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If you love crusty French baguettes, soft whole wheat bread, or easy homemade croissants, you are going to fall for this Ciabatta Recipe, too. It is simple, reliable, and perfect for when you want fresh, artisan‑style bread without fuss.

Close up image of the cut end of a loaf of ciabatta, showcasing the light, airy interior.

Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients You'll Need
In Photos: How To Make Homemade Ciabatta Bread
Overnight Option
Freezing Unbaked Loaves or Rolls
How to Store the Baked Bread
More Homemade Recipes

Jump to Recipe

This recipe uses only four ingredients and happens all in one bowl. Almost no active time is needed. Just gentle folding and a lot of resting. You can bake it within a few hours, or opt for an overnight option that extends the process over two days, allowing the flavor to develop even deeper.

When baked, it turns out beautifully airy on the inside with a crisp exterior and a chewy edge. Picture those dreamy air pockets, a crackly crust, and bread that is tender, moist, and just begging to be dipped or toasted. Trust me, you are going to love it.

What Is Ciabatta Bread?

Ciabatta (pronounced cha‑BAH‑tuh) is Italian for slipper, named for its slightly flattened, slipper‑like shape. It is made from a very wet, no-knead dough that yields a wonderfully open crumb and a crust that is both brown and crunchy. Inside, the bread is full of varied air bubbles. That is exactly what makes it so irresistible.

Serve it simply with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, slice and toast it with garlic and butter, or slice it for sandwiches or panini. It also makes a lovely side for cozy one-pot dinners, such as mushroom risotto, corn chowder, chili, or even a fresh Cobb salad.

Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe

This recipe uses just four simple ingredients, all of which you probably already have on hand.
There's no kneading involved! Just a few easy folds and some resting time.
The finished bread is light and airy inside, with big open holes and a delicate, crisp crust.
You can bake it as a loaf or rolls, and it freezes beautifully for fresh bread anytime.

Ingredients You'll Need

The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you're cooking.

All-Purpose Flour - Regular all-purpose flour works perfectly for this recipe. No need for specialty flours.
Salt - Enhances the flavor of the bread and balances the yeast.
Active dry yeast - Helps the dough rise and creates that lovely airy texture.
Water - You'll need both warm water (to activate the yeast) and cool water (to hydrate the dough and keep it loose and sticky).

In Photos: How To Make Homemade Ciabatta Bread

Let's break this down into five simple steps:

Making the Dough
Resting and Folding
Shaping the Loaf (or Rolls)
Final Rise
Baking

Step 1: Making the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt until well combined. All‑purpose flour works perfectly here. No need for specialty blends.

Flour, salt, yeast, and warm water in a large glass mixing bowl.

In a separate small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water (aim for bath‑warm, around 105-110°F). Once it becomes foamy, pour it into the flour mixture.

Freshly made ciabatta dough in a large mixing bowl.

Slowly add the remaining cool water, a bit at a time, stirring after each addition. The dough will be wet and loose. This is exactly right for ciabatta.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Resting and Folding

After the initial rest, perform two sets of folds during a two‑hour rest period: fold top to bottom, bottom to top, left to right, and right to left. These gentle folds replace kneading.

Let the dough rest for an hour, then fold it once. Rest for another hour, then fold it again and rest for one more hour before shaping.

Folding ciabatta dough over onto itself.

Step 3: Shaping the Loaf (or Rolls)

This wet dough naturally forms a loose rectangle. Lightly flour your hands and gently shape the dough into a ball on a parchment-lined sheet.

If you prefer ciabatta rolls, you can divide the dough into six equal pieces. Give them space on the parchment so there's room for the rolls to rise.

Shaping ciabatta loaf on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Step 4: Final Rise

Loosely cover with generously oiled plastic wrap and let stand in a warm spot for 30-45 minutes. This protects the delicate dough and helps preserve those lovely air bubbles.

Step 5: Baking

While your dough is rising, preheat the oven to 475°F. Place a heat‑safe pan on the bottom rack.
Once the dough has risen and looks plump, nearly doubled in size, gently remove the wrap and mist the dough lightly with water. Place the loaf on the middle rack and quickly pour two cups of water into the pan on the bottom rack to create steam.

Bake the bread until the crust is deeply brown, crisp, and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. The ideal internal temperature for ciabatta is about 190°F. This usually takes about 35 to 45 minutes, but ovens vary.

Overnight Option

If you prefer a slower schedule and richer flavor, press pause here after shaping. Cover the dough and refrigerate it for up to 2 days, or freeze it for up to 2 weeks. When you're ready to bake, remove it from the fridge (no need to thaw if frozen), preheat the oven, and bake as directed.

Helpful Tips and Tricks

Use plenty of oil on your plastic wrap to avoid sticking and preserve loft.
Folding replaces kneading. Just be gentle to retain air.
Cold overnight fermentation deepens the flavor. Embrace the wait!
Create steam in the oven for that beautiful crust.
Use internal temperature or that hollow‑sounding tap to know it's done.

Overhead image of a ciabatta roll cut into slices, with olive oil & balsamic nearby for dipping.

Freezing Unbaked Loaves or Rolls

Place shaped loaves or rolls on a sheet pan in the freezer until firm. Wrap them tightly and store in freezer bags for up to 2 weeks. When you want fresh bread, bake straight from the freezer while the oven preheats. Easy, fresh ciabatta whenever you want.

How to Store the Baked Bread

Fresh ciabatta stays soft for a couple of days when tightly wrapped at room temperature. To stretch its life, refrigerate for a week or so. I also love freezing sliced or whole loaves-slices thaw quickly at room temperature or in a 170°F oven. Keep them in a zip‑top bag for quick reheating anytime.

More Homemade Recipes

Ciabatta bread recipe, prepared and presented on a wooden board with greenery.

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