How to Make Fresh Homemade Ciabatta Bread
By Alexandra Stafford
—
Last Updated: 01/10/2026
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This post will teach you how to make a crusty, open-crumbed loaf of ciabatta bread. Below you will find a detailed guide full of tips and tricks to help you make a loaf of ciabatta bread with a crisp, golden exterior and a light, airy crumb. Find video guidance below, too!
Originating from the Lake Como region of northern Italy, ciabatta means “slipper” in Italian and is characterized by a crusty exterior and a porous, chewy crumb. Traditionally, ciabatta is made with a poolish or biga, which is a small amount of flour and water mixed with a leavening agent, left to ferment for a short time. Ciabatta dough is wet and sticky, with hydration levels often 80% or higher.
The recipe below is made in this traditional style, using a poolish that ferments for 3 to 4 hours and has an overall hydration of 82%. A few sets of stretches and folds make the dough completely manageable to work with, and the loaves emerge from the oven with a light and airy crumb full of amorphous holes.
This bread is perfect for halving and sandwiching with fillings of all kinds; its crustiness ensures it won’t get soggy if you pack it for the beach or a hike. It’s also, of course, an excellent dinner bread, served alongside a pool of olive oil to dunk into at will.
How to Make Ciabatta Bread, Step by Step
The first step of the recipe calls for making the poolish. To do so, gather your ingredients: flour, water, and instant yeast. SAF is my preference.
Whisk together 50 grams flour and 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast.
Add 50 grams water.
Stir to combine. Cover the bowl and let sit for 3 to 4 hours or until…
… the surface of the dough is dimpled with air pockets.
Add 360 grams water. (This part is really fun … the poolish bubbles up as a unit and floats on top of the water… it really feels alive!)
Stir to combine; then add 12 grams salt and stir again to combine.
Add 450 grams flour, preferably bread flour.
Using a spatula, stir until you have a sticky dough ball. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
With wet hands, perform a set of stretches and folds, by grabbing one side of the dough, and pulling it up and to the center. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat the grabbing and pulling. Do this until you’ve made a full circle. (Watch the video for more guidance. I employ a sort of “slap and fold” technique, which is helpful with this very wet dough.) Cover the bowl.
Thirty minutes later, repeat the stretching and folding.
If time permits, repeat this stretching and folding twice more at 30-minute intervals. This is what the dough looks like after the third set of stretches and folds:
This is what the dough looks like after the 4th set. Feeling the dough transform from a sticky dough ball to a smooth and elastic one is really cool.
Transfer the dough to a straight-sided vessel and let it rise at room temperature until…
… it doubles in volume. (Note: If you don’t have a straight-sided vessel, you can simply let the dough rise in a bowl.)
Then, punch down (deflate) the dough — I like to remove the dough from the vessel …
… and ball it up using wet hands.
Return the dough to the vessel; then transfer to the fridge.
The dough will likely double in volume overnight in the fridge.
Remove the dough, turn it out onto a work surface…
… then ball it up.
Divide the dough into two equal portions. Ball up each portion. I like to do this with very little or no flour — I find I get better tension with less flour.
Sprinkle a work surface liberally with flour. Place the balls top-side down (the smooth side); then sprinkle the balls liberally with flour. Cover with a tea towel and let rest for 2.5 hours. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
After the 2.5 hours… the dough balls will look like this:
Turn the balls back over…
… then carefully transfer them to a parchment-lined sheet pan.
Bake at 425ºF for 20-25 minutes or until nicely golden:
Let cool at least 20 minutes before slicing.
How to Make Ciabatta Rolls
Follow the recipe in the recipe box below until the step where you remove the dough from the refrigerator; then sprinkle a work surface with flour. Turn the dough out, sprinkle the surface with more flour, and pat it into a rectangle.
Divide into 8 portions.
Transfer to a sheet pan, cover with a tea towel, and let stand for 2 to 2.5 hours.
Transfer the pan to the oven, and bake at 425ºF for 20 to 25 minutes.
Let cool for at least 20 minutes before halving or slicing.
How To Make Fresh Homemade Ciabatta Bread
- Total Time: 24 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 rolls 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This post will teach you how to make a crusty, open-crumbed loaf of ciabatta bread. Below you will find a detailed guide full of tips and tricks to help you make a loaf of ciabatta bread with a crisp, golden exterior and a light, airy crumb. Find video guidance below, too.
Notes:
- As always, for best results, use a digital scale to measure the flour.
- I find a bench scraper particularly helpful for this recipe.
- I also really love using a straight-sided vessel (with lid) both for letting the dough rise and storing it in the fridge.
- Water: This is a very high-hydration dough, and depending on the flour you are using and your environment (if you live in a humid environment, for instance), you may need to reduce the amount of water. If, for example, when doing your stretches and folds, the dough never came together in a cohesive ball, I would reduce the water by 50 to 60 grams next time around.
- Flour: I have had success using all-purpose flour, but if you can get your hands on bread flour (I use King Arthur Flour Bread Flour, which is 12.7% protein), that is ideal. All flours absorb water differently. Through troubleshooting with people all over the world, I have learned that the type of flour being used plays a critical role in how the dough turns out, and often the amount of water needs to be reduced, especially if you live in Canada or abroad. You can make the recipe once as written or add the water slowly, mixing as you do, until the dough resembles the dough in the video.
- Tunneling: A common problem with ciabatta is tunneling: large gaping holes running through a loaf of bread. If you end up baking a loaf of hollow ciabatta, try lengthening the final proof. Why? Because when under-proofed dough enters an oven, the remaining energy in the yeast leads to fast and furious gas production. This explosion of gas breaks the gluten structure of the bread, causing the tunnel to form.
Ingredients
For the sponge:
- 50 grams (about 1/3 cup) all-purpose flour
- 2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) instant yeast, SAF is my preference
- 50 grams (about 1/4 cup) water, lukewarm or room temperature
For the ciabatta dough:
- 360 grams (about 1.5 cups) water, lukewarm or room temperature
- 12 grams (about 2 teaspoons) salt, kosher or sea salt
- 450 grams (about 3.5 cups) bread flour, see notes above
Instructions
- Make the poolish: In a large bowl, whisk together the 50 grams flour and the 2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) instant yeast. Add 50 grams water and stir with a spatula until combined. Cover the bowl with a tea towel or cloth bowl cover and set aside for 3 to 4 hours or until the dough’s surface is dimpled with holes.
- Make the dough: To the bowl of the poolish, add the water. The sponge should release from the bowl and parts of it, if not all of it, will float. Add the salt and stir briefly. Add the flour, and stir until you have a wet, sticky dough ball — dough will be very sticky. Cover with a tea towel or cloth bowl cover and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Stretches and folds: With wet hands, grab one side of the dough, and pull up and to the center. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat the grabbing and pulling. Do this until you’ve made a full circle. (Watch the video for more guidance. I employ a “slap-and-fold” technique, which is helpful when handling these wet doughs.) Cover the bowl. If time permits, repeat this process three more times at 30-minute intervals for a total of 4 sets of stretches and folds over the course of two hours. If you are short on time, know that doing just one or two sets of stretches and folds is totally fine.
- Let it rise: Transfer the dough to a straight-sided vessel, if you have one, or leave it in the bowl if you don’t. Cover the vessel with a towel and let rise until doubled in volume. Punch down (deflate) the dough — if your dough is still in the bowl, you can deflate it using wet hands right in the bowl; if your dough is in a straight-sided vessel, it may be easier to turn the dough out onto a work surface and ball it up using wet hands to prevent sticking. Return the dough to the vessel, cover it with an airtight lid, and transfer it to the refrigerator immediately for at least 12 hours. The dough can remain in the fridge for as long as 48 hours.
- Portion, shape, and proof:
- For Ciabatta Loaves: Turn the dough out onto a work surface. I prefer to do this step without flour, but absolutely sprinkle your surface lightly with flour as needed to make the dough manageable to work with. Using a bench scraper or your hands, shape the dough into a tight ball; then use the bench scraper to divide the dough in half. If you want perfectly even balls, each portion will way roughly 455 grams. Again, use the bench scraper or your hands to ball up each portion into a tight ball — see video for guidance. Sprinkle your countertop liberally with flour. Place the balls top-side (smooth side) down onto the flour. The seam-side will be on top now, and it may split open — this is fine. Sprinkle the top surface of the balls liberally with flour. Cover with a tea towel and let rest for 2.5 hours.
- For Ciabatta Rolls: Sprinkle a work surface with flour. Turn the dough out onto the work surface, sprinkle the dough with more flour, and pat it into a rectangle. Using a bench scraper, divide into 8 portions. Transfer each portion to a parchment-lined sheet pan, cover with a tea towel, and let stand for 2.5 hours.
- Preheat the oven: After the dough has proofed for 2 hours, heat the oven to 425ºF.
- Bake:
- For Ciabatta Loaves: When the dough has finished proofing, gently flip each ball over — I find a bench scraper to be helpful here. Then use both hands to stretch each ball out gently into a rectangular shaped “slipper”. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until the loaves are golden all around.
- For Ciabatta Rolls: Remove the towel, transfer the pan to the oven, and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until the loaves are golden all around.
- Cool: Remove pan from oven. Transfer ciabatta rolls to a cooling rack. Let cool for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.
- Prep Time: 24 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Yeast
- Cuisine: Italian, American
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
464 Comments on “How to Make Fresh Homemade Ciabatta Bread”
Love this recipe! Just wondering can you double the recipe in one bowl, or does that effect anything negatively? Thank you!
As long as you have a big enough bowl, and as long as you are using a scale, doubling should pose no issue 🙂
After I add the flour, salt and water to the poolish (after letting it rise/ferment for 4 hours) can I put it in the fridge for a few hours before doing the stretch and rests? Then put it in the fridge again overnight?
Yes!
My dough is way too sticky and is not forming a cohesive ball. I read your comments about experimenting and adding less water next time. Does that mean I need to toss this batch and start over? Will it still make a decent loaf of bread?
I am wondering why you didn’t use a water bath for the bread? Most of the recipes I see for ciabatta indicate a water bath, and it’s confusing! I appreciate any direction you can provide.
Hi! I don’t find the various “tricks” like water baths/ice cubes in ovens to be very effective. The only truly effective way to create steam in a home oven, in my opinion, is to bake in a preheated Dutch oven. But I prefer how these bake as the recipe is written.
Hi Ali! I was wondering if I could just put the dough straight into the fridge overnight after the stretch and folds? Also if I were to add fresh rosemary, how much to put in?
Thank you in advance! And happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Molly! I think you could do this, but how long are you planning on refrigerating it for? You might need to punch it down once after it has spent some time in the fridge. I think 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary mixed in with the flour would be nice. Happy Thanksgiving!
I was planning on keeping it in the fridge for 48 hours, but now that you say that, I suppose leaving it until it doubles in size, punching it down, and then putting it in the fridge wouldn’t be too much work. It is all just a matter of waiting!
I hear you! Waiting is hard. Hope it turns out well for you!
Just a quick question – after folding the dough for the 4th time in a 2 hour period and covering, approximately how long does it take for the dough to double in size?
Thank you!
Hi! It all depends on the time of year and the temperature of your kitchen. I’d say anywhere from 2-4 hours.
Thank you! It ended up being about 2 hours. Loved the bread and recipe and your instructions were so good. Thanks again!
Great to hear, Tom! Thanks for reporting back. Happy Thanksgiving!
In the long-ago-past I made my ferment about 30% of the total dough only because someone else did. Will additional ferment give the loaf more flavor without changing the crumb texture in your recipe? My granddaughter, who asked me to make her a ciabatta, will be thankful if this loaf turns out anywhere close to yours. Your entire presentation is worth more than 5 stars. Thank you
Hi Bob! Apologies for the delay here. I think additional ferment here could be fine, but keep in mind it is a very high hydration dough, so my only concern is that adding additional ferment potentially could make for a wetter/less manageable dough. But if you are comfortable working with very high hydration doughs, then go for it! How sweet that your granddaughter requested ciabatta?! Love her!
The ciabatta turned out amazing. I followed your recipe to the tee except for the extra ferment. The dough was a struggle but the 12 hour cold proof helped. The crumb was about what was expected and perfect for Lizzy, my granddaughter. Thanks for your response.
Great to hear! Thanks for circling back and sharing your results.
I must congradulate you. I have been making bread for over 50 years, and so few people write recipes that are so clear and use a metric system of weighing and measuring. It makes recipes so much more accurate. I am at the final proofing stage of your recipe before baking in 2.5 hours. I will let you know how it turns out, but I am sure it will be great!
I might not make this again. The two of us finished a whole loaf in less than a day. It disappears too mast!!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Sorry not sorry?! Great to hear, Andrew. Thanks for writing 🙂
Thank you, Andrew! I appreciate your kind words. I can’t bake without metric measurements anymore.
As usual, I will be using several of your bread recipes for our Christmas Eve celebration – I am the baker of the group.
For the best flavor when freezing – should I use the cooked rolls, or the dough shaped into balls?
FYI: I am also making the Focaccia, Peasant Bread (various flavors), Sourdough and Chocolate-Studded Panettone.
So nice to read all of this, Marie! I find I get the best when freezing bread/rolls, is to just slightly underbake it, let it cool completely, then freeze. When I want to serve it, I thaw the bread that day; then to reheat: bake at 350ºF for 15-20 minutes. Which rolls are you baking?
Happy holidays!!
So i have the issue that after the 12 hours in the fridge and cutting it up it will not stay in a ball shape what so ever, i live in the netherlands so should i add less water because of more water in the air here or ?
Because the 2 balls just become flat the moment it leaves my hands and thus during baking it will also be a baking tray wide.
the instructions are very clear, and it bubles allot and it tastes well but just no air in it or that it keeps shape.
Hi Rik! Apologies for the delay here. It does sound as though you need to reduce the water given your environment and perhaps also due to differences in the flour — it’s possible your flour doesn’t absorb water the way commercial bread flour does here. Try holding back 50-75 grams of water next time around and see if that helps.
Thank you for the reply(did not expect that).
I did remove 50 grams of water which helped, but the main thing that really helped next to that is slowing the video after you did the fold.
The kneding part made a huge difference for the later stages in how to handle the dow, although i still cannot make those nice round balls as it does not keep it shape that well.
Everybody liked it al lot on christmas day and the rise was massive( the turning the dough upside down before going into the oven also helped as i missed that part as well the first 8 times i made this recipe).
Thank you so much for the video and the long text here as it helped.
Oh good, I’m so happy to read all of this, Rik! Thanks for taking the time to circle back and share your results. Glad you were able to make the recipe work. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
after you put the dough on the parchment, why did you not rise it again before baking?
Hi Beth! It rises for 2.5 hours under a towel, then you stretch it gently with your hands as you transfer it to the sheet pan. It doesn’t need to rise more than the 2.5 hours once it has been transferred.
Thank you. Mine is in the fridge right now so when i take it out i will cut in half like you and place on the parchment for 2.5 hrs then bake. Thanks for replying.
Great 🙂 I hope it turned out well for you!
OOOOOHHH-MMMMM-GEEE! Thank you for your detailed step-by-step instructions because my bread came out perfect! There were lots of open crumb and working with a dough with such high hydration was really that bad following your tips. The only thing I did was after folding it 4 times is I refrigerated the dough and baked it off the next day. It was cold in my kitchen (as it always is whenever I want to make bread) so the rise times would have been really long sitting at room temperature. I kept one loaf for ourselves and one loaf went to a super happy neighbor. I will make this again!