28 Bread Recipes From Around the World

If you’ve ever torn into a warm loaf and thought, “Okay… I could live here now,” you’re not alone. Bread is the world’s most delicious
passport: it tells you what grains grow locally, how people cook (ovens? griddles? steam?), and what they love to eat alongside a meal.
And the best part? You don’t need a plane ticket. You need flour, a little patience, and a willingness to get your hands mildly sticky.

This guide gathers 28 bread recipes from around the worldfrom puffed pockets and braided loaves to skillet breads and
spongy sour flatbreads. Instead of dumping encyclopedic instructions on you, each recipe gives you the “why it works,” the core
ingredients, and a clear method snapshotso you can actually bake your way across continents without needing a culinary PhD (or a second
refrigerator for dough).

Before You Start: Three “Global Bread” Patterns You’ll Notice

1) The leavening tells a story

Yeast breads rise slowly and develop bready aroma; sourdough and fermented batters add tang and complexity; quick breads rely on a
chemical reaction (usually baking soda + acid) when time is short and hunger is loud.

2) Heat source shapes the bread

A hot oven creates crisp crusts and airy interiors. A griddle makes fast, flexible flatbreads. Steam creates pillowy buns. Frying turns
dough into instant comfort (because oil is basically a hug).

3) Small technique tweaks = big texture wins

A wetter dough usually means bigger holes and a softer crumb. Resting the dough makes rolling easier and improves texture. And yes, salt
matterswithout it, bread tastes like… regret.

Europe: Crusts, Crumbs, and “Why Is This So Good With Butter?”

1) French Baguette (France)

The baguette is the crispy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside icon. It’s lean dough (flour, water, yeast, salt) where technique matters:
long fermentation builds flavor, steam boosts oven spring, and scoring controls expansion.

• What you need: flour, water, yeast, salt (optional: preferment/poolish for deeper flavor)
• Snapshot: mix → rest/autolyse → fold a few times → bulk rise → shape long loaves → proof → slash → bake hot with steam
• Pro move: use a preheated sheet pan or baking steel and add steam (pan of hot water) for a crackly crust

2) Brioche (France)

Brioche is what happens when bread goes to a fancy party and shows up wearing butter and eggs. It’s rich, tender, and perfect for French toast,
buns, or eating plain while pretending you’ll “just have one slice.”

Snapshot: knead flour + yeast + sugar + salt + eggs → add butter gradually until silky → chill to firm up → shape → proof → egg wash → bake.

3) Focaccia (Italy)

Focaccia is the low-stress, high-reward bread: a plush, olive-oil-scented slab with dimples that hold salty little puddles of happiness.
It loves toppingsrosemary, olives, tomatoes, onionsso it’s basically a bread canvas.

Snapshot: mix a wet dough → rest → stretch-and-fold → oil pan generously → proof until bubbly → dimple → drizzle oil + salt → bake until golden.

4) Ciabatta (Italy)

Ciabatta is the “slipper” loaf: light, airy, and famous for its open crumbgreat for sandwiches that deserve better than squishy bread.
The dough is typically high-hydration, which means it’s sticky and dramatic, but worth it.

Snapshot: mix wet dough → fold instead of knead → long rise → gentle shaping (don’t deflate!) → bake hot for a crisp crust.

5) Soft Pretzels (Germany)

Pretzels are chewy, glossy, and saltythanks to an alkaline dip. Many home bakers use a baking-soda bath (or “baked baking soda”) to get
that classic pretzel vibe without handling lye. Always be careful with boiling water.

• Snapshot: make yeast dough → shape ropes and twist → brief dip in baking-soda water → salt → bake until deep brown
• Pro move: don’t skimp on the salt; pretzel salt is ideal, but coarse kosher works

6) Irish Soda Bread (Ireland)

Soda bread is the emergency-room doctor of bread: quick, reliable, and ready fast. Baking soda reacts with buttermilk to lift the loaf, so
you can go from “no bread” to “bread” without waiting on yeast.

Snapshot: whisk dry ingredients → cut in butter (optional) → stir in buttermilk quickly → shape → slash a cross → bake until browned.

7) Challah (Jewish diaspora; often associated with Eastern Europe)

Challah is a braided, slightly sweet, egg-enriched bread with a shiny crust. It’s tender, slices beautifully, and makes French toast that will
ruin you for lesser breakfasts.

Snapshot: mix/knead enriched dough → rise → divide and braid → proof → egg wash → bake until glossy and deep golden.

8) Crispbread / Knäckebröd (Sweden)

Crispbread is thin, crunchy, and built to lasthistorically practical for long winters. The modern joy: it’s a perfect base for butter, cheese,
smoked fish, or anything you want to stack with confidence.

Snapshot: mix rye-based dough (often with seeds) → roll very thin → dock (poke holes) → bake low and dry until crisp.

9) Borodinsky-Style Rye (Russia)

Dark rye breads often lean on rye flour’s earthy flavor plus sweet notes from malt or molasses and a signature coriander aroma. This loaf is
moist, fragrant, and incredible with smoked foods or soups.

Snapshot: build flavor with preferment (optional) → mix rye-heavy dough (expect sticky) → pan-proof → top with coriander → bake and cool fully before slicing.

10) Simit (Turkey)

Simit is a sesame-crusted ringthink “bagel’s crunchier cousin who loves street food.” The dough is dipped (often in sweetened syrup or
molasses-water) so sesame sticks like it means it.

Snapshot: make yeast dough → shape rings → dip → coat in sesame → bake until bronzed and fragrant.

Middle East & North Africa: Flatbreads With Big Personality

11) Pita (Levant/Middle East)

Pita puffs because high heat turns water in the dough into steam, inflating the bread into a pocket. The trick is a very hot surface and a
properly rolled roundthen you get that satisfying “split and stuff.”

Snapshot: mix yeast dough → rise → divide → roll evenly → bake on blazing-hot stone/pan → cover with towel to keep soft.

12) Manakish With Za’atar (Lebanon and surrounding regions)

Manakish is the “breakfast pizza” of the Levant: a soft flatbread topped with za’atar (thyme/sesame/sumac) mixed with olive oil, baked until
aromatic. Your kitchen will smell like a spice market in the best way.

Snapshot: make simple dough → press into rounds → spread za’atar oil → bake hot → finish with extra olive oil or fresh veggies.

13) Lavash (Armenia and neighboring regions)

Lavash is thin, flexible, and perfect for wraps. Traditionally baked in very hot ovens, at home you can mimic the effect with a preheated stone
or inverted sheet pan.

Snapshot: mix lean dough → rest → roll very thin → bake quickly on hot surface → stack under a towel to keep pliable.

14) Moroccan Khobz (Morocco)

Khobz is a round everyday loaf, often made with a mix of white flour and semolina for texture. It’s the bread that shows up for breakfast, lunch,
dinner, and probably the snack you swore you weren’t going to have.

Snapshot: mix and knead dough → rise → shape rounds → proof → score → bake until hollow-sounding when tapped.

South Asia: Warm Flatbreads and Tandoor Dreams

15) Naan (India/South Asia)

Naan is soft, chewy, and often enriched with yogurtgiving tenderness and a subtle tang. Cook it on a very hot skillet (or cast iron), and
you’ll get blistered spots that taste like you know what you’re doing.

Snapshot: make yogurt-yeast dough → rise → divide → roll/press → cook on hot pan until bubbled → flip → finish with butter or ghee.

16) Chapati/Roti (India)

Chapati is the weeknight hero: whole wheat flour, water, saltno yeast. The goal is soft and flexible, with a little puff if your heat and rolling
are on speaking terms.

• Snapshot: knead dough → rest 15–30 minutes → roll thin rounds → cook on hot skillet → finish with brief direct heat to puff (optional)

17) Paratha (India)

Paratha is chapati’s flaky, layered best friend. Fat (ghee or oil) is folded into the dough, creating layers that cook up crisp and tender at once.

Snapshot: make dough → roll → spread fat → fold/coil → roll again → cook on skillet with a little fat until browned and layered.

East & Southeast Asia: Steam, Softness, and Bakery Magic

18) Mantou (China)

Mantou are soft steamed bunsmildly sweet, fluffy, and perfect alongside savory dishes. Steaming keeps them pillowy (and makes your kitchen feel
like a dumpling shop in the best way).

Snapshot: mix yeast dough → knead smooth → rise → shape rolls → proof → steam until springy.

19) Shokupan / Japanese Milk Bread (Japan)

Shokupan is cloud-soft, slightly sweet, and slices like a dream. Many recipes use a flour-and-liquid “paste” method (yudane/tangzhong) to lock in
moisture so the loaf stays tender longer.

Snapshot: make yudane/tangzhong → mix enriched dough → knead until elastic → rise → shape and pan-proof → bake until golden → cool fully before slicing.

20) Pandesal (Philippines)

Pandesal are beloved Filipino bread rolls, often coated in breadcrumbs. They’re softly sweet, perfect for breakfast, and basically designed for
being split and filled with butter (or anything you can find before coffee kicks in).

Snapshot: mix enriched dough → rise → shape logs → cut into pieces → roll in breadcrumbs → proof → bake until lightly golden.

21) Hokkaido-Style Milk Rolls (Japan-inspired, bakery staple)

If you love the softness of shokupan but want individual portions, milk rolls are the move. The enriched dough bakes up feathery and pulls apart
like a dinner-roll dream sequence.

Snapshot: mix enriched dough (milk, egg, butter) → rise → portion → shape tight balls → proof → bake → brush with butter for shine.

Africa: Fermentation, Frying, and Bread That Doubles as a Utensil

22) Injera (Ethiopia/Eritrea)

Injera is a spongy, tangy flatbread traditionally made with teff flour. Fermentation creates the signature flavor and the bubbly surface that
grips stews like it was engineered for deliciousness (because it kind of was).

Snapshot: mix teff flour + water → ferment (from hours to days depending on method) → thin to crepe-batter consistency → cook on a hot pan, covered, to steam-set the top.

23) Vetkoek (South Africa)

Vetkoek is fried breadcrisp outside, soft insideand it’s famously stuffed with savory fillings (or jam if you’re leaning sweet).
It’s comfort food with confidence.

Snapshot: make yeast dough → rise → portion into balls → fry until deep golden → drain → split and fill.

The Americas: Corn, Cheese, and Bread That Loves a Griddle

24) Arepas (Venezuela/Colombia)

Arepas are made with pre-cooked cornmeal (often labeled masarepa). They’re crisp outside, tender inside, and built to be sliced open and stuffed.
Think of them as edible pockets of possibility.

• Snapshot: mix masarepa + hot water + salt → rest briefly → form thick patties → griddle until golden → finish in oven (optional) → split and fill

25) Pão de Queijo (Brazil)

Brazil’s cheese breads are small, chewy, and dangerously snackable. Tapioca starch gives that signature bounce, and cheese brings the savory punch.
Gluten-free, but nobody eats them because they’re “being good.”

Snapshot: heat milk + oil + salt → pour over tapioca starch to gelatinize → cool slightly → mix in eggs and cheese → scoop → bake until puffed.

26) Flour Tortillas (Northern Mexico/US borderlands)

Tortillas are quick flatbreads that reward a little technique: proper fat distribution, a rest for hydration, and a very hot skillet for those
beautiful brown spots. Fresh tortillas make store-bought ones taste like packing material (respectfully).

Snapshot: rub fat into flour + salt → add water → knead briefly → rest → portion → roll thin → cook fast on a hot skillet → steam under a towel.

27) Bolillo-Style Rolls (Mexico)

Bolillos are crusty rolls often used for sandwiches. At home, aim for a crisp shell and soft crumb by baking hot and adding a little steam.

Snapshot: mix lean dough → rise → shape ovals → score lengthwise → proof → bake with steam until golden and crisp.

28) Skillet Cornbread (United States)

Cornbread is fast, cozy, and happiest in a hot cast-iron skillet. The skillet gives you a crisp edge while the center stays tenderideal for chili,
barbecue, or eating straight from the pan like a totally reasonable person.

Snapshot: preheat oven and skillet → mix cornmeal + flour + leavening + salt → stir in egg and buttermilk → pour into hot buttered skillet → bake until golden.

Bonus: A Few “World Bread” Tips That Make Everything Easier

Let dough rest (seriously)

Resting relaxes gluten, hydrates flour, and turns “why is this fighting me?” into “oh, you’re cooperating today.” Even 15 minutes can change
a flatbread’s rollability.

Use heat boldlybut safely

Many global breads rely on high heat for puffing, blistering, or crisp crust. Preheat your skillet or oven properly, and use oven mitts like you
mean it.

Don’t chase perfection; chase repeatability

The best bread recipe is the one you’ll actually make again. Start simple (soda bread, tortillas, naan), then level up to wetter doughs
(ciabatta, focaccia) and fermentation projects (injera, rye).

of “Bread Experiences” to Make This Feel Real (Because It Is)

Baking your way through global breads does something funny: you stop seeing bread as a side dish and start seeing it as a language. The first time
you cook naan on a ripping-hot pan and watch bubbles rise like tiny air balloons, you understand why flatbreads became daily staples wherever
people had a griddle and a little flour. It’s fast, filling, andwhen brushed with butter or gheeborderline unfair.

Then you try a wet dough like focaccia or ciabatta, and the experience changes again. The dough is sticky and floppy, and for a moment you wonder
if you’ve made a terrible mistake. But after a rest and a few folds, it transforms. When it finally bakes, you get that dramatic reveal: a crust
that crackles and a crumb full of irregular holes, the kind that makes you hold a slice up to the light like it’s a museum piece. It’s also the
moment you realize bread has personalities. Ciabatta is wild and airy. Brioche is plush and sweet. Soda bread is blunt but dependablelike the
friend who shows up with a tool belt when your sink breaks.

The most memorable “world bread” moments often come from the cooking method, not the ingredient list. Pita puffing in a hot oven feels like a magic
trick you can repeat on demand. Mantou steaming is oddly calmingquiet, foggy, and gentleuntil you lift the lid and find buns that look like they
should be sold in a glass case. Pretzels are pure theater: twist, dip, salt, bake, and suddenly your kitchen smells like a mall food courtin a good
nostalgia wayexcept the pretzels are hotter, fresher, and you get to decide how much salt is “too much” (spoiler: it’s usually not too much).

If you bake injera or any fermented bread, you also experience time differently. Fermentation asks you to pay attentionbubbles, aroma, textureand
rewards you with flavor you can’t fake. The tang in injera isn’t just “sour”; it’s depth. It tastes like patience turned edible. And once you serve it
with a stew or vegetables, you understand why it’s both plate and utensil: it’s a design solution that also happens to be delicious.

Finally, there’s the human side of bread: sharing. A tray of pandesal on the counter invites people to wander in, grab one, and start talking.
Cornbread in a skillet makes dinner feel like an event even when it’s Tuesday. Arepas make everyone ask, “What are we filling them with?” which is
basically the happiest question in cooking. When you bake across cultures, you’re not “collecting recipes.” You’re collecting edible traditions
and the best ones always come with crumbs on the table and someone asking for the method.

Conclusion

You now have a globe-spanning lineup of breadscrispy, fluffy, fermented, griddled, steamed, and skillet-baked. Start with one that fits your mood
(fast? soda bread; cozy? cornbread; impressive? challah; adventurous? injera), then keep going. The world is big, but flour is everywhereand so is
the joy of pulling warm bread from heat and hearing that first, perfect tear.