Homemade Sourdough Bread Bowls (Perfect for Soup)
These homemade sourdough bread bowls are easy to make and this recipe makes two delicious crusty boules with an airy crumb.
On the pier in Santa Monica, there is a tiny restaurant that serves fresh clam chowder inside of a homemade sourdough bread bowl that is out of this world good. The crusty, handmade boule is piping hot, crusty, and delicately soft in the center. The clam chowder has a slight kick to it and for this, and this alone, I find it to be one of the best I have tried to date. So good in fact, that it is one of the first things I go for when visiting the area. The wait is always long, but it is always worth it.
Back at home in my little kitchen, armed with my sourdough starter, I decided to try my hand at making our own homemade sourdough bread bowls. After several attempts and a few too many flattened misshapen boules later, I finally got it right.
The perfect crusty sourdough bread bowls that have a soft airy crumb that is perfect for dunking or soaking up any delicious soup, stew, or chili it is filled with. This recipe makes two delicious bowls.
Sourdough Bread Bowls Are…
- Great to fill with a creamy soup like clam chowder, and even chili, or stew.
- Filled with lovely air bubbles that give a soft delicate texture perfect for scooping.
- True sourdough bread that utilizes the traditional sourdough method of long fermentation.
- Delicious sourdough bread bowls that require an active starter.
- A great idea for a rainy day dinner.
- Best when filled with thicker soups or any delicious soup of your choice.
Ingredients
Flour- Bread flour works perfectly to
Sourdough Starter- Make sure you use a fed and active sourdough starter. Starter should be fed several hours prior to mixing up the dough.
Salt- I use sea salt but Himalayan pink salt or Kosher salt works great too.
Water- Use drinking water, room temperature if possible.
Tools
Banneton Baskets (for an alternative see baking notes.)
Directions
Start by combining the dough. Mix the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl with a fork. Cover the shaggy dough with a tea towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Uncover the dough, wet your hands and begin the first set of stretches and folds. This is done by lifting a corner of the dough and stretching it up over itself. Turn the bowl slightly and pick up another corner, stretch it up over itself again. Complete the set by repeating the steps twice more. This will be a total of four stretches and folds for each set. Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
Note: We will be doing a series of 4 stretch and folds with 30 minute rests in between. Stretching and folding four times each set. See Sample Baking Schedule.
Uncover the dough, complete the four stretch and folds, then cover again for 30 minutes. Continue to complete two more sets of stretch and folds allowing for a 30-minute rest time in between each set.
After all four sets of stretch and folds are completed, it is time for the bulk rise. Cover the bread dough and allow it to sit 10-12 hours or overnight.
The Next Day
Once the dough has doubled in size, flip the dough onto a floured surface. Create a dough ball and then cut the dough ball down the center dividing it into two equal pieces.
Flour two banneton baskets or colanders with a linen towel inside.
Note: I use a banneton basket and a colander with a linen towel inside so I can make them both at the same time.
Flour your fingertips and flatten each dough ball. Press your fingers into the flattened dough to dimple it (think focaccia). Use a dough scraper to scoop up the dough and shape it into a ball. Place each shaped dough ball into a basket seam side up. Allow the dough to chill in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour.
Note: You can chill the dough for up to 6 hours before baking.
Time To Bake
When ready, place two Dutch ovens (or bake one at a time) into the oven. Preheat the oven to 450℉. Allow the Dutch oven(s) to heat up for an additional 15-20 minutes.
Pour some water into a baking dish and place it in the center of the bottom rack underneath the Dutch ovens.
When ready to bake, remove the dough balls from the fridge. Cut two pieces of parchment paper to fit each dough ball into the center. Flip each one onto the center of the parchment paper.
Score each of them with a lame or sharp knife cutting a cross down the top of the dough. Remove one Dutch oven at a time, pick the loaf up by the parchment paper, and place it inside the Dutch oven.
Note: If baking one boule at a time, leave the second dough ball in the fridge until ready to bake. You want the dough chilled when it goes into the oven.
Put the lid back on and place in the oven to bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the lid(s) and continue baking for another 15 minutes. Remove the loaf (loaves) from the Dutch oven(s) and place them on the center of the oven rack to brown for another 10 minutes. Remove the bread bowls from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack for one hour before slicing them open.
Baking Notes
- If you do not have a banneton basket, you can use a colander and linen towel to line it.
- To bake both boules at the same time, I use two Dutch ovens.
- You can chill the dough for up to 6 hours before baking.
- I use a banneton basket and a colander with a linen towel inside so I can make them both at the same time.
- If baking one boule at a time, leave the second dough ball in the fridge until ready to bake. You want the dough chilled when it goes into the oven.
Sample Baking Schedule
8:00pm- Mix dough
8:05-8:35pm- Dough rest
8:35pm- First set of stretch and folds
8:35-9:05pm- Dough rest
9:05pm- Second set of stretch and folds
9:35pm-10:05- Dough rest
10:05pm- Third set of stretch and fold
10:05-10:35pm- Dough rest
10:35pm- Fourth and final set of stretch and folds
10:35pm- Bulk fermentation
Next Day
10:00am- Shape and transfer to banneton basket
10:05am- Proofing (chill dough)
10:30-Preheat oven and heat Dutch oven(s)
11:05am- Score dough and bake
11:45am- Transfer bread bowls to a wire rack to cool
12:45pm- Slice and enjoy!
Recipes to Serve To Inside…
FAQ
How do I cut open the sourdough bowls to fill?
To fill the sourdough bread bowl, cut the top of the bread bowl with a serrated knife. Position the knife in a downward angle and cut into the outer edges of the bread ensuring enough of a rim is still left after removing the top. Pour in your favorite soup, stew, or chili. It is a fun way to serve it up.
Can I use all-purpose flour for these sourdough bread bowls?
You can. I prefer to use bread flour for my bread loaves but in a pinch, you can use all-purpose flour. Keep in mind, depending on the type of all-purpose flour you use, the final rise and texture might be slightly different. When using all-purpose flour I like to use King Arthur unbleached all-purpose. It has a fair amount of protein to help build the gluten structure in the dough.
Can I use sourdough discard to make these?
No. You will need an active sourdough starter to make these sourdough bread bowls. A sourdough discard does not have enough wild yeast collected in it to properly rise dough on its own. Use a sourdough starter that has been fed several hours prior and is nice and bubbly.
How To Store
Store these homemade sourdough bread bowls in a linen bread bag or a gallon-sized zip-top plastic bag. Here are a few other suggestions for storing sourdough bread. When using a plastic bag, make sure to push out any extra air in the bag before sealing. Don’t store them in a humid place or under an air vent as this can create excess moisture in the bag and cause them to mold.
How To Freeze
For longer storage, allow the bowls to completely cool. Then wrap the sourdough bread bowls in plastic wrap and place them into a gallon-size freezer bag. Push out any excess air and seal. Date and place in the freezer. Sourdough bread bowls will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.
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Homemade Sourdough Bread Bowls (Perfect for Soups)
These homemade sourdough bread bowls are easy to make and this recipe makes two delicious crusty boules with an airy crumb.
Ingredients
- 500g Bread Flour
- 100g Active Sourdough Starter
- 375g Water
- 9g sea salt
Instructions
- Start by combining the dough. Mix the ingredients in a large mixing bowl with a fork. Cover the shaggy dough with a tea towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Uncover the dough, wet your hands, and begin the first set of stretches and folds. This is done by lifting a corner of the dough and stretching it up over itself. Turn the bowl slightly and pick up another corner, stretch it up over itself again. Complete the set by repeating the steps twice more. This will be a total of four stretches and folds for each set.
- Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
- Uncover the dough, complete the four stretches and folds, then cover again for 30 minutes.
- Continue to complete two more sets of stretch and folds allowing for a 30-minute rest time in between each set. After all four sets of stretch and folds are completed, it is time for the bulk rise.
- Cover the dough and allow it to sit for 10-12 hours or overnight.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, flip the dough onto a floured surface.
- Create a dough ball and then cut the dough ball down the center dividing it into two equal pieces.
- Flour two banneton baskets or colanders with a linen towel inside.
- Flour your fingertips and flatten each dough ball. Press your fingers into the flattened dough to dimple it. (think focaccia)
- Use a bench scraper to scoop up the dough and shape it into a ball.
- Place each shaped dough ball into a basket seam side up. Allow the dough to chill in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour.
- When ready, place two Dutch oven(s) (or bake one at a time) into the oven. Preheat the oven to 450℉.
- Allow the Dutch ovens to heat up for an additional 15-20 minutes.
- Pour some water into a baking dish and place it in the center of the bottom rack underneath the Dutch ovens.
- When ready to bake, remove the dough balls from the fridge.
- Cut two pieces of parchment paper to fit each dough ball into the center.
- Flip each one onto the center of the parchment paper. Score each of them with a lame or sharp knife cutting a cross down the top of the dough.
- Remove one Dutch oven at a time, pick the loaf up by the parchment paper, and place it inside the Dutch oven.
- Put the lid back on and place in the oven to bake for 15 minutes.
- Then remove the lid(s) and continue baking for another 15 minutes.
- Remove the loaf (loaves) from the Dutch oven and place them on the center of the oven rack to brown for another 10 minutes.
- Remove the bread bowls from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack for one hour before slicing them open.
Notes
- If you do not have a banneton basket, you can use a colander and linen towel to line it.
- To bake both boules at the same time, I use two Dutch ovens.
- You can chill the dough for up to 6 hours before baking.
- I use a banneton basket and a colander with a linen towel inside so I can make them both at the same time.
- If baking one boule at a time, leave the second dough ball in the fridge until ready to bake. You want the dough chilled when it goes into the oven.
