If you're ready to go on another sourdough baking adventure, then this sourdough ciabatta recipe might be just what you need. Sourdough ciabatta combines the irresistible qualities of traditional ciabatta bread with the tangy flavour and depth brought by natural fermentation. The magic of this Italian classic lies in its unique combination of a chewy texture, airy crumb produced by wild yeast, and unmistakable tanginess derived from the bacteria in the sourdough starter. So, roll up your sleeves, feed your sourdough starter, and let's get baking!
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What Is Ciabatta?
Ciabatta bread, with its extra-crusty crust and airy crumb, boasts a distinct texture that sets it apart. Originating from Italy, specifically Lombardy, ciabatta was developed in the 1980s by baker Arnaldo Cavallari. Its name, meaning "slipper" in Italian, alludes to its unique shape resembling a house slipper.
How Is Ciabatta Bread different? It stands out for its chewy texture and characteristic open crumb, achieved through high-hydration dough and no-knead method. The high hydration results in a wet and sticky dough, contributing to the soft interior and chewy ciabatta's open crumb.
With its elongated shape and irregular holes, ciabatta is a versatile bread perfect for slicing and filling with various ingredients.
Ingredient Notes
- flour: we recommend using strong bread flour in this sourdough ciabatta recipe. Strong white flour has a gluten content of at least 12-13%.
- water: tap water is perfectly fine if it's safe to drink in your area.
- olive oil: extra virgin, ideally.
- salt.
- active sourdough starter: ripe, active and bubbly. More on the starter in the section below.
A Note On Sourdough Starter
For this Sourdough Ciabatta recipe, you'll need a ripe sourdough starter that is active and bubbly, kept at 100% hydration (equal portions of starter, water, and flour).
Since the dough is enriched with oil, it requires a robust and mighty starter with a strong colony of yeast to ensure proper rise. To maintain the strength of your starter, feed it regularly and ensure it doesn't become too acidic.
When you're ready to bake, give your starter one final feeding and allow it to at least double in size. It's important not to let it go past its peak, as that's when it starts to deflate and lose its leavening power (it's important, as this recipe is made without any commercial yeast).
Step-By-Step Method
Day 1: Bread Dough and Bulk Fermentation
1. When your sourdough starter has almost reached its peak, mix the flour and water in a large mixing bowl. This will produce a wet, shaggy dough. You may use your hands or a stand mixer for this. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and leave to autolyse for 30 minutes.
TIP: if you want your ciabatta bread to have a roughly rectangular shape, use a square or rectangular dish for mixing the dough, coil folding and bulk fermentation.
2. After 30 minutes, add the sourdough starter, salt and oil, and using your hands, squish the dough together to incorporate all the ingredients. You will have a VERY sticky dough, and that's ok.
3. Cover vessel with a tea towel/ cloth bowl cover and leave it to rest for 30 minutes.
Coil Folds
1. After 30 minutes, start 4 sets of stretches at 30-minute intervals. Our preferred method is coil folds, which aids gluten development and redistributes yeast.
2. In your large bowl, with wet hands to prevent the dough from sticking too much, lift the sticky dough that's clinging to the sides of the bowl, tucking the sides of the dough under (as if you are rolling the dough inwards into a coil). Once you've coiled it all up, twist the bowl a quarter turn and repeat again (see video below). This is your first stretch. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
3. Perform a set of stretches every 30 minutes 3 more times (that's 4 in total). After the last one, you should have an elastic dough with plenty of bubbles on the surface. Cover the bowl and leave it in a warm place for 3-4 hours (this is called bulk fermentation process).
4. Cover the bowl with the ciabatta dough properly with plastic wrap or a bag and place it in the fridge to finish proofing for 12-24 hours. We typically leave it overnight.
Coil Fold Video
Day 2: Shape, Second Proof and Bake
1. Next morning, line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment. Dust it with flour (or better yet, fine cornmeal or semolina flour).
2. Dust the work surface generously with flour. Take the dough out of the fridge. Using a dough scraper, carefully turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Tuck the dough under carefully to shape it into a square or rectangle, using a bench scraper.
3. Cut the dough right down the middle to make two equal pieces of dough (kind of two flat baguettes). Separate the two pieces away from each other, as they will spread quickly.
4. Without delay, transfer the two pieces onto a prepared baking sheet. Use a floured dough scraper to help you move the dough.
5. Dust the top of the dough with flour and cover it with a light tea towel. Leave the sourdough ciabatta to proof again for about 1 hour. Don't expect it to rise too much, but it should puff up a little.
6. Head to our dedicated article about How To Know When Your Sourdough is Done Proofing to learn more.
7. At this point, preheat the oven to 230 °C Fan. Place an ovenproof dish with a couple of centimetres of water in the bottom of the oven. As the oven heats up, hot water will create steam, which will lead to that irresistible chewy crust of Sourdough Ciabatta.
8. Place the baking sheet with ciabatta baguettes in the hot oven and bake for 25 minutes, until they are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
Transfer the bread onto a wire rack (cooling rack) and leave it to cool down to room temperature before cutting.
Tips For Success
Can I Make It In a Stand Mixer?
Whilst you will still have a tasty bread, ciabatta made in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, without performing all the coil folds will not have the same texture. It will have less airy crumb, which ciabatta is known for.
Use a Straight-Sided Vessel For Bulk Proof
If you want more uniformity in your sourdough ciabatta bread, use a straight-sided dish to ferment the dough in. After incorporating all the ingredients into the dough, tip it into a rectangular or square dish, like a ceramic or glass ovenproof dish. We do not recommend using vessels that have extremely high rims (like some Tupperware boxes) as it will be difficult to coil fold in them.
Avoid Soggy Bottom
Whilst we tend to bake our Sourdough Ciabatta on a standard baking tray, there are a few things to note if you want to avoid the soggier bottom of your ciabatta bread.
- Choose a dark-coloured baking sheet/ tray. It heats up more evenly and holds the heat better.
- You may choose to use a baking stone or a pizza stone.
- For best results, you can second-proof your ciabatta on a piece of parchment paper. Then slide it onto a preheated stone/ tray, taking care not to burn yourself.
Other Recipe FAQs
Ciabatta dough is known for its high hydration, making it a wet and sticky dough. The ideal consistency of ciabatta dough is often described as resembling a thick pancake batter. The high hydration level, typically around 70-80%, contributes to the distinctive open crumb and chewy texture of the finished loaf. When working with ciabatta dough, it is essential to resist the urge to add excessive flour, as it may result in a denser and less airy loaf.
Yes, our recipe uses only plant-based ingredients.
Yes, absolutely. To make sourdough ciabatta rolls instead, make a cut in the center of the dough, then cut each long piece into two or three. Bake them for 4-5 minutes less.
Yes, you can. I have tested this recipe with plain (all-purpose flour), and had some success with it. However, strong flour has higher gluten content, and therefore ciabatta rises a lot better, so you may end up with slightly flatter bread by using all-purpose flour.
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Storage and Freezing
Store the sourdough ciabatta bread wrapped in a linen towel or a bread bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. Read more about sourdough storage here.
You may also freeze sourdough ciabatta for up to 3 months. Wrap the bread in plastic wrap, then place it in an airtight container to protect it from freezer burn.
Reader Review
"This was the perfect texture and so flavorful! I served it with some soup and the entire family loved it."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What To Eat With Sourdough Ciabatta Bread?
- Pair it with soups and stews: Ciabatta's unique ability to absorb liquid without falling apart makes it perfect for dunking into soups. Enjoy it with Broccoli and Pea Soup or Creamy Cauliflower Soup or try adding ciabatta to a traditional Italian Ribollita. Sourdough Ciabatta is a perfect bread to serve with Sicilian Caponata or Mexican Bean Stew.
- Create a sandwich: Fill them with a combination of salami, capicola, prosciutto, turkey, ham, marinated artichokes, red peppers, olive tapenade, pesto, and provolone cheese to make a satisfying and flavorful meal. One of our favourites is Coronation Chickpea Sandwich.
- Make a panini: Ciabatta bread is commonly used for grilled Italian sandwiches known as panini. Layer meats, cheese, and vegetables between slices of ciabatta, then press and cook the sandwich in a panini grill. We love Aubergine and Halloumi Panini.
- Prepare garlic bread: For a tasty twist on garlic bread, brush slices of ciabatta with melted butter or olive oil and spread minced garlic on top. Toast them in the oven until the edges turn golden, and enjoy.
- Serve it with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar: To enjoy ciabatta bread as an appetizer, slice it into thick slices or triangles and serve it lightly toasted alongside a small bowl of extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Alternatively, pair ciabatta with saucy prawn appetizers, like Gambas Pil Pil or Prawn Saganaki. Or try dipping it in Baked Camembert With Honey, Chilli and Garlic.
- Create croutons for salads: These homemade ciabatta croutons will add a delightful crunch to your salads and soups.
Other Sourdough Bread Recipes
I hope you enjoyed this sourdough ciabatta bread recipe. If you have, please leave a comment below before moving on to your next sourdough adventure. And maybe I can tempt you with some of my personal favourite sourdough recipes that use active sourdough starter below:
- Sourdough Focaccia With Olives (or Sourdough Discard Focaccia)
- Sourdough Focaccia With Fennel and Capers
- Overnight Sourdough Croissants
- Sourdough Naan
- Sourdough Fougasse (Classic Recipe) or Sourdough Pumpkin Fougasse Bread
Sourdough Ciabatta
Ingredients
- 400 g strong white bread flour
- 300 ml water
- 150 g active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 8 g salt
- 15 ml olive oil
- fine cornmeal (fine polenta) for dusting
Instructions
Day 1: Bread Dough and Bulk Fermentation
- When your sourdough starter has almost reached its peak, mix the flour and water in a large mixing bowl. This will produce a wet shaggy dough. You may use your hands or a stand mixer for this. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and leave to autolyse for 30 minutes.
- TIP: if you want your ciabatta bread to have a roughly rectangular shape, use a square or rectangular dish for mixing the dough, coil folding and bulk fermentation.
Coil Folds
- After 30 minutes, add the sourdough starter, salt and oil, and using your hands, squish the dough together to incorporate all the ingredients. You will have a VERY sticky dough, and that's ok. Cover the dough with a tea towel/ cloth bowl cover and leave it to rest for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, start 4 sets of stretches at 30-minute intervals. Our preferred method is coil folds.
- In your large bowl, with wet hands to prevent the dough from sticking too much, lift the sticky dough that's clinging to the sides of the bowl, tucking the sides of the dough under (as if you are rolling the dough inwards into a coil). Once you've coiled it all up, twist the bowl a quarter turn and repeat again (see video below). This is your first stretch. Cover the bowl and leave the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Perform a set of stretches every 30 minutes 3 more times (that's 4 in total). After the last one, you should have an elastic dough with plenty of bubbles on the surface. Cover the bowl and leave it in a warm place for 3-4 hours (this is called bulk fermentation).
- Cover the bowl with the ciabatta dough properly with plastic wrap or a bag and place it in the fridge to finish proofing for 12-24 hours. We typically leave it overnight.
Day 2: Shape, Second Proof and Bake
- Next morning, line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment. Dust it with flour (or better yet, fine cornmeal or semolina flour).
- Dust the work surface generously with flour. Take the dough out of the fridge. Using a dough scraper, carefully turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Tuck the dough under carefully to shape it into a square or rectangle, using a bench scraper. Cut the dough right down the middle to make two equal pieces of dough (kind of two flat baguettes). Separate the two pieces away from each other, as they will spread quickly. Without delay, transfer the two pieces onto a prepared baking sheet. Use a floured dough scraper to help you move the dough.
- Dust the top of the dough with flour and cover it with a light tea towel. Leave the sourdough ciabatta to proof again for about 1 hour. Don't expect it to rise too much, but it should puff up a little.
- At this point, preheat the oven to 230C Fan. Place an ovenproof dish with a couple of centimetres of water in the bottom of the oven. As the oven heats up, hot water will create steam, that will lead to that irresistible chewy crust of Sourdough Ciabatta.
- Place the baking sheet with a ciabatta baguettes in the hot oven and bake for 25 minutes, until they are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
- Transfer the bread onto a wire rack (cooling rack) and leave it to cool down to room temperature before cutting.
Video
Nutrition
Sisley says
Your sourdough ciabatta is so delicious and it was really fun to make!
Ieva Greber says
Thanks!
Casey says
I never thought of making sourdough ciabatta, but since I love ciabatta and I love sourdough, this is the perfect combo. Thanks for sharing!
Ieva Greber says
I really hope you like the recipe. We think it's a wodnerful way to use sourdough starter!
Chenee says
This was the perfect texture and so flavorful! I served it with some soup and the entire family loved it.
Ieva Greber says
Thank you, Chenee! Glad you liked it 🙂
Tara says
Oh yum! This ciabatta sounds so good with that tangy flavor. I love all the different ways to use the bread too.
Susie says
Thankyou for this amazing recipe 🌝.. Ciabatta Sourdough is one of my favourites 😋 your recipe is just perfect ciabatta every time I make it ❣️
Thanyou so very much x 🌞🥖
Ieva Greber says
You are most welcome, Susie! I am so happy you are enjoying the recipe. And thanks for taking the time to leave such kind feedback 🙂
Marisa says
2 comments
I must be an idiot because I don’t understand how to use the starter
How much starter do you use ? It says add a certain of flour and water to feed it but then how much of that do you use once it active ? Sorry newbie here
Also can this be done in a Dutch oven? I inherited a beautiful oblong Staub I’d like to use for this. Thank you !
Ieva Greber says
Hi, Marisa. This recipe requires 150g of active sourdough starter, after it's been fed and doubled in size, so you can weigh it after doubling. To get 150g of active starter, you will need to feed 50g of unfed starter with 50g water and 50g flour and leave it in a warm spot to at least double in volume within 4-5 hours. Hope this helps!
We were all newbies once, so don't hesitate to ask. Ciabatta is a challenging bread to make (it's extremely wet and sticky...), but if you're ready for a new challenge and learning new dough handling techniques, go for it!!! 🙂