for a less sweet loaf.
- Yeast – Active dry yeast or instant yeast both work. Make sure it’s fresh for a good rise.
- Cheese Blend – Use freshly grated parmesan for an authentic Subway taste, or mix in monterey jack for extra flavor.
- Herb Mix – Italian seasoning and garlic powder mimic Subway’s seasoning blend.
How Do They Make Bread at Subway?
At Subway, the bread arrives as frozen loaves. Staff defrost the dough, add toppings, and let it proof until it doubles in size before baking. A former employee shared that the classic Italian Herb and Cheese bread is topped first with a simple mix of oregano and Parmesan, followed by a layer of Monterey cheddar before it goes into the oven.
For this copycat recipe, we’ll start with fresh homemade dough and recreate that signature topping with herbs, Parmesan, and shredded cheese. You’ll find the full recipe in the card at the bottom of this post.
What you'll need to make soft subway-style bread at home
To make the Italian herb and cheese Subway bread recipe, you'll need the following:
- Stand mixer with a dough hook attachment (this is a sticky dough that's hard to knead by hand)
- Large mixing bowl for proofing the dough
- Silicone bread mold for getting the perfect shape
- Baking sheet for baking the bread
- Plastic wrap or tea towel for covering the dough while it rises
These items will help you bake the delicious Italian herb and cheese bread just like Subway's!
Why Use a Silicone Bread Pan for Subway-Style Bread?
- Perfect Shape: Creates a nice rounded loaf without flat bottoms.
- Even Baking: Keeps each roll uniform and bakery-style.
- No Overcrowding: Bake four loaves at once without them touching.
- Pro Results at Home: Makes homemade Subway bread look and taste authentic.
Get the silicone bread pan here.
How to Make Subway Italian Herb and Cheese Bread (Step-by-Step)
- Make the Starter (Night Before): Mix flour, water, and a pinch of yeast. Let rest overnight at room temperature.
- Mix the Dough: Combine starter, flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and oil. Knead with dough hook until smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1–2 hours until doubled.
- Shape the Loaves: Divide into 4 pieces, shape into baguettes, and roll each on a damp paper towel, then in the herb-and-cheese mixture.
- Second Rise: Place on baking sheet or in a baguette mold, cover, and rise until doubled (30–45 minutes). I like to use a silicone bread pan here for evenly rounded loaves. It keeps them from spreading flat on the pan and lets you bake four at once
- Bake: Bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown and hollow-sounding on the bottom.
Subway-style Italian Herb & Cheese Bread
Video
Equipment
- Stand mixer with a dough hook attachment
Ingredients
Poolish Starter
- ⅓ cup Water, lukewarm 66g
- ½ cup Bread Flour 66g
- ⅛ teaspoon Yeast, active dry or instant
Bread Dough
- 3 cups Bread Flour 360g
- 1 cup Water,lukewarm 234g
- 2 ½ Tbsp. Sugar, divided 36g
- 1 ½ tsp. Salt 10g
- 2 ¼ teaspoon Yeast, 1 pack active dry or instant 7g
- 2 tablespoon Vegetable oil 18g
- ¼ cup Shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon Grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning herb blend
Instructions
Starter Instructions (day before)
- In a mixing bowl, combine ⅓ cup of water (or weigh out 66 grams) with ½ cup of bread flour (or weigh out 66 grams). Sprinkle in ⅛ teaspoon of yeast.
- Stir the mixture until well combined and there are no lumps. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the starter rest at room temperature overnight or for at least 8-12 hours.
Bread Dough Instructions (day of)
- In a small bowl, combine a cup of warm water with the active dry yeast and 1 Tbsp. of sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it becomes frothy. While you are waiting, measure the flour, salt, and oil and set aside.
- Combine the dry ingredients and the yeast mixture along with the poolish starter, remaining sugar, and oil, in the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix with the dough hook attachment until they come together into a rough dough. 3 minutes on low speed. There should be no dry ingredients remaining on the bottom of the bowl. Continue to knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. About 8 minutes. (the dough may still be a little sticky at this point, but resist the urge to add more flour)
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours
- Punch down the risen dough and divide it. To do this, lightly flour your work surface and divide the dough into 4 equal pieces of dough. If you are using a food scale each piece should weigh about 6.5 ounces.
- Shape the dough into baguette shapes and top them with the herb and cheese topping. To do this, place a moist paper towel on one plate, and the herb and cheese mixture on another plate. With each baguette, roll it on the paper towel, then on the herb and cheese mixture.
- After the topping has been added, place them in the Silicone Bread Mold, or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover the shaped dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise again until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190°C). Once the dough has risen, bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Notes
This recipe yields soft and slightly sweet Subway-style sandwich bread, perfect for your favorite sandwich fillings. Remember how easy it is to make fresh homemade bread the next time you crave Subway!
Be sure to check out my other copycat bread recipes:
Jacqui says
When do you add the starter or do you have a choice of fresh yeast or using the starter yeast??
Better Baker says
Add the starter when you add the water and yeast mixture. Sorry to leave out that important step. I've updated the recipe.
Better Baker says
Hi Jacqui, you add the starter in step 2 with all fo the other ingredients. You need to use the starter and the yeast. (Its not like sourdough that replaces yeast) Best of luck with your baking!
Luke says
Am I just blind? I can't seem to see the video mentioned in: "Be sure to check out the video in the recipe card to see how it’s done!" just above the recipe.
thanks.
Tammy says
@Luke, I was wondering the same thing
Cassidy says
First attempt they came out absolutely perfect. No more justifying ordering subway when we can now make it at home!
Elaine says
Im making this right, the dough is more than a little sticky anyone elses dough really sticky also.
Cm says
Subway only uses Oregano and Parm cheese mixture to top the bread then, a Monterey cheddar on top before baking.
Better Baker says
Thanks for the tip! So it’s just oregano and Parm cheese on top, with Monterey cheddar added before baking. That’s great to know—appreciate the info!
Better Baker says
The dough shouldn’t be too sticky. If it is, try adding a little more flour gradually until it’s easier to handle. Kneading longer can also help develop the gluten and reduce the stickiness. Make sure you’re weighing your flour for accurate measurements, as this can make a big difference.
Better Baker says
That's awesome! Glad they turned out perfect on your first try. Now you can enjoy homemade subs anytime without the need to order out—way to go!
Melissa says
@Better Baker, mine was also very sticky.. I added a little more flour and let it knead for a while but it never got as smooth as yours in the video... any advice?
Not new to bread just new to this recipe.
Sarah says
What is the point of the poolish starter? After making it I see that this recipe actually takes over 10 hours. This is disappointing, we were trying to make bread for today.
Sachi says
Hello I tried this recipe and loved it. Thank you for sharing.
Especially the part where everything is given by grams , so no second guessing !
Better Baker says
Thank you so much for trying the recipe! I'm so glad you loved it.
BRITTANY W says
How would you convert the Poolish Starter to a Sourdough Starter?
just weigh out the Poolish starter water and bread flour amount to Sourdough Starter and then add the yeast?
Better Baker says
To convert this recipe from a poolish starter to a sourdough version, I would make the following changes. First, I would replace the poolish starter, which consists of 66g flour, 66g water, and ⅛ teaspoon yeast, with 132g of active sourdough starter at 100% hydration. Since the original recipe relies on commercial yeast, I would remove the 2 ¼ teaspoons (7g) of yeast entirely. To adjust for the hydration difference, I would reduce the water in the bread dough from 1 cup (234g) to ¾ cup (175g) to account for the water already present in the sourdough starter. Because sourdough ferments more slowly than commercial yeast, I would extend the first rise to 4-6 hours at room temperature, or let it ferment overnight in the fridge for 12-16 hours. The second rise would also need to be extended to 2-4 hours, or until the dough looks puffy and ready to bake. The baking process would remain the same at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. I have not yet tested this, but this is what I would do to adapt the recipe to a sourdough version
Greg T. says
This recipe is spot on. I make pizza dough fairly often, so I was familiar with the poolish. I use King Arthur bread flour if that matters. This is by far the best bread I have ever made. Made sub rolls first and the second time divided the finished dough into 10 balls and made burger/sandwich rolls. Perfect! I made half plain and half with some cheese and herbs. The cheese/herb mixture can vary. I just used some bagged mixed shredded cheese and Italian seasoning. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
KM says
Could I add the topping to bread I already baked? I don't want to ruin that nice soft texture but I didn't have the cheeses on hand