Whole Grain Ciabatta Bread

4.25 from 33 votes

This recipe makes two decent-sized loaves that freeze well, and they are incredibly delicious, so I promise this recipe is worth your time.

Adapted from: King Arthur Flour

Prep Time1

Cook Time15

Total Time1 15

Course: Side Dishes

Cuisine: Italian-Inspired

Servings: slices

Calories: 118kcal

In a small bowl, whisk together all the starter ingredients until well-incorporated. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and stash in a dark, cool place (not the fridge) for 24 hours.
To prepare the bread, combine all the remaining ingredients plus the starter into the pan of a bread machine set to the dough cycle or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. If using the stand mixer, mix on low until well-combined, then knead on low for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth (but it will still be sticky). Let rise until double in volume, about 90 minutes.
Deflate dough, dump out onto a lightly floured surface, and using floured hands, divide into two pieces. Form each piece into a 10-12" log and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, 5-6" apart. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rise an additional 90 minutes, or until the loaves are large and puffy. Toward the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 425°F.
After rise time, spritz the tops of the loaves with water (to help add a crunchy crust) and bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool then cut each loaf into 8 slices.