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Baked bread bowls for Homemade Sourdough Bread Bowls Prefect for Soup.

Homemade Sourdough Bread Bowls Perfect for Soup

Homemade sourdough bread bowls are the perfect way to enjoy your favorite soup and stews! They add a wonderful sour flavor and texture, complementing the soup while also serving as an edible container.
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Course: Appetizer, Dinner Ideas, Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Active Sourdough Starter, bowl, bowls, bread, dough, flour, recipe, rise, soup, starter
Prep Time: 8 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 12 hours
Servings: 4 bowls
Author: Stephanie

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • 4 small bowls or proofing baskets
  • Plastic wrap, tea towels, or homemade bowl covers
  • Serrated knife
  • Kitchen scale
  • Wooden spoon or dutch dough whisk
  • Cookie sheet or pizza stone
  • Dough scraper
  • Parchment paper
  • Wire rack

Ingredients

  • 500 g all-purpose flour or bread flour about 3 ½ cups
  • 350 g room temperature water about 1 ½ cups
  • 100 g active sourdough starter about ½ cup
  • 10 g salt about 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 1 egg for egg wash

Instructions

Feed the starter the night before

  • Feed your sourdough starter before bed so it is active and ready to use the next morning.

Mix the dough

  • In a large mixing bowl, stir together the water and active sourdough starter until mostly combined. Add the flour and salt, then mix until a shaggy dough forms. It does not need to be perfectly smooth at this stage.

Rest the dough

  • Cover the bowl with a damp towel, plastic wrap, or a bowl cover and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. This gives the flour time to hydrate and helps gluten development begin.

Stretch and fold the dough

  • Using wet hands or a dough scraper, stretch one side of the dough up and fold it over itself. Turn the bowl and repeat around the dough. Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes.
  • Repeat this process for a total of 3 sets of stretch and folds, resting 20 minutes between each set.

Let the dough rise

  • After the final stretch and fold, cover the bowl and let the dough bulk ferment in a warm spot until doubled in size. This usually takes about 4 to 6 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen and the strength of your starter.

Divide and pre-shape

  • Once the dough has doubled, gently turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into 4 equal pieces, about 250 grams each.
  • Shape each piece into a loose round and let them rest for 20 to 30 minutes under a cloth.

Shape the bread bowls

  • Shape each round again by tucking the edges underneath to create a smooth, tight top. Place each dough ball into a floured proofing basket or lined bowl.

Cold proof

  • Cover the bowls and place them in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. For a deeper sourdough flavor, you can let them proof overnight for up to 12 hours.

How to Bake Sourdough Bread Bowls Without a Dutch Oven

  • Place a baking sheet on the bottom rack of your oven and a pizza stone or cookie sheet on the middle rack. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  • About 10 minutes before baking, carefully pour water into the baking sheet on the bottom rack to create steam. Fill it about halfway, then close the oven door.
  • Turn each loaf onto parchment paper and score the tops with a sharp knife or bread lame. Brush the tops lightly with egg wash.
  • Carefully place the loaves, along with the parchment paper, onto the hot pizza stone or cookie sheet.
  • Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the bread bowls are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches about 200°F.

How to Hollow Out Bread Bowls

  • Let the bread bowls cool completely on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Once cooled, use a serrated knife to slice the top off each loaf.
  • Gently pull out some of the inside bread to form a bowl shape, leaving enough bread around the sides and bottom so the loaf stays sturdy. Save the removed bread for dipping, breadcrumbs, or homemade croutons.

Notes

Ingredient Notes

All-purpose flour or bread flour: Either works well in this recipe. Bread flour gives a slightly chewier texture, while all-purpose flour still makes sturdy, flavorful bread bowls.
Water: This is a high hydration dough, which helps create a chewy crumb and good oven spring.
Active sourdough starter: Your starter should be bubbly and active before mixing the dough so the bowls rise well.
Egg wash: Brushing the tops with egg wash helps give the bread bowls a beautiful golden finish.

What Can I Use Instead of a Banneton Proofing Basket?

If you do not want to buy several bannetons for this recipe, you can still make beautiful bread bowls with simple things from your kitchen.
Cereal bowls: These work well if they are deep enough. I line them with tea towels and dust them generously with flour.
Mixing bowls: Small mixing bowls are another easy option. A cloth liner helps keep the dough from sticking.
Plastic containers: Round containers can also work. Just make sure they are lined or well floured so the dough releases easily.

Tips for the Best Sourdough Bread Bowls

  • Use an active starter so the dough rises well
  • Flour your proofing bowls generously to prevent sticking
  • Shape the dough tightly so the bowls hold their structure
  • Bake until deeply golden for a sturdier crust
  • Let the loaves cool fully before hollowing them out
  • Fill them just before serving so they do not soften too quickly