sourdough bread bowls

The most delicious homemade sourdough bread bowls, just like ones you would buy from a restaurant. Freshly bake and fill with your favorite soups for a super filling meal.

Sourdough Bread Bowls

500 g unbleached all purpose

g whole wheat

g bread flour (can omit

starter

water

salt

Feed a sourdough starter 4-12 hours before starting...

Feed a sourdough starter 4-12 hours before starting the bread, ensuring it is active and bubbly.

Combine warm water, flour, active sourdough starter and...

Combine warm water, flour, active sourdough starter and salt in a large bowl.

Mix the dough with your hands for about...

Mix the dough with your hands for about 5 minutes to bring the dough together.

Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap...

Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap while resting.Allow to rest for 30 minutes for the water to hydrate the flour.

Stretch And Fold :To develop the gluten and...

Stretch And Fold :To develop the gluten and obtain a nice rise, you will want to do 6 rounds of stretching and folding. While the dough is in the bowl, grab the edge and the dough firmly and pull up, stretching it upwards and gently shaking it . Then place the dough that is in your hands into the center. Turn the bowl about a quarter turn and do this process again, and again one to two more times. This is one round. First 3 stretch and folds – every 15 minutes. Last 3 stretch and folds – every 30 minutes.

Cover with a wet towel, lid, or plastic...

Cover with a wet towel, lid, or plastic wrap and allow the dough to bulk-ferment (also known as bulk rise) until doubled. 

Split the dough into 8 equal portions. Shape...

Split the dough into 8 equal portions. Shape dough balls by gently spinning it toward you.

Set out 15-20 minutes uncovered. Turn over and...

Set out 15-20 minutes uncovered. Turn over and shape. I do this by folding the two sides over to meet in the middle, and then the other two sides. 

Transfer the dough to 8 floured bowls with...

Transfer the dough to 8 floured bowls with tea towels, seam side up.

Cover with plastic (I usually just use grocery...

Cover with plastic (I usually just use grocery bags) and proof for 12-15 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Place a baking dish with rolled up dish...

Place a baking dish with rolled up dish towels on the bottom rack. Or a cast iron skillet with pie weights.

Remove dough from the fridge immediately before scoring...

Remove dough from the fridge immediately before scoring and baking.

Add parchment paper on a large cookie sheet...

Add parchment paper on a large cookie sheet and gently place sourdough bread bowl loafs on the pan seam side down.

Score with a razor a small X at...

Score with a razor a small X at the top of each dough boule.Place the baking sheet in the oven.

Add boiling water to the baking dish with...

Add boiling water to the baking dish with towels and place in the oven. Pour cold water into the cast iron skillet with pie weights, or just sprits the dough water.

Bake for 15 minutes at 500 then turn...

Bake for 15 minutes at 500 then turn the oven down to 425 and bake for about 20 minutes.Allow to cool.

Once cooled, cut open the top and scoop...

Once cooled, cut open the top and scoop out the insides.

Ladle in your favorite soup and enjoy.

Mini sourdough loaves with a crisp crust, soft crumb, and all the classic sourdough flavor, just in a cute, giftable size. They’re easy to bake in mini loaf pans or as small boules and perfect for sharing, gifting, or trying fun mix-ins.

How to Make Mini Sourdough Loaves

sourdough starter, ripe, bubbly and active (about 1 teaspoon, see recipe notes)

bread flour (about 1/3 cup)

water (about 3 Tablespoons)

levain, ripe and active (scant 1/2 cup)

bread flour (about 3 1/4 cups)

whole wheat flour (about 1/3 cup)

salt (about 1.5 teaspoons)

Mix together ripe sourdough starter, bread flour, and water. Set aside to ripen for 10-12 hours. Note: Ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter can be substituted for levain in this recipe if desired.

Day 1: Evening, Mix Levain (1:10:10, overnight 10-12 hours at 78ºF)

Fermentolyse: Once the levain is peaked and active (bubbly, doubled in size, milky sweet smell), mix 100 grams levain with 325 grams of water in a large bowl. Warm the water if the ingredients are too cold and cool the water if the ingredients are too warm. Add 450 grams of bread flour and 50 grams of whole wheat flour to the bowl and mix until incorporated,and a shaggy dough forms. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Watch the process here.Note: If you don&#39;t have whole wheat flour, you can substitute with 50 grams bread flour and add a little extra time for the dough to rise.

Mixing: After 30 minutes, add the reserved 10 grams of salt and 25 grams of water. Combine using your hands by squeezing the dough between your fingers, pinching chunks of dough, and reincorporating together. The dough will break apart and then reform in the bowl through this process. Pick up one side of the dough and fold it over on itself. The dough will be sticky. Wet your hands as needed and continue to work with the dough until all the salt and water have been incorporated. Take the dough and continue working with it by slapping it against the side of the bowl and quickly pulling it back. This vigorous mixing helps strengthen the gluten strands quickly in the dough and will result in a stronger loaf with more oven spring. After about 3-5 minutes of mixing, the dough will feel more cohesive and strong. Place the dough back in the bowl or transfer to a clear plastic container or a glass bowl if desired. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes. Watch the process here.

Bulk Fermentation: Perform 3-4 sets of &quot;stretch and folds.&quot; To “stretch and fold,” wet your hand (so it doesn’t stick to the dough). Reach down to the bottom of the bowl of dough and pull the dough up and over the top of the dough. Turn the bowl 1/4 turn and repeat the stretch and fold. Turn another quarter turn and repeat. Perform one more 1/4 turn with stretching and folding the dough. Cover and set aside. Repeat the series of stretch and folds every 30 minutes over the course of two hours. Watch the process here.Note: If you’re adding nuts, dried fruit, or cheese to your sourdough, I like to mix them in during the second set of stretch and folds. If I want each mini loaf to be a different flavor, I wait and add the inclusions after dividing the dough.

Finish Bulk Fermentation: Let the dough rest in a warm place for the rest of bulk fermentation, about 1 1/2 – 2 hours at 78ºF. During this time, the dough will puff up about 30-40%, become more aerated, start to pull away from the edges of the bowl, and have a few scattered bubbles around the edges/top of the dough. If your dough is not showing these signs, make sure it&#39;s warm enough and give it another half an hour or so until it is showing those signs that it&#39;s ready to shape.

Divide: Tip the bowl upside down, allowing the dough to fall onto a clean counter surface. Be gentle to avoid cutting and degassing the dough as much as possible. Use a bench knife to cut the dough into three equal portions, about 300-320 grams each.At this point, if you want to add inclusions to the loaves to make different flavored sourdough loaves, this is the time to do it. Use the lamination method to add inclusions to your loaves.

Pre-Shape: Using damp hands and a bench knife, push the bench knife under the dough while using your free hand to tuck the dough under itself. Repeat this process going around in a circle until you have a tight ball of dough. Repeat with the second and third loaves.

Bench Rest: Let the dough rest uncovered for about 30 minutes at room temperature. The dough will flatten a bit during this period of time.

Prepare the bowls or mini loaf pans: Prepare three small bowls or mini bannetons. Place a kitchen towel or hair net in each bowl. Liberally flour each bowl. If using mini loaf pans, butter the edges of the pan if needed.

Shaping: After the dough has rested for about 30 minutes, it is time to shape the bread into a round. Sprinkle flour on top of the dough (if desired). Using the bench knife, lift the dough up off the counter and place it on top of the countertop–floured side down. This ensures that the flour stays mainly on the outside of the dough. For round boules: Going around in a circle, pull the dough sideways towards you and then fold up to the top of the round. Move 90 degrees and repeat the same process, pulling the dough sideways and then folding up to the top. As you continue this process around the dough, increase the tension as you pull. Gather the bread into a circle and use a bench knife to lift the bread and place it into your lined bowl. Repeat with the other loaves. Watch the process here.For mini loaf pans: Roll the dough up into a rectangular shape, pinching together the seam, and place seam-side down in the mini loaf pan.

Cold Fermentation: Cover the dough with a shower cap, plastic wrap or a reusable cover and store the dough in the refrigerator overnight or for up to 12-24 hours. Alternatively, you can let your dough rise outside the fridge for another 2-3 hours, keeping the dough at that 78º F temperature, and then bake your loaves the same day.

Day 2: Mix Dough/Bulk Fermentation/Shape/Cold Bulk Fermentation (78ºF)

Dutch Oven Method: Preheat your oven to 500ºF with your Dutch oven inside for 30 minutes. Depending on the size of your Dutch oven, you may be able to bake all three loaves at once or you may need to bake them in batches.When the oven is ready, pull your loaves out of the refrigerator. Remove the cover while the dough is still cold, place a piece of parchment on top, and flip the dough so it rests on the parchment. Lift off the bowl or banneton and towel. Lightly smooth flour over the top and score the dough with a few shallow decorative cuts about 1/4 inch deep, then one or two deeper slashes about 1 inch deep.Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven, take off the lid, and lower the dough inside using the parchment paper. Add as many mini boules as you can while keeping them from touching each other. Cover and return the Dutch oven to the oven, then lower the temperature to 450ºF. Bake for 20 minutes covered, then uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the loaves are deeply golden and register 205 to 210ºF internally. Remove and cool loaves on a baking rack.

Mini Loaf Pan Method: Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Pull the dough out of the refrigerator and score the top. Add decorative cuts if you want to, but I usually stick with one large slash down the middle. Place another mini loaf pan upside down on top to create a lid, or use a baking shell if you have one. You can also place a pan filled with 1 cup of hot water on the bottom rack to create steam.Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the mini loaf pan, baking shell, or pan of water. Finish baking for 10 to 15 minutes until the loaves are deeply golden and register 205 to 210ºF internally. Remove and cool on a baking rack.

Let loaves cool completely, then wrap and enjoy!

Day 3: Score and Bake

Love this idea!  Would these mini loaves ship well?

I love gifting these mini loaves and the mini tins are perfect!

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Top 2 sourdough bread bowls recipes from across the web

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How to Make Mini Sourdough Loaves

The most viewed sourdough bread bowls recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine