italian herbs and cheese-sliced up close

I hate to mention Subway in the first sentence of an artisan sourdough bread recipe, but… that Italian herbs and cheese bread was always my go-to growing up.

Now that I make sourdough, I realize that while the bread was good at the time, it doesn’t compare to homemade sourdough.

Thinking back on those memories, I decided to make my own version of the Italian herbs and cheese loaf, but in an artisan-style sourdough loaf.

My husband – and his friends (and me) – think this might be the best loaf of bread I’ve made to date. The flavors are punchy, aromatic, and downright delicious. Here’s how to make it.

italian herbs and cheese-holding a slice

Note: If you already have an artisan sourdough recipe you swear by, just add the inclusions during your second set of stretch and folds.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Very beginner-friendly: if you’re beginning to experiment with inclusions, this is a perfect starting place. It’s not messy or difficult – just toss the herbs and cheese in your dough, and you’re golden.
  • The most flavorful sandwich base ever: imagine this herby, cheesy bread with some deli meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo… heaven.
  • Delicious on its own: we ate this entire loaf plain with some butter smeared on top. It’s so divine on its own that you even need anything else with it!
  • Almost exactly the same as making a regular artisan loaf: this inclusion addition is super simple and will feel almost the same as making a plain sourdough loaf.
italian herbs and cheese-baked

Sourdough Bread Timeline

Here’s a sample timeline to help you plan out your bake.

Day 1
Before bedFeed your starter (1:5:5 ratio is best for overnight but experiment with your starter in your environment to nail it down)
Day 2
8 amMix flour, starter, and most of the water (this starts the bulk fermentation)
9 amAdd salt and remaining water; knead or slap and fold for 2-4 minutes
9:30 amStretch and fold the inclusions into the dough
10 amStretch and fold or coil fold #2
10:30 amStretch and fold or coil fold #3
11 amStretch and fold or coil fold #4
3:30 pmLook for signs of bulk fermentation being done (more pointers in the recipe card); if ready, pre-shape dough
4 pmFinal shape, put in banneton, and refrigerate overnight
Day 3
7 amPreheat Dutch oven to 450°F/230°C
7:45 amScore and bake the dough
10:45 amLet the bread cool; now, enjoy the bread!
italian herbs and cheese-pretty view

Ingredients

  • Bread flour: King Arthur unbleached bread flour (12.7% protein) does the heavy lifting in this recipe. If your flour has a different protein percentage, you may need to adjust the amount of water.
  • Whole wheat flour: Adding a touch of whole wheat flour adds nice flavor and a bit of nutrition. It also makes the starter happy!
  • Active starter: You’ll need a ripe sourdough starter to leaven this dough. Make sure your starter is happy and healthy – ideally, triple in size when it’s peaked.

Related: Is My Sourdough Starter Ready to Bake With? How I Can Tell

  • Warm water: You’ll want lukewarm water – water over 120°F may kill your sourdough starter. Cold water will prevent your dough from rising at a decent pace. Also, I use water straight from my faucet. I live in the country and have well water; I’ve never had any issues. However, I’ve seen others recommend using filtered water.
  • Salt: I use sea salt. Just try to avoid salt with anti-caking agents.
  • Italian seasoning blend: this is a total staple in our spice cabinet! It includes a mix of oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, and garlic.
  • Lightly dried basil: I added this to the dough because we had it; feel free to do the same with what’s in your fridge and pantry for extra flavor. To clarify, this isn’t dried basil in a spice jar. It’s found in the produce section and lasts up to 4 weeks in the fridge. It’s basically halfway between fresh basil and dried basil.
  • Colby Jack cheese: once again, this is the cheese block we had in the fridge, so I used it. This recipe would be equally delicious with other types, so customize to your taste! The only thing I ask of you is to shred your own cheese – the pre-shredded stuff won’t melt into your dough well because it has added anti-caking ingredients.
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese: I don’t skimp on my parmesan cheese anymore. If you can help it, don’t use the dust in the green container – buy a real wedge of authentic parmigiano reggiano and grate it. The flavor difference is astounding. This also adds umami!

Need more inclusion ideas? Check out: 41 Sourdough Inclusion Ideas: Add-Ins You Should Try

How to Make Italian Herbs & Cheese Sourdough Bread (Video Tutorial)

This YouTube video takes you through this recipe, step by step. If you get stuck on any step in the recipe card, feel free to jump to this video to get a visual look.

italian herbs and cheese-crumb

Italian Herbs and Cheese Artisan Sourdough Bread

Inspired by nostalgic flavors but elevated with the tang and complexity of homemade sourdough, this Italian Herbs and Cheese Artisan Sourdough Loaf combines aromatic Italian spices, lightly dried basil, and a blend of Colby Jack and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. The result? A soft, flavorful bread with a perfectly crisp crust that’s as delicious on its own as it is stacked into a sandwich. Beginner-friendly and versatile, this recipe is ideal for anyone ready to explore the world of sourdough inclusions.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Hands-Off Time 19 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 21 hours
Course Side Dish
Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients
  

Sourdough Starter

  • 14 g sourdough starter (active or discard)
  • 68 g water
  • 68 g bread flour (unbleached, King Arthur)

Main Dough

  • 350 g water (divided)
  • 450 g bread flour (unbleached, King Arthur)
  • 50 g whole wheat flour (Sunrise Flour Mills)
  • 120 g active sourdough starter
  • 10 g sea salt (Redmonds)

Inclusions

  • 3 g Italian seasoning blend (about 1.5 tablespoons)
  • 4 g lightly dried basil (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 125 g mix of freshly shredded colby jack cheese and Parmigiano Reggiano (about 4 ounces of a Colby jack cheese block and maybe a half inch off the Parmigiano Reggiano wedge)

Instructions
 

Feed Your Starter

  • The night before you plan to make your dough, feed your starter. Mix together 14 g sourdough starter, 68 g water, and 68 g bread flour.
    This gives you 30 extra grams so you don't have to scrape out every last bit from the jar (you can also feed the leftovers to maintain your starter). At this feeding ratio, your starter should peak by morning (about 10-12 hours after you feed).

Make the Dough

  • In the morning, mix 450 g bread flour, 50 g whole wheat flour, 120 g active sourdough starter, and 325 g of the 350 g water, reserving the remaining 25g for Step 2. (This is the beginning of the bulk fermentation.)
    Knead the ingredients together until fully incorporated and you have a shaggy dough. Cover with plastic wrap, a shower cap bowl cover, or cloth bowl cover, and let rest for about 1 hour.
    Optional: you can opt to do an autolyse by mixing just the flours and water and letting it rest for 30 minutes, up to overnight. Then, proceed by adding your starter.
  • Add 10 g sea salt and remaining 25g water. Dimple in and squeeze the saltwater into the flour. The dough will break up, get stringy, and feel rubbery. This is normal. Mist your counter with water and turn out the mass of dough onto your counter. Do slap and folds for 2-4 minutes, or until the dough smooths out and the saltwater is fully incorporated. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
  • Add inclusions (3 g Italian seasoning blend, 4 g lightly dried basil, 125 g mix of freshly shredded colby jack cheese and Parmigiano Reggiano) on top of the dough in the bowl. Stretch and fold the inclusions into the dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
  • Stretch and fold the dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
  • Coil fold the dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
  • Coil fold the dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
  • The dough strengthening is now completed, so we wait until the dough has finished its bulk fermentation.
    Bulk fermentation is done when the dough is visibly larger (the exact percentage rise is not as important as the other visual signs), with bubbles all around the sides and underneath the surface. The dough should jiggle like jelly when you shake the bowl and feel light, airy, and puffy to the touch. It should be domed on the edges where the dough meets the bowl.
    Don’t worry about exact timing; trust these visual and tactile cues to guide you. Warmer dough ferments faster, colder dough takes longer, but slightly overproofed dough often makes better bread than underproofed. Don't be afraid to push the limits.
    For me, bulk fermentation took 7.5 hours; my dough was 70-72°F (21-22°C) and my home was 71°F (21.6°C), for reference.
  • When bulk fermentation is done, dump out dough onto the counter. Gently pre-shape using a bench scraper to coax the dough into a tight ball. This is the end of the bulk fermentation.
    italian herbs and cheese-preshaped
  • Final shape the dough using the single caddy clasp method. Flip into a floured banneton, seam-side up. Pinch the seam shut.
    Optional: Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes. Stitch the top of the dough to increase surface tension and cover.
    Put in the fridge overnight.
    italian herbs and cheese-banneton

Score & Bake

  • The next day, at any time, preheat oven to 450°F/230°C with a Dutch oven inside.
  • Score the dough and place it in the preheated Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
    italian herbs and cheese-scored
  • Remove lid and lower oven temperature to 425°F/220°C. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the top is as golden brown as you prefer. Feel free to temp the bread to ensure it is fully baked. It should be around 205-210°F (96-99°C).
  • Wait for the bread to cool down, about 2 hours. Cut into the cooled bread and enjoy!!
    italian herbs and cheese-belly

Notes

Refer to the YouTube tutorial if you get stuck at any point in this recipe.
To make two loaves, simply double the recipe.
Keyword Bread

Conclusion

This inclusion combo is super beginner-friendly! Plus, the herbs and cheese blend is super versatile.

italian herbs and cheese-halfway through the bake
Halfway through the bake… yum!

If you’re experimenting with adding flavors to your sourdough bread, this is one I’d start with. Save the cinnamon sugar for down the road (it’s the hardest!).

If you make this, let me know what you think. I’d LOVE to see your creations in an Instagram story! Just tag me @thatsourdoughgal.

Related:

Similar Posts

18 Comments

  1. I made this (2 loaves) for my 20 something kids that live away from home. My son rated it an 11/10 and my daughter made a grilled cheese with hers, and called it the best thing she’s ever eaten!! Thank you for sharing your recipe😊

  2. I wish this recipe was in cups and American measurements. I would try it. You could put both metric and American. I don’t know too many people who used metric here

    1. Thank you for your feedback! I totally get that cups and American measurements feel more familiar, and I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. I use grams in all my baking because it’s the most precise way to measure ingredients, which is so important for sourdough. Plus, it’s practical—you don’t have to dirty any measuring cups! Just pour everything directly into the mixing bowl and zero out the scale for each ingredient. A good kitchen scale can be as affordable as $10 on Amazon, though my favorite one is about $50.

      That said, I completely understand that what works best for one baker might not work best for another. If measuring cups feel easier or more enjoyable for you, that’s perfectly fine. I’m just happy you’re baking bread at home!

      I’ll look into adding American measurements to my recipe cards in the future, though I hesitate because I don’t use them myself and know they’re less precise. If someone’s dough texture ends up a bit off because of the conversions, I’d feel responsible since the measurements aren’t as exact. It’s a bit of a balancing act!

      In the meantime, you can Google the conversion from grams to cups or tablespoons for specific ingredients, or even paste the recipe ingredient list into ChatGPT and ask for conversions. While it might not be 100% precise, it’s a helpful option for now.

      Thank you again for sharing your thoughts—I really value your input and love hearing from other home bakers.

      1. I found your recipe and saved it and am waiting till time to check and put I. The fridge. My dough is looking g good so far! I’ll let you know how it turns out tomorrow! You have great tips!

        Phoebe

    1. I buy it from the store – it’s called Italian Seasoning Blend in the spice aisle – but you can look up how to make it at home if you prefer. It’s just a mix of basil, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, oregano, and parsley.

  3. How many hours do you typically leave in the fridge? I know you said overnight but wondering if I put it in the fridge early afternoon if it would be ready to bake by 7pm?

  4. 5 stars
    Thank you for the recipe. I made a version of this with asiago cheese. I’m new so I’m still not getting the rise that I would like, but the bread still came out awesome. Thanks again.

  5. What is the longest amount of time I can leave it in the fridge? Wanting to double the recipe so I can give one to a friend but it would be 4 nights of being refrigerated

  6. 5 stars
    Absolutely fabulous! Was told this is the best loaf I’ve ever made! I even made croutons out of it for tomato soup!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating