Easy Bread Bowls For Soup
A simple recipe for bread bowls to be used with cream soups or stews.
Ingredients
- 2 packages (1 1/2 tablespoons) instant dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 1/2 cups warm water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until bubbly.
- Add oil, salt, and 3 cups of flour. Mix with a large wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of the mixer until well combined.
- If using a stand mixer, change the paddle to the dough hook. Add remaining 3 cups of flour, a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Allow the mixer to knead the dough for 5 minutes. If the dough is still sticky, continue adding flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Alternately, knead by hand, adding flour as needed. When finished, the dough should be smooth and elastic.
- Remove the dough from the bowl. Grease the bowl with olive oil or cooking spray. Place the dough back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rest for 30 minutes in a warm area, until doubled.
- Empty the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 equal portions (or 8 if you want them smaller). You can eyeball this or weigh your dough to ensure they bake evenly.
- Form each portion of dough into a ball shape and place 3 balls on each of the prepared sheets (or 4 balls on each sheet if making 8 bread bowls).
- Cover lightly and set aside to rise for 30 more minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Before bread has finished rising, prepare an egg wash by whisking together 1 egg white with 1 tablespoon milk.
- Just before placing in oven, use a bread lame or sharp knife to score the tops of each bread bowl. Brush with egg wash.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
To freeze bread bowls before baking: After the dough has risen, punch it down and form bread bowls. Place bread bowls on a prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray, and place in the freezer until dough is completely frozen. When frozen, place bowls in a sealed container in the freezer until ready to use. When ready to thaw, place bread bowls on prepared baking sheets and let thaw overnight in the fridge. They can also be placed on prepared baking sheets and allowed to thaw on the counter for several hours. Let bread bowls completely thaw and then rise until doubled in size before baking.
To freeze bread bowls after baking: Baked bread bowls should be cooled completely, wrapped in plastic wrap, and stored in a sealed container in the freezer. When ready to thaw, place bread bowls in the fridge or on the counter, then heat through in a 300-degree oven.
These bread bowls are dense in texture and a great companion to any cream-based or thick soup. If paired with a thinner soup (like chicken noodle), they are best shaped into rolls and served on the side.