Ciabatta Bread Recipe (2024)

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ByLauraPublished onUpdated on

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Try this Ciabatta bread recipe! It’s so easy, and hands-off you’ll be making rustic bakery-style bread at home in no time flat. But you’ll have to follow the directions AND all my tips. It’s work but it’s also doable.

Even if you’ve never baked bread before!

This easy-to-follow bread recipe will give you 4 nice size loaves of chewy ciabatta. If you’re looking for a different and perhaps easier bakery bread to try maybe check out the simple Tomato Focaccia Recipe in my post How to Make Focaccia!

Ciabatta Bread Recipe (1)

Ciabatta Bread Recipe

It’s true this is an EASY recipe for bakery-style bread, but you’ve got to follow the directions. I’ve baked it a couple of times now and when I do, I follow the exact directions as given by Mr. Paul Hollywood himself.

The very hardest part of the entire process is moving the bread from the counter to the baking sheets.

Tips For This Ciabatta Recipe

Ciabatta is a SUPER soft dough. It wants to stretch out and get all weird so here’s how to handle that:

  1. flour the counter
  2. flour the top well
  3. flour your bench scraper well
  4. cut decisively
  5. turn it a 1/4 turn to get the cutting line down the top
  6. gather it firmly in hand, don’t let it drag
  7. move to the baking sheet
  8. and lay it down.

I can’t recommend a kitchen scale enough for making ANY bread at home, it gives you absolute control over the amount of flour you use in recipes. And that’s so important for bread.

This recipe calls for 500 grams of bread flour. It’s hard to measure by scooping cups out but if you’re going that route be sure to run a spoon through the flour first to lighten it up. Sifting can make it TOO light and airy and give you a false measurement if you’re using cups so lighten with a spoon don’t sift!

Ciabatta Bread Recipe (2)

If you make this Ciabatta Bread Recipe here’s a few ways to get better at it:

  • Watch the Masterclass with Paul and Mary on Netflix for a solid walkthrough of a Ciabatta Bread Recipe.
  • And then watch Collection One of the GBBO, bread week for the technical challenge of making ciabatta.
  • Practice Practice Practice!

Lot’s of good information tucked in those episodes and of course, they’re always fun to watch no matter what.

One thing that’s interesting about Paul and his bread making is that he calls for tepid water, not warm. He says it allows the bread to develop more flavor. I’ve tried that with every trial of this recipe and I have to say it IS tasty bread.

My kids will back me up on that too because they’ve enjoyed all the ciabatta I’ve made this week perfecting the technique. No, it’s not perfect yet, but it’s getting closer.

Bread Making Tips

  • lighten your flour before scooping it to get the most accurate measurement possible
  • do not let this over prove, doubled in size is where you want to work from
  • dust your counter with flour before turning the dough out

Notes on Active Dry Yeast VS Quick Rise or Instant Yeast

Join our GBBO Bake-Along group on facebook for all the best baking support! This page has ALL the information you need to join the group.

Ciabatta Bread Recipe (3)

Ciabatta Bread Recipe (4)

Ciabatta Bread Recipe

4.34 from 15 votes

Course: Bread Recipes

Cuisine: Mediterranean Inspired

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

resting tim: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 loaves

Author: Laura

Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 500 grams bread flour if you’re scooping flour lighten it, you’ll need about 4 cups- a little more for dusting the counter
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 teaspoons rapid rise yeast
  • 440 ml tepid water not warm, not ice cold
  • olive oil for greasing the proofing container
  • *optional*corn meal for dusting

Instructions

  • measure the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer, put yeast on one side of the bowl, salt on the other

  • fit the mixer with a dough hook

  • pour 3/4 of the water in the bowl, set the machine on low and let it mix

  • once it’s started to mix in, slowly add the remaining water

  • then let the mixer work until a very soft dough has formed

  • use the olive oil to grease a 2-3 liter tub with a lid, glass or plastic

  • put the dough in the box, cover and let rise slowly at room temperature until at least doubled in size

  • once the dough has risen prepare two baking trays with parchment, or dust with flour

  • dust a clean counter with flour and if using sprinkle a little corn meal over the flour

  • turn the dough box completelyover and turn dough out in a square, it will spread a bit, resist the urge to knock it back or punch it down, let it keep all its lovely bubbles

    Ciabatta Bread Recipe (5)

  • dust the top with more flour

    Ciabatta Bread Recipe (6)

  • using a bench scraper cut the square in half, then cut each half in half so you have 4 equal lengths of dough

  • take each length firmly in hand, turn it over slightly so the cut runs along the top, and place on prepared baking trays

  • place two loaves on each tray and let them rest uncovered for 25 minutes

  • preheat the oven to 430˚ after 15 minutes of resting

  • once the oven is hot, place the baking trays in the oven and bake the ciabatta for 25 minutes or until they sound hollow when you thump them

Notes

  • you need a stand mixer for this recipe
  • I have found the even with weighing flour sometimes the dough is just too wet, an extra 25 grams of flour helps a lot
  • you will also need a square plastic box for proofing your dough, it helps with loaf shape, I used a good cooks box about 6×6 inches
  • you could proof it in 2 smaller rectangles as well and just cut each rectangle in half
  • a bench scraper is helpful for cutting the dough
  • I originally made this recipe with cornmeal but once I ran out of it, I just kept making it without cornmeal and it works just fine!

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece

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Ciabatta Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes ciabatta bread different? ›

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.

What flour is ciabatta made from? ›

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.

Is ciabatta bread a healthy bread? ›

Yes, it is. If you consume ciabatta in moderation and with the right foods, it can offer various health benefits. Ciabatta contains multiple essential nutrients, minerals, and vitamins such as carbohydrates, proteins, iron, sodium, and vitamins B1 and B3. Hence, its consumption helps improve overall health.

Is ciabatta bread hard or soft? ›

It's soft, incredibly open, and light in hand—almost like a bushel of puffy marshmallows bound together by a crust poised to shatter at the slightest pressure. This is a loaf of bread that asks you to tear it with hands, dunked into the best olive oil in the pantry.

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.

Why does ciabatta bread taste so good? ›

The dough for ciabatta bread is made in two stages: Sponge (or Biga) – This first mixture is prepared the day before you plan to bake the bread. It is comprised of just flour, yeast, and water. This fermented sponge is what gives the ciabatta its amazing, slightly tangy flavor.

Is ciabatta bread better for you than regular bread? ›

Ciabatta is no difference to other white bread. It provides carbohydrates. And there's nothing wrong with eating carbohydrates as it's the source of energy our brain needs.

What bread is most similar to ciabatta? ›

Ciriola. These small rolls are similar to ciabatta in the sense that they're crusty on the outside and tender on the inside.

Why is my ciabatta so dense? ›

Lack of gas and fermentation that makes the dough aerate results in dense and heavy bread. In these cases, it is either necessary to allow the dough to be proof longer or move it to the warmer room.

What is the best anti inflammatory bread? ›

The best bread to reduce gut inflammation is bread made from whole grains. Refined grains, such as the grains found in white bread and white pasta, are known to increase inflammation across the whole body. Sourdough bread and rye bread are both good options for an anti-inflammatory diet.

What is the healthiest bread to eat everyday? ›

Here are our top 7 choices for wholesome, nutrient-dense breads.
  1. Sprouted whole grain. Sprouted bread is made from whole grains that have started to sprout from exposure to heat and moisture. ...
  2. Sourdough. ...
  3. 100% whole wheat. ...
  4. Oat bread. ...
  5. Flax bread. ...
  6. 100% sprouted rye bread. ...
  7. Healthy gluten-free bread.

Can diabetics eat ciabatta bread? ›

The whole wheat, calcium, and fiber found in ciabatta bread can aid in proper digestion, prevent type 2 diabetes, and promote bone health (although not all ciabatta is made from whole wheat).

What is the difference between focaccia and ciabatta bread? ›

Here are three differentiating points between focaccia and ciabatta: Texture: Focaccia has a lightweight, cake-like consistency that is similar to pizza dough. On the other hand, ciabatta has a dense consistency and a chewy texture. Baking: Focaccia is baked as a flatbread, while Ciabatta is baked as loaves.

What does ciabatta in Italian mean? ›

Ciabatta (/tʃəˈbɑːtə, -ˈbæt-/, Italian: [tʃaˈbatta]; lit. 'slipper') is an Italian white bread made from wheat flour, water, salt, yeast and olive oil, created in 1982 by a baker in Adria, province of Rovigo, Veneto, in response to the popularity of French baguettes.

Is artisan bread the same as ciabatta? ›

Artisan bread is handcrafted in small batches using simple, wholesome ingredients such as flour, water, yeast (Yeast is active or not?), and salt. True artisan bread takes a long time to make and is never mass-produced. Some examples of artisan bread include ciabatta, brioche, and focaccia.

What is interesting about ciabatta bread? ›

The name derives from its appearance, as ciabatta in Italian means 'slipper', referring to its long, flat shape. Although throughout history there have been many breads that resemble ciabatta, the exact bread variety is actually quite new on the scene in regards to other traditional Italian breads.

How is ciabatta different than French bread? ›

There are striking similarities between the baguette and ciabatta, but the biggest difference is in the level of moisture in the dough. The wet dough used in ciabatta creates alveolar holes in the bread during the baking process, which changes the texture of the bread.

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).

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