Easy Sourdough Bread Bowls Recipe

Sourdough bread bowls are perfect for soup season! This easy sourdough bread bowls recipe yields crispy, chewy bowls ready to fill with your favorite soups.

There’s just something about sourdough bread bowls that makes everything feel a little cozier. They have the perfect crispy crust on the outside and a soft, chewy center on the inside, making them great for scooping up that creamy soup you love, as well as other favorite soups.

Before having my own sourdough starter, I would have never imagined baking homemade bread bowls. But I’m here to tell you, it is easier than you think to make sourdough bread bowl from scratch!

Below, I share three baking methods -baking stone, baking sheet and Dutch oven – to best suit your needs!

When you’re serving up homemade soups, these bread bowls add an extra touch of comfort to any meal. They’re perfect for impressing with something simple yet tasty.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

There are plenty of reasons to love a delicious treat like homemade bread bowls, but here are the ones that really stand out, if you ask me.

Perfect Comfort Food

A warm bowl of soup just got even better! Serve up your favorite comforting soup in a crispy, chewy sourdough bread bowl.

Flexible Baking Schedule

Prepare the dough days in advance and bake the bread loaves when it’s convenient for you.

Multiple Baking Options

I tested this recipe to best suit your needs! My personal preference is to bake it on a baking stone, but it also works on a baking sheet or in a Dutch oven.

Ingredients Needed

Bread flour: Bread flour is best when it comes to making sourdough bread. The higher protein percentage in flour gives the dough its strength so that it can rise to great heights and give you the best results.

Water: Use room-temperature filtered water for consistent results.

Sourdough starter: This recipe calls for an active and bubbly sourdough starter. 

Salt: Any unrefined salt will do, but my favorite is Redmond’s unrefined salt for some extra minerals.

* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*

Supplies

Large bowl

Kitchen scale

Bowl scraper (optional)

Danish Dough Whisk 

Baking stone / Dutch oven / Baking sheet

Cast iron skillet

Parchment paper

Lame / Razor blade / Sharp knife

Tea towel, plastic wrap, or what I like to use, a reusable shower cap

Baker’s Schedule #1

DAY 1

9 am: Mix dough

9:45 – 12 pm: Stretch and fold every 45 minutes

4 pm: Cover and place dough in the fridge

DAY 2

12 pm: Shape bread bowls

12:15 pm: Second proof

4:15 pm: Score and bake

This schedule is made for a 68-70 degree F environment. Higher temperatures will quicken the process. Lower temperatures will lengthen the process.

Baker’s schedule # 2

DAY 1

7 am: Mix dough

7:45 – 10 am: Stretch and fold every 45 minutes

2 pm: Shape bread bowls

2:15 pm: Second proof

5:15 pm: Score and bake

This schedule is made for a 68-70 degree F environment. Higher temperatures will quicken the process. Lower temperatures will lengthen the process.

How to Make Sourdough Bread Bowls

Make the dough

In a large mixing bowl, add the active sourdough starter and room-temperature filtered water. Mix with a Danish dough whisk or with your hand until it looks like a milky liquid.

Then, add the bread flour and salt. Again, mix with a whisk or by hand. Be sure to mix until all of the flour is incorporated. The dough will look shaggy, not like a uniform dough ball.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a reusable shower cap and let the dough rest for at least 45 minutes before you move on to the next step.

Stretch and folds

With a bowl scraper, scrape the dough away from the bowl.

Now, with slightly wet hands, reach down to the bottom of the bowl, grab a section of the dough and stretch the bread dough above itself. Then fold it over on top of the dough. 

Rotate your bowl clockwise a quarter of the way and repeat identical stretch and fold. Repeat the process, about 5-6 times, until you come full circle. You will notice the dough will start to look much smoother than before.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a reusable shower cap and let the dough rest for another 45 minutes.

Repeat the same stretch and folds 3 more times, for a total of 4 sets. Cover the dough and wait for at least 45 minutes of rest in between each set.

Once you have completed the final set of stretch and folds, cover the dough and let it rest for the remainder of the bulk fermentation. In my 70 degree F kitchen, from mixing the dough to shaping, the bulk fermentation took a total of 6-7 hours.

Bulk fermentation

Now this is the most finicky part of sourdough. There isn’t a set time for your bulk ferment. It is greatly dependent on the temperature of your environment. The warmer it is, the faster your dough will ferment. The opposite is true for cooler temperatures.

In an environment of 70 degrees F, the dough will typically bulk ferment for an additional 3-4 hours after you have completed the final set of stretch and folds. 

But again, you will have to look for the signs that your dough is done fermenting, rather than the clock. Warmer temperatures will be faster, while cooler temperatures will be slower.

Here’s what to look for:

• The dough should have increased in size by 75% and be domed on top.
• The dough looks light, and jiggles when the bowl is shaken.
• The dough should easily pull away from the bowl. 
• There should be visible bubbles in the dough and on top.
• The dough doesn’t tear when you do a windowpane test

Once the dough has completed the bulk fermentation, you have two options. 

If you prefer to bake the bread bowls on the same day, continue on to shaping. 

If you prefer to bake the bread bowls the following day, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a reusable shower cap and place the dough in the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours. Remove the dough from the fridge when ready to bake.

Shape

With slightly wet fingers, gently release the dough from the sides of the bowl. Be careful not to pop all of those lovely bubbles!

Tilt the bowl and leave gravity to do the work to move the dough on the counter.

With a bench scraper, divide the dough into 5-6 pieces, about 210-255 grams each.

Shape each piece of dough by doing another round of stretch and folds until you have gone full circle.

With a bench scraper or your hands, turn the dough upside down, so the seam is now on the counter. Cup your hands around the dough ball with both hands while rotating the dough counter-clockwise to help create tension in the dough and a round shape.

Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

Place 3 dough balls each on two pieces of parchment paper and cover with a clean tea towel. 

Do not cover with plastic wrap. This keeps the dough very soft, which is harder to score later on.

Leave the dough at room temperature until it has doubled in size and the dough doesn’t feel cold anymore. In my 70 degree F kitchen, dough that had been shaped right away took 2-3 hours to double, while dough that had been in the fridge took at least 4 hours to double in size.

Do not rush this step – the dough will bake up dense. To test the dough to see if it ready to bake, press a clean finger into the dough. If the dough rises back quickly, it needs longer to proof. 

If the dough rises back slowly, leaving a small imprint in the dough, the dough is ready to bake. If the dough does not rise back and the imprint stays, the dough is over proofed.

Score

Thirty minutes before baking, place your baking stone or Dutch oven as well as a cast iron skillet or baking dish in your oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Allow the baking stone/Dutch oven to preheat for at least 30 minutes.

Lightly brush some water on the tops of the bread bowls. With a lame / razor blade or sharp knife, score the letter “X” on top of each dough ball. This is necessary for your bread to be able to expand while baking.

3 Baking Options

If using a baking stone, use a pizza peel and slide the first 3 sourdough bread bowls onto the baking store.

If using a Dutch oven, grab the corners of the parchment paper and carefully place the first 2-3 dough balls into your preheated Dutch Oven and cover with the lid. 

If using a baking sheet, slide the parchment paper with 3 dough balls onto the baking sheet.

Place 1 cup of ice cubes into the hot cast iron skillet if you are baking with a baking stone or baking sheet. This is not necessary if you are using a Dutch oven since the lid captures enough steam.

Bake the Sourdough Bread Bowls with steam for 20 minutes (if using Dutch oven, bake covered for 20 minutes). After 20 minutes, the ice should have completely evaporated. 

Continue to bake the bread bowls for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown (remove the lid of the Dutch oven and continue to bake the bread for an additional 5-10 minutes with the lid off). 

Once golden brown, remove the Sourdough Bread Bowls from your oven and place them onto a wire rack to cool.

Repeat the same baking process with the second batch of dough balls, if necessary.

Allow the Sourdough Bread Bowls to cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into it. 

Once cooled, use a serrated knife at a 45 degree angle to slice into the top of each bread bowl. Remove the center of the bread bowl to create a bowl for your soup. Enjoy!

How to Serve

Sourdough bread bowls are perfect for serving your favorite soup, whether it’s clam chowder, tomato soup, Maryland crab soup, cheddar broccoli soup or any other kind of soup. They’re great for holding soup because the crusty exterior keeps everything from soaking through too fast. And don’t toss the insides of the bread bowls, as they’re amazing for dipping into all that hot soup.

How to Store

If you have leftover homemade sourdough bread bowls, wrap them in plastic wrap or put them in an airtight container. They will stay fresh for up to two days at room temperature. You can also freeze them if you want to keep them a little longer. 

FAQs

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour for this sourdough bread bowl recipe?

You can, but keep in mind that bread flour works best because it has a higher protein content, which helps with the dough’s strength and structure. 

Can I add extras like cheese or herbs to the dough?

Yes, you can add extras like cheese or herbs to sourdough bread bowl dough! Just mix them in during the second stretch-and-fold to make sure they’re evenly spread without messing up the dough’s structure.

How do I know when my dough is ready after the bulk fermentation?

Your dough is ready when it’s puffed up about 75%, looks light, and jiggles when you shake the sourdough bowl. You can also try the Float Test. Just drop a piece of dough in water. If it floats, the dough’s good to go. And if it sinks, it needs a bit more time to rise.

Happy baking!

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