Easy Homemade Sourdough Bread Bowl Recipe

What can make a warm bowl of soup even better? Serve it in a bread bowl of course! This easy homemade sourdough bread bowl recipe is perfect for soups, chilis, dips, and stews!

Why you’ll love these easy homemade sourdough bread bowls

When I think of winter in my kitchen I immediately think of soups and warm bread. A bowl made of bread holding a delicious soup? Honestly, does it get any better? I’ve had many bread bowls from restaurants but nothing compares to homemade bread bowls. Making your own bread bowls is also much more affordable than purchasing from a store or bakery. I’ve seen loaves priced well over five dollars per loaf making it very expense for a large family. Once you serve these your family will be begging for them again and again. They are also perfect for special gatherings and are wildly impressive. 

When trying this recipe I knew I wanted a crispy outside and a soft but chewy inside. This recipe has both! I also have a larger family, so baking each bowl individually in a dutch oven would be too time consuming. I researched a method of creating steam allowing each round to rise perfectly in a lesser amount of time. 

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Getting Started with Sourdough

Sourdough is a naturally leavened bread which just means there’s no commercial yeast added to make the bread rise. Instead, it’s fermented using a sourdough starter. It’s richer in nutrients and lower in gluten therefor making it easier to digest then breads made with traditional yeast. Many restaurants claim to serve sourdough breads, but most are not made with the traditional sourdough method. Many recipes add traditional yeast in order to get a faster rise. The secret to a true sourdough bread lies in the starter. 

In order to bake sourdough breads using the traditional method, you will need a sourdough starter. A sourdough starter is made by mixing just two ingredients…equal parts flour and water! Yes, it’s that simple. I have step-by-step instructions for making your own sourdough starter here. Once you begin mixing flour and water in a jar, wild yeast and bacteria from the environment of your home will begin feeding off the flour causing it to multiply. 

Ingredients For Sourdough Bread Bowls

Very few ingredients are needed to make this easy homemade sourdough bread bowl recipe!

Active Sourdough Starter- Check to make sure your starter is active, bubbly, and doubled in size. The time it takes to activate your starter will depend on the temperature of your kitchen but it will generally take anywhere from 4-12 hours. 

Unbleached All-Purpose Flour- It’s very important that you use a good quality flour! One with a protein content of at least 11.7%. King Arthur is a trusted brand as well as the Costco brand organic flour.

Whole Wheat Flour

Water

Salt-Huge fan of Redmond Real Salt!

Equipment Required for the Recipe

Kitchen Scale– It’s really best to measure your in grams when baking sourdough. It’s a much more accurate measurement than cups. 

Large Bowl

6-8 Small Bowls- This is for shaping of the loaves. You will need one bowl for each loaf. Cereal bowls work great!

Parchment Paper

2 Baking Sheets or cookie sheet 

Sourdough Bread Recipe

I have a great beginners loaf recipe here, but I prefer the no knead method of the Tartine Bakery Country Loaf of San Francisco.

FOR THE LEAVEN ( the active starter you will use in the bread mix)

1 tablespoon of starter

200 grams all-purpose flour

200 grams water

FOR THE BREAD

200 grams leaven

700 grams water

900 grams all-purpose flour

100 grams whole-wheat flour

20 grams salt

Step 1: The night before baking, add 1 tablespoon of starter, 200 grams of all-purpose flour, and 200 grams of water into a clean jar. Stir vigorously and cover on your counter overnight. 

Step 2: The next morning add 200 grams of your active leaven to a large mixing bowl with 700 grams of warm water. Stir. 

Step 3: To the bowl, add 900 grams of all-purpose flour and 100 grams of whole-wheat flour. Mix together with your hands until you form a shaggy dough. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Step 4: Add 20 grams of salt and incorporate with your hands. Continue mixing until it comes together. Cover with the towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Step 5: You will now do a series of stretch and folds every 30 minutes for 2 1/2 hours. To do this, wet your hands and gently pull one side of the dough up and then fold it over. Give the bowl a quarter turn and pull from that side and fold over. Do this once more. This is considered one stretch and fold. You will do this again 4 more times. Each time be sure to cover your bowl. 

Step 6: Place the dough onto a floured surface and cut into 6-8 equal portions depending on the number of bread bowls you need. Work each piece into a round by cupping and turning each round, pulling it towards you creating surface tension. 

Step 7: Cover each round with a small bowl and let them rest for 20 minutes.

Step 8: After resting, remove each bowl and line each one with a cloth. Dust the cloth inside the bowl with flour and then place a round inside each bowl. Cover and let them rest for 3-4 hours before baking.

Step 9: Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Place a baking sheet on the bottom rack with about 1 cup of water. This will create steam for your loaves to rise. Then line another baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper and place each round on the prepared baking sheet. Score each loaf using a sharp knife or bread lame. 

Step 10: Bake for 15 minutes at 500 and then turn the oven down to 450 and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Cook until golden brown!

Allow your loaves to cool completely on a wire rack! Once cooled, use a serrated knife to cut each individual loaf. Scoop out the insides and pour in your favorite soup! 

Tips for Success:

• I recommend only cutting the tops off of the bowls you plan to use. They will store better uncut. 

• To store baked loaves, wrap loosely in plastic wrap on place inside a paper bag and keep at room temperature. 

• Serve a thicker creamy soup or stew inside your sourdough bread bowls. A thinner soup will cause the bread to quickly get soggy. 

FAQ’S

Do you eat the bread bowl? Absolutely! In fact, the bottom of the bowl is the best part. 

Can I freeze unused bowls? Uncut sourdough bowls can be frozen once they are wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and placed inside a freezer bag. 

Timeline for homemade sourdough bread bowls

8:00pm: Feed sourdough starter with flour and water. Leave it out on the counter overnight.

8:00am: Mix your dough. Let it rest for 30 minutes.

8:30am: Add salt, incorporate and let it rest for 30 minutes.

9:00am: Begin your first set of stretch and folds. Repeat every 30 minutes for 2 1/2 hours.

11:00am: Cut and shape individual loaves. Cover with small bowls and let rest.

11:30am: Dust bowls and place loaves inside bowls to bulk ferment for 3-4 hours.

3:00pm: Preheat oven and bake loaves. 

Helpful Links

Get my Potato Soup Recipe in my Free E-book

Classic King Arthur Sourdough Recipe

Establishing A Sourdough Starter