Best Ciabatta Bread Recipe - The Ultimate Guide (2024)

Who doesn’t love a good Ciabatta?

Wonderfully chewy, light, porous with irresistible big holes on the inside; crusty and crackling golden brown on the outside ciabatta bread is all about its unique flavour and texture. This Italian homemade Ciabatta bread recipe would walk you through everything you need to know to achieve it.

Have you ever dreamed of making an Artisan Crusty Italian Bread at home??

But never really had the courage to make one given the complexity of the recipe??

Or are you missing the Panera Style Ciabatta Bread or the Ciabatta Bread from Walmart?

Well, this simple Ciabatta Bread recipe with its wonderfully chewy texture and irregular holes would change the way you make bread.

Talking about Panera Bread recipes, these Panini Bread is my absolute favourite. Do you like them?

Homemade Ciabatta Bread

A very simple bread with a characteristic texture and flavour, this artisan ciabatta bread is perfect for dipping into soups or sauces.

What is so unique about this Ciabatta Bread, you ask?

Or what makes the Ciabatta Bread different?

This bread calls for a high hydration dough - 80% to be exact.

And just to give you an idea most kneaded bread sits around 60% hydration.

Ever since I started making my own Sourdough Starter I am trying to learn and understand baker's percentage and how to make bread at home from scratch.

And truly not all bread are difficult to make.

Even though this is a very wet and sticky dough to handle given the high water content, you will be surprised to learn how easy the steps are to follow.

And the best part about the bread recipe is that you need not worry about

1. Kneading the Dough
2. Shaping the Dough, the more shaggy the more artistic looking bread 😉
3. No fancy equipment and very little hands-on time.
4. Plus this bread literally has a handful of ingredients.

Ciabatta Bread Ingredients

Just Flour, Water, Salt and a very little amount of Olive Oil and Yeast.

You can skip the oil too if you do not have handy and make this with just Flour, Water, Salt and Yeast.

Bread flour – this is essential for gluten development. Do not fret if APF is the only thing you have at the moment. You can use APF too.

Yeast – you can use instant or active dry yeast. Either one will work. I love this one by Edmonds. In the US I believe Red Star gives the best results.

Water – there’s a lot of water in this bread and it’s the only liquid the recipe calls for.

Salt – It helps to strengthen and support the volume of the bread apart from adding the flavour and slowing down the fermentation process.

But let me warn you this recipe does have a few additional steps but most of the time is spent on allowing the dough to rise and proof and the hands-on time is hardly much.

Here is How to make Ciabatta Bread in a step by step pictorial format.

Step 1: Preparing the Wet Dough

In a fairly large container, pour in the water(pic 1) followed by yeast (pic 2).

Stir to dissolve the yeast.

Next add the olive oil, flour and salt (pics 3,4 and 5)..

Using a wooden spatula, combine everything until all the dry flour is hydrated and everything comes into a dough.

These days I am dreaming about this bread whisk, I would love to have this as a gift on Mother's Day. Is anyone reading??? 😉

Step 2: First Proofing

Cover the container with a lid and allow it to prove for 3 hours.

First Proofing (on counter-top) : 3 hours.

How to Proof the Dough in an Instant Pot?

By now you guys know my love for Instant Pot Bread Proofing.

In fact, Instant Pot Ciabatta Bread recipe is my favourite way of making this bread.

So if you have an IP then simply mix the dough in the pot itself (pic 1).

Close with a glass lid. I love the Instant Pot one but you can use any.

Choose Yogurt mode (step 2) and set the time to 1.5 hours (step 3).

So let me clear it out,

EITHER prove the bread dough on counter-top for 3 hours OR in an Instant Pot for 1.5 hours

Step 3: Folding

After the bulk fermentation of 3 hours we now have to stretch and fold the bread dough 3 times in an interval of 30 mins.

Don’t get carried away by multi-step folding process, it’s REALLY simple.

Unlike the kneaded bread dough, the technique for this ciabatta bread is little different due to the high hydration.

It is due to this Folding and Stretching technique that the dough develops elasticity which is forming the gluten structure for the bread to hold its shape once baked.

And here is how to do it.

So after the bulk fermentation time of 3 hours, come back and start stretching the dough gently but confidently till the point where it does not tear.

To do this wet your hands so that it does not stick to the dough, then start pulling from one end (the corner farthest away to you) (pic 6), lift it up and fold over on itself (pic 7).

Turn the bowl 180°C and repeat the step.. pull the dough gently (pic 8) and fold over to the centre (pic 9).

Now turn 90°C and repeat the step (pic 10 and 11).

Turn 180 °C and repeat (pic 12 and 13).

Basically you are doing this stretch and fold step on all the four sides - North, South, East and West of the dough.

Once you have done the stretching and folding on all four directions. Repeat it one more time.

Then allow it to ferment for 30 more minutes.

30 mins later you will do the stretch and fold for the second time (images 6-13). Ferment for 30 minutes.

After 30 mins do the last stretch and fold (images 6-13). So a total of 3 times. Now Ferment it for 45 minutes.

Every 30 mins, that is after each stretching and folding you will find that the dough is rising a bit, turning elastic and by the end looks like a giant marshmallow.

How to do this step Folding step in an Instant Pot?

The steps of stretching and folding remains the same.

However the time is cut down by half. So if doing in an IP then stretch and fold the dough 3 times in an interval of 15 mins.

After the third folding allow it to rest for 25 mins.

The settings remain the same that is close the pot with glass lid and choose Yogurt Mode.

Before you start shaping, keep a baking tray lined with a tea towel ready.

Dust the tea towel generously with flour, dust it liberally bakers!!!

If you have a Couche cloth make use of it or simply use a tea towel as I have done.

So your dough would have risen a bit by now.

Dust the top of the dough as well as your work-top with some flour.

Invert the container onto your worktop and a well-worked dough would release itself from the bowl or container and fall back gently yet slowly on to your worktop.

Usually bread recipes call for knocking down the air bubbles. But not in this case.

You want those beautiful big big bubbles in the dough to create open crumb in your bread once baked.

Using a bench scraper push some dry flour to the base of the dough to make it workable.

And without breaking down too many air bubbles simply spread the dough into a rectangle of roughly 27 to 30 cms (image 15).

Divide it into three parts (image 16).

The best part about shaping the Ciabatta bread loaves is that no two bread loaves have the same size or shape.

So don't be afraid to shape these even if it does not look the most beautifully shaped or evenly shaped mass of dough.

And that is why these are also known as Italian slipper bread because of its long and lean uneven shape.

So once divided into three parts, making use of two bench scrapers (image 17) lift the dough quickly (image 18) and put it on the prepared tea towel.

Watch the quick video for a clear understanding or watch the Youtube tutorial from the recipe card.

Cover the loaves with greased cling wrap and allow for final Proofing on the bench which would be for 45 mins.

Final Proofing - 45 minutes.

Step 5 - Baking.

Place an inverted cookie tray followed by a baking tray onto the middle rack of your oven.

Preheat your oven to 250°C (500°F).

Take cardboard or a foam board wrap it with an aluminium foil and grease the foil with some oil.

Gently lift the tea towel at an angle and transfer the loaves to the aluminium foil and re- transfer it onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

We are doing all this to avoid handling the dough with hands due to which you might pop the beautifully created air pockets.

If you like you can use your hands too just be gentle and careful.

On to the lower rack of your oven place a baking pan filled with hot boiling water to maintain the moisture.

Slide the parchment paper slowly yet carefully onto the baking pan that has been preheating all this while in the oven.

If you have a spray bottle spray water on top of the dough 6 to 7 times and immediately close the oven lid.

And if you do not have spray bottle then add some ice cubes to the base of the oven to create steam and immediately close the lid.

If you love bread baking feel free to check my Instant Pot No Knead Artisan Bread post to understand why do we need to create steam while baking.

Bake for 10 mins at 250°C (500°F) for the first 10 mins.

Then lower the heat to 230°C (440°F) and bake for another 12 - 15 mins until the bread has a nice golden crust and cracking top and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.

Allow it to cool completely before slicing the bread and enjoying it in so many different ways.

Here are 8 different ways to Use the Ciabatta Bread

Serve it with soups/stews : The most common way of serving any bread. 😉

With Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar : This is my favourite way of enjoying this bread. Serve the bread with a bowl of some olive oil and balsamic vinegar added to it. You can also choose to add some flavourings like sea salt, garlic powder, chilli flakes etc to the oil.

As a panini bread: So slice it horizontally andlayer with meats, cheese, and vegetables or skip meat if you are a vegetarian between slices of bread and pressed and cooked in a panini grill.

Fancy a Garlic Bread: Add some finely chopped garlic pods to olive oil or butter and then brush it onto the bread. Toast it in the oven until the sides are crisp and golden brown. Check this Ciabatta Garlic Bread recipe for more details.

Croutons: State of every bread after 2 days. 😉

Cheese Fondue: You guys!! this has become an obsession off-late. Have been making bread especially to enjoy this cheese-fondue. Find the recipe for the same on my Instagram under Highlights column named Cheese-Fondue.

Bruschetta : I absolutely love Tomato Bruschetta. How about you?

Breakfast Platter: Isn't the breakfast platter picture above enticing? Served with some sautéd mushrooms, blistered tomatoes, some greens and eggs - One healthy breakkie. Missed the hollandaise sauce but still..

I agree that making Ciabatta Bread is a long process but due to the time intervals you can easily fit it into your schedule.

And with Instant Pot Proofing it comes together even quickly.

But before you proceed baking check these

4 Tips to Bake the Bread perfectly every single time:

1. Do not be afraid of the steps. The hands-on time is hardly much and the rest is fermenting time. So plan your day and do Multitasking which I know you are best at!!!
2. Do not skip the folding steps. Since there is a no-knead bread you definitely need all those stretching and folding to build the structure of the bread.
3. If at any point it gets too sticky and you are not able to handle the dough, wet your hands and proceed. The dough will not stick to your wet hands 😉
4. Be quick while transferring the dough to the tea towel at step and back to the baking tray at step 4 and avoid handling the dough with hands too much.

If you are still doubting whether why to go through so many steps instead let's make a Focaccia bread, some pasta and wine and let's call it a day.

Well, my friend you definitely need to try this unusual Honeycombed Bread at least once in your life.. it is so soul-satisfying!!!

You can also store and freeze this bread.

How to store Ciabatta Bread?

Like in all my bread recipes, I recommend storing the bread at room temperature and never in the fridge.

So simply store it either in a bread bag, bread container or an airtight container for 2-3 days.

But make sure that you are giving ample time for the bread to cool before storing.

Can I freeze the bread?

Yes of course.

Wrap it in an aluminium foil, place in a ziplock bag and store it for 2 months.

And here is a detailed recipe on How do you make Ciabatta Bread from scratch?

But before that,

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Conclusion:

This Ciabatta Bread Recipe just needs 5 simple steps.

Yes a bit lengthy process but trust me when you start doing the process you will end up loving the bread baking process.

Wonderfully chewy, light, porous with irresistible big holes on the inside; crusty and crackling golden brown on the outside vegan CIABATTA BREAD is all about its unique flavor and texture.

Learn how to make this easy Italian no knead homemade Ciabatta bread recipe that makes a perfect rustic bread to dip in soups, make bruschetta and sandwiches.

Divide it in smaller pieces and make ciabatta rolls for panini! So YUM!!!

Hope you will enjoy making this Bread at home.

I will see you soon in my next one,

Until then

Hugs

Sushma