Perfect Muffaletta Bread

baked muffaletta bread sliced in half on a cutting board.

4.67 from 24 votes

Make the perfect loaf of light and soft muffaletta bread with this super easy recipe. Stuff this bread with olive salad, sliced deli meat, and cheese to make an authentic New Orleans sandwich. It will be a real crowd pleaser for get togethers or events!

Prep Time35

Cook Time25

Inactive Time2 30

Total Time3 30

Servings: servings

Calories: 221kcal

Author: Brooke & Emma

Ingredients

▢ 3 ⅓ cups bread flour
▢ 2 ¼ teaspoons fast-action yeast
▢ 2 teaspoons salt
▢ 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
▢ ¼ cup olive oil
▢ 1 ¼ cups room-temperature water
▢ 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds untoasted

Instructions

Making the Dough

Place the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer, then add the salt and yeast on opposite sides of the bowl. Stir each one in with your finger. Be careful not to let the salt touch the yeast directly, as it can kill or stunt the yeast.
Add the sugar, oil, and half of the water. Mix with the paddle attachment on low speed until the mixture begins to come together. Gradually add more water until all the flour is picked up and a sticky dough forms.
Switch attachments to the dough hook and knead on low speed for 4-6 minutes, until it's no longer sticky and passes the windowpane test. Check it by stretching a lump of dough between the thumb and forefinger of each hand. If it's translucent in places without breaking, it's been kneaded enough. If it breaks, knead a minute longer and check again.
Pour about 2 teaspoons of olive oil into a large mixing bowl. Shape the dough into a ball and turn it in the oil to coat, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let it prove at room temperature until at least doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.

Shaping the Loaf

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down with your fists to get rid of the air pockets.
Place it on a large, lightly floured baking stone or cookie sheet. Shape it into a flat disc about 9 inches in diameter.
Spritz the top of the loaf with a little water, then sprinkle generously with sesame seeds and gently press them into the dough.
Loosely cover the loaf with a piece of plastic wrap, and let it prove at room temperature until almost doubled in size, about 1 hour. Once it's proved, it should spring back quickly when gently prodded with a fingertip.
About 10 minutes before the loaf is done proving, preheat the oven to 400°F.

Baking the Bread

Remove the plastic wrap and bake the proved loaf at 400°F for 20-25 minutes. The loaf should be a rich golden brown and have an internal temperature of 200°F.
Let the loaf cool for about an hour on a wire rack before slicing to allow it to release the steam inside naturally. Then, the bread can be sliced in half lengthwise and used to make a muffaletta sandwich.

Notes

If the dough is really sticky when you're kneading, simply add a little more flour; just be careful not to add too much.
Prove the dough in a warm place to speed up the rise.
If you're in a hurry, make the dough the night before and let it prove in the fridge overnight. Let it come to room temperature, then shape it into a loaf, prove, and bake the next day.
Freeze the baked and cooled loaf for up to 1 month if desired.

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