Easy No Knead Ciabatta Bread
This is an Easy no Knead, One bowl Italian Ciabatta Bread. Two hours and you can have Homemade Bread for lunch or dinner. Perfect with your favorite soup or stew or with a slice or prosciutto!
When I moved to Italy, I discovered that bread was a very serious business! Fresh whether it be the local bakery or homemade fresh daily bread was a must.
Recipe Ingredients
- Water – lukewarm
- Honey
- Yeast – active dry
- Flour – all purpose flour or bread flour
- Salt
How to make a Ciabatta Bread Recipe
In a small bowl add water, honey and yeast, let sit 5-10 minutes then stir.
In a large bowl add the flour , make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture and a little water, if the dough is too dry then add a little more flour a little at a time, until you reach a wettish dough. But remember Ciabatta is a high hydration bread, so do not over flour, or you will not get those lovely air pockets inside the bread.
Mix together with a wooden spoon, when almost mixed add the salt and combine. The ciabatta dough will be loose and sticky. Sprinkle the top with 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour.
Cover the bowl with a large tea towel or plastic wrap.
Place in a warm, draft free area and let the dough rise.
Carefully move the dough from the bowl with a bench scraper or spatula to the prepared baking sheet, making sure that the floured top of the dough remains on the top. Using wet hands can also help with moving the dough easier.
With a spatula or wet hands form the dough into an oblong loaf, place some ice cubes on a pan on the bottom of the oven to create vapor or add the pan when pre-heating the oven and pour 1 cup of very hot water into the pan before adding the dough to the middle rack. Bake until golden and baked through. Immediately move to a wire rack to cool before cutting and serving.
Why do I add ice cubes or hot water?
Adding the ice cubes or hot water to the preheated oven creates steam. They melt and evaporate at just the right time. Once they evaporate and are no longer creating steam this gives the bread a chance to form that lovely outer crust.
I recommend using a thick metal dish rather than a glass or ceramic cake pan if you are using ice cubes as the difference in temperatures can cause the dish to crack.
How to tell when bread is done
You can tell bread is done when you tap on the bottom of the loaf and there is a hollow sound, but if you want to be 100 percent sure, then using a thermometer is your best best, the bread is baked when the centre of the loaf registers 200 to 210 degrees.
What is Ciabatta Bread
This bread is originally from the North of Italy, from the Province of Rovigo in Veneto Region. It is a flat, elongated bread with a light texture. It is a very simple bread, made up of a very high quantity of water which produced a very wet dough. It produces a very large crumb. And is considered a typical old fashioned Italian bread.
Why I became intrigued with bread making I have know idea, it started in my early twenties and went from there.
I would try making something now and then from Bagels to Pizza and the occasional Loaf of Bread.
I also discovered that bread making isn’t nearly as difficult as I thought and this Italian Ciabatta (Ciabatta meaning Slipper in English, because of the shape and flatness of the bread).
Can I substitute active dry yeast?
Yes you can substitute with instant yeast, for every teaspoon of active dry yeast use 3/4 teaspoon of instant yeast. Also be aware it won’t need as much time to rise.
How to store it
Keep the baked cooled bread, closed in an airtight bag, for 2-3 days. You can freeze it in freezer safe bags, defrost the bread in the refrigerator as needed, passing them in the oven for a few minutes to revive them. It will keep up to 2-3 months in the freezer.
This Homemade Ciabatta Bread is a simple and delicious bread. The perfect addition to whatever you are serving, amazing as a dipping bread also! I hope you enjoy it! Buon Appetito!
More delicious homemade bread recipes you may enjoy!
- Best Pizza Dough
- Homemade Olive Oil Bread Rolls
- Sweet Surprise Dessert Bread
- Easy Focaccia Bread
- Traditional Italian Ciabatta Bread
Homemade Italian Ciabatta Bread
Ingredients
- ¾-1 cup + 1 tablespoon water lukewarm (divided)
- ½ teaspoon honey (or granulated sugar)
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 cups + 3 tablespoons all purpose flour (or bread flour) (divided) (273 grams total)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl add ¼ cup of water, honey and yeast, let sit 5 minutes then stir.
- In a large bowl add the flour , make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture and ½ cup of water (if too dry then add the extra ¼ cup 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach a wettish dough, or if too wet add more flour a tablespoon at a time). Mix together with a wood spoon, when almost mixed add the salt and combine. The dough will be loose and sticky. Sprinkle the top with 1½ tablespoons of flour.
- Cover the bowl with a large tea towel, place in a warm, draft free area and let rise for 1½ hours.
- Pre-heat oven to 425F (220C), line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with 1½ tablespoons of flour.
- Carefully move the dough from the bowl to the prepared baking sheet, making sure that the floured top of the dough remains on the top. With a spatula form the dough into an oblong loaf.
- Place the baking sheet on the middle rack, bake for approximately 20 – 25 minutes. Move immediately to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
TO CREAT VAPOUR
- While the oven is pre-heating place an empty cake pan at the bottom of the oven, add 4-5 ice cubes or a cup of very hot water before adding the bread dough on the baking sheet to the middle shelf.
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from November 27, 2018.
Hi there, looks a great recipe. I have fresh yeast, do it have to add honey ? And how many gms fresh yeast do you suggest?
Thanks,
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte, you can use fresh yeast, for this recipe you will need 11 1/2 grams of fresh yeast. Yes add make it the same way, just stir it well then let it sit for about 5-7 minutes before using. Hope that helps, let me know how it turns out.
Hi. Can I just share that this ciabatta has become a regular Sunday tradition for us. During these difficult times there seems to be no yeast available at local in my area therefore trying to save what yeast I have left, I tried making this recipe with one teaspoon yeast and it works very well. Thank you
Hi Fran, thanks so much, glad you enjoy it. Take care.
Hi, Nice easy recipe to follow – thanks! I definitely lost half the size of the dough rise getting it from bowl to tray today. Think I’ll try that oiling of the bowl tip mentioned in comments next time.
Such an easy and delicious bread to make….I would ask though why it tastes like it needs a bit more salt. I used coarse kosher salt, should I have used the finer grind salt?
I agree, I just made it and found it needs more salt. I used regular table salt so I don’t think it’s a matter of the courseness. My bread also turned out very dense.
Great recipe. Just a little issue with deflating on transfer from bowl to baking sheet. Any other suggestions for that? Thanks again!!!!
Hi Mary, that happens, but ciabatta bread, is a flatter bread and it’s normal.
Hi there, looking forward to making homemade Ciabatta bread. I missing my Italian market but if I can make this from scratch all the more better! The only thing is I do not have honey and I prefer her not to use honey, due to health issues. I can use sugar, but do I have to use a sweetener at all? Thank you! I am looking forward to making this. I’ve got a no knead artisan bread rising right now.
Hi Tina, you could probably leave it out or just use a pinch of sugar that would work. Let me know how it goes.
Thank you! I’ve got my artisan bread ready to go in the oven so I Will try the Ciabatta tomorrow! 😊
Can this be baked in a dutch oven?
Hi Gina, yes it can. Let me know how it goes.
Cooked it in the Dutch Oven but it flattened and came out very dense compared to the first time I made it and baked on cookie sheet. I also doubled the recipe this time and place the dough in a parchment line bowl to rise. After 1-1/2hrs it had risen quite a bit…maybe too much I think. I carefully transferred the parchment with the dough into the Dutch oven and baked, but it looked more like a cake LOL than bread. Still tasted good, but didn’t have the air holes and nice texture that it should have. Should have probably folded the dough a few times and let it sit for 15-30 minutes more before placing in the Dutch Oven? Not sure, but will continue to experiment since I certainly have the time to do so! 😊
Hi Gina, did you heat the dutch oven first? That might make a difference too, Heat it in the oven while pre-heating then carefully add the dough, let it bake for about 15 minutes, then remove the lid and continue baking for about another 10-15 minutes. That might help.
Hi…yes, I did heat the Dutch oven before putting the dough into it, but I baked it for 30 minutes and then took the lid off and baked another 20. I did bake it at 450 instead of 425…would that make a difference?
Hi Gina, the temperature is correct. Maybe because it’s ciabatta bread it needs to be baked flat to get the proper crumb. Take care.
Felt so proud of how wonderful it looked and tasted. Delicious!
Thank you Rosemary for making it easy too. I was a bit worried also working with a wet dough but
not anymore.
Hi Dana, thanks so glad you liked it and it worked out for you. Take care.
Have you ever tried to put olive or herbs in your bread dough? If so how much?
Hi Diane, I haven’t but a tablespoon or 2 of fresh herbs would be ok or a 1/4 cup or a bit more of sliced olives would work also.
Morning
Quickly checking whether I am able to use Self raising flour as I don’t have yeast please?
Hi Michelle, sorry that won’t work, as self rising flour contains baking powder and it won’t work the same way yeast does.
Forgot to ask. Can I just use a cup of water instead of ice?
Hi Laurie, yes you can, just be sure to place an oven safe pan at the bottom of the oven when pre-heating, then add 1 cup of very hot water or even boiling to the pan just before placing the dough in the oven. Hope you like it. Take care.
Can I put the dough in the fridge to bake the next day? Should I do this after the 1.5 hour rise and then put it in the fridge? I want to bake it first thing in the morning.
Hi Laurie, you should put the dough in the fridge instead of the 1.5 hour rise. Just let it come to room temperature for about 30-45 minutes before baking.
Just tried this recipe and my loaves came out perfect! After reading some of the comments regarding the difficulty with transferring the dough from the bowl to the stone, I decided to let the dough rise in an oiled bowl. It slid out easily without falling too much.
Hi! Can I put it on a baking stone to bake? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Charlotte, that should work, let me know how it turns out.
I’m a bit confused with your instructions. Flour the dough then move it to a baking tray keeping the floured surface on the top. How exactly do you achieve this?
Hi Kim it is a bit difficult, it helps to use a spatula, but if some of it is on the bottom it’s ok.