Subway Copycat Italian Herb & Cheese Bread
If you’ve ever wanted to make Subway’s iconic Italian Herb & Cheese bread at home but softer, fresher, and way more flavorful, this recipe is for you! This dough gives you that classic pillowy, airy Subway texture using a no-knead + stretch-and-fold method that builds gluten gently, without a stand mixer and without the long kneading you’re used to with other breads.
The result?
Perfectly soft sub rolls that toast beautifully, stay cloudy and pillowy inside, and brown evenly under a blanket of Italian herbs and melty cheese.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
No-knead, no mixer needed
Instead of kneading for 10–15 minutes, you’ll develop gluten through short rests and gentle folds. This lets the dough hydrate and align naturally, giving you a soft, tender crumb—exactly what you want for Subway-style subs.
Bakery-level texture: soft, airy, flexible
This bread is designed to slice cleanly, hold fillings without tearing, and stay soft even after baking.
Perfect for homemade subs and garlic bread
Use these rolls for sandwiches, meatball subs, Philly cheesesteaks, or toast them with butter and Italian seasoning.
Ingredient Logic & Food Science Breakdown
This dough is designed to replicate the soft, tender, slightly sweet profile of Subway’s Italian Herb & Cheese bread. Each ingredient plays a functional role in achieving that signature texture, color, and rise.
All-Purpose Flour
AP flour creates a softer, more tender crumb, which is exactly what Subway-style rolls are known for. It develops enough gluten for structure, but not so much that the bread becomes chewy like a baguette.
If you only have bread flour, you can absolutely use it—the rolls will simply be a bit chewier and slightly more structured.
Water + Milk Combination
Using both water and milk gives you the best of both worlds:
Water
- hydrates the dough efficiently
- promotes stronger gluten formation
- ensures oven spring
Milk
- makes the crumb softer and fluffier
- adds natural sugars (lactose) that help the bread brown
- contributes fat and proteins for tenderness
Together, they create a dough that is soft but still easy to shape—ideal for long sub rolls.
Honey
Honey adds more than sweetness:
- It retains moisture, keeping the bread soft for longer.
- It provides subtle flavor that mimics commercial sub rolls.
- It feeds the yeast more steadily than granulated sugar, supporting a strong rise.
- It promotes browning through natural sugars.
Honey is one of the key reasons this bread tastes “bakery-soft” instead of homemade.
Why This No-Knead Method Works
Gluten doesn’t form just from kneading—it forms from:
- hydration
- time
- alignment during folding
By letting the dough rest, water slowly hydrates flour particles, allowing gluten strands to form naturally. Gentle stretch-and-folds build structure without making the dough tough.
This produces a soft, flexible bread—exactly the texture of Subway rolls.
Subway Copycat Italian Herb & Cheese Bread
Ingredients
- 400 g all purpose flour
- 200 g warm water
- 70 g milk
- 30 g honey
- 20 g oil
- 8 g salt
- 7 g instant dry yeast
Toppings
- italian seasoning
- parmesan cheese and cheddar cheese
Instructions
Combine the liquids
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together warm water, milk, honey, oil, salt, and instant yeast.
Add the flour
- Add the all-purpose flour directly into the bowl. Use a spatula or your hand to mix until no dry patches remain. The dough should be shaggy but fully hydrated.
- Briefly knead to bring the dough together using your hand. Knead gently for 20–30 seconds—just enough to form a cohesive dough ball. No need to build gluten at this stage.
No-Knead Gluten Building Phase
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate and naturally strengthens the dough.
- Wet your hand lightly to prevent sticking. Lift one side of the dough and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat 4–6 times until the dough tightens slightly. Cover and rest for another 15 minutes.
- Repeat the stretch-and-fold process one more time. By now, the dough should feel more elastic and smoother. Cover and let the dough rest again for 15–20 minutes, or until it has risen to about 1.5–2× its original size.
Shaping the Sub Rolls
- Lightly flour your work surface. Turn the dough out gently and press it into a rectangle. Cut into 3 equal pieces for standard subs (or into 2 pieces if you prefer wider rolls).
- Flatten each piece into a small rectangle and roll it loosely into a short log. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Working with one piece at a time:
- Flatten the rested log into a rectangle.
- Fold the top third down toward the center.
- Fold the bottom third up over the center (like folding a letter).
- Fold the dough in half lengthwise and pinch the seam closed.
- Roll gently with your palms to lengthen into a 12-inch footlong shape.
Final rise
- Place the shaped rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover lightly and let rise until doubled in size, they should look puffy and lighter.
Season and Score
- Spray your rolls with water and sprinkle on your italian seasoning and cheese blend. Score each roll (I did around 4 horizontally on each roll).
Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake for 15–18 minutes, until golden on top.
Enjoy!
- Cool slightly and enjoy!
Made these last night for dinner and hubby is obsessed! Said they’re even better than Subway. I made my own mayo and sub sauce too. 10/10. So easy and delicious, have already added them to my recipe book. Thank you!