WEEKNIGHT DINNER BREAD | 6-Ingredient, No-Fail Bread Recipe

With only 6 ingredients, getting this fresh, homemade bread on the table is actually a really simple process. What I love most about this recipe is that I use this exact bread dough to make pizza dough, sliders, as well as in the bread machine!

This recipe is slightly different from my Best Rolls Ever recipe. Those rolls are also simple to make, but do require more ingredients and steps. They really are the best bread rolls that melt in your mouth, but for most weeknight bread-making, I throw together this super-simple, versatile recipe for a quick side and filler item for dinner.

I’ve made these so much that the recipe is permanently etched into my brain, and I can whip up a batch of dough in less than 10 minutes. This is why it’s perfect for a weeknight! Of course, I make it all the time, not just on weeknights.

Why not just pick up some store-bought bread?

I do that, too, every now and then. I’ll regularly buy our favorite non-gmo brands of sandwich bread every other week, but I can’t bring myself to regularly buy dinner bread when I know how easy it is to make!

I clearly remember a time recently when I was shopping, and I had my hand on a package of dinner rolls (for sliders). The store didn’t have any non-gmo breads that day, and I went back and forth to my shopping cart a few times trying to decide whether or not I was going to buy it. I kept thinking about the difference in cost, too. I was already at my grocery budget limit, and spending an extra few dollars would put me over. Sounds silly, but I’m trying to stick to a budget here, and every bit counts. I had everything I needed at home to make a homemade loaf real quick, so I put the package back on the shelf.

Plus, nothing really beats homemade bread. And what better way to spruce up your dinner than to make something as simple as this. I also know what’s in my food when I make it from scratch, and when we began using healthier ingredients in our meals, we’ve become healthier all around.

99% of what I cook is made from scratch, but it didn’t all start out that way. I slowly started making one thing at a time from scratch. Once I mastered that one thing, I’d move on to the next. So, don’t ever think I didn’t mess up dinner a few times. The more I did it, the easier it became and the faster I learned how to cook.

So don’t give up. If you fail once, twice, or even 3 times, try again.

So let’s make some bread!

A few tips before we get started:

• Make sure the yeast is not expired
• Do not overheat the yeast (do not microwave)
• Doing a yeast-proof test before starting will ensure the bread will rise (even if the yeast is expired)
• If your “proof” does not bubble, your yeast will not work for this recipe. Get some new yeast!
• I buy this yeast, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to six months once opened (write the date on top with a marker).
• Once I use the above mentioned yeast and it works great, I no longer proof it. I just add it into the recipe without proofing.
• This dough can be risen once or twice (up to you). Supposedly, dough becomes finer with each rising. When I’m in a hurry, I only rise once.
• If you plan to use later, it can be loosely wrapped in plastic and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• If you rather more pictures and little video, I shared this exact recipe on my Instagram Stories stored in the Recipe archives.

PROOFING THE YEAST:

In a glass bowl, blend together the yeast and sugar, and add the warm water with a little stir. You want it really warm, but not hot. If it’s not warm enough, the yeast will take longer to bubble. It usually takes about 10 minutes for it to start bubbling really good. This is called “proofing.”

Let this mixture sit there while mixing together the other ingredients.

This is what the bubbly yeast should look like after a few minutes or more…

Mix flour and salt in another larger bowl.

Add the oil and bubbly yeast mixture.

Mix until well combined, and form a ball (if rising twice).

Cover with a kitchen towel, and place in a warm area to rise for about 30-45 minutes.

Once doubled in size, mold and shape however you desire – Loaf on a pan (stone), buns, rolls, sliders, etc. My favorite way is to shape the loaf onto a stone in the shape of a big fat caterpillar. Once shaped, cover and let rise again in warm area for 30-45 minutes until doubled in size.

This is an Italian herb loaf I baked recently. This is done by adding palm-fulls of oregano and basil, a pinch of thyme and sage and garlic powder.

As you can see, I buttered this pan first.

Once doubled in size, you can expect this…

I bake this bread dough at 350°F.

Keep in mind that different size shapes require different bake times. A loaf will take about 25-30 minutes to bake, and rolls or sliders may take only 15-20 minutes to bake. Bread is done at an internal temperature of 200°F, but I take it out at 190°F for the moistest result. For pizza dough (No need to rise), I roll out and top with sauce and toppings and bake at 450°F until the cheese is slightly browned and pizza appears done (about 15 min).

I cut this loaf into 20 servings.