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Homemade Bread Cups for Soup

A super simple recipe for Homemade Bread Cups for Soup! These bread cups are just smaller versions of bread bowls are are ready to fill with your favorite soup in just over an hour.

Homemade Bread Cups for Soup

I love love love a good bread bowl for my soup. It is consistently my favorite thing to order in a deli. If it’s on the menu that bread bowl will be mine alllllllllllllllllllllllllll mine.

But when it comes to bread bowls for soup my eyes are always bigger than my stomach. A bowl is too much. By the time you eat the soup you can’t enjoy the bread. And that’s depressing because gahhh I love the bread!

#carbaddict

I always wondered why I can’t just order a CUP of soup in bread. Bread CUPS for soup. So I made them myself.

You might remember awhile back when I made this Classic Crusty Herbed Dinner Loaf. It’s full of flavor and is ready to eat – start to finish- in just over an hour. The quick turnaround makes it my favorite bread recipe for all occasions. So of course I used a version of it to make my bread cups for soup.

The outside has a nice sturdy crust, which is crucial because you don’t want your soup seeping through. The bread that you hollow from the inside is soft and just slightly dense — perfect for dipping.

Easy Recipe for Small Bread Bowls for Soup

In the original recipe I add herbs to the dough – they really round the flavor out and you can totally try that here, especially if you incorporate some of the fresh herbs from your soup. But for the purpose of simplicity I tested my bread cups without herbs – just a little sea salt – and they are soooooo good. Also I will pat myself on the back for creating the perfect bread cup serving size.

How to Make Bread Bowls for Soup

I promise I will post the recipe for this broccoli cheddar soup very VERY soon – it is creamy, cheesy, loaded with fresh broccoli florets, and rings in at less than 300 calories a serving. But until then I have lots of other soupy options to tide you over. You could try…

this Potato Leek Soup with Bacon

or this Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup.

I always love my Homemade Fresh Vegetable Soup,

I’m crazy about this Easy Minestrone,

and this Mole Chili con Carne is THE BEST chili you will ever eat. I swear.

Homemade Bread Cups for Soup

Oh!! Also… you could totally serve The Best No Bake Spinach Dip in these bread cups. It’s very delicious circa 1987.

Homemade Bread Cups for Soup
Yield: 4 bread cups

Homemade Bread Cups for Soup

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Homemade little bread cups for soup that are ready to fill and eat in just about an hour.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast (I recommend a fast-acting yeast for best results)
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups warm water (read the yeast package for best temperature recommendations)
  • 3 cups all purpose flour, plus a little more for kneading
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little more for brushing the dough
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or sea salt), divided

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl stir together the yeast, brown sugar, and warm water. Let is sit for about 5 minutes. this allows the yeast to bloom.
  3. Stir in the flour, olive oil, and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt until the dough just comes together. Lift it from the bowl and form a ball. There will be a few shaggy straggly pieces - just press those into the dough with your fingers.
  4. Place the ball back into the bowl, place the bowl on top of the preheating oven, and cover with a towel. Let the dough sort of proof for about 25 minutes.
  5. Scatter a little flour on a clean work surface. Turn out the dough and knead 3-4 times. Divide into 4 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball.
  6. Brush a little olive oil on top of each ball. Sprinkle with the remaining salt. Then use a sharp knife to slash an 'X' on top of each ball.
  7. Place each round on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes. They will be a pretty golden color and will sound hollow when tapped.
  8. To serve, cut the top off each bowl and then pull the soft inside of the bread out, leaving the crust in tact. Fill with your favorite soup and then serve with the soft bread insides.

Notes

you can add 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh herbs to the dough in Step 3.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 682Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 771mgCarbohydrates: 106gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 13g

 

 

Ron

Thursday 17th of March 2022

I've made these twice, once as two bread bowls for supper (yes, they were big, renaissance festival size, and yes after we finished we were delightfully miserable), and once as directed to make 4 bread cups for lunches. This is the biggest hit I have found since I started cooking 4 years ago. I will make these again and again for stew and chili. I may need to try to find some other suitable soups so we can have them more often. Maybe a nice thick bean soup.

Thank you for a wonderfully simple, clearly written, delicious recipe.

Made as directed with no changes, results were perfect both times.

Heather Tullos

Friday 25th of March 2022

Thank you so much, Ron!

Jennifer

Tuesday 8th of October 2019

I have made these twice now and they are so easy and delicious!! My family loves them:)

Heather Tullos

Wednesday 9th of October 2019

Thank you so much, Jennifer!

Cindi

Monday 7th of October 2019

I love this recipe! So delicious and super easy to make! Thank you for sharing it!!

Heather Tullos

Tuesday 8th of October 2019

Thank you so much, Cindi! So glad you enjoyed it!

Cecilia

Monday 22nd of January 2018

I have dark brown sugar on hand, would it hurt the recipe if I used dark brown or do I need to use light brown? Thanks!

Tasha

Tuesday 9th of January 2018

Hello! I love bread bowls (like from Panera) but I never thought of bread CUPS, that is brilliant! I can't wait to try these!

Heather Tullos

Tuesday 9th of January 2018

Thanks, Tasha!Hope you enjoy them!

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