Yield: 8 bread bowls

Sourdough Bread Bowls

sourdough bread bowl with homemade soup topped with cheese on parchment paper with a black and white towel to the right

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.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Additional Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 500 g unbleached all purpose
  • 200 g freshly ground whole wheat
  • 250 g bread flour (can omit and just add more to the unbleached all purpose)
  • 200 g mature starter (active and bubbly)
  • 650 g water
  • 20 g salt

Instructions

  1. Feed a sourdough starter 4-12 hours before starting the bread, ensuring it is active and bubbly.
  2. Combine warm water, flour, active sourdough starter and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Mix the dough with your hands for about 5 minutes to bring the dough together.
  4. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap while resting.Allow to rest for 30 minutes for the water to hydrate the flour.
  5. 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.
  6. Cover with a wet towel, lid, or plastic wrap and allow the dough to bulk-ferment (also known as bulk rise) until doubled. 
  7. Split the dough into 8 equal portions. Shape dough balls by gently spinning it toward you.
  8. 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. 
  9. Transfer the dough to 8 floured bowls with tea towels, seam side up.
  10. Cover with plastic (I usually just use grocery bags) and proof for 12-15 hours in the refrigerator.
  11. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
  12. Place a baking dish with rolled up dish towels on the bottom rack. Or a cast iron skillet with pie weights.
  13. Remove dough from the fridge immediately before scoring and baking.
  14. Add parchment paper on a large cookie sheet and gently place sourdough bread bowl loafs on the pan seam side down.
  15. Score with a razor a small X at the top of each dough boule.Place the baking sheet in the oven.
  16. 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.
  17. Bake for 15 minutes at 500 then turn the oven down to 425 and bake for about 20 minutes.Allow to cool.
  18. Once cooled, cut open the top and scoop out the insides.
  19. Ladle in your favorite soup and enjoy.

Notes

You will need a very active sourdough starter to a nice rise. Check out how to make a sourdough starter and how to care for one.

The key to making a nice crusty exterior is to create a lot of steam. This can be done a few different ways. Placing towels in a baking dish and add boiling water into the dish (be careful), pie weights in a cast iron skillet with cold water, a small baking dish with water in the oven during the preheat and first 15 minutes of baking, or even simply spraying water into the oven with a spray bottle.

The amount of time it takes for your dough to double can be determined by many environmental factors, such as the temperature in your home, the maturity of your starter, and the hydration status of the loaf.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 195Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 973mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 4gSugar: 0gProtein: 8g