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Bread and soup form the backbone of many of my meals. Bread is not only sustenance—it’s endlessly inspiring. I get so absorbed in baking that I sometimes dash out looking disheveled, only to return with a perfect loaf. I may be a hot mess, but my bread is always well put together.
Rather than matching shoes or accessories, I like to match bread to a meal. When I planned to serve fish chowder made with a lovely Alaskan cod, bread bowls were an obvious choice. There’s a special kind of joy in eating from a bowl you can also eat—it’s playful and deeply satisfying.
My ideal fish chowder begins with finely diced onions softened in butter, then diced and grated potatoes simmered in white wine, clam juice, and milk. Large pieces of cod and a splash of heavy cream finish the pot, with a generous handful of chopped fresh dill stirred in at the end. That combination is pure comfort.
Almost any bread pairs well with chowder, but I love adding onion, dill, and sour cream into the dough and shaping it into mini boule loaves—small round loaves that can serve as individual breads or edible vessels for soup. They’re charming, practical, and a little indulgent.
This recipe is a delight: it can be finished from start to finish in about one hour. It’s an accessible bread for bakers at any level—minimal fuss, big reward. The loaves are tender yet chewy, speckled with fragrant dill and onion, and finished with a drizzle of olive oil and coarse sea salt on top.
These mini boules make excellent edible bowls for fish, potato, or corn chowder, clam chowder, or potato leek soup. They’re also delicious sliced and buttered or toasted alongside eggs for breakfast.
Cook’s Notes:
- The recipe calls for 3 cups each of all-purpose and bread flour. This blend gives a nice loft, but you may substitute all-purpose or all bread flour if needed. I do not recommend substituting other flours (whole wheat, pastry, self-rising, spelt, etc.) for this recipe.
- You can shape the dough into two large loaves instead of four small ones if you prefer.
- Because of the coarse salt on the crust, avoid storing these loaves in plastic bags. Store at room temperature wrapped in a clean towel.
- The bread is best the day it’s made but will still hold up as an edible bowl for soups, chowders, and stews for up to 48 hours. If you plan to slice and toast the bread, it will remain good for a day or two longer.
Onion, Dill, Sour Cream Bread Bowls {mini boule loaves}
Rebecca Lindamood
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 3/4 cup sour cream do not use no-fat sour cream
- 3 tablespoons dried onion flakes
- 2 tablespoons instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons sucanat or granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon dried dill weed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill seed
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- extra virgin olive oil
- coarse sea salt flakes I prefer Maldon
Instructions
Mixing the dough by Stand Mixer (preferred):
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Combine flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt, dill weed, dill seed, onion flakes, and granulated garlic in the bowl fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low for 30 seconds.
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With the mixer running, slowly add the warm water and sour cream together. Mix on low until the dough comes together and becomes smooth, about 4 minutes. Remove the bowl, scrape dough from the hook, form a smooth dough ball by hand, replace in the bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.
Mixing the dough by Food Processor:
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Combine the dry ingredients in the food processor and pulse 10 times. With the processor running, add the water and sour cream through the feed chute. Process until the dough forms a cohesive ball. Spin the dough ball about 20 times, shut off, remove the dough, form a smooth ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise 15 minutes.
Mixing the dough by Hand:
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Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add warm water and sour cream, then stir into a shaggy dough. Knead by hand about 8 minutes. After kneading, cover and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.
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Turn the dough onto a clean surface and divide into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place 5–6 inches apart on a parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheet. Drizzle each top with about a teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Slash the top of each loaf about 1/4 inch deep to allow steam to escape while baking.
To bake the loaves:
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Arrange oven racks so one is at the bottom and one in the center. Place the sheet with loaves on the center rack and a pan filled with very hot tap water on the bottom rack. Start with a cold oven, close the door, and turn the oven to 400°F. Bake for about 40 minutes.
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The crust should be deep brown and firm when done. Transfer loaves to a rack to cool completely before slicing.
To use as a bread bowl for soup:
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Use a sharp knife to cut a circle about 3/4 of the way into the top of the loaf, leaving a 3/4-inch rim. Pry out the center plug of bread, keeping it intact to toast as a crouton. Warm the bread bowl in the oven while toasting the plug, then fill with soup and enjoy.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients you use and your preferred nutrition calculator.
did you make this recipe?
Tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and use #foodiewithfamily so I can see your loaf!
Looking for more 1-hour breads?
- One Hour Sandwich Bread
- Asiago, Herb, and Garlic Bread