On soup night at my house, I usually bake bread too. My kids will eat whatever’s in the pot as long as there’s something warm to dunk in it. I keep the soup lean and protein-heavy, so the bread is where I allow a little indulgence. Here’s what I rotate through.
Biscuits and popovers
Buttermilk Biscuits
Flaky layers, a golden top and a soft middle that soaks up broth. Cold butter and gentle handling give them their layers. I bake a batch alongside chicken stew or chili almost every week in the fall. Leftovers split and toasted make a breakfast sandwich with eggs.
Cheddar Bay Biscuits
This is a restaurant copycat. Sharp cheddar and garlic go right into the dough, and a brush of garlic butter goes on the second they leave the oven. They’re drop biscuits, so there’s no rolling or cutting. Serve them hot with broccoli cheddar or tomato soup.
Yorkshire Popovers
Tall, crisp and hollow inside, popovers are all eggs, milk and flour, so they carry more protein than most breads. Use a very hot pan and don’t open the oven. They work well for catching gravy or broth. Serve them with beef stew for a British-style dinner.
Quick breads with no yeast
Skillet Cornbread
Chili without cornbread feels unfinished to me. I bake mine in a preheated cast iron skillet so the edges come out crisp. A little honey in the batter keeps it moist without making it taste like cake. Stir in some Greek yogurt instead of buttermilk and you get extra protein with the same tang.
Irish Soda Bread
No yeast, no rising, and on the table in under an hour. Buttermilk and baking soda give it a tender crumb and a craggy crust. It pairs with beef and Guinness stew. Toast leftover slices with butter the next morning.
Yeast breads and rolls
Texas Roadhouse-Style Rolls
Soft, slightly sweet yeast rolls brushed with butter, served with a scoop of cinnamon honey butter. They take a couple of hours with the rising, but most of that is hands-off. I double the batch and freeze half. Warm them for 5 minutes and they taste fresh-baked.
Before freezing, the National Center for Home Food Preservation recommends packing each bag tightly with as little air as possible and labeling it with the product name and date.
Frozen rolls held constantly at 0°F stay safe, though their quality declines over time, according to USDA FSIS freezing guidance.
Rosemary Focaccia
Olive oil, flaky salt and fresh rosemary on a chewy, bubbly dough. Focaccia tolerates mistakes better than most breads. I pair it with minestrone or white bean soup. Dip it in the broth.
Garden Vegetable Focaccia
This uses the same focaccia dough, topped with peppers, onions, tomatoes and herbs arranged like a little garden. It’s a good one to make with kids. The vegetables roast right into the top as it bakes. Bring it to a soup potluck.
Crusty Sourdough
A sourdough loaf takes patience. The crackly crust and tangy, open crumb hold up to thick stews. I slice it thick and toast it with olive oil for dipping. If you don’t bake, a bakery loaf works.
French Baguette
A classic baguette goes with French onion soup and anything brothy. Slice it on a bias and toast the pieces with butter until golden. I grab a couple from the bakery on my way home from the gym. Day-old baguette makes good croutons.
Flatbreads and naan
Garlic Butter Naan
I serve soft, blistered naan with curry or lentil soup. I make the dough with Greek yogurt, which keeps it tender and adds a little protein. Cook it in a very hot skillet for about 1 minute per side. Brush with garlic butter and cilantro right away.
Cheesy Garlic Flatbread
Quick flatbread topped with mozzarella, parmesan and plenty of garlic, baked until bubbly. It’s somewhere between garlic bread and pizza. I cut it into strips for dunking in tomato soup. It’s ready in under 30 minutes.
Garlic bread and grilled cheese
Classic Garlic Bread
Split a loaf of Italian bread, spread it with garlic butter and parsley, and bake until the edges crisp. I finish it under the broiler for 1 minute with parmesan on top.
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Grilled cheese is the classic soup pairing. I use sourdough, sharp cheddar and a slice of provolone, cooked low so the cheese melts before the bread burns. Add a few slices of turkey inside and it becomes a real high-protein lunch. Cut it into strips for dipping.
