Bread Bowl Recipe

4.98 from 73 votes

This bread bowl is surprisingly easy to make. Crusty on the outside, and soft on the inside, they are perfect for your favorite soup!

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Rise Time1 30

Total Time2 5

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Lil' Luna

Ingredients

1½ cups warm water
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¾ tablespoon rapid rise yeast
4 cups bread flour plus more as needed

Instructions

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix warm water, oil, sugar, salt, yeast, and 2 cups of flour. Add remaining flour ½ cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is smooth, but still slightly tacky.
Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Gently punch down the dough and divide into six equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
With a sharp knife, cut an x in the top of each dough ball. Cover lightly with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 30–45 minutes.
During the last 15 minutes of rise time, preheat the oven to 400°F.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
To serve, cut a circle out of the top of each bread bowl, then scoop out the inside of the bread to make a bowl. Ladle hot soup into the bowl and serve immediately. NOTE: Bread bowls are best served with creamier and chunkier soups, as opposed to broth-based soups.

Video

Notes

Make ahead of time. Place cooled (or baked) loaves in large resealable plastic bags for 2–3 days. Storing in the refrigerator will extend the shelf life by a few days. You can also wrap each bowl in plastic wrap and then in foil to freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before cutting and using. You can warm them up in the oven after thawing as well.
Dip bowls. I usually divide the dough into six pieces to make bread bowls, and they are the perfect serving size for my family. But you can also divide the dough into fourths for larger bowls to hold a dip, or if you just want a bigger portion size for your soup bowls.
For a crisp, shiny finish. Make an egg wash by beating 1 egg with 1 tablespoon milk in a bowl. Use a pastry brush to coat the top of each ball of dough right before you score an x on top. For extra crispness, brush again with egg wash halfway during the bake time.

Nutrition