Easy Homemade Bread Bowl Recipe

Made with just 5 simple ingredients, this easy Bread Bowl Recipe can be mastered by even a beginning chef. There’s no better way to elevate dinner than by serving edible bowls!

You can make them larger or smaller to fit your needs. No matter the size, they are the perfect vessel for hearty soup like broccoli cheddar or clam chowder!

Elevate your soup with homemade bread bowls!

At my house, cooler weather means soup, and lots of it! I usually serve soup with homemade dinner rolls, but it is extra fun to serve it in bread bowls. Who can resist finishing their soup and being able to eat the bowl?

If you’ve never made bread bowls before, don’t worry – this recipe is super easy!

Bread bowls work best with thicker soups like Bacon Corn Chowder and Cheese Soup. Broth based soups like beef minestrone soup tend to make the bread bowls soggy.

And no one likes soggy bread! Well except the weirdos that like bread and milk. (Sorry dad, but it’s just gross. I love you anyway though.)

We also love using these homemade bread bowls for Chicken Cordon Bleu Bread Bowls. So yummy!

HOW TO MAKE EASY BREAD BOWLS

1. DOUGH – Pour the warm water over the yeast in a Bosch, or bowl of a stand mixer. Add the salt, oil, and about half of the flour. Beat until smooth. Add flour until you get a soft dough that isn’t sticky.
   
   Knead on a floured surface until smooth.
2. REST – Transfer the bread dough to a large bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.
3. FORM – Divide the dough into 6 equal portions, form each into a tight ball. Place on a greased cookie sheet sprinkled with a little bit of cornmeal.
4. RISE – Place in a warm spot and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes. While they are rising, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Use a serrated knife to cut slits on top of each ball.
5. BAKE – Bake at 400° for 15-18 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown. If desired, brush with melted butter.
6. HOLLOW – Let the bread sit until cool enough to handle, then cut a large circle out of the top of each bread bowl. (Like you prep a pumpkin for carving.) Hollow out the insides. Save the extra bread -or eat it hot, that’s the best part!
7. SERVE – Ladle hot soup into each bread bowl. Enjoy!

PRO TIPS:

• You want your water to be about 110 degrees. If it gets hotter than 130 degrees f, it can kill the yeast. It’s better to err on the side of water that is too cool. The dough will take longer to rise, but your bread won’t be ruined.
• If your dough doesn’t seem to be rising and your room is cold, you can use your oven. Preheat it to 150° (or the lowest it will go). TURN IT OFF, then place your covered bowl in the oven. If your oven doesn’t have a low setting, simply place the bowl in the oven with a pot of boiling water. The steam will warm up the oven.

VARIATIONS:

• The first time I made these, I used half whole wheat flour, and they still turned out fantastic!
• You can us regular active dry yeast instead of instant yeast. You will need to let the yeast mixture sit for 10-15 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients. You will also need to let the dough rise for an hour before forming into balls.
• For a shiny, crunchier crust, brush the top of each loaf with egg wash after the final rise.

Here are a few of our favorite soups to serve in bread bowls:

• Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup
• Cheeseburger Soup with Velveeta
• Clam Chowder
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Soup
• Velvetta Cheese Soup
• Wild Rice Ham Soup
• Cajun Potato Soup

Easy Bread Bowl Recipe

Kara

Soft bread bowls perfect for filling with soup and chowder.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 18 minutes mins

Course Bread: Yeast Bread

Cuisine American

Servings 6 bread bowls

Calories 574 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 Tbsp instant yeast (I use SAF yeast
• 2 ½ cups warm water about 110-15 degrees
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
• 7 cups all purpose flour more or less
• 1 tsp cornmeal optional

Instructions

 

• Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl. (I use my Bosch with the dough hook attachment.) Add salt, oil, and about 3 cups of flour. Beat till smooth.
• Add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. You may need more or less flour. Knead for about 3 minutes on a lightly floured surface.
• Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.
• While the dough rises, spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and sprinkle with cornmeal.
• Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Shape each portion into a round ball shape. Place dough balls on prepared pan.
• Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes. If desired, gently slash the tops of the bread bowls with a sharp knife.
• Bake in a preheated 400° oven for 15-18 minutes or till golden brown.
• Let cool for at least 15-20 minutes, then cut a large round circle out of the top of each bowl. Scoop out the center, leaving about a 1/2" shell. (Save the scraps for dunking!) Fill with your favorite soup.

Notes

• There’s no typo, the bread bowl dough doesn’t call for sugar.
• If your water is too hot, you can kill the yeast. It’s better to have it too cool, it will just need longer to rise.
• Keep in mind that creamy soup works best for bread bowls; broth base soup makes them soggy.
• Bread bowls can be made a day or two ahead of time and stored at room temperature in an airtight container or bag.
• Recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 574kcalCarbohydrates: 112gProtein: 15gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.03gSodium: 783mgPotassium: 164mgFiber: 4gSugar: 0.4gVitamin A: 3IUVitamin C: 0.002mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 7mg

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These easy homemade bread bowls make any meal feel special! And you save so much money making them in your own kitchen.