The only thing better than a bowl of steaming soup on a chilly day is a bowl of steaming soup that is completely edible!
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❤️ Why you'll love it
- Soup bread bowls are edible - no dishes to wash!
- Easily made with basic ingredients.
- Take just 2 hours from start to finish.
If you love those cozy soup filled bowls from Panera then this recipe is for you! They are so easy to make with simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
You want a very dense loaf or it won't hold the liquid very well. This dough is perfect and will hold up under most soups and stews.
Make your own bread bowls at home and save the trip!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
To fashion the bowl you'll just take a thin slice off of the top of the cooled bread. Pull out the insides leaving about a one-half inch to one inch thick wall. If the wall is too thin the soup will seep right through.
Once you put the soup in the bowls you'll want to serve them immediately.
I'd suggest watching the video below to see these made from start to finish with my best tips and suggestions to make it successfully. Above you can see how the breads are hollowed out to hold your favorite soups!
🎥 Video
Click on the image to watch me make this recipe from start to finish with extra tips! (Video opens in a new tab).
🥫 Storage
Homemade bread bowls are easy to store. Just place them in an airtight container and keep in the pantry for 3 days or so. Stale bread doesn't hurt the soup at all so don't worry if it goes a little stale.
For longer storage wrap tightly in plastic wrap, a freezer bag, or an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
📖 Variations
- For French onion bread soup bowl substitute dry onion soup mix for the Italian dressing mix.
- Leave the Italian dressing mix out and add 2 teaspoons of kosher salt for plain bread bowls
- After brushing with the egg wash sprinkle dough with sesame seeds or poppy seeds.
- Sprinkle the dough with Parmesan cheese.
- Sprinkle the dough with everything bagel seasoning.
- Use half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour.
- Use warm (110F) chicken stock in place of the water.
- Or, try tomato juices like Clamato, V-8, or Spicy V-8 for the water.
- Brush finished bread bowls with garlic butter while they are hot.
- You can also make these smaller and use for sandwich rolls.
- Or, make them into 2 long baguettes.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: The internal temperature of bread when it's done is about 200F. Using an instant read thermometer is the best way to know for sure.
- If you have a pizza stone use it to make these bread bowls super crispy.
- I think these are best with bread flour but all purpose flour will get the job done, too.
- Be sure to measure ingredients carefully!
- If the breads seem to be browning too quickly lay a piece of aluminum foil lightly over the top.
- Thick, creamy soups and stews do best in bread bowls. Thin broths tend to soak through very quickly.
👩🍳 FAQs
The sugar plays an important part in bread recipes. It gives the yeast something to "eat" to help it grow as well as helping the bread to brown nicely. You can cut the sugar in half but I wouldn't recommend omitting it completely.
Crusty bread that's made with a low fat or fat free dough and has a crisp crust is best. Other types of bread soak up the liquid too quickly and get mushy.
Carefully pull the bread out of the inside of the bread bowl and save it to be used for bread crumbs or croutons. Be sure to leave at least ½ inch thick wall all the way around to keep the hot soup from seeping through.
Creamy soups and chowders, stews, cold or hot dips, queso, spaghetti, ravioli... just about anything that's saucy.
Sure! Wait until you've finished the soup then cut (or tear ) the bread bowl apart and eat the soup-soaked bread. YUM!
📚 Related recipes
- This cloche bread recipe would work well as a soup bread.
- Kalamata olive bread is so good.
- Bacon and cheese fougasse wouldn't be a good bread bowl but it's delicious alongside a steaming bowl of soup.
For more ideas on the best breads for soups visit my bread blog, Breadcrumbs in the Butter.
🍽️ Serve with...
🥄 Restless Chipotle recommends
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You'll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
📞 The last word
I've been baking bread for a long time and I love it. No matter what I learn or what type of bread I try there's always something more to learn and another recipe to try down the road.
Give these yummy homemade bread bowls a try - I think you'll love them as much as I do.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Italian Bread Bowls
Print Pin Recipe SaveEquipment Needed
Ingredients
- 1 packet active dry yeast, ¼ ounce or 2-¼ teaspoons
- 3 cups warm water, (100F - 105F)
- 0.7 ounces Good Seasons Italian dressing mix, or 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 6 cups bread flour, you may need up to a cup more
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Instructions
- Add yeast and water to the bowl of your mixer (if kneading by machine) or a large bowl (if kneading by hand )
- Stir it up to blend with the paddle attachment in place.
- Add sugar, and 1 cup flour to the yeast mixture and mix.
- Add dressing mix and 2 more cups of flour.
- Beat well.
- Add the flour 1 cup at a time until a soft and sticky dough forms.
- Remove the paddle attachment and add the dough hook.
- Knead for 5 minutes by machine or about 8 minutes by hand.
- Turn out on a lightly floured surface and knead gently a minute or two if you've used the mixer to knead.
- Oil a large bowl with olive oil or other light oil. Add the dough to the greased bowl, oil the top, and cover with a tea towel.
- Let rise in a warm place until doubled - about 30 minutes.
- Punch dough down (deflate) and divide it into 6 equal pieces.
- Shape each into a round ball and place on a baking sheet covered with silpat or parchment paper.
- The second rise is much shorter than the first. It probably will only need to rise about 15 minutes or so.
- Preheat the oven to 500F while the dough rises.
- When dough balls have risen cut an X in the top of each with a sharp knife.
- Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon of water and brush gently over each dough ball.
- Bake the rolls for 2 minutes, turn the temperature down to 425F and bake for 10 to 15 mote minutes, or until an insta-read thermometer reads 195 to 200F when inserted in the center.
- Let cool completely.
- Slice a thin layer off crust off the top.
- Pull out the bread, leaving a ½-inch wall all the way around and on the bottom.
- Italian Bread Bowls are ready to be used however you want to use them.
Notes
- Be sure to watch the accompanying video on YouTube if you would like to see the process.
- The internal temperature of bread when it's done is about 200F. Using an instant read thermometer is the best way to know for sure.
- If you have a pizza stone use it to make these bread bowls super crispy.
- I think these are best with bread flour but all purpose flour will get the job done, too.
- If the breads seem to be browning too quickly lay a piece of aluminum foil lightly over the top.
- Thick, creamy soups and stews do best in bread bowls. Thin broths tend to soak through very quickly.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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First published April 10, 2014. Last updated February 1, 2023 for better images and clearer instructions plus adjustments to the original recipe.
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