Ciabatta bread was born in Italy in 1982—an airy, rustic white bread made with just flour, water, salt, and yeast. What makes ciabatta special is its ultra-high hydration (75-80%), which creates those signature large, irregular holes inside, a chewy texture, and a thin, crisp crust. I bake it every single week at 500°F on a Baking Steel, and my kids devour it, especially warm out of the oven with soft butter. It's one of those recipes that reminds me why I invented the Baking Steel in the first place, the steel's heat makes this bread sing in a way no pizza stone ever could.
I've been making ciabatta for as long as I've been perfecting our 72-hour pizza dough, and because I make dough at least twice a week, I often end up with extras in the fridge. After about day seven, pizza dough starts to lose a bit of strength but that's exactly when ciabatta saves the day. We transform old dough into ciabatta bread, it's a ritual in the Lagsdin house. My family has been working with steel at Stoughton Steel Company in Hanover, MA since the 1960s, but this is the kind of steel work I get most excited about.
This recipe was born from those leftover dough experiments, and over time, I've dialed it in so it works perfectly with fresh dough, too. Whether you've got extra pizza dough hanging around or want to make ciabatta completely from scratch, this guide and recipe walk you through everything step by step. We're even working on turning our best doughs into ready-to-bake dough packs, stay tuned.
Pro Tip: Why Ciabatta Needs High Hydration
Ciabatta dough typically ranges between 70–80% hydration, meaning there's a lot more water compared to traditional breads. That extra water:
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Creates those large, irregular holes inside the loaf
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Makes the crumb soft and airy
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Helps the crust bake up thin and crisp
It might feel sticky to handle, but trust me, after 13 years of baking on steel, I can tell you that's exactly what makes ciabatta magical.
Ciabatta vs. Other Italian Breads
| Feature | Ciabatta | Focaccia | Baguette |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Italy (1982) | Italy (ancient) | France |
| Hydration | 75-80% (very wet) | 70-75% | 65-70% |
| Crumb | Large, irregular holes | Small, uniform holes | Medium, elongated holes |
| Crust | Thin, crispy, golden | Soft, oily, herb-topped | Thick, crispy, chewy |
| Baking Temp | 500°F | 425-450°F | 450-475°F |
| Shape | Flat, slipper-like loaf | Flat, pan-baked | Long, narrow loaf |
| Best For | Sandwiches, dipping | Appetizers, sides | Sandwiches, table bread |
Bottom line: Ciabatta's ultra-high hydration creates those signature airy holes. If you want a softer, herb-topped bread, try our overnight focaccia recipe instead.
Quick Ciabatta Dough (Makes 3 loaves)
No leftover dough? Use this simple formula.
Ingredients
- 500 g bread or all-purpose flour
- 400 g water (80% hydration), room temp
- 10 g fine sea salt
- 2 g instant yeast
Instructions
- Mix: Combine flour, yeast, salt, and water until no dry bits remain. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
- Strengthen: Do 3 sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes.
- Bulk ferment: 12–18 hours at room temp until bubbly and roughly doubled.
- Preheat: Heat oven to 500°F with a Baking Steel inside for at least 45 minutes. The steel's heat is what gives this bread its incredible crust — it's the same reason I invented the thing.
- Shape: Gently turn dough onto a floured surface. Handle lightly to preserve gas. Divide into 3 rectangles and give each a gentle stretch. (size will vary depending on how large you want to make these)
- Bake: Transfer on parchment to the hot steel and bake 18–20 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Cool on a rack.
- Pro-Tip: Add some ice cubes when you launch to create some steam
Scaling up? Make extra loaves or stash dough for later with precise baker's percents.
Use the Dough CalculatorPro Tips for Perfect Ciabatta
- Hydration drives the holes: 75–80% hydration gives you that open crumb.
- Be gentle: Don't knock out the gas. Minimal handling = maximal airy crumb.
- Heat matters: A preheated Baking Steel boosts oven spring and crust. Steel conducts heat 20x faster than stone — that's the physics that led me to invent the Baking Steel in the first place.
- Store smart: Ferment and stash dough in a lidded container like our Baking Steel Dough Container.
- Freezing dough: Yes, you can freeze it. Here's the full guide on how to freeze dough.
Ciabatta Bread FAQ
Can I use leftover pizza dough?
Absolutely. This is how this recipe was born, I had leftover 72-hour dough in the fridge past its prime, and ciabatta saved the day. Let it warm up 1–2 hours, handle gently, shape into rectangles, and bake hot on a steel.
Why is my ciabatta dense?
Usually low hydration or under-proofing. Aim for 75–80% hydration and a well-fermented, bubbly dough. Handle softly.
Do I need a Baking Steel?
Not required, but if you want that blistered, bakery-style crust, a Baking Steel makes a huge difference. Steel transfers heat 20x faster than a pizza stone, which means better oven spring and a crispier crust in less time. It's why I invented it.
Can I freeze ciabatta dough?
Yes. Lightly oil, wrap or containerize, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then rest at room temp before baking. Full details in our freezing guide.
What is ciabatta bread?
Ciabatta is an Italian white bread known for its airy, open crumb structure and crisp, golden crust. The name means "slipper" in Italian, referring to its flat, elongated shape. What makes ciabatta special is its high-hydration dough (75-80% water-to-flour ratio), which creates those signature large, irregular holes inside. It's made with just four ingredients: bread flour, water, salt, and yeast.
How long does it take to make ciabatta bread?
Making ciabatta takes 12-18 hours total, but most of that is hands-off fermentation time. Active work is only about 15-20 minutes (mixing, folding, shaping). The long fermentation develops flavor and strengthens the dough naturally, without heavy kneading. You can also use leftover pizza dough that's been in the fridge for up to 7 days—just let it warm up for 1-2 hours before shaping.
What hydration percentage is ciabatta dough?
Ciabatta dough is typically 75-80% hydration, meaning there's 75-80 grams of water for every 100 grams of flour. This recipe uses 80% hydration (400g water to 500g flour), which creates a very wet, sticky dough. That extra water is what gives ciabatta its characteristic airy, open crumb with large irregular holes. It might feel too wet to handle, but that's exactly what makes it work.
Can you make ciabatta without a stand mixer?
Yes! Ciabatta doesn't require kneading or a stand mixer. The high hydration and long fermentation time develop the gluten naturally. Just mix the ingredients by hand until no dry bits remain, then do 3 sets of gentle stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes. The dough does the work while you wait. Handle it gently to preserve all those gas bubbles.
What's the difference between ciabatta and focaccia?
Both are Italian breads, but ciabatta has an open, airy crumb with large holes, while focaccia is denser and fluffier with smaller, more uniform holes. Ciabatta is baked at high heat (500°F) for a crisp crust, while focaccia is baked at lower temps (425-450°F) and topped with olive oil and herbs. Ciabatta is shaped into loaves, while focaccia is pressed flat into a pan. For focaccia, try our overnight focaccia recipe.
Who invented the Baking Steel?
Andris Lagsdin invented the Baking Steel in 2012. He was reading a Wall Street Journal article about Modernist Cuisine at his desk at Stoughton Steel Company — his family's steel shop in Hanover, MA, which they've run since the 1960s. One line about steel conducting heat better than stone inspired him to grab a slab from the shop and test it at home. He launched on Kickstarter that same year, food scientist Kenji López-Alt endorsed it on Serious Eats, and today hundreds of thousands of home cooks use Baking Steel for pizza, bread, and more. Every one is still made at the family shop.
About the Author
Andris Lagsdin invented the Baking Steel in 2012 using steel from his family's Stoughton Steel Company in Hanover, MA — a shop his family has run since the 1960s. What started as a Kickstarter project (backed after an endorsement from Kenji López-Alt on Serious Eats) has grown into the go-to tool for hundreds of thousands of home pizza makers and bread bakers. Every Baking Steel is still made at the family shop.
Before launching Baking Steel, Andris trained under renowned chef Todd English and spent 15 years in the family steel business. He's the co-author of Baking with Steel with Jesse Olson Moore.
Today he teaches thousands of students how to make pizzeria-quality pizza and artisan bread at home through his free online classes and recipes.
More from Andris:
72-Hour Pizza Dough Recipe
Easy 24-Hour Pizza Dough
Smash Burgers on the Baking Steel
Baking Steel vs. Pizza Stone
How to Freeze Pizza Dough
