Perfect Soft Sub Roll Recipe

Sub Roll Ingredients and Substitutions
How to Make a Sub Roll
Sub Roll Recipe Recipe
Recipe FAQ
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Sometimes you just need the PERFECT sandwich!! If you ask our kids, that starts with this best sub roll recipe.

When the craving strikes, grab this bread recipe! It is so forgiving. Even if you are not a bread-making pro, you can totally nail these soft and slightly chewy hoagie rolls. Your lunch will have that extra layer of “mmm, this is good!”

We love that this recipe is not overly complicated. The perfect bite starts with simple ingredients and a straightforward process that will not have you in the kitchen all day. Plus, the texture is SPOT ON. They’re sturdy enough to hold your favorite fillings (like our tasty avocado chicken salad) without getting soggy, but are still soft and delicious.

Skip that sandwich shop and whip up your masterpiece right at home – you’ll never look back.

Try our Sandwich Bread or White Bread for more sandwich perfection.

Why we think you’ll love it:

Easy to make at home! The prep is quick and simple. Then simply rise and bake! You won’t spend all day in the kitchen, and the result is heavenly.
The perfect texture. This is everything you want in a sandwich roll. It’s slightly chewy with a soft center.
Fill it your way. You have the perfect base, now just add your favorites! Whether it’s meat and cheese, tuna, egg, or chicken salad – get ready for the perfect sandwich.

Sub roll recipe ingredients on a kitchen counter.

Sub Roll Ingredients and Substitutions

1 cup warm water – Ensure it’s around 105-115°F to activate the yeast without killing it.
1 ½ tablespoons yeast – We use active dry yeast, but instant yeast can also be used.
1 tablespoon sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons olive oil – or vegetable oil
2½ – 3½ cups all purpose flour – We use all-purpose flour, but bread flour can be used instead.
butter

How to Make a Sub Roll

DOUGH. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let it sit for five minutes until bubbly and foamy.
- Add the salt, olive oil, and 1 cup of flour, and mix until combined.
- Add another cup of flour and mix to combine. Add flour, ¼ cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl but stick slightly to the bottom of the bowl. Knead the dough (using a dough hook or your hands) until it is smooth and pliable.
- Shape the dough into a ball, cover, and let rise 30 minutes.
SHAPE. Divide the dough into four equal-sized pieces for footlong rolls, or eight equal pieces for 6-inch rolls.
- Roll each piece of dough out into a rectangle approximately 4 or 5 inches wide. Roll up the rectangle, starting at the long edge, to form a long skinny loaf, and place, seam side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking mat.
- Repeat with the remaining dough, placing each loaf at least two inches apart. Cover and let rise one hour, or until doubled in size.
BAKE. Near the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven, rub the loaves with butter, and cover with a towel to keep them moist. Let cool before slicing and filling.

Kristyn’s Recipe Tips

Be sure to activate the yeast properly so that the dough rises well.
Knead the dough until it’s smooth and pliable, usually 3-5 minutes with a mixer or 5-7 minutes by hand. Over-kneading can also lead to tougher rolls.
Find a warm spot for the dough to rise. We like to use a slightly warm oven (turned off!), a sunny spot near a window, or a proofing drawer.
Fill this best sub roll recipe with our favorites like sliced deli meats and toppings, roast beef, tuna salad, Egg Salad, or Meatballs.

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Sub Roll Recipe

By: Kristyn Merkley

This easy sub roll recipe is your ticket to baking perfectly soft and chewy rolls at home, creating the ultimate homemade sandwich!

Servings: 4

Prep: 15

Cook: 25

Rise Time: 1 30

Total: 2 10

Ingredients

Instructions

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let it sit for five minutes until bubbly and foamy.
Add the salt, olive oil, and 1 cup of flour, and mix until combined.
Add another cup of flour and mix to combine. Add flour,¼ cup at a time, until a soft dough is formed. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl but stick slightly to the bottom of the bowl. Knead the dough (using a dough hook or your hands) until it is smooth and pliable.
Shape the dough into a ball, cover, and let rise 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into four equal-sized pieces for footlong rolls, or eight equal-sized pieces for 6-inch rolls.
Roll each piece of dough out into a rectangle that is approximately 4 or 5 inches wide. Roll up the rectangle, starting at the long edge, to form a long skinny loaf, and place, seam side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a baking mat.
Repeat with the remaining dough, placing each loaf at least two inches apart. Cover and let rise one hour, or until doubled in size.
Near the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake 25 minutes, or until golden brown. After removing from the oven, rub the loaves with butter and cover with a towel to keep them moist. Let cool before slicing and filling.

Notes

Recipe tips.

Be sure you activate the yeast properly so that the dough rises well.
Knead the dough until it’s smooth and pliable, usually 3-5 minutes with a mixer or 5-7 minutes by hand. Over-kneading can also lead to tougher rolls.
Find a warm spot for the dough to rise. We like to use a slightly warm oven (turned off!), a sunny spot near a window, or a proofing drawer.
Fill the sub rolls with sliced deli meats and toppings, roast beef, tuna salad, egg salad, or meatballs.

Freeze the dough. After you have shaped the dough, place it on a baking sheet, but do not let it rise a second time; instead, place it in the freezer. Once solid, transfer them to a freezer Ziploc and freeze for 2-3 months.

To bake: Place the frozen rolls on a lined baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for several hours until they are doubled in size and no longer frozen. Bake as directed.

Store. Let the baked rolls cool completely on a wire rack. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or wrap each roll with plastic, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for 2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 254kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Sodium: 877mg, Potassium: 48mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin C: 0.01mg, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Recipe FAQ

How to add sesame seeds?

Brush the top of the shaped rolls with an egg wash (whisk 1 egg white with 1 tablespoon water), milk, or water, and generously sprinkle with sesame seeds. Let them rise and bake.

How to freeze the dough?

Shape the dough and arrange the loaves on a baking sheet, then skip the second rise and pop them straight into the freezer. Once solid, transfer them to a freezer Ziploc and freeze for 2-3 months.
To bake: Place the frozen rolls on a lined baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for several hours until they are doubled in size and no longer frozen. Bake as directed.

How to store?

Let the baked sub roll recipe cool completely on a wire rack. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or wrap each roll with plastic, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for 2 months.