Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe

These easy homemade bread bowls are made with pantry staples and are the perfect way to turn any soup or chili into a cozy comfort meal.

Course bread

Cuisine American

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 25

Rising 1 30

Total Time 2 20

Servings bread bowls

Calories 668kcal

In the mixing bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough attachment, add warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Gently stir to combine.
2 ¼ cups warm water, 4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
Stir in remaining 3 teaspoons sugar, olive oil, and salt.
2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing until you create a shaggy dough.
5 - 6 cups bread flour
Knead in stand mixer on medium-high for 8-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place to double in size, about 1-1 ½ hours.
While waiting for the dough to rise, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Punch dough down. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Shape each into a tight ball. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced apart.
Cover again and let rise for another 30-45 minutes, until puffy.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Pour 1 cup of water into a baking dish at the bottom rack of the oven.
In a small bowl, beat egg and 1 tablespoon water together. Brush the tops of the dough balls with egg wash.
1 large egg + 1 tablespoon water
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped (with an internal temperature of about 190-210 degrees F). Let cool slightly on a wire rack.
Use a serrated knife to cut a circle from the top of each bread. Gently pull out some of the bread, leaving about ½-inch wall all around.

Olive oil: I like to use olive oil in baked goods and breads, but you can use a similar neutral oil like canola oil instead.
Kosher salt: If you don't have sea salt or kosher salt, you can use half the amount of table salt.
Bread flour: Bread flour will give you the chewier texture of a classic bread bowl. If you don't have bread flour, you can use all-purpose, but you may find that you need to use a slightly different amount.
Nutrition values are estimates.