What are the Different Types of Bread?
Bread in some shape or form has existed as a staple food in most cultures. It remains one of the most widely consumed foods in the world, with at least more than 100 different types of bread available from around the globe – some of which predate many modern societies.
Most bread can be categorized into sub-types, such as quick breads, flatbread, and yeast bread. The different kinds of bread have a couple of things in common: they're baked (although some can be steamed) and made from dough typically created with flour and water. Bread is one of the world’s oldest man-made foods, and it has been significant since the dawn of agriculture.
The More You Dough
Like many other foods, the history of bread can't be traced to a single person, because bread as we know it now happened over the course of a millennia. Wheat was first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, a region in the Middle East called "The Cradle of Civilization," and grain was crushed in Egypt and other nearby regions to make early versions of tortillas. Leavening, the process that uses yeast to make bread rise, helped ancient humans transition from simple flatbread to a bread that forms a fluffy and light loaf.
Early bread grains were crudely ground by hand using rocks, which could produce pumpernickel and other coarse, whole-grain breads. Around 800 B.C., the grinding process was refined by ancient Mesopotamians. Flat stones were stacked on top of each other and rotated by slaves or draft animals. This basic "milling" process was the inspiration for how we produce flour now.
When the modern era began, advancements in technology helped produce the white, refined bread people began to prefer. For centuries, bread was sold in whole loaves that had to be cut at home but the first mechanized bread slicer, invented in 1917, revolutionized the way bread was packaged, quickly leading to the pre-sliced bread loaves that line our shelves today.
15 Different Types of Bread
Bread's long history over the course of ancient and modern civilizations means there are many different types of bread to enjoy today – literally too many to name. As our food culture continues to rediscover artisan recipes and the pleasures of simple, homemade meals, restaurant chefs and home cooks are expanding their menus far beyond, "White or wheat?" Below, you can learn more about our 15 favorites!
- Baguette, a French bread with a chewy crust and light interior.
- Brioche, a yeast bread packed with butter and eggs.
- Challah, a traditionally Jewish, braided bread made with eggs.
- Ciabatta, an Italian bread ideal for sandwiches and paninis.
- Cornbread, a quick bread made with cornmeal.
- Focaccia, an Italian bread baked flat in an oven.,
- Multigrain, a bread made with two or more grains.
- Pita Bread, a flatbread that originated in the Middle East.
- Potato Bread, a leavened or unleavened bread made from potato flour.
- Pumpernickel, a slightly sweet, rye bread that originated in Germany.
- Rye Bread, a dense bread that can be light, medium, or dark in color
- Soda Bread, a quick bread made with baking soda as a leavening agent.
- Sourdough, a bread made by a fermenting process using specific ingredients.
- Tortilla, a thin flatbread made from wheat or corn.
- Whole Wheat, a brown bread made using flour from wheat grains.
Baguette
A French bread, baguettes are thin, long loaves with a signature crisp crust. They are made as partially free-form loaves created by a series of rolling and folding motions. The bread is then baked on the hearth of a deck oven or in perforated pans that hold the baguette's shape while also allowing heat through the perforations. This baking method gives the baguette its light, airy interior.
Key Ingredients: Wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt
Brioche
Brioche, another bread from France, is more similar to highly enriched pastries than typical bread. The crust is flaky, dark, and golden while the inside is slightly puffy and light. Brioche bread is ideal for making French toast, pairs well with chocolate chips and fruit, and is often used to make buns for hamburgers or sandwiches.
Key Ingredients: Flour, butter, eggs, milk, cream, and water
Challah
A bread found in traditional Jewish cuisine, challah bread is commonly eaten during the Sabbath and other ceremonial celebrations. This bread is commonly braided; in traditional settings, a portion of the dough is separated as a tithe before braiding. Challah is typically salted when part of a traditional Sabbath meal. Stated in the Torah, salt is meant to symbolize the eternal covenant between Israel and God.
Key Ingredients: Eggs, yeast, fine white flour, sugar, salt, and water
Ciabatta
An Italian white bread, ciabatta was created by a baker in Verona in 1982, who was inspired by the French baguette. When Italians began using baguettes to make sandwiches, Italian bakers sought an alternative to preserve their business. The consistency of ciabatta differs from region to region, ranging from bread with a dense crumb and firm crust to bread with an open texture and crispy crust.
Key Ingredients: Wheat flour or whole wheat flour, olive oil, yeast, salt, and water
Cornbread
A part of Native American cuisine and popular side dish in the American South, cornbread is a quick bread that contains cornmeal. Cornbread can be baked, fried, and sometimes steamed. It can also come in a variety of styles or shapes, including hushpuppies, jonnycakes, and cracklin' bread. Northern and Southern cornbread in the United States typically use different kinds of cornmeal and different amounts of eggs and sugar.
Key Ingredients: Cornmeal and baking powder
Focaccia
An Italian bread that is baked flat in an oven, focaccia has a similar texture and style as pizza dough. It may sometimes be topped with herbs, olive oil, or salt to enhance the flavor. Herbs and vegetables may also be added to the bread in a way similar to pizza. In Italy, it is commonly served as an antipasto, table bread, appetizer, or even a snack.
Key Ingredients: High-gluten flour, oil, water, yeast, and salt
Multigrain Bread
Made from two or more grains, multigrain bread contains dietary fiber, several times higher than white bread. It can be made with a variety of grains, including flax, barley, millet, wheat, oats, and more. Seeds may be added in some varieties, and some types of multigrain bread may be made using unprocessed grains.
Key Ingredients: Various grains, such as flax, barley, and wheat
Pita Bread
A flatbread, pita bread is slightly leavened, soft, and round. Originating in the Middle East, pita bread has been around for as long as 4,000 years. It is cooked at a high temperature, which causes the dough to puff up. When the puffed up bread cools, it produces an interior pocket that make pita bread ideal for holding falafels and toppings. Pita bread can also be used to scoop up hummus and other dips.
Key Ingredients: Flour, yeast, salt, and water
Potato Bread
Potato bread is, as you may have guessed, bread made by replacing a portion of wheat flour with mashed potatoes, dried potato flakes, or potato flour. It can be baked in an oven or on a hot griddle, and it may be unleavened or leavened. There are various places around the world that have their own customs when it comes to making potato bread, including Chile where the bread may be made with mashed potatoes.
Key Ingredients: Potato, flour, and wheat flour
Pumpernickel
A type of rye bread that hails from Germany, pumpernickel is heavy and slightly sweet. It was originally considered peasant fare, but saw a revival in delis and supermarkets in the 20th century. In Germany, it is made with whole rye berries that have been closely ground. North American varieties typically add flavoring and coloring agents to maintain pumpernickels taste and color.
Key Ingredients: Rye flour and rye berries
Rye Bread
A staple food during the Middle Ages, rye bread is prepared with varying proportions of a type of flour that comes from rye grain. Depending on the flour used and if coloring agents are added, it may be light or dark in color. Denser than bread made using wheat flour, rye bread is typically higher in fiber and lower in fat than white bread.
Key Ingredients: Rye flour
Soda Bread
Soda bread is a type of quick bread made with baking soda as a leavening agent. This process was first practiced by indigenous people in North America, although the first European settlers in the colonies are generally credited with popularizing recipes for soda bread. In the 19th century, soda bread found its way to Europe, where it became popular in Ireland. Recipes in the United States and Europe vary widely, but the traditional soda bread is dense with a thick crust and a mild flavor.
Key Ingredients: Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), flour, salt, and buttermilk
Sourdough
Produced by the fermentation of dough using yeast and lactobacillus, a naturally occurring bacteria, sourdough has a sourer taste than breads produced with baker's yeast. The sour taste comes from the production of lactic acid, which is naturally produced during the fermenting process. Sourdough bread has some positive health benefits that makes it stand out among other breads, including better digestion and blood sugar control.
Key Ingredients: Flour, water, sourdough culture (yeast and lactobacillus), and salt
Tortilla
Originating in Mesoamerica, tortillas are a thin flatbread. There are two tortilla varieties: corn and flour. Corn tortillas are made using maize, and they remain the most popular choice in Mexico and Central America. Flour tortillas are made with wheat flour, and they are a popular choice in North America for making tacos, burritos, and fajitas.
Key Ingredients for Corn Tortilla: Maize flour
Key Ingredients for Flour Tortilla: Wheat flour
Whole Wheat
One of the healthiest breads available, whole wheat bread is made with a wheat kernel that has the bran, endosperm, and germ still intact, thus the name "whole wheat." Whole wheat bread has a richer flavor and aroma than most other breads. Some types of whole wheat bread may be coated with whole or cracked wheat grains for decoration.
Key Ingredients: Whole-wheat flour
