Homemade Ciabatta Bread Recipe
Ciabatta is a rustic, Italian bread known for its elongated, flat shape with a crispy crust and soft, porous interior…. and my favorite bread for making sandwiches!


Ingredients you’ll need:
- flour
- water
- instant yeast or active dry yeast
- salt
- sugar



How to Make Homemade Ciabatta Bread:
- Combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Let the yeast bloom for 5-10 minutes.
- Add the flour and salt. Mix with your hands until a shaggy dough.
- Turn out the dough on a clean surface to knead 2-3 minutes, until a smooth and pliable dough. Place back in the bowl, cover with saran wrap, and let rise in a warm environment 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, stretch the dough from the bottom of the bowl and fold into the center. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees, then stretch and fold again. Repeat 2 more times.
- Repeat this process of resting 30 minutes, then stretch and folding for a total of two more times. This is what helps trap air to create those air bubbles in the dough.
- Cover the bowl once more to place in the fridge overnight (8-12 hours).
- The next morning, use your fingers to scoop down along the sides of the bowl to release the dough onto a very floured surface.
- Gently stretch from underneath the dough to a 1″ thick large rectangle. Slice into 4 individual rectangles or two large rectangles.
- Place on a parchment paper lined baking pan with 2-3″ in-between each ciabatta loaf.
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Bake the ciabatta loaves for 20-25 minutes, until deeply golden. If possible, pour 2-3 tablespoons of water in the bottom of your oven to create steam at the beginning of baking.
- Let cool at least 10 minutes before enjoying!


How to Store Ciabatta Bread:
My favorite way to store fresh bread is to wrap it in parchment paper or a brown paper bag, then store in an airtight container or ziplock bag. This tends to help the bread not to dry out, but still hold its crisp exterior. If needed, you can briefly run the bread until warm water and place in the oven at 400F for 5-6 minutes, until dry.
Check out my London Borough Market inspired beef sandwich using the ciabatta bread by clicking here!
Cook with me!
Homemade Ciabatta Bread
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour + more for dusting
- 2 cups Warm Water
- 1 tbsp. Baking Salt
- 2 tsp. Granulated Cane Sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. Active Dry Yeast
Instructions
- Combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Let the yeast bloom for 5-10 minutes.
- Add the flour and salt. Mix with your hands until a shaggy dough.
- Turn out the dough on a clean surface to knead 2-3 minutes, until a smooth and pliable dough. Place back in the bowl, cover with saran wrap, and let rise in a warm environment 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, stretch the dough from the bottom of the bowl and fold into the center. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees, then stretch and fold again. Repeat 2 more times.
- Repeat this process of resting 30 minutes, then stretch and folding for a total of two more times. This is what helps trap air to create those air bubbles in the dough.
- Cover the bowl once more to place in the fridge overnight (8-12 hours).
- The next morning, use your fingers to scoop down along the sides of the bowl to release the dough onto a very floured surface.
- Gently stretch from underneath the dough to a 1″ thick large rectangle. Slice into 4 individual rectangles or two large rectangles.
- Place on a parchment paper lined baking pan with 2-3″ in-between each ciabatta loaf.
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Bake the ciabatta loaves for 20-25 minutes, until deeply golden. If possible, pour 2-3 tablespoons of water in the bottom of your oven to create steam at the beginning of baking.
- Let cool at least 10 minutes before enjoying!
I truly hope you all enjoy this treasured recipe that has nestled its way into our hearts here in the ABM kitchen! ’till next time… xxL
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
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Turned out so perfect I’m actually obsessed!
Thank you for sharing this recipe
Thank you so much for this recipe! This bread tastes amazing, and it is so each to make!!
Excellent recipe and will be my go to!
So easy and turned out great! Thanks for the recipe!
I tried this recipe, an amazing taste!!
YUMMY!!! I did about 20% wholemeal flour too, so good!! I wanted to make ciabatta and I was praying you’d have a recipe for it, my fingers were crossed as I was loading up your website hehe. this is so tasty and is mine and my boyfriends new favourite go to for sandwiches or homemade garlic bread!! thank you, Lauren!