I am obsessed with all things sourdough, and this light and airy sourdough ciabatta is one of my favorites. I’d make it every day if I could — it’s that easy!
After almost a year of experimenting with 10-15 different versions of this sourdough ciabatta recipe, I’m proud to say that I’ve landed on the best one. The golden brown crust is so delicious, and the flavor is unmatched. The steps are so simple that anyone can follow along — even busy moms who aren’t crazy about baking. You guys, it seriously felt like I tested this recipe a million times… but it was so worth it. I’m excited to finally bring you this easy recipe and hear your feedback!
Ciabatta is made with a high hydration dough, which means that it calls for more water than a typical bread dough. The dough may be sticky, but it produces the most amazing open crumb and irregular holes. Cutting in and seeing all those holes after it’s baked is my favorite part of the process! This bread is seriously so good on its own, but I also love dipping it in olive oil, pairing it with soup, or making paninis or sandwiches with it. The options are endless!
*Disclaimer: Don’t stress about perfection! The imperfections are what make your bread homemade with love.*
How To Make Sourdough Ciabatta
If you’re feeling intimidated by the long process of making sourdough, take a tip from me — relax! It’s mostly hands-off time, and the stretching and folding is way easier than it sounds.
- Mix together the dough and rest: In a large bowl, mix together the water, starter, salt, and flour. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold the dough: Perform a stretch and fold every 30 minutes for a total of three times.
- Wait for the bulk fermentation: Let the dough rest at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or until it doubles in size.
- Chill the dough: Place a clean cotton or linen kitchen towel (I love this set) on a flat tray or baking sheet, and dust it generously with flour. Transfer the dough onto it, cover the tray, and let the dough rest in the fridge for 8-10 hours.
- Shape the ciabatta: Coat the top of the dough generously with flour. On a floured surface, stretch the dough into a 12×15 inch rectangle. Cut it into 12 equal pieces, about 3×4 inches each, then gently transfer each piece onto a floured baking sheet.
- Allow the ciabatta to rise: Preheat the oven to 475°F. Allow the ciabatta to rise for about 30 minutes.
- Bake the ciabatta: Bake the ciabatta for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 450°F and bake it for another 10-15 minutes. Transfer the ciabatta to a cooling rack and allow it to cool for 20 minutes.
Hot tip: To ensure accurate measurements, use a kitchen scale to measure 675 grams of flour, 540 grams of water, 145 grams of sourdough starter, and 15 grams of salt.
Tips For the Best Sourdough Ciabatta
My friends, I’ve been making sourdough bread for years. It’s honestly easier than you think, especially with these game-changing tips. You’ve got this!
- Be patient! Patience is the name of the game. Unlike commercial yeast, sourdough starter takes more time to aerate the dough. If you absolutely can’t wait overnight, a same-day bake still produces great results — just chill the dough for 3-4 hours to firm it up before shaping.
- Keep temperature in mind. If your ciabatta dough doesn’t seem to be rising, place it in the oven with the light turned on or in another warmer place of your house.
- Wet your hands to stretch the dough. Each set of stretches and folds develops the gluten in the dough, which creates the perfect bread texture. This dough is super sticky, so work with wet hands to prevent it from sticking to your hands.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. This prevents the surface from drying out during the rising time, and it traps the heat to encourage the dough to rise.
- Flour the work surface generously. Have I mentioned that this is a sticky dough? Trust me — a well-floured work surface protects your kitchen from turning into a disaster zone.
- Make the pieces bigger or smaller. I usually get 9-12 pieces of ciabatta from this recipe, depending on how large I cut the squares.
- Trust the process. Your ciabatta may not look “perfect” when you first shape it, but it’ll puff a lot in the oven. Let the sourdough starter and oven work their magic!
- Allow the bread to cool before slicing. To avoid a gummy texture, give the baked ciabatta at least 20 minutes to cool before cutting in.
Make Ahead
For fresh sourdough ciabatta anytime, freeze the unbaked rolls on a baking sheet until they’re solid, then store them in a freezer bag for up to two months. When you’re ready to bake, allow the rolls to thaw, then proof and bake them as directed.
Storage
To keep sourdough ciabatta fresh, store it in a plastic bag or airtight container at room temperature for a few days. If you want to keep it for longer, store it in the freezer in an airtight bag for up to two months (although it never lasts that long in our family!).
More Sourdough Recipes
- Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls — Guaranteed to impress at brunch
- Sourdough Bread — Classic artisan loaf with plenty of baker’s secrets
- Sourdough Sandwich Bread — Your new favorite sandwich bread
- Sourdough Focaccia — Crispy, chewy, fluffy… yum
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups water room temperature
- 2/3 cup sourdough starter
- 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 5 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the water and starter. Add the salt and flour, then mix until everything is combined. The dough should be slightly wet and sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, perform the first stretch and fold. Repeat every 30 minutes for a total of 3 stretches and folds.
- Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or until it doubles in size.
- Place a clean kitchen towel on a flat tray or baking sheet, and dust it generously with flour. Transfer the dough onto it and cover it. Place the dough in the fridge overnight, or for 8-10 hours.
- Immediately remove the dough from the towel while it's still cold (it gets sticky at room temp) and generously coat the top with flour. Place the dough on a floured work surface and stretch it into a 12×15 inch rectangle.
- Cut the dough into 12 equal squares, about 3×4 inches each. Gently transfer each piece onto a floured baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 475°F. Allow the pieces to rise for about 30 minutes, then bake them for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 450°F and bake the bread for another 10-15 minutes.
- Transfer the ciabatta to a wire rack and allow them to cool for 20 minutes. Enjoy!
Hi Nataliya I’m confused, in picture 4 it says to transfer the dough onto a well floured towel and place in fridge. But your photo shows your stretched dough in a baking pan. Do we place it on a towel inside the pan and stretch it out? Or leave it as a ball overnight? Do you have a video of this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Alina,
You're right—the photo can be misleading. I should update it. It's best to stretch the dough out and leave it on a well-floured towel in the fridge; that’s the easiest way to keep the bubbles in the bread extra large.
I've tested this recipe for a long time and have tried it without the towel, but I preferred the results with it.
Hope this helps! Enjoy! 😊
Hi - Question - Is the starter freshly fed or discard?
Hey Jerry, I use freshly fed sourdough starter. Happy baking - I hope you enjoy the ciabatta!
I was looking for ciabatta sourdough recipe. I already tried 2 and today will make it using your recipe! Hopefully it will turn out good and we will like it!
I hope you love this recipe! Let me know how it goes and if you have any questions along the way. Happy baking!
I made it 2 times. First time it didn't turn out good, I think my scale was off a bit and instead of 145 grams of starter I had like half the amount. But second time I made everything exact and oh my it's good! I'll be keeping this one as my #1 for ciabatta bread
So glad you gave it a second try! Ciabatta can be tricky, but getting those measurements just right makes all the difference. 🎉 Enjoy your new go-to ciabatta recipe!