Is there anything more delicious than a batch of freshly-baked ciabatta bread? Crusty on the outside and soft and warm on the inside, ciabatta is an Italian favourite that has gained popularity all around the world. But what is the best way to store it? Is it freezable?
Can You Freeze Ciabatta?
Yes, you can freeze ciabatta for up to 3 months. Once you have taken your bread out of the oven, stand it at room temperature until it has cooled completely. Then, wrap it tightly in foil and add it to a freezer-safe bag.
Do Does Ciabatta freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Ciabatta? No
How to Freeze Ciabatta
Freezing ciabatta is an excellent way to preserve this delicious type of bread for another day. Given how delicious it is when itās fresh, the good news about freezing ciabatta is that it doesnāt deteriorate in quality in the freezer, providing you wrap it tightly.
Here are the steps you need to follow in order to freeze ciabatta:
- Cool: If you have baked ciabatta at home, this first step is the most important! When you have removed it from the oven, stand your ciabatta on a drying rack or airing tray for a couple of hours until the bread has completely cooled.Ā
- Portion (Optional): If youāre planning to freeze a whole loaf of ciabatta, you can skip this step. But depending on how you plan on using it in the future, you might want to split it into smaller portion sizes to make things easier when you come to defrost it.Ā
- Wrap: Place your ciabatta bread on a generous piece of tin foil. Then, wrap it tightly, ensuring that every piece of the breadās crust is covered. You might even want to double-wrap it to be on the safe side.Ā
- Bag up: Once wrapped, place your ciabatta in a suitably sized freezer-safe bag.Ā
- Label and Freeze: Write todayās date and the use-by date on the front of the bag, before placing it in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze ciabatta bread for around three months.
3 Tips for Freezing Ciabatta
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing ciabatta to have the best results:
Never Freeze Warm Bread
We canāt stress enough how important it is to allow your ciabatta sufficient cooling time before you freeze it. If you rush into it and freeze ciabatta while itās still warm or hot, the bread will go soggy and mushy in the freezer. Make sure your ciabatta is cool to touch before wrapping it and placing it in the freezer.
Freeze as Soon as Possible
Ciabatta is undoubtedly best enjoyed when itās fresh out of the oven. If youāre planning to freeze ciabatta, you will need to wrap it up and freeze it as soon as itās cooled to enjoy it later down the line. If you leave your ciabatta sitting out for a day or so it will deteriorate in quality, so freeze it ASAP for the best tasting bread.
Freeze Other Types of Bread
Ciabatta is just one type of Italian bread that is super popular all around the world today. Regardless of the type of bread you have baked, you can freeze it by following the steps introduced above. The key is to always protect it from freezer burn and give it sufficient time to cool before wrapping it up.
How Long Can You Freeze Ciabatta?
You can freeze ciabatta for around three months.
While some people might be tempted to freeze it for longer than this, doing so can affect the texture of your loaf.
This is because of the ice crystals that form during the freezing process, so if you want your ciabatta to be soft and delicious when you defrost it, we would recommend using it within three months of freezing it.
You can keep ciabatta bread either in the fridge or at room temperature for around 5 days. In both cases, it should be kept in an airtight container or bag.
How Do You Defrost Ciabatta?
The best way to defrost ciabatta is to remove it from the freezer and store it at room temperature. You donāt need to remove the ciabatta from its packaging as it will thaw well as it is.
As soon as it has defrosted, open it up and slice it accordingly. If you want to serve your ciabatta warm, you can place it in the microwave for ten seconds before tucking in.
Alternatively, you can toast your ciabatta.
Can You Refreeze Ciabatta?
While itās safe to refreeze ciabatta, we wouldnāt recommend doing so.
After all, this delicious bread is best enjoyed when itās fresh out of the oven, so the longer you leave it before tucking in, the more chance it has of deteriorating in taste and consistency.
If youāre concerned about wasting your homemade ciabatta, weād recommend freezing it in smaller portion sizes or slices, so you can easily remove what you need at any given time. Thawing and then refreezing ciabatta isnāt the best idea from a taste perspective.
Does Ciabatta Freeze Well?
Yes, ciabatta freezes really well. The biggest challenge you will face when freezing ciabatta or any type of bread is if you add it to the freezer while itās still warm.
Doing so will cause the bread to go soggy in the freezer. If you bear this in mind and wrap it tightly to protect it from freezer burn, your ciabatta will taste great when you come to thaw it.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing ciabatta or ciabatta in general, then these may help:
Cooked ciabatta will freeze better but that doesn’t mean you cannot freeze ciabatta dough. Simply portion it into freezer bags, seal tightly and then freeze.
Yes, ciabatta rolls can be frozen. Wrap each roll in a sheet of cling film and then pop the wrapped rolls into a freezer bag, label, seal and freeze. 
