Bread

Hetal Vasavada’s approach to the unleavened Gujarati spiced flatbread ensures a soft, supple dough every time.

Social worker Jessica Dore turns the cards into a tool for self-care and healing.

We polled a panel of experts on their favorite flours, lames, and Dutch ovens.

When a recipe calls for sopping up sauce, these breadsticks are your sopper-uppers of choice. Topped with Kalamata olives, garlic, red onion, and Calabrian chiles, they’re also just as good on their own—serve them straight from the oven and let everyone rip them off with their hands. This recipe comes from Bryan Ford and is based on his Master Bread Dough. Feel free to customize them with whatever finely chopped toppings you desire; just be sure to press them into the dough so that they stick.

These melt-in-your-mouth dinner rolls from Claire Saffitz are even more tender and pillowy than the classic Parker House rolls.

Flaky, nutty, buttery paratha you can prep ahead.

Make these sesame buns today, then question why it took you so long to make your own buns for burgers, egg sandwiches, fried chicken, and fillets o’ fish. This recipe from bread master Bryan Ford is based on his Master Dough recipe; simply portion it out, roll into tight balls, then dip in sesame seeds (or any small seeds and seasonings of your choice—poppy, flax, dried onion…). Ford bakes his buns in muffin rings, which gives them dramatic height—but free-form works just as well.

If you’re looking for a simple recipe for a tender sandwich bread—the kind of loaf that’d be great turned into a grilled cheese or crunchy croutons—this is it. This recipe from Bryan Ford is his Master Bread Dough, rolled into a tight log and baked until golden brown. We recommend slicing it and then freezing in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container for instant toast.

A little yeast goes a looong way.

The secret behind many great breads is something called a preferment, a portion of the dough that ferments separately from (and for more time than) the rest of the ingredients. A preferment increases the strength of your dough (improving its final crumb structure) and contributes to aroma and flavor. In baker Bryan Ford’s cookbook New World Sourdough, the preferment is a sourdough starter; in this recipe, however, his preferment is the lower-maintenance poolish—a mixture of flour, water, and active dry yeast that grows overnight. Mix the poolish with more flour, water, and yeast as well as a touch of olive oil, sugar, and salt, and you get a resilient, flavorful dough that can be used in a nearly infinite number of ways. This is an instance when you really do need a kitchen scale—Ford encourages all bakers, especially beginners, to use one. The master dough can also be scaled up or down as desired.

Yes, I'm considering moving to be closer to bread. 

If making bread has long intimidated you, start here. Parathas come in many shapes, textures, and flavors across Asia—they are perfect for dipping into dals and stews or eating alongside assorted condiments. This take, which Priya Krishna learned from her aunt Rachna, is really simple: a basic wheat-based dough stuffed with silky spiced potatoes.

Use the silky shreds of this flaky Trinidadian flatbread to scoop up everything else you’re eating.

Snatch up summer’s last big, juicy heirloom tomatoes and join Sohla El-Waylly for a grilled naan and tomato party. Grated raw tomato and ghee-sizzled nigella seeds create a base for pretty-in-pink raita and do double duty smeared on the naan during grilling. Meanwhile, big tomato wedges get tossed in spiced yogurt before charring on the grill. The dough for the naan is sticky and soft, but don’t be tempted to add flour. A supple and moist dough is key to a tender, bubbly bread. Just keep kneading and the dough will grow bouncy and smooth. If you haven’t worked much with yeast, don’t fear! Flatbread is a forgiving place to start playing with fermentation.

Let’s be real: Scoring is still scary, but it’s infinitely easier with this double-sided lame from Baker of Seville.

You don't need to spring for a Dutch oven to get crusty, well-risen loaves.

We're not saying you shouldn't devour the whole loaf with a bit of butter and flaky salt...we're just saying you have options.

I'm in my pajamas but my toast is ready for its photo op.

These homemade breads are impressive, delicious, and (bonus!) will make your whole house smell great.

This is obviously a riff on avocado toast, but 10x better because homemade flatbread beats toast any day.

It’s all about making the foods that makes us feel better.

White conchas may look plain, but with a boost of high-quality vanilla, they’re unexpectedly flavorful.

Why have a chocolate- or vanilla-flavored concha when you can have both in this New York–inspired twist on the classic Mexican sweet bread?

If you like the sound of a choco-coconut concha, give the classic Mexican sweet bread tropical twist by using virgin coconut oil.