Air Fryer Bread Bowls Recipe | Panera Style Bread Bowl Recipe

How to Make Bread Bowls from Scratch at Home | Bread Bowls for Soup

Hello Foodies,

Enjoy a warm and hearty bread bowl filled with dreamy creamy soup or dip! Fall weather means bread bowls!! I love how I can get both the crunch of the outer skin of the bread bowl and also the soft interior that soaks up all the flavor of the soup. These cute little bread bowls are a great way to serve soup in the wintertime.

It’s perfect weather for a bread bowl filled with our delicious Vegan Tomato Basil Soup or Broccoli Cheddar Soup. This soup is hearty and the bread is so comforting. This easy recipe for a homemade bread bowl is made in the air fryer and it's fantastic! Cooler weather is on the horizon and is begging you to make a soup or stew for these bread bowls. Go ahead and give it a try. The best bowls are the ones you can eat.

Video Recipe:

Ingredients that used to make Bread Bowl:

Flour: I have used bread flour and it worked well. But you can use just whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour or half-half.

Yeast: I have used active dry yeast. Active dry yeast rice slowly and develop a perfect flavor. Yeast helps to expand and become lighter and softer than the bread.

Salt: salt gives flavor to the bread. Bread baked without salt will be tasteless. Also salt helps preserve the color and flavor of the flour.

Water: Use lukewarm or warm water to bloom the yeast. If you use boiling hot water then it will kill your yeast.

What if you don't have a Stand Mixer?

No mixer, no problem. All you have to do is knead everything by hand. After mixing all the ingredients, transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead by hand until all the flour is incorporated and you end up with a dough that is soft to touch.

Recipes to Serve with the Bread Bowls:

Instant Pot Vegan Tomato Basil Soup
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Cream of Celery Soup
Creamy White Bean Enchilada Soup
Instant Pot Corn Chowder
Vegan Tom Kha Soup
Classic Italian Minestrone Soup
Coriander-Lentil Soup
Broccoli Cheddar Mac & Cheese Bread Bowl
Pav Bhaji Bread Bowl

Ingredients:

6 cups Bread Flour(You can use all-purpose flour too)
2 Tsp Salt
4 ½ Tsp(2 packets) Active Dry Yeast
2 Tsp Sugar
2 Cups Warm Water(the temperature should be around 110 to 120 degrees)
3 Tbsp Olive oil
Milk for brushing

Instructions:

To Activate the Yeast:

In a bowl pour warm water and add sugar and yeast.
Mix well, cover, and keep it aside for about 5 minutes or until frothy and foamy.

To Prepare the Dough:

Mix bread flour and salt in another bowl.
Now, in a stand mixer’s bowl add flour, and salt mixture.
Now, slowly add foamy yeast water to the flour mixture.
Attach the dough hook to the mixer and turn on the mixer to medium-low speed.
Now, gradually add the remaining yeast mixture until the dough comes together.
Continue kneading on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft, smooth, and slightly sticky dough forms(If it’s too sticky, add more flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time).
Now, pour 2 Tbsp olive oil and knead for 2-3 minutes.
Turn off the mixer and take the dough out of the bowl and form a dough ball.

To Proof the Dough in the Instant Pot(1st Proofing):

Meanwhile, grease the inner pot of the instant pot with oil.
Transfer the prepared dough into the instant pot and grease with oil(apply oil to avoid drying of the dough).
Cover it with a glass lid or plate( you can use the lid of the instant pot too) and let the dough rise on yogurt mode for 30 minutes.
After half an hour open the lid and the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and take it out.
Roll the dough and divide it into 6 equal parts.

To proof the dough without instant pot:

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about 1-2 hours or until it doubled in size in a warm place.

2nd Proofing:

Shape each portion into a round ball.
Place loaves on a flour sprinkled baking tray.
Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 15-20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, uncover the dough and brush the buns with milk (For vegan, use any plant-based milk).

To Air Fry the Bread Bowls:

Preheat the Air Fryer at 400 degrees F for 5 minutes.
Place the tray in the Air Fryer.
Air Fry bread bowls in a preheated air fryer for 12-15 minutes or until it becomes golden brown on the outside.
Allow bread to cool on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes before slicing it.

To cut the bread to make bread bowl for soup:

Cut a ½ inch thick slice from the top of each loaf to create a bowl.
Scoop out the insides to create a deeper well, leaving ¾ inch thick shells.
Fill the bread bowl with your favorite soup, or any dip.
I have served a bread bowl with Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Enjoy!!!

To Make Ahead & How to Refrigerate?

After the dough has risen the first time(1st proofing), punch it down in the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for up to 2-3 days.
When ready to make, remove from the fridge and continue with dividing the dough and do 2nd proofing and air fry them.

How to Reheat Bread Bowl:

This bread will keep in an airtight container on the counter for 2-3 days. The crust will lose its crunchy texture as the bread sits, but popping leftover slices into the toaster for a few minutes will crisp it right back.

Tips to Make Bread Bowls:

Use a rack to cool the bread, so air can circulate and prevent soggy bread.
Let the baked bread cool completely before slicing.
Make sure water used to mix the yeast is warm or lukewarm, but not boiling hot. Hot water will kill the yeast.
You may require less or more flour and water accordingly to get the soft dough.
2 cups of water for 6 cups of bread flour worked well for me.
If you substitute all-purpose flour for bread flour, the result will not be the same as bread flour bowls. Bread flour contains a higher amount of protein which helps to create the bread bowl's structure.
You can make dinner rolls, bread loaf, or pizza too with this dough.
The humidity, altitude, and temperature, can impact how much flour you need in your bread dough.
Instead of soup, you can also fill bread bowls with your favorite dip too.

Dietary Comment:

The calorie count is based on 2000 calories.
Per serving contains 520 calories, along with 96.3 g carbohydrates, 5.7 g dietary fiber, 7.5 g fats, and 18 g protein.
Portion size can always be increased or decreased depending on your health goals and activity level.

If you make this recipe, share your food picture with hashtag #aaichisavali on Instagram and Facebook so that everyone can enjoy it too!
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