Easy Bread Bowls

Easy Bread Bowls are a great addition to any soup dinner. Light and fluffy bread bowls made with a simple yeast dough that will take your comforting dinners to a new level of delicious.

If you love the Panera’s Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup in a bread bowl, this is an easy way to make it at home. There’s nothing more comforting than hearty soups and homemade bread on a cold winter day.

Ingredients Needed for Easy Bread Bowl Recipe

• Warm Water 98°-100°
• Granulated Sugar
• Instant Yeast or Active Dry Yeast
• Olive Oil
• All Purpose Flour or Bread Flour
• Kosher Salt
• Salted Butter

Step-By-Step Directions for Homemade Bread Bowls for Soup

1. Add warm water to a large mixing bowl with sugar, yeast and olive oil. Mix well.
2. Stir in 4 cups of flour with the kosher salt using a dough whisk or wooden spoon.
3. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, mixing until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the bowl.

4. Lightly flour a clean surface and pour the dough out.
5. Knead for 3- 5 minutes until dough is smooth and not sticky.
6. Drizzle a large, clean bowl with olive oil. Place dough and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap let the dough rise in a warm place to rise about an hour or until doubled in size.
7. Punch dough down in the bowl, folding over a few times to remove the air bubbles.

8. Lightly flour a clean surface and divide the bread dough in half and then each half into 3 equal pieces using a bench knife.
9. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
10. Roll each piece of dough into a ball, tucking under the edges on the bottom. Place on the lined baking sheet and slightly flatten the top. Leave several inches between each dough ball.
11. Cover with a damp tea towel and place in a warm place to rise, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
12. Melt butter and brush over dough while the oven preheats.

13. Bake bread bowls for 18-20 minutes. Turn the oven onto broil and watch carefully, cooking until bread bowls are golden brown.
14. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter.

15. Move to a wire rack to cool.

16. Slice about 1/4 inch thick slice off of the top of each bread bowl using a serrated knife.

17. Remove the insides of the bread bowls and save for another use, like croutons or breadcrumbs, storing in an airtight container. Be sure to leave at least 1/4 inch of the bread in the interior of the bread bowls so that you don’t have holes in the sides or bottoms. 

18. Spoon hot soup into bread bowls just before serving.

Recipe Notes and Variations for Bread Bowls

• Stand Mixer: Dough can be mixed in a stand mixer at low speed until dough comes together. Use the dough hook attachment to knead for 3 minutes at medium speed. 
• Garlic Bread Bowls: Add 2 sliced garlic cloves to 1/4 cup melted butter and cook for 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. Brush over bread bowls when you remove them from the oven.
• Bread Bowls for Dip: If you are making bread bowls for Knorr Spinach Dip, divide the dough in half. Form each half into a round ball, tucking in the bottom sides. Place onto lined baking sheets about 5 inches apart or on two separate baking sheets. Flatten the top slightly, cover and rise one hour. Brush with melted butter. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until internal temperature of each bread bowl is 195°. Broil for 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Brush with more melted butter. Cool on a wire rack.
• Storage: Store bread bowls in an airtight container, bread bag or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature up to 2 days. Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze up to 3 months.

Favorite Filling Ideas for Homemade Bread Bowls

• Party Dips: Any cold or hot dip can be served in bread bowls for a great appetizer. Try our Chili Cheese Dip in a bread bowl or Bacon Beer Cheese Dip.
• Favorite Soups in a Bread Bowl: Creamy soup recipes like Creamy Ham and Potato Soup and Beer Cheese Soup. French Onion Soup or Brisket Chili are a few of our best soup recipes to serve in bread bowls.
• Salads: Greek Salad, Garden Salad or Egg Salad is even more delicious when served up in a bread bowl.

More Delicious Bread Recipes to Try

• Beer Cheese Bread is a delicious quick bread that is amazing served alongside your favorite soups, chili, salads or toasted for breakfast.
• Garlic Bread Bites are tiny yeast rolls to serve as an appetizer with dips or drop them in soup as croutons!
• Wheat Bread is a tasty loaf that we love for sandwiches, toast or to serve warm with any meal.

Add these Easy Bread Bowls to your list for your favorite soup or game day dip to round any an appetizer spread. 

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