Chewy Ciabatta Rolls

Rustic ciabatta rolls are soft and airy with a golden crispy crust. These chewy rolls have a larger crust-to-bread ratio, so are perfect for toast or sandwiches. Toast your homemade rolls for breakfast and slather them with salty butter and raspberry jam!

I love making sandwiches with ciabatta rolls, like vegetarian sloppy joes and using Impossible meatballs to make meatball subs. The open, airy crumb is perfect for holding condiments, and the chewy crispness is just the right texture.

Ciabatta buns are similar to baguettes, but chewier, and are often used to make paninis. Ciabatta is set apart from other breads like focaccia & naan by it's high hydration dough (80% water-to-flour ratio), which creates the large bubbles.

There is also no fat used, so the bread is chewy with a crispy crust. This makes the ciabatta perfect for making bruschetta or sopping up the sauce or marinade in your favorite saucy dish!

Jump to:

• 👩🏼‍🍳 Why These Rolls are the Best
• 🍞 Ingredient Notes
• 📝 Variations & Substitutions
• 🔪 How To Make Chewy Ciabatta Rolls
• ⏲ Expert Tips
• 🥪 How To Serve Ciabatta Rolls
• 💬 Frequently Asked Questions
• 🥖 Related Recipes
• Chewy Ciabatta Rolls Recipe

👩🏼‍🍳 Why These Rolls are the Best

• Rustic Italian bread with a soft & airy interior and chewy & crispy exterior
• Easy ciabatta recipe for beginner bread-makers; no special equipment needed
• More crust-to-bread ratio, which makes ciabatta rolls perfect for toast or making sandwiches
• Just 4 simple pantry-friendly ingredients
• Naturally dairy-free and vegan
• Freezer-friendly

🍞 Ingredient Notes

• Instant yeast - Always check the expiration date on your instant yeast. We want to use fresh yeast that has not been previously opened and that has not expired. If you have more to use, try my cinnamon rolls!
• Room temperature water - Using room temperature/lukewarm water helps our yeast do its thing. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast, so use your finger to gauge water that feels slightly warm to the touch.
• Bread flour - Contains high levels of gluten and protein, which helps to create an airy and chewy texture. You can use all-purpose flour, but your ciabatta rolls might not be as light and airy.
• Salt - Helps to bring out the flavors and aroma. Don't skip it!

📝 Variations & Substitutions

• For smaller slider rolls, cut into 8 pieces.
• Flour. Using bread flour is ideal. You can use all-purpose flour, but bread flour will produce better results, as it contains higher levels of gluten, which produces bread that has an airy and chewy texture.

🔪 How To Make Chewy Ciabatta Rolls

*See recipe card below for printable instructions

There is no kneading involved here, but we do give our dough a series of stretch-and-fold exercises (over the course of 2 hours) to help develop the gluten, which creates the air bubbles. There is also a resting period (totaling 1 hour and 40 minutes), which helps to develop the flavor.

In a small bowl, dissolve instant yeast in room temperature/lukewarm water. Stir to combine, and let it sit for 2-3 minutes. The mixture should create small bubbles.

In a large mixing bowl, combine bread flour and salt. Pour in yeast mixture and stir until well-combined using a fork or large spoon. Make sure you scrape down sides of bowl so that there are no bits of flour or dough left behind. Your dough will be very wet and sticky.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, this may take less or more time.

Wet your hands and begin the stretch-and-fold process: Grab one edge of your dough and stretch it up and then towards the center of the dough. Rotate bowl and repeat this process with all four sides of your dough. It shouldn't take more than 1 minute to fold all 4 sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 30 minutes.

Repeat this step 3 more times, every 30 minutes, for a total of 4 stretch-and-folds (totaling 2 hours). Your dough should be doubled in size after this step.

Shape your dough: Transfer dough to a floured surface. Sprinkle top of dough with a small amount of flour and shape it into a rectangle by gently pulling the dough from underneath. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and sprinkle generously with all-purpose flour.

Divide into rolls: Roll the dough into a log and press the edge to seal. Divide the rolled dough into 4 equal parts (or 8 if you are making slider rolls) using a bench scraper or bread knife, and place each piece onto floured baking sheet. Let the dough rest uncovered for 40 minutes.

Fill a large baking pan with water and place it in the bottom of your oven. Preheat the oven to 420 degrees F, and allow it to create a steam bath in your oven.

Spritz rolls with water (not necessary but will help them along) and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and nicely crisp on the outside. Let rolls cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

⏲ Expert Tips

• Use fresh instant yeast that has not expired. Don't use an already opened package of yeast, and always check the expiration date on yeast before using.
• Add steam to your oven. Place a baking pan with water on the bottom of the oven. This helps to create a crispy crust on your rolls. If you can, try and place it slightly off to the side so that it's not directly underneath the rolls while baking.
• Your yeast mixture should become bubbly and foamy. If this does not happen, double check the expiration date on your yeast, and try again with a new packet of yeast.
• Use a bench scraper or large, firm spatula. Because the dough is very wet and sticky, we need a tool to help us handle and transfer the dough.
• Use a generous amount of flour on your work surface.
• Weigh your ingredients using a (digital) kitchen scale. This ensures accuracy when baking. It's not necessary, but very helpful.
• Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Because our rolls are super fresh and don't contain any preservatives, storing them on the counter is not advisable.
• How to freeze: Place in a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in fridge overnight.
• To re-crisp: Place in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 5 minutes.

🥪 How To Serve Ciabatta Rolls

• Toast rolls for breakfast and slather with your favorite jam or chocolate hazelnut spread.
• Make breakfast sandwiches. Make a runny egg with spinach, or make a sandwich with my vegetarian frittata.
• With soup, like my black bean soup or cucumber gazpacho.
• Make savory sandwiches. Use your rolls for a variety of sandwiches, like portobello burgers.
• With a main course, and sop up any leftover sauce, like my salmon with mustard dill sauce.

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

🥖 Related Recipes

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