Easy Ciabatta Bread Recipe (2024)

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Easy ciabatta bread recipe or Italian “slipper bread ”. Authentic, homemade fromscratch, veganandperfect to dunk in a hearty bowl of soup.

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what is ciabatta bread ?

Originally from the Veneto area, ciabatta is a rustic Italian bread made with an overnight starter and cooked just like a pizza on a preheated pizza stone or in a wood fired pizza oven. Invented by Francesco Favaron in 1982, it is the perfect bread for sandwiches a.k.a panini, bruschetta or just to dip in your favorite sauces.

Very easy to make at home using a mixer, but you will need to plan in advance for the starter or Biga. Don’t be intimated, this is a sticky wet dough hence those nice holes, so just roll with it, the mixer will do all the work for you. Don’t be tempted to add extra flour, trust the process and all will be well!

Are there eggs & dairy in ciabatta bread ?

Egg and dairy free, ciabatta is a vegan bread made with water, flour and yeast.

what do you use ciabatta bread for ?

make sandwiches / panini

garlic bread

dunk into your favorite soup or sauce

top with pesto, tomatoes & olives

use in stuffing

enjoy fresh.

how to make easy ciabatta bread recipe from scratch:

Step 1: Prepare the “ biga “or sponge at least 12 hours in advance and up to 24 hours.

Step 2: Make theciabatta dough in the mixer.

Step 3: Let the dough rise.

Step 4: Form 2 long loaves and allow to rise again a second time.

Step 5: Bake the bread.

P.S. As always if you make this recipe please come back here to rate, snap a photo and tag me with #VeggieSociety on Instagram, I love seeing what you make. ~ Florentina Xo’s

Easy Ciabatta Bread Recipe (6)

Easy Ciabatta Bread

Easy ciabatta bread recipe or Italian “ slipper bread ”. Authentic, homemade from scratch, vegan and perfect to dunk in a hearty bowl of soup.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:25 minutes mins

Resting time:12 hours hrs

Total Time:40 minutes mins

Ingredients

For the Bread:

  • 2 cups organic bread flour
  • 1/2 tsp dry active yeast
  • 1.5 tsp sea salt
  • 11 tbsp filtered water
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp warm cashew milk (or water)

For the Starter / Biga:

  • 1 cup organic bread flour
  • 1/3 cup filtered water, at room temperature
  • 1/8 tsp active dry yeast
  • 2 tbsp warm water

Instructions

Make the Starter:

  • Make your starter the night before you plan to bake the bread (this can be made up to 24 hours in advance).

    Mix together the yeast with 2 tablespoons of warm water. Allow it to stand for a few minutes.In a medium size mixing bowl stir together the yeast mixture with the flour and the water until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to sit at room temperature overnight. If preparing it in the morning then let it sit until evening and up to 24 hours.

Make the Ciabatta Bread:

  • Use your stand mixer and combine the yeast and the warm milk. Let it sit for a few minutes until creamy. Add the starter, olive oil, flour, sea salt and water and mix together for about 10 minutes until everything is incorporated.

  • Prepare a large bowl lightly oiled with olive oil. Transfer the bread dough to it and cover with plastic wrap. Allow it to sit until doubled in size, up to 2 hours.

  • Turn the bread dough onto a well floured surface and with floured hands cut it in half. Form 2 long loaves shaping carefully from the sides, do your best not to press the dough from the top so it doesn’t deflate. This is crucial to get a light and airy loaf with lots of irregular holes.

    (Optional: Use a sharp knife to cut a shallow slit lengthwise in the top of the loaf)

  • Transfer the loaves to a parchment lined baking sheet, pizza peel, or a piece of cardboard.Lightly dampen a tea towel and cover the loaves. Allow them to rise again until doubled in size, up to 2 hours.

  • Meanwhile preheat your oven to 425” F with a pizza stone in the center for one hour before planning to bake the bread.

  • Transfer one of the loaves (with the parchment paper) to the preheated pizza stone and spray lightly with water. Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown to your liking.Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing it with a serrated knife.

Notes

  • To get a crusty loaf make sure to use a pizza stone and also create some extra steam by placing a dish filled with water on the bottom of the oven as it heats up. Add more water if needed before baking the bread. Allow the loaves to cool insidethe oven after baking with the oven door slightly open.
  • To obtain theultimate crusty ciabatta loaf a wood fired pizza oven is the best way to bake it.

Nutrition

Calories: 744kcal | Carbohydrates: 136g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1765mg | Potassium: 187mg | Fiber: 4g | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1.7mg

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Ciabatta Bread

Servings: 2 loaves

Calories: 744kcal

Author: Florentina

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Easy Ciabatta Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes ciabatta different from bread? ›

Ciabatta is baked with a much higher hydration level, making the holes within the dough much bigger than a baguette. Ciabatta is also baked with a much stronger flour, which has a more delicate and sweet taste. Baguettes also tend to be baked more golden brown.

Can you make ciabatta without bread flour? ›

Flour – For this recipe, we use all-purpose flour. It has the perfect amount of protein to produce a ciabatta with a perfect rise and airy texture. Substituting bread flour will result in a denser, chewier, and less airy loaf of bread. Yeast – We use instant yeast, which is easily mixed into dry ingredients.

Why won't my ciabatta bread rise? ›

To avoid future flops, check out these reasons your bread might not be rising.
  1. The Yeast Is Too Old. TMB studio. ...
  2. The Water Is Too Hot. TMB studio. ...
  3. It's Too Cold. TMB studio. ...
  4. Too Much Salt. TMB studio. ...
  5. Too Much Sugar. TMB studio. ...
  6. Too Much Flour. TMB studio. ...
  7. Using Whole Grains. TMB studio. ...
  8. The Exterior Is Too Dry. TMB studio.
Feb 19, 2021

Should ciabatta dough be wet? ›

Traditional ciabatta is characterized by a slipper shape as well as an extremely porous and chewy texture. Originating from the Lake Como region of northern Italy, ciabatta means “slipper” in Italian. Ciabatta dough is wet and sticky with hydration levels often 80% or higher.

How do you make ciabatta bread soft again? ›

Wrap the bread in a damp (not soaking) towel, place on a baking sheet, and pop it in the oven for 5-10 minutes. In the microwave: Wrap the bread in a damp (not soaking) towel, place it on a microwave-safe dish, and microwave on high for 10 seconds.

What is the trick to fluffy bread? ›

Add Sugar

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

Which is healthier, ciabatta or sourdough? ›

Sourdough bread is healthier than traditional ciabatta bread. Ciabatta bread is a popular type of Italian bread, and therefore, is less nutritious than sourdough bread due to the leavening agent used. However, if you are searching for a healthier ciabatta bread, you can choose one made with sourdough or whole grains.

Is ciabatta bread healthier than white bread? ›

Is ciabatta healthier than bread? A. Ciabatta bread is relatively high in carbohydrates than other bread forms. However, it has adequate fibre, sugar, protein, and essential vitamins for a healthy diet.

What are the main ingredients in ciabatta bread? ›

This ciabatta recipe is super super simple and has a very limited ingredient list - bread flour, instant yeast, olive oil, water, and salt. Ciabatta bread is characterised by its crusty finish, and big holes inside the dough, which is often achieved by a long, slow rise, and high hydration.

Why is my ciabatta not crispy? ›

If your crust is becoming soft too quickly and not staying crispy you simply need to bake the bread longer. The best way to do this is to lower the temperature of your oven slightly and bake a few more minutes to achieve the same color you would have at the higher temperature.

What happens if you use plain flour to make bread? ›

But if you only have plain flour or need to supplement strong flour with plain, go ahead. The loaf will rise, with a soft crumb and golden crust, and the bread will taste better than a cheap, shop- bought loaf – but it won't have the springy chew of a loaf made entirely with strong flour.

How do you stretch ciabatta bread? ›

Stretch the dough gently into a square about 15 x 15 cm. Pick up one side and stretch it gently out, away from the dough. Fold it about 2/3 of the way back over the dough and lay it down. Pick up the opposite side and gently stretch it out away from the dough.

Why is my ciabatta chewy? ›

It's made with a very wet dough, and it's pretty much a no-knead recipe. This results in an extremely airy interior, and a crisp, brown, chewy crust.

Why is my ciabatta bread dense? ›

If the interior of your bread is extremely dense and the loaf is flat, then the bulk fermentation and final proof were likely too short.

Why doesn't my ciabatta have holes? ›

Simply put, you have to control the temperature of the bread. Allowing ample time for your bread dough to rise and the yeast to form will create the holes in the bread that give it a lighter texture. Letting your dough get puffy and grow before it goes into the oven is critical.

Why is my ciabatta gummy? ›

Try less water with your flour. Uneven heat in your oven can be the culprit – if you loaf is nicely golden on the outside but gummy or moist in the inside, it's baking too quickly on the outside. Trying reducing the temperature you're baking at and bake for a bit longer.

Why do you spray water on bread dough? ›

A small amount of steam during the last few minutes of baking or as soon as you take your bread out of the oven can give a nice shine to the surface of bread dough. Here is where that spray bottle of water comes in handy. Spritz the bread lightly and watch the surface develop a nice sheen.

How do you make big holes in ciabatta bread? ›

How to... get bigger holes in your bread
  1. A longish overall dough rising time. Now this needs some planning, and perhaps might require tweaks to your recipe. ...
  2. The ratio of water to flour in your dough. ...
  3. Manipulating the dough during the rising time. ...
  4. Delay the addition of salt until the end of mixing.
Apr 14, 2023

How long do you warm ciabatta bread? ›

For a larger, denser loaf of bread, such as a boule or ciabatta, wrap the bread in foil and warm in a 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes.

How to freshen up ciabatta? ›

“Refresh” (re-bake) it

Take a 'stale' loaf of sourdough bread, splash the top with water, and re-bake at 180/200C (fan/conventional) to restore to its just-baked condition. Indicative times are: 5-8 minutes for small loaves like baguette or ciabatta, 12-15 minutes for a 600-900g loaf.

How do bakeries get their bread so soft? ›

Consistency: Bakeries often use machines to ensure consistent kneading and proofing times. This consistency is key to producing the same soft texture batch after batch. Special Ingredients: Many bakeries use dough conditioners or enhancers, which improve the texture and extend the bread's shelf life.

Does letting bread rise longer make it fluffier? ›

Does Rising Bread Affect Its Texture? For a fluffy bread texture, the key is to let the bread rise long enough.

What are the characteristics of ciabatta bread? ›

A ciabatta is an Italian yeast-leavened artisan and hearth-type bread made with a lean formula. It is characterized by having a crisp crust and a large, irregular and open crumb grain (cell structure).

Is ciabatta always sourdough? ›

Ciabatta is usually a yeasted bread but can be a sourdough. It starts as a very wet dough and is a rough or rustic bread with an open crumb. Often dusted with flour, this helps with handling this sticky dough. A bakery in Chattanooga, TN makes a beautiful ciabatta loaf that is full of garlic cloves.

What is the difference between a ciabatta and a baguette? ›

"It reminds people of the older breads," Arnaldo Cavallari told The Guardian, describing his loaf as the "taste of an old-fashioned bread." The texture of ciabatta is chewy yet light and fluffy, with all its extra open-crumb air holes. By contrast, a French baguette, while airy, has small holes and a crisp crust.

What is the difference between artisan bread and ciabatta bread? ›

Ciabatta loaves are more moist and spongy than most artisan breads. This is largely due to the addition of olive oil in the dough. Ciabatta is generally milder than sourdough but still has a slightly tangy, rustic sort of flavor.

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