No-Knead Artisan Ciabatta Bread

Ciabatta, the perfect Italian bread that’s chewy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and so much easier to make than you think! All you need for this recipe is flour, salt, water, yeast, and time. 

This particular recipe does not require kneading; the overnight rise is doing all the work for us!

The hardest part about this recipe is how long you have to wait to eat it. I’ve made breads that have a quicker rise time, but trust me when I say that letting it rise overnight is worth the wait.

You can’t beat that light and chewy crumb that is only made with time!

I find that the second proof rises more out than up, but don’t be alarmed! That will help create the famous ciabatta shape, and it’ll end up rising a lot more in the oven as well.

What Is Ciabatta?

Ciabatta is a flat, open-textured Italian bread that is specifically made for catching oil and vinegar, whether you are eating it as a sandwich or dipping it. 

What’s The Difference Between Ciabatta And French Bread?

Ciabatta is made with more water, thus yielding a wetter dough. It is also made with bread dough, making it able to handle more toppings.

If you don’t have bread flour at home, all-purpose flour will still make a tasty ciabatta loaf. 

What Is The Best Way To Use Ciabatta?

As I said before, ciabatta is meant to soak up oils and dressings, so use it to make salami and cheese sandwiches to bring on a picnic, or dip in pesto at dinner. 

Tips For Making Ciabatta Bread

1. Spray the loaf with water before baking it to give it that extra flaky crust. 
2. Bake it for longer than you think. This bread is easy to underbake. The first time I made it I baked it for 35 minutes, and the second time it was 42 minutes and it turned out much better. 
3. I know it’s tempting to want to cut into it right away, but you have to let it cool for at least 45 minutes so it sets properly.
4. Don’t overthink it! This bread recipe really is as simple as mixing it all in a bowl, letting it sit, shaping the loaf, and baking it—you’ve got this!

How To Make No-Knead Artisan Ciabatta Bread

Step 1

Assemble your ingredients.

Place the flour, yeast, and salt in a bowl and give it a quick stir. Add the water and gently mix until you have a tacky dough.

Step 2

Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, cover, and let it rise for 18 hours. 

Step 3

The next day, punch down the dough with a spoon or spatula and fold it over a few times. 

Step 4

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with flour. Flour a kitchen towel as well. 

Step 5

Lay the dough onto the floured baking sheet and gently shape your dough into a rectangular shape. I find dipping your hands in water keeps the dough from sticking to them.

Lay the floured kitchen towel over the loaf and let it rise for another two hours. 

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Step 6

Bake your bread until it has a perfectly crispy crust, about 40 minutes.

Enjoy as a sandwich or pre-dinner appetizer dipped in olive oil and vinegar. 

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