This bread is the perfect marriage of a crisp, light crust outside and a chewy yet tender inside. The no-knead part is just a bonus.
You can use all-purpose flour if you want.
This is an excellent recipe and like all of Chef John's recipes, they NEVER disappoint. Ciabatta dough is very wet and this no-knead technique is perfect for this type of dough. It's worth watching the video to see how the dough is shaped and transferred to the baking sheet. You do need the full 18 hours for the gluten to develop since you are not kneading the dough, so plan accordingly.
Read MoreI made this a couple times, and it makes a tasty bread. But (but!) this is a slab, not a slipper - for a normal ciabatta, cut the dough (or the recipe) in half. You can also make this same day: double the yeast, use very warm water, and you're good to go in 3 hours. Also, skip the plastic wrap step. Not sure why the additional fuss, It's easier to shape it right on the pan with wet or floured hands (or a plastic dough scraper).
Read MoreThis is an excellent recipe and like all of Chef John's recipes, they NEVER disappoint. Ciabatta dough is very wet and this no-knead technique is perfect for this type of dough. It's worth watching the video to see how the dough is shaped and transferred to the baking sheet. You do need the full 18 hours for the gluten to develop since you are not kneading the dough, so plan accordingly.
I've made this recipe several times without fail. The recipe is perfect as is, you just have to remember to start the day before you cook it. I like a crisp hard crust, so i cook in an oven with a dish of water on the shelf below my bread, and I mist the loaf during the cooking a couple of times. I usually add 1/2 tsp of thyme, and 1/2 tsp rosemary (or 1 tsp of either), as I like the subtle aroma and flavor that this adds to the bread.
I make a lot of no-knead long-rise breads and this one is great . I like to mix in some smashed roasted garlic and Italian seasonings to kick up the flavor. Plus grated asiago. An added benefit is that other no-knead boules use pre-heated cast iron pots that make it treacherous to handle without fingers being burned. One note about the yeast. If you are concerned the yeast is no longer active, most will proof first. But these types of recipes with just a little yeast do not work that way. So, a way to test the yeast is to put the amount of yeast called for into a juice glass with a few ounces of warm water (110c) and a little sugar. Let it rest for 10 minutes and check. If good then just dump it into the bowl with the rest of the water and the other stuff
This is extremely easy. I made it about 4 times in one week. Everybody loves it. I eliminated the shaping step. So after leaving the dough for 12 to 18 hours I punch the dough and sometimes add some olives and dump it as is on the baking sheet. Let it rest for 2 more hours then bake as instructed. Amazing. Warning: Addictive.
I followed the recipe exactly, using all White Bread Flour. Turned out absolutely perfect! Best Ciabetta ever!
I made this a couple times, and it makes a tasty bread. But (but!) this is a slab, not a slipper - for a normal ciabatta, cut the dough (or the recipe) in half. You can also make this same day: double the yeast, use very warm water, and you're good to go in 3 hours. Also, skip the plastic wrap step. Not sure why the additional fuss, It's easier to shape it right on the pan with wet or floured hands (or a plastic dough scraper).
For no work and only a few ingredients, this made good bread. My loaf rose more than shown in the video and my dough seemed sloppier than Chef John's, even though I used slightly more flour. I wanted to ensure I had really chewy crust so I baked baked mine inside a Le Creuset casserole dish which I had heated in the oven for 10 minutes. Pictures posted.
This recipe is awesome. I’ve made it 3 times now. I love bread. I hate a lot of work that goes into making bread. I followed this recipe exactly save for one thing. I plopped it in a preheated Dutch oven instead of laying it out on a sheet pan. Amazing. The perfect “lazy man’s” fresh baked bread.
This is such a great easy recipe! I just dump and stir all the ingredient in a big pot with a lid and leave for a day or two. I go ahead and mix in the pot again couple of hours to half a day before I’m ready to bake so it has a chance to rise again. This way I can just dump (in an elongated way) directly onto a silicone pad on top of a cookie sheet with some corn meal and put it directly into the oven to bake. I don’t have to mess with shaping, coating with olive oil so I can cover to let it rise again. I’m not the best baker because I don’t like to measure precisely and am always trying to make my recipes healthier. With this recipe, I can approximate my measurements and it still turns out perfectly. (Watch the video to have an idea of consistency.) I’ve made with buckwheat and wheat - requires a little more water.
Live in FL with limited good bread options. Tried this and it came out wonderful. Love it....
I followed the recipe exactly, and the resulting bread is beautiful and delicious!
I've made this bread twice. The first time as a science experiment and the second time to prove the very good results weren't a fluke. The Italian half of the family was surprised by the quality of the bread and two loaves disappeared at our weekly Sunday dinner. I've been told to consider making three loaves next time. The bread itself has a sourdough texture and taste to it. Follow the instructions and you can't go wrong. Do not leave it to rise more than the recommended eighteen hours or the dough becomes a bit soft and runny. The end results are good but you end up with a thin broad loaf.
My whole family LOVED this bread. It was chewy, light, and so much more flavorful than what you buy in the store. I saw reviews saying the bread didn't have the holes ciabatta bread typically has, but I did not have that experience. The loaf did not last 24 hours, and I plan on making another one this week! The only thing that I did differently was put a tray of water on the bottom rack of my oven for a few minutes before putting the bread in and removed it after 10 minutes of baking. The crust on the bread was AMAZING and it rose nicely as well. My oven cooks fast and I'm sure the steam accelerated things too, so I only baked for 25 minutes. I think that people are expecting to see cookie cutter perfect bread loaves, but that's not what this recipe is about. It's the perfect way for a bread making novice to get started. Next time, I may try to shape some rolls to use for sandwiches... Thank you Chef John! This recipe is an absolute keeper!
Easiest bread to make. I've never made bread before, my cooking skills are very limited. I just over-did it with the flour on top, my bad. Baked for 37 minutes, nice and crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.
Update: I've changed it from a 3 to a 4 after my 3rd attempt. I used a cup 1/2 water instead of 2 and made it more like his in the video. Was happy with final product (cooked on fan assist for 35 min.) although the crust was too chewy and it could've used about 5 more minutes. Had the consistency of a crumpet, but was still very good. I'm sure the crust had something to do with the oven, as the first one I made with only the top burner made a great top. Will try again but shape into rolls and try different baking methods on the batch to see what comes out best. So the lesson of this recipe, and I'm sure any other bready type, it's about consistency of the dough, not how much water you add. ORIGINAL 3 STAR REVIEW: I wanted to try ciabatta but was too intimidated by it. This was emailed to me so I had a go. I've tried it twice already and it comes out very flat. Thinking back on things I've read about baking, I realized that it may just be too humid here and I needed to scale back on the water. The bubbles in the bread were nice (not huge), but was more like focaccia bread...that's how flat it was. I'll try it again with less water. Also, in his video he stated WARM water, in the instructions that wasn't mentioned, I don't believe. I just need to see how it looks in the video and add enough water until it looks the same.
This is the best ever recipe for homemade bread!!! I’ve tried 100s of bread recipes, and never turned out this great. Don’t change anything. Just follow the instructions, and you won’t want to buy a store made bread again (at least me).
I make this several times a month. So easy and full of lovely holes. It is a very soft dough so treat it carefully and you won't deflate it. Off to make it right now!
Took me a few times but I have down. My cooking time is 35 minutes and it is perfection. I chop of fresh dill and toss it in for some more flavor and smell. This is my go to bread.
My brother invited us for dinner and served this bread. I thought it was awesome and the next week he brought me a loaf. I sliced it and put it in the freezer. So not only is it delicious fresh, it makes the best toast ever. Today I made my own loaf and I still have to say “It is so easy and SO good”.
Great bread! Crunchy yet soft inside. I baked 3 loaves and half baked 2. Just need to bake it again prior to eating. No need to buy bread anymore. This is my first time making bread! Thanks for the recipe Chef John!
I made the loaf the same size like in the recipe but it came out too flat, i should have made it a bit more compact in order to get a bit risen bread. the taste is good though. didn't care to wait till the oven was hot enough, so it came out a bit dry but after sitting on the bench for a couple of min it was nice and delicious. Thanks for the recipe. i will try to make it better next time.
This is an Excellent recipe!! I made it exactly as stated but did as one reviewer said and placed a 9x13 dish of water (about an inch of water) on the lower rack while I was preheating the oven and left it in there for 10 minutes of the baking time. I then removed the pan of water and cooked the bread for an additional 15 minutes. It had a nice crusty outside and a chewy crumb. DELISH!! The next day I cooked another loaf and after the 1st rise, I kneaded in 1 t. of Borsari Original Salt, 2 t. course ground dried Rosemary and 8 oz. grated Asiago cheese (Parmesan would be great too). I then proceeded with the shaping of the loaf per directions for the second rise. It was Fantastic!!
It came out great !!!! My first time making bread !!! I used to watch my grandmother ....she must be smiling !! Thank you Chef John.....I won’t buy store bought again...was so much fun to see it come to fruition and actually be able to eat it !!!!
I like it so much and i like the result and it tastes so good! But still the process and techniques are exhaustive! It took 40 min in my oven and it didnt get the nice golden color but it was ok! I was scared to burn it if i keep it more than that! I burned 3 fingers instead :))) Its light from inside and crisp from outside and it was a little extra hard from down while cutting it! I think from the extra flour i put under it! P.s i used all purpose flour!
Made these today, waited 15 hours instead of 18 because I woke up early and was so eager to try these. I live in the middle east to I never tasted Ciabatta bread before but this recipe turned out great. Loved the crunch from the outside and the fluffiness from the inside, will definitely try it again.
The only change was using all-purpose flour in lieu of bread flour. I baked it for 35 minutes, but should have left it in for at least another 5 minutes. My ciabatta blew up higher than it should have and so it had a large empty space below the top crust. Even so, I gave it 5 stars because my husband said it was the best ciabatta ever! I've been using it toasted and covered in cheese in homemade onion soup. Delicious!
I've made this twice now and taught my 86 year old mom to make it. Wonderful ciabatta bread. Will be making only this recipe. Yum!!
I've made this twice now and taught my 86 year old mom to make it. Wonderful ciabatta bread. Will be making only this recipe. Yum!!
Followed the recipe exactly with all white bread flour, had to add a little bit more water (flour/humidty difference I guess). Came out excellent. My wife thought it looked a bit like Ayers Rock, but was as good as any Ciabatta we've had. Making it again, except I going to make into rolls.
I did not care for this recipe. TOO DENSE! No holes like in other no-knead recipes I have for Ciabatta.
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! I’ve made it over and over again and it is great every time! I even used it for pizza crust and LOVED it. Crunchy and chewy.....yummy! I’ve shared it multiple times with friends.
This was my first attempt at bread. This recipe was so easy that I will definitely make it again. Turned out just as Chef John’s. I used all Bob’s Red Mill Artisan bread flour.
The first time I made this I followed the directions and it made a perfect, HUGE loaf! Delicious. Full of a light flavor, nice crumb; lovely holes, wonderful smell! This went very quickly in my house. The next weekend, made it again and had to give half away to begging family members. Today, I made a loaf for my husband and I. Just before baking, I sprinkled the top with kosher salt and tossed some ice cubes in the oven for steam which created an unbelievably tasty loaf. We are not giving this one up. This recipe lends itself to creativity, if you are up to it. By itself it is the most excellent recipe, for beginners or seasoned bakers. Just follow the recipe. Thanks, Chef John!
I added oregano on top and put cheese in the middle and ate it while still warm. Wonderful!! I am a bread lover since I grew up in my dad's bakery and worked in it in the summers as a teen and summer breaks in college!! Never had to worry about the summer job hunt!!
Made this recipe today... well, started it yesterday and baked it today. Only thing I did different was no wheat flour because I didn't have any. This is some amazing bread! Don't be scared of the time it takes. It is worth every minute. Eating it with some Bread Dipping Oil from here also.... FANTASTIC!
I have made this bread 5 times and it comes out perfectly! I did not have any bread flour because of the shortage in the stores! Also, I also turn the oven to 500 degrees, put the bread in, take a 4 cup measuring cup and place 2 cups of boiling water in it. Open the door quickly and pour it into my broiler pan which is on the bottom shelf. Close the door quickly and turn the oven down to 425 degrees! Cook 30 minutes! Perfect every time!!!
We bake bread all of the time (the "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" recipe), and I really wanted to try something a little different. This is an excellent recipe for a no-knead ciabatta. I didn't have any whole-wheat flour, so I used all bread flour. I placed a pan of water on the bottom rack in the oven. I baked mine for 35 minutes, but next time, I will bake it slightly longer, as the inside could have used a few more minutes (probably like 38-40). So hard to tell how the inside will be until you actually cut it open. Overall, a nice loaf, and one that I will make again!
I was skeptical because of how sticky the dough was but this bread turned out GREAT and was so easy. We loved using it to make sandwiches with roast beef, herbed chevre, arugala dressed with balsamic, roasted red pepper and red onion!
Excellent loaf first time. Will certainly try it again. In my case, the dough was initially left for only 12 hours rather than the recommended 18 with no signs of any difference. Perhaps that time period can be judged by the appearance of the dough.
Used all unclenched bread flour instead of a portion of wheat. Sprayed with water and put a bowl of water in the oven for a crunchy crust. Was delicious. Not as coarse of texture as I hoped as other ciabatta I have enjoyed. It was more smooth and soft inside. But it was enjoyed by everyone at dinner! Will definitely make again!
My loaf came out just as expected from the video. Mine may have risen a little less than expected, however I used normal flour and the yeast might have been a bit older. Plus at altitude in Denver it may need some adjustments.
Help !!!!! Dough very sticky and never would make a shape, more like a blob on the pan. Any ideas, id love to learn
I’ve made this at least 3-4 dozen times with some adjustments. I increase the salt to 2 tsp and use 4 cups of King Arthur bread flour instead of the 3.5 cups white and .5 cup wheat flour. I’ve also added 1 TBS of garlic powder for a different spin. That was well received. Every once in a while I’ll use fresh minced rosemary but it isn’t as good as the garlic powder or just going plain.
Easy, simple, and very delicious. Thank you for the awesome recipe and great video.
Absolutely delicious! Crispy crust, chewy inside... only change was blooming the yeast in the warm water before adding it to the flour and salt.
Made my first ciabatta - very easy! But, at 35min the crust was close to burnt and the center was just cooked. I think at a slightly lower temp for a little longer it would've been perfect.
Great recipe! Very crunchy outside and super moist and chewy inside. That's exactly what I desired. I am so thrilled to discover that I can bake this kind of bread at home without going to posh artisan bakery. Although I struggled (seemingly eternally) with the sticky dough, it was definitely worth while. I will absolutely make this again soon.
Delicious bread but not ciabatta. More like a french loaf with more air bubbles. Make it anyway!
four . point five and its my go to unless i make turbo bread which is done in 3 hours with a little flavor
This was my first time to make bread and it turned out great. I followed the directions exactly. I used my oven, warmed but shut off, to place the bread to rise. I was amazed at how much it rose. I will definitely make it again.
Followed instructions exactly. Had new, fresh yeast, but it still was a sloppy, bloppy mess of dough. Couldn't form a loaf of any kind. After the 2nd rise, it morphed to almost completely cover a cookie sheet! I made the best of it and treated it like flatbread - added Gouda cheese and it was edible, just ok. Disappointing to say the least.
Turned out excellent, crunchy outside and soft inside, I could have taken it out of the oven about 3min earlier, still great though.
I made this today. It was delicious. My parents and grandma were all very impressed with it!!!
This was super easy and very delicious
Phenomenal!! Watched the video and followed the directions/ingredients as written. Created a huge loaf that was crispy and chewy. Flavor was very good. For a no fuss loaf, this is the one. I really like the techniques used.
I guess I'm just not a baker. This turned out awful , too salty,didn't rise at all. So disappointing. I guess I'll try again net weekend when I have 18 hours available! Can I use a whole pack of yeast?
I made this exactly as recipe states and it was wonderful! My family loved it. So easy, I'm making it again tonight. Thanks for sharing.
You can't miss with this recipe. Easy, delicious, and a huge hit at dinner. Didn't make any changes to the recipe and watching the video was extremely helpful. Pretty sure this will be requested quite often.
Made this per the Chef's recipe and it's perfect. I live at sea level and it was baked a little below the 425 (oven issues) required by the recipe. When it looked right I pulled it from the oven. Thank you chef for teaching this to me/ I will make this many time in the future!
amazing ! Thank you chef John. no need to change anything. it helps to watch attached video.I used a stand mixer at the lowest speed for the same amount of time
This was a very easy recipe to teach my ten year old son about bread-making. We used all white bread flour, no wheat. Yummy
So easy, used warm water and it came out perfect!! Takes clock time but not physical time
Because of the cold weather lately, I've had trouble with my bread proofing, so I dumped the dough into a non-stick springform pan for the second proofing instead of stretching it out in the standard ciabatta shape. The pan worked great! I also added some seasonings into the dough and sprinkled with parmesan. The crew loves it!
easy to make - just have to time with the 18 hour + 2 "resting" time. I will make again, and again....
Made a HUGE mistake in the beginning by covering with plastic, not foil as the recipe directs. it had been covered for about 4hrs, until i found my tin foil and covered it properly. This may be the reason why when i removed the foil this morning that the dough was sitting in a big puddle of yeasty liquid. i managed to sop up as much as i could with paper towels. this made for a really REALLY sticky goopy dough, but i continued on with the rest of the steps. it didn't look real pretty wheni came out of the oven. the bottom was very moist as the top was nice and crisp. i put it back in the turned off oven on a cooling rack to dry up the bottom a bit. When it was cool enough to cut into, i was so happy and pleasantly surprised. it looked like Ciabatta should look, nice a "holey". The texture was spot on. Chewy on the inside with a nice crisp crust. This will be my go to Ciabatta recipe from now on. I will make sure that i know where my tin foil is before hand! LOL
Chef John is the greatest. I use many of his recipes. I think I messed this one up. First f all, I used seltzer water, next, after 10.5 hours this had blown up so much, I thought I should shape it and let it rise fore two hours. It's in the oven, I'll let you know how it comes out. BTW, I think this is too sloppy to handle because of the very high hydration. Anybody have similar problems?
You know, I thought I liked this bread at first, I’ve made 4 loaves and it just doesn’t rise as much as it should while baking. The flavor is good - the inside is moist, but I do want more out of it than a 1” thick loaf of bread with tough crust. No my yeast isn’t old and yes I used luke warm water, let it proof 18 hours etc and I’m just not getting the height I want. I even tried putting s pan of water in my Oven to steam it up in hopes of making a more tender crust, but nope! So I added a little more yeast the second time around in hopes it would rise a little more, but that only gave me big airy bubbles. Aside from plopping the dough into a loaf shaped pan of some sort or using an iron skillet like one person said they did, these loaves just do not make the cut. I liked the fact that it’s a no knead recipe but after waiting 21 hours for a loaf of bread it’s getting disappointing. I’m going to try other recipes in hopes of finding a nice loaf. It does have a good flavor and I do appreciate the poster sharing his recipe. I’m just trying to be honest.
I made this recipe twice and both times it was a little wet and flat! Taste is wonderful but is anyone else having the problem of a very flat loaf. Also I used tinfoil for covering, can you use cling wrap. How do you contact Chef John?
Rustic bread . Crunchy crust, tender inside. Husband loves it. I think it spreads too thinly so next time, I’m going to bake it in a metal 9 x 12 pan to contain how thin it is and maybe make it a little puffier.
This is an excellent recipe! I made mine with all white bread flour. I can't stop eating it!
Made it many times. Added herbs, made half a batch, made two-three-four baguette from a batch. All awesome. Been wondering about a 24 hour 1st proof- Any Suggestions?
This was a hit at our Easter dinner. Amazing crust! I made this as written and it will be a repeat. Thank, Chef John.
