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Easy Homemade Bread Bowls for Two

Easy Homemade Bread Bowls for Two are fluffy and light and are amazing filled with a yummy soup or dip. They are easy to make and the bread from the inside can be used to dip with or made into homemade croutons. This small batch recipe makes 2 bowls using just a handful of ingredients and is so much better than store-bought bread bowls.

Need soup or dip to go in these bowls? Try this Creamy Vegetable Soup, or this Loaded Baked Potato Soup, or this Beer Dip.

Why I love this recipe

These edible bowls are a perfect vessel for dips and delicious soups. Each bowl is an individual serving.

a homemade bread bowl filled with cheesy vegetable soup.
Easy Homemade Bread Bowls for Two

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Easy Home Cooking For Two – by Zona Cooks features 60 main dish recipes giving you two months’ worth of simple homemade food that will impress any night of the week. NEW LOWER PRICE Check Cookbook Price

Basic Ingredients

(amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post)

warm water

active dry yeast (fresh)

sugar

butter

salt

all-purpose flour

Cooking oil to coat the dough

Substitutions

You can use all-purpose flour or bread flour.

You can use a large bowl and a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer.

Equipment used for this recipe

How to make a soup bread bowl

Step 1 – In the bowl of a stand mixer add warm water, yeast, and sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes to get foamy and activate the yeast. (see tip #1 below)

yeast activating in water and sugar.

Step 2 – To the yeast mixture, add softened butter and salt and, using the dough hook attachment, mix until combined.

butter whisked into yeast mixture.

Step 3 – Gradually add the flour.

Step 4 – Knead with the stand mixer or by hand for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and isn’t sticking to the sides of the bowl.

soft dough in a silver bowl.

Step 5 – Pour a little oil over the dough and turn it over with a silicone spatula a couple of times to coat.

soft dough coated in oil in a silver bowl.

Step 6 – Cover with a warm damp kitchen towel and place in a warm spot to allow it to rise until doubled about 45 minutes. (see tip #2 below)

Step 7 – After the first rise punch the dough down, cut it into 2 equal pieces, and form them into balls.

two round dough balls resting on a baking sheet.

Step 8 – For the second rise, place dough balls on a greased baking sheet, or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and lightly cover with a piece of plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick spray. Let it rise once more for about 20-30 minutes without touching it.

two risen round dough balls on a baking sheet.

Step 9 – Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F

Step 10 – Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and bake in the preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Step 11 – Cool each large bread bowl on a wire rack.

two baked bread bowls cooling on a rack.

Step 12 – Then, with a sharp knife, cut off the top of the bread bowl like a pumpkin lid when carving a pumpkin. Repeat with the second bowl.

Easy Homemade Soup Bowl with the lid cut off.
Easy Homemade Soup Bowls

Step 13 – Remove some of the bread from the inside of the bread bowl to hollow it out. Be careful not to create any holes through the crust. Fill with your favorite soup or dip and enjoy!

Baked Bread Bowl filled with soup on a plate.
Baked Bread Bowls

Pro Tips

Tip #1: To get the right water temperature, hold your finger under the running water. It should just barely feel warm. If you use water that is too hot it will kill the yeast and your dough won’t rise.

Tip #2: If you need a warm place, turn on your oven to 170 degrees F. Once the oven reaches this temperature turn it off then place the covered bowl inside to rise and close the door.

Tip #3: To make this vegan use vegan butter

Recipe FAQs

What are the best types of soup to fill bread bowls?

Fill these bowls with delicious creamy soups, hot soup, thicker soups, and warm soup. Serve them filled with your favorite dips for chips, bread cubes, or veggies.

You may also enjoy

Yield: 2 Bread Bowls

Easy Homemade Bread Bowls

Baked Bread Bowl filled with soup on a plate.

Easy Homemade Bread Bowls for Two are fluffy and light and are amazing filled with a yummy soup or dip. They are easy to make and the bread from the inside can be used to dip with or made into homemade croutons. This small batch recipe makes 2 bowls using just a handful of ingredients and is so much better than store-bought bread bowls.

Prep Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup warm water
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (fresh)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons butter (room temperature)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour)
  • Cooking oil to coat the dough

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer add warm water, yeast, and sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes to get foamy and activate the yeast. (see tip #1)
  2. Add softened butter and salt and mix until combined.
  3. On low speed, gradually add the flour.
  4. Knead with the stand mixer or by hand for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  5. Pour a little oil over the dough and turn it over with a silicone spatula a couple of times to coat.
  6. Cover with a warm damp tea towel and place in a warm spot to allow it to rise until doubled about 45 minutes. (see tip #2)
  7. After the first dough rise, punch dough down and form it into 2 equal-sized balls.
  8. Grease a baking sheet, or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet and lightly cover them with plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick spray. Let it rise once more for about 20-30 minutes without touching it.
  9. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
  10. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown.
  11. Cool on a wire rack.
  12. Then, with a sharp knife, cut off the tops like a pumpkin lid when carving a pumpkin.
  13. Remove some of the bread from the inside to hollow out the bowl. Be careful not to create any holes through the crust. Fill with your favorite soup or dip and enjoy!

Notes

  • Tip #1: To get the right water temperature, hold your finger under the running water. It should just barely feel warm. If you use water that is too hot it will kill the yeast and your dough won’t rise.
  • Tip #2: If you need a warm place, turn on your oven to 170 degrees F. Once the oven reaches this temperature turn it off then place the covered bowl inside to rise and close the door.
  • Tip #3: To make this vegan use vegan butter

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 613Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 1686mgCarbohydrates: 107gFiber: 5gSugar: 5gProtein: 15g

Nutrition information is a guideline only, is calculated automatically by third party software, and absolute accuracy is not guaranteed.

Did you like this recipe?

Please leave a comment on this post and pin this recipe on Pinterest.

Hi and welcome. I’m Zona and I have a passion for recipes. I share recipes, tips, tricks, and resources to help you cook for two. Eat, drink, and enjoy!

Zandi

Sunday 31st of January 2021

This recipe is amazing! Perfect! The bread bowls turned out perfect. I followed the recipe exactly (which I hardly ever do). I am a novice at making bread and had never made bread bowls before. Thank you for this amazing recipe!

Zona

Monday 1st of February 2021

Hi Zandi, I'm so happy you enjoyed these great bread bowls and tried cooking something you never did before. So fun!

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