Ciabatta Bread Recipe (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

Authentic Italian Ciabatta Bread recipe meaning slipper bread, originally from the Veneto, made with an overnight starter and cooked just like a pizza on a preheated pizza stone.

Jump to Recipe

Ciabatta Bread

Invented by Franceso Favaron in 1982, this is the perfect Italian bread for sandwiches, Bruschetta, panzanella or just to dip in your favorite olive oil as an antipasto.

Very easy to make at home, it’s egg free and dairy free, but you will need to execute some patience and plan in advance for the starter or Biga.

What is Biga?

An Italian starter similar to a sourdough starter but thicker, made from a little bit of flour, water and yeast and allowed an initial fermentation. It gives the bread a unique and wonderful flavor.

The Dough

Don’t be intimated! This is a sticky wet dough overall, hence those nice coveted holes that make ciabatta different and special. Just feel confident and roll with it, don’t be temped to add extra flour, all will be well and turn out great.

If you are looking for a last minute quick crusty bread to make for dinner, please try our Rustic Italian Bread Recipe instead, also baked on a pizza stone.

Serving suggestions:

  • fresh out of the oven
  • dunk in this Zuppa Toscana
  • with a bowl of Italian white bean soup
  • grilled for bruschetta
  • make panzanella
  • dipped in basil olive oil & herbs
  • make sandwiches / panini.

how to store it:

Store your homemade ciabatta in a breadbox or plastic storage bag at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Alternatively you can slice it and freeze it in freezer proof bags up to 3 months. Place the slices directly in the toaster when ready to eat, no need to thaw them out.

Ciabatta Bread Recipe (4)

4.67 from 15 votes

Ciabatta Bread Recipe

An authentic Italian recipe for ciabatta bread or slipper bread, originally from the Veneto made with an overnight starter and cooked just like pizza on a preheated pizza stone

Print Recipe

Prep Time:20 minutes mins

Cook Time:50 minutes mins

Total Time:1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Ingredients

For the Bread

For the Starter (Biga)

  • 1 c organic bread flour
  • 1/3 c filtered water at room temperature
  • 1/8 tsp active dry yeast
  • 2 tbsp warm water

Instructions

Make the Starter

  • Make your starter the night before you plan to bake the bread.

    Mix together the yeast with 2 tablespoons of warm water. Allow it to stand for a few minutes.

  • In a medium size mixing bowl stir together the yeast mixture with the flour and the water until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to sit at room temperature overnight. If preparing it in the morning then let it sit until evening and up to 24 hours.

Make the Ciabatta

  • Use your stand mixer and combine the yeast and the warm plant milk. Let it sit for a few minutes until creamy.

    Add the starter, olive oil, flour, sea salt and water and mix together for about 10 minutes until everything is incorporated.

  • Prepare a large bowl lightly oiled with olive oil. Transfer the bread dough to it and cover with plastic wrap. Allow it to sit until doubled in size, up to 2 hours.

  • Turn the bread dough onto a well floured surface and with floured hands cut it in half. Form 2 long loaves.

  • Transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet.

  • Optional step: Flour your fingers well and create dimples in the top of the loaves. Sprinkle with some flour.

  • Lightly dampen a tea towel and cover the loaves. Allow them to rise again until doubled in size, up to 2 hours.

  • Meanwhile preheat your oven to 425” F with a Pizza Stone in the center for 1 hour before planning to bake the bread.

    Transfer one of the loaves to the preheated pizza stone (together with the parchment paper) and bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown to your liking.

  • Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing it with a serrated knife.

Notes

#1 To get a crusty loaf make sure to use a pizza stone and also create some steam in the oven by placing a dish filled with water on the bottom as the oven heats up. Add more water if needed before baking the bread. Allow the loaves to cool inside the oven after baking with the oven door slightly open.

#2 If you don't have a stand mixer just use a wooden spoon to mix the dough together, it will appear to be more difficult this way as we are dealing with a wet dough.

Course: Baked Goods

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 2 loaves

Author: Florentina

You’ll Also Love:

Ciabatta Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes ciabatta different from bread? ›

Ciabatta is baked with a much higher hydration level, making the holes within the dough much bigger than a baguette. Ciabatta is also baked with a much stronger flour, which has a more delicate and sweet taste. Baguettes also tend to be baked more golden brown.

What flour is ciabatta made from? ›

This ciabatta recipe is super super simple and has a very limited ingredient list - bread flour, instant yeast, olive oil, water, and salt. Ciabatta bread is characterised by its crusty finish, and big holes inside the dough, which is often achieved by a long, slow rise, and high hydration.

Is ciabatta bread healthier than sourdough? ›

Sourdough bread is healthier than traditional ciabatta bread. Ciabatta bread is a popular type of Italian bread, and therefore, is less nutritious than sourdough bread due to the leavening agent used. However, if you are searching for a healthier ciabatta bread, you can choose one made with sourdough or whole grains.

Is ciabatta bread hard or soft? ›

I've long loved ciabatta bread for its chewy exterior and soft crumb speckled with air holes. It's the perfect bread for dunking into soup, slicing horizontally and making a sandwich, converting to garlic bread, or for simply slathering with butter and eating until your heart's content.

Is ciabatta bread more healthy? ›

No.

“Ciabatta bread is relatively high in carbohydrates and has nearly zero grams of fiber,” Richards cautioned. Mowrer added some other red flags, which include “higher carbs, calories and sodium per slice compared to other bread.”

Is ciabatta bread healthier than white bread? ›

Is ciabatta healthier than bread? A. Ciabatta bread is relatively high in carbohydrates than other bread forms. However, it has adequate fibre, sugar, protein, and essential vitamins for a healthy diet.

Why is my ciabatta so dense? ›

Lack of gas and fermentation that makes the dough aerate results in dense and heavy bread. In these cases, it is either necessary to allow the dough to be proof longer or move it to the warmer room.

What bread is most similar to ciabatta? ›

Ciriola. These small rolls are similar to ciabatta in the sense that they're crusty on the outside and tender on the inside.

What does ciabatta mean in Italian? ›

Ciabatta (/tʃəˈbɑːtə, -ˈbæt-/, Italian: [tʃaˈbatta]; lit. 'slipper') is an Italian white bread made from wheat flour, water, salt, yeast and olive oil, created in 1982 by a baker in Adria, province of Rovigo, Veneto, in response to the popularity of French baguettes.

Which bread is anti inflammatory? ›

Refined grains, such as the grains found in white bread and white pasta, are known to increase inflammation across the whole body. Sourdough bread and rye bread are both good options for an anti-inflammatory diet. The best sourdough and rye bread varieties to reduce gut inflammation are those made from whole grains.

Can diabetics eat ciabatta? ›

The whole wheat, calcium, and fiber found in ciabatta bread can aid in proper digestion, prevent type 2 diabetes, and promote bone health (although not all ciabatta is made from whole wheat).

Why is ciabatta so good? ›

Ciabatta is an Italian, rustic loaf – it's got a crispy out crust and soft interior crumb that's full of glorious holes! These air pockets are what makes Ciabatta a favorite for people to drizzle on olive oil or top with endless toppings to make the perfect toast creation!

Is artisan bread the same as ciabatta? ›

Artisan bread is handcrafted in small batches using simple, wholesome ingredients such as flour, water, yeast (Yeast is active or not?), and salt. True artisan bread takes a long time to make and is never mass-produced. Some examples of artisan bread include ciabatta, brioche, and focaccia.

What is the difference between focaccia and ciabatta bread? ›

Here are three differentiating points between focaccia and ciabatta: Texture: Focaccia has a lightweight, cake-like consistency that is similar to pizza dough. On the other hand, ciabatta has a dense consistency and a chewy texture. Baking: Focaccia is baked as a flatbread, while Ciabatta is baked as loaves.

What is interesting about ciabatta bread? ›

Ciabatta bread was first produced in 1982, by Arnaldo Cavallari, who called the bread ciabatta polesana after Polesine, the area he lived in. The recipe was subsequently licensed by Cavallari's company, Molini Adriesi, to bakers in 11 countries by 1999.

What is the science behind ciabatta bread? ›

The theory goes that this rustic bread was the result of accidentally adding too much water to a dough and then continuing the baking process anyway. The final result was a flat and long baked good with an open crumb cell structure, named ciabatta.

How is ciabatta different than French bread? ›

The breads have a different form, and a different dough. The baguette is elongated, the ciabatta is round and flat. The baguette dough contains flour, salt and water; the ciabatta dough contains flour, salt, olive oil and more water than the baguette.

What defines ciabatta bread? ›

Ciabatta is a white bread loaf, notable for its hard crust and soft, porous interior that resembles a slice of Swiss cheese (here's why Swiss cheese has holes, BTW, if you were wondering). The name comes from the Italian word for slipper, a nod to the overall look and shape of the loaf.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Terrell Hackett

Last Updated:

Views: 6134

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (52 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Terrell Hackett

Birthday: 1992-03-17

Address: Suite 453 459 Gibson Squares, East Adriane, AK 71925-5692

Phone: +21811810803470

Job: Chief Representative

Hobby: Board games, Rock climbing, Ghost hunting, Origami, Kabaddi, Mushroom hunting, Gaming

Introduction: My name is Terrell Hackett, I am a gleaming, brainy, courageous, helpful, healthy, cooperative, graceful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.