Homemade Breadsticks: the light recipe to make Italian grissini at home

Homemade Breadsticks are perfect to serve with a dinner meal to replace regular bread or dinner rolls. Also known as grissini, these Italian breadsticks are not only elegant on the table, they’re soft and fluffy in texture, and full of flavor. We’ve infused the breadsticks with tomato flavor, making every bite delicious.

You will need the basic bread ingredients (flour, yeast, sugar, salt) with a few extras  such as olive oil, tomato paste, and herbs. Serve these breadsticks as a snack too, or add your favorite topping. They will taste just like the ones you get from a restaurant — or they might even taste better.

How to make Breadsticks

A dough is first created by mixing the wet ingredients and adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Once a dough is formed, it’s left to rise until doubled in size. After this rising period, the dough is rolled out and cut into strips. These strips are twisted, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and baked until golden. They are now ready to serve and eat!

Tips

This recipe does not need a fancy bread maker, you simply make them by hand!

You can use instant yeast for active dry yeast for this recipe. Don’t skip the yeast in this recipe, it gives the breadsticks its flavor and texture.

Serve the breadsticks with your favorite dipping sauce, or with soup.

If you don’t want the tomato flavor, you can also add garlic and parmesan cheese to the dough.

Do you have any leftover pizza dough? You can also make these homemade breadsticks with it!

Breadstick Topping Ideas

Instead of sesame seeds, you can also add freshly ground salt. Alternatively, try any of these delicious toppings:

Bagel Flavor—3 tsp poppy seeds, 1 tbsp dried minced garlic, 1 tbsp dried minced onion, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp sesame seeds.

Sour cream and onion—1 packet ranch seasoning mix, 1 tsp dried minced onion.

Garlic parmesan—1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp garlic salt, 2 tsp dried parsley.

How to store Homemade Breadsticks

Once cooled, store the homemade breadsticks in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze Homemade Breadsticks?

You can freeze baked and cooled breadsticks. Wrap tightly with cling wrap and aluminum foil. Allow to thaw at room temperature and reheat in the oven.

Instructions

In a bowl combine lukewarm water with tomato paste, rosemary and thyme.

Add salt, sugar, dry yeast and stir well. Pour in olive oil and mix to combine.

Gradually add sifted flour and stir slightly with a spatula.

Then knead the dough with your hands for a few minutes till the dough combines.

Cover the bowl with a kitchen cloth or plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for 2 hours in a warm place.

Preheat the oven to 220C/430F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Pat or roll the dough into a rectangle.

Starting from the short side, cut the dough into strips approximately 1 cm/3/8″ using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife.

Twist the ends of each strip in opposite directions and rotate to make a spiral shape. Continue with the remaining stripes.

Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush with some water, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 25 minutes.

Take the breadsticks out of the oven, serve and enjoy!

Notes

Make sure the water is warm to the touch. If it’s too cold, the yeast won’t be effective. If it’s too hot, you will kill the yeast.