These irresistible sourdough ciabatta rolls have a golden crust, chewy crumb, and that tangy sourdough flavor!
Sourdough Ciabatta Rolls
Everyone loves simple sourdough ciabatta rolls! Made with a little extra love and a long fermentation for sourdough flavor and easy digestion!
This recipe makes about 12 sourdough ciabatta rolls, depending on how large you shape them.
Recipe Tools
- Large mixing bowl
- Kitchen scale (or measuring cups and spoons)
- Bench scraper
- Plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper (optional)
A bench scraper is a great tool when working with bread dough... It helps you easily divide the dough, lift and transfer it, and scrape up any sticky bits left on your counter!
Simple Ingredients
- 1 cup active sourdough starter or 250 grams
- 3 cups bread flour or 500 grams
- 1 ½ cups warm water or 350 grams
- 1 teaspoon salt or 10 grams
Using weight measurements is more accurate than using cups, so use one if you can for best results.
Instructions
Day 1:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of active sourdough starter with 1 ½ cups of warm water.
- Add 3 cups of bread flour to the bowl and mix until a sticky dough forms.
- First Rise - Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and let the dough sit at room temperature for 12 hours, or overnight.
The Next Day
4. After 12 hours, the dough should have risen and be bubbly. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the dough and mix well.
- Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes.
- First Stretch - Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and fold the top of the dough over the bottom, in half... This is a high hydration dough or wet dough... If the dough is too sticky use wet hands! Repeat this process for 10-15 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough back into the mixing bowl and cover it with a damp kitchen towel. Let it rest for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and fold it in half again. Repeat this process for another 10-15 minutes.
- Place the dough back into the mixing bowl and cover it with a damp kitchen towel. Let it rest for another 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Divide the dough into 12 equal rectangular shape pieces.
- Place the rolls onto a baking sheet pan lined with a piece of parchment paper and let them rest for another 30 minutes.
- Bake the rolls in your hot preheated hot oven for 20-25 minutes, until they're golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
- Let the rolls cool completely before serving.
Slack Dough
If your dough is too slack and is not developing good shape or strength, you may have added too much water or over-fermented it.
Stretch & Folds
In this recipe, the stretches and folds are used to develop the gluten in the dough and create a more elastic dough and structured crumb.
Gluten is a type of protein that gives bread its characteristic chewy texture and helps it hold its shape. When you mix flour and water together, gluten begins to form, but it needs to be stretched and folded repeatedly to develop properly. This is where the stretches and folds come in.
Each set of stretches and folds involves pulling and stretching the dough in different directions and then folding it back onto itself. This helps to align the gluten strands and develop a more organized structure. As you repeat this process, the dough becomes more elastic and easier to handle.
Sourdough Starter Hydration
I use the same sourdough starter hydration for all my recipes (like my sourdough bread for beginners). For this long fermented Sourdough Ciabatta Roll Recipe, the sourdough starter should have a hydration of 100%, which means it is equal parts flour and water by weight.
So if you're feeding your starter with equal parts flour and water by weight, you're good to go. If your starter is at a different hydration level, you may need to adjust the amount of water or flour in the recipe to get the right consistency.
Why wait to add salt till after the 12-hour bulk ferment?
The reason for waiting to add salt until after the initial 12-hour bulk fermentation is to give the yeast and bacteria in the sourdough starter time to start breaking down the flour and developing the gluten. Adding salt too early makes it harder for the dough to rise.
By waiting to add salt until after the bulk fermentation, you allow the dough to become more extensible and easier to work with.
Serving Sourdough Ciabatta Rolls
The airy, chewy texture of ciabatta rolls makes them the perfect bread for sandwiches. Slice them in half and fill with your favorite meats, cheeses, and veggies for a satisfying lunch or dinner!
Ciabatta rolls are also great for grilling or toasting... They make great paninis or grilled cheese sandwiches!
Recipe Card
Easy Sourdough Ciabatta Rolls Recipe
Simple yet irresistible sourdough ciabatta rolls! Made with a little extra love and a long fermentation!
Ingredients
- 1 cup active sourdough starter or 250 grams
- 3 cups bread flour or 500 grams
- 1 ½ cups warm water or 350 grams
- 1 teaspoon salt or 10 grams
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of active sourdough starter with 1 ½ cups of warm water.
- Add 3 cups of bread flour to the bowl and mix until a sticky dough forms.
- First Rise - Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and let the dough sit at room temperature for 12 hours, or overnight.
The Next Day: 4. After 12 hours, the dough should have risen and be bubbly. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the dough and mix well.
1. Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes.
2 First Stretch - Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and fold the top of the dough over the bottom, in half... This is a high hydration dough or wet dough, so if the dough is too sticky use wet hands! Repeat this process for 10-15 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
3. Place the dough back into the mixing bowl and cover it with a damp kitchen towel. Let it rest for 1 hour.
4. After 1 hour, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and fold it in half again. Repeat this process for another 10-15 minutes.
5. Place the dough back into the mixing bowl and cover it with a damp kitchen towel. Let it rest for another 1 hour.
6. Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C).
7. Divide the dough into 8-10 equal rectangular shape pieces.
8. Place the rolls onto a baking sheet pan lined with a piece of parchment paper and let them rest for another 30 minutes.
9. Bake the rolls in your hot preheated hot oven for 20-25 minutes, until they are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
10. Let the sourdough ciabatta rolls cool completely before serving!
Notes
- Use a kitchen scale: To ensure accurate measurements and consistent results, it's important to use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients.
- Adjust the hydration level: Depending on the consistency of your sourdough starter, you may need to adjust the hydration level of the dough. If the dough seems too dry or stiff, add a little more water. If it seems too wet or sticky, add a little more flour.
- Allow plenty of time for fermentation: The longer you allow the dough to ferment, the more flavor and texture it will develop. Don't rush the process - give the dough plenty of time to rest and rise.
- Be gentle when shaping the sourdough ciabatta rolls: Ciabatta dough is very wet and sticky, so it's important to handle it gently when shaping the rolls. Use a light touch and try to avoid adding too much extra flour.
Tips
Tips for success when making sourdough ciabatta rolls:
- Use a kitchen scale: It's important to use a kitchen scale, if you can, to measure your ingredients.
- If the dough seems too dry or stiff, add a little more water. If it seems too wet or sticky, add a little more flour.
- Bulk fermentation: The longer you allow the dough to ferment, the more flavor and texture it will develop. Don't rush the process - give the dough plenty of time to rest and rise.
- Ciabatta dough is wet and sticky, so handle it gently when shaping the rolls... Try to avoid adding too much extra flour;)
- Use a baking stone or steel: For best results, bake the rolls on a preheated baking stone. This makes a crispy crust and helps rolls bake evenly.
- To keep the rolls fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. (You can also freeze them for longer storage.)
Why Sourdough Ciabatta Rolls
Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety (2018) published the nutritional benefits of sourdough fermentation. It mentions improved mineral bioavailability and reduced glycemic index, with sourdough breads!
And a study in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" (2011), titled "Effects of Dough Leavening and Baking Conditions on Phytate Degradation and Inositol Phosphate Profile in Whole Wheat Bread," showed that sourdough fermentation really reduces phytic acid levels in whole wheat bread, for better mineral bioavailability!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!