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Instant Pot French Bread

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Instant Pot French Bread is crusty on the outside and soft and chewy in the center. This is the easiest way to make bread ever!

This homemade bread recipe is delicious. I love soft and savory bread that makes a perfect side dish for so many meals!

closeup of 3 slices of Instant Pot French Bread stacked together

Instant Pot French Bread

This homemade bread recipe uses quick rise yeast. Instant yeast helps shorten the rising time for your bread, and gives your French bread that chewy texture.

Why I Love This Recipe

Instant Pot French Bread has a chewy center and a crusty outside, this homemade bread is the perfect dinner side dish.

  • Easy to make
  • Perfect for picky eaters
  • Fills the house with a delicious aroma

This Instant Pot French Bread recipe would go well with my Instant Pot Tomato Feta Pasta recipe. It’s also great with ratatouille!

Overhead view of Instant Pot French Bread slices with butter spread on top of one of the slices.

Ingredients

You only need a few basic ingredients to make this tasty French bread recipe. One quick trip to the grocery store and you will be ready to bake homemade bread.

  • quick rise yeast
  • warm water, divided
  • flour
  • salt
  • sugar, divided
  • oil
  • egg white

Substitutions

Olive Oil: Olive oil would give this French bread a delicious taste

Sea Salt: Use sea salt in place of table salt for a little more flavor.

Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools

You only need a few simple tools to make this fresh bread recipe.

How to Make Instant Pot French Bread

This recipe may seem overwhelming at first, but these 10 steps make the process to making homemade French bread easy and painless.

Step 1: Bloom your yeast

Mix together in a medium sized bowl yeast and 1/2 cup warm water. Mix well and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes, or until bubbly. 

A bowl of bubbly mixture of yeast and water.

Step 2: Mix your dry ingredients

Mix together flour, sugar, salt, oil, and remaining water (2 cups). 

Dry ingredients mixed with wet ingredients in a bowl next to water in a measuring cup and oil in a white cup

Step 3: Add the yeast

Once the yeast has bubbled, add in your flour mixture.

A mixing bowl with the yeast and flour mixture combined.

Step 4: Prepare your dough

Using a dough hook on a stand mixer, continue to mix the dough for about 5 minutes on a medium speed.

Dough in a mixing bowl.

Step 5: Grease your Instant Pot

Grease your instant pot inner lid with some oil to prevent your dough from sticking. 

Step 6: Proof your dough

Transfer to the instant pot. Set your instant pot to yogurt mode. Cover with the lid.

Dough in an instant pot.

Step 7: Knead your dough

At 10 minutes, transfer back to your mixing bowl, and knead for 5 minutes.

Repeat the proofing process

Transfer back to the instant pot. keeping the Instant Pot on yogurt mode. Continue this for a total of 3 times, for 40 minutes.

Step 8: Preheat your oven

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Step 9: Divide your dough

On a cookie sheet, lightly flour the pan. Transfer your dough to the pan and separate into two portions. 

Dough separated in two portions on a floured baking pan.

Step 10: Egg wash your bread

Form the bread in a long loaf, like a French loaf. Score the top with a knife. Brush with the egg white to allow your bread to brown. 

Dough formed in the shape of a long loaf with the top part scored with a knife.

Step 11: Bake your bread

Place your bread in the oven for 10 minutes. Without removing the bread from the oven, turn the oven degrees down to 375 degrees for an additional 20 minutes.

Two breads turned golden brown just right after baking.

Variations / Options / Add-Ins

Looking for some ways to change up your French bread? Here are some suggestions for you.

Italian Seasoning: Add one tablespoon of Italian seasoning to your dough, for a delicious flavor.

Garlic Butter: Brush garlic butter on the top of your bread when it’s warm to soften your crust and give it some flavor.

A stack of Instant Pot French Bread slices with the top most part covered with butter.

Serving Suggestions

Want to know how to serve your Instant French Bread? I’ve got suggestions to help you out.

Serve your Instant Pot French Bread alongside a pasta dish, like this Tuscan Chicken Recipe, for a delicious meal. If you have leftover French Bread it makes for amazing French toast or croutons. It would also go well with this comforting Instant Pot Cheeseburger Soup.

Use your French Bread in this Air Fryer Bread Pudding recipe.

A stack of Instant Pot French Bread slices with the top most part covered with butter.

FAQS

Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions about Instant Pot French Bread.

How to store

Store your French bread in an airtight container on the counter for up to three days.

How to reheat

To soften your bread, hold your bread under running cold water for a couple seconds. Return to the oven at 325 degrees, for about 5 minutes or until warm all the way through.

What temperature should my water be?

When blooming yeast, your water should be between 110 and 115 degrees.

A stack of 3 Instant Pot French Bread slices.

More Instant Pot Recipes

If you like cooking in the Instant Pot , give these recipes a try:

Instant Pot French bread Recipe

Ready to get cooking? Print off the recipe card below or toggle on Cook Mode to keep your screen from going dark while you follow along on your phone or tablet.

📋 Recipe

Instant Pot French Bread

Corinne Schmitt
Instant Pot French Bread is crusty on the outside and soft and chewy in the center.
5 from 6 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 16 slices
Calories 191 kcal

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 tablespoon quick rise yeast
  • 2 1/2 cups very warm water divided
  • 6 cups flour
  • 2 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar divided
  • 2 tablespoon oil
  • 1 egg white

Instructions
 

  • Mix together in a medium sized bowl yeast and 1/2 cup warm water. Mix well and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes, or until bubbly.
  • Mix together flour, sugar, salt, oil, and remaining water (2 cups).
  • Once the yeast has bubbled, add in your flour mixture.
  • Using a dough hook on a stand mixer, continue to mix the dough for about 5 minutes on a medium speed.
  • Grease your instant pot inner lid with some oil to prevent your dough from sticking.
  • Transfer to the instant pot. Set your instant pot to yogurt mode. Cover with the lid.
  • At 10 minutes, transfer back to your mixing bowl, and knead for 5 minutes. Transfer back to the instant pot keeping it on yogurt mode. Continue this for a total of 3 times, for 40 minutes.
  • Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
  • On a cookie sheet, lightly flour the pan. Transfer your dough to the pan and separate into two portions.
  • Form the bread in a long loaf, like a French loaf. Score the top with a knife. Brush with the egg white to allow your bread to brown.
  • Place your bread in the oven for 10 minutes. Without removing the bread from the oven, turn the oven degrees down to 375 degrees for an additional 20 minutes.
  • Enjoy with butter and/or jam!

Nutrition

Calories: 191kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 5gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 331mgPotassium: 53mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gCalcium: 7mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Need to run to the store for a few ingredients first? Don’t forget to pin this recipe so you can find it when you’re ready to cook!

A collage of 4 images showing the steps used to make Instant Pot French Bread.

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