Homemade Bread Bowl – This holiday season, Impress your family and friends by serving creamy soup in this bread bowl. With only a handful of basic ingredients, you can make this recipe. The bread bowl recipe is Vegan, simple, easy and tasty.

Do you like Panera Bread Bowl?

Yes?

Then you’ll love this recipe.

Bread Bowls are crusty on the outside, soft and fluffy inside, and PERFECT for any creamy soup.

You may have seen bread bowls (bowls made from bread and filled with piping hot soups, stews and also filled with Dip like Spinach and artichoke dip, Cheese dip etc) at your favorite restaurants!

Making those bakery and restaurant-style bread bowls at home is super easy, anyone can make it!

This bread recipe is extremely easy for beginners to get a good result on the first try!

I will walk you through it all, step by step!

To speed up the rising process I always use my Instant Pot. This is not necessary, but Rising bread dough in Instant Pot is a breeze. It saves a lot of time and it is a very useful method during cold weather, especially for those who live on high altitude.

However, I will share how to proof the dough both in the Instant Pot and traditionally.

Here’s what you’ll need to make Homemade bread bowl:

Bread Flour
Active dry yeast
Sugar
Salt
Warm water
Olive oil
Milk(Dairy or plant-based) for brushing the dough

How to make Homemade Bread Bowl for soup and dip?

Step 1 – Activate the yeast.

Take warm water in a bowl. Add sugar and yeast. Mix, cover and let it sit for about 5 minutes or until frothy. (Photo 1 to 3)

After 5 minutes you will notice the water become frothy and foamy. (Photo 4)

Step 2 – Mix flour and other ingredients for making the dough

Take flour, salt, and oil in a bowl of a stand mixer. (Photo 5 to 8)

Add foamy and frothy yeast water in the flour mixture.

Step 3 – Knead a soft dough

Beat on low speed for 5-6 minutes and knead a dough.

The dough should be thick, yet soft. And only slightly sticky. It should pull away from the sides of the bowl as it mixes. If it’s too sticky, add more flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (Photo 9 and 10)

Form dough into a ball.

Grease an inner pot of instant pot with oil. (Photo 11)

Step 4 – Proofing the Dough

Place the dough ball into a large greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. (Photo 12)

Place the pot in instant pot, cover it with a glass lid or regular plate. (Don’t use IP lid) (Photo 13)

Press the yogurt button and set it for 1 hour. (Photo 14)

After one hour, you will notice dough raised double in size. (Photo 15)

Punch dough down, and divide into 6 equal portions. (Photo 15 to 18)

Shape each portion into a round ball.

Place loaves on lightly greased baking sheets sprinkled with flour. (Photo 19)

Step – 5 Second Proofing

Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, for about 20 minutes.

While the bread is resting, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. This water will be used to steam the bread, giving it that nice crunchy crust.

Preheat the oven @425 degrees F.

Step – 6 Baking

Place an oven safe pan (high-rimmed baking sheet, lasagna pan, or cast iron pan) on the bottom rack of the oven for a water bath.

Once 20 minutes is done, Uncover the dough and brush the buns with whole milk (For vegan, use any plant-based milk). (Photo 20 )

Place the tray in oven’s center rack. (Photo 21)

Gently and carefully pour hot water into the pan on the bottom rack. Close oven door. (Photo 23)

Bake bread bowls for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown on the outside. (Photo 24)

Allow bread to cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing into.

Step – 7 Cut the bread for soup and dips.

Cut a circle out the top to create a bowl. Scoop out the insides to create a deeper well. Fill with stew, soup, chili or any dip! Serve.

Notes and pro-tips:-

The quality of bread flour, humidity, temperature, altitude and a multitude of other factors can impact how much flour you need in your bread dough. You may require less or more flour accordingly to get the soft dough.
If you don’t have an instant pot, let the dough rise covered in a big bowl for a total of 2 hours. And follow the rest of the steps.
Make sure the water is warm, the temperature should be around 110 to 120. Hot water will kill the yeast, then the bread won’t rise.
I haven’t tried this dough with whole wheat flour, but I expect it to taste a little dry. You may have to add a little more water.
Do not substitute all-purpose flour for bread flour. Bread flour contains a higher amount of protein which helps to create the bread bowl’s structure.
You can halve this recipe to make only 3 bread bowls. Or make the dough as written and freeze half for later use.
For make-ahead option – After the dough has risen, punch down the dough inside the bowl and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days, then remove from the refrigerator, let it sit for 30 minutes at room temperature and continue with step 5. OR freeze for up to 2 months, then allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and continue with step 5.
You can make dinner rolls or pizza too with this dough.
If mixing by hand, use a large bowl and a sturdy spatula to combine ingredients. Stir until the dough starts to form. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand until dough is smooth.
The steaming at the start of baking allows a nice, crispy crust to form on the bread bowls. You can skip that step too. If you choose to skip this step, the bread bowls will have a softer exterior.
Soups don’t have to be the only thing you can put in your bread bowls! you can also fill bread bowls with your favorite dip.

Some FAQS

Why I have used Bread flour to make this recipe?

Bread flour contains a lot of protein which helps form a chewier, more dense, and, well, more bread-like… bread.

We want a strong and crusty bread for our Homemade bread bowls and bread flour will fulfill this requirement.

This bread dough is very versatile. You can make dinner rolls, crusty loaves of bread or pizza too.

You can add seasonings like garlic powder, Italian seasoning, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, cheddar cheese, and jalapeno, etc.

So many ways we can enjoy fresh bread with this simple and versatile recipe.

Are you supposed to eat the bread bowl?

This bread bowl absolutely delicious! So don’t just scoop your soup out of it with a spoon. tear the bread, dip it in the creamy soup and enjoy it!

How to Store and freeze the bread bowls?

To freeze the baked bread bowls, store them in an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw on the counter and then warm them in the oven before serving.

What are the Best soups to serve in the bread bowls?

My favorite soups are –

Cheddar and broccoli soup

Thai carrot soup

Wild rice and mushroom soup

Spinach soup

How to cut a bread bowl?

Remove the top, (as shown in the video in the recipe card), which can be used as a lid or dip it in the soup.

Using a tablespoon or hand, gently pull the inner bread from the round, leaving a ¾- to 1-inch thickness along the sides.

The bowl is now ready to fill with any and all of the thick soups or dips..

More bread recipes

Olive oil and rosemary no-knead bread

Peperoncini Focaccia Bread

Onion and Pepper Focaccia Bread

Have you had soup inside of a bread bowl before? If not, it is about time that you do!

Try homemade bread bowl recipe and let us know how it turned out by commenting in the comment box down below.

5 from 5 votes