Make Your Own Mexican Bolillo Bread With Only 6 Ingredients (2024)

  • Exploring Mexican Food
  • Bread Basics
  • Latin American Food
  • Mexican Food

By

Chelsie Kenyon

Chelsie Kenyon

Chelsie Kenyon, author of "Knack Mexican Cooking," is a former freelance writer and recipe developer with more than 10 years' experience in Mexican cuisine.

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Updated on 05/23/22

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Make Your Own Mexican Bolillo Bread With Only 6 Ingredients (1)

Servings: 10 servings

Yield: 10 loaves

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In spite of the (well-deserved) international fame of Mexican sweet bread, bolillos may well be the most Mexican bread of all. A bolillo is a small loaf of plain white bread, crusty on the outside with a soft interior. It is the type of bread most often used to accompany Mexican meals and it is an integral part of the everyday food scene in Mexico.

Bolillo is the bread most often used for making molletes and tortas and is routinely cut into slices and served in a basket with a meal. The soft, doughy insides of a bolillo are known as themigajón. The migajón is often pulled out and discarded when turning a bolillo into a torta or when using the bread to push food around on a plate, leaving the firmer outside layer of the loaf to do the job.

Despite its popularity, most Mexican cooks don't make their own bread at home; both sweet and savory loaves are often acquired from local bakeries, supermarkets, or directly from people selling it door to door. Bread baking is definitely both a science and an art, and it can take years to master it at home. These bolillos are a good beginner recipe—they're very simple to make with just six ingredients and only a bit of kneading.

How to Knead Bread Dough

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cups warm water

  • 1 (1/4-ounce) packetactive dry yeast

  • 4 cups bread flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 1 large egg white, beaten

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Make Your Own Mexican Bolillo Bread With Only 6 Ingredients (3)

  2. Pour water into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle yeast onto surface.

    Make Your Own Mexican Bolillo Bread With Only 6 Ingredients (4)


  3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix flour, salt, and sugar.

    Make Your Own Mexican Bolillo Bread With Only 6 Ingredients (5)

  4. Add flour mixtureto yeast and water a little at a time, mixing until a dough forms. If a cohesive dough does not form with this ratio of flour to water, add additional flour, one tablespoon at a time, until a stiff dough forms.

    Make Your Own Mexican Bolillo Bread With Only 6 Ingredients (6)

  5. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a towel or cloth,and leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour.

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  6. Remove dough from bowl, punch it down, and knead on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes, until smooth.

    Make Your Own Mexican Bolillo Bread With Only 6 Ingredients (8)

  7. Divide dough into 10 balls.

    Make Your Own Mexican Bolillo Bread With Only 6 Ingredients (9)

  8. For oval-shaped rolls (the usual bolillo shape), roll the balls between your palms for about 5 seconds to make a cylindrical shape, tapering slightly at the ends. Place pieces on one or more baking sheets. Cover with a towel and let loaves rise again for about 30 minutes.

    Make Your Own Mexican Bolillo Bread With Only 6 Ingredients (10)

  9. Preheat oven to 375 F. ​Brush each dough ball with egg white. Score each roll longways on the top about 1/4-inch deep.

    Make Your Own Mexican Bolillo Bread With Only 6 Ingredients (11)

  10. Bake loaves for about 30 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Remove from oven. Cool slightly and eat warm or let cool completely.

    Make Your Own Mexican Bolillo Bread With Only 6 Ingredients (12)

How to Store and Freeze

  • Bolillos are best fresh. Store leftover cooled bolillos in an airtight container for up to three days.
  • Bolillos can be frozen, too. Let them cool completely and then tightly wrap each roll with plastic wrap. Place in a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before using.

What Are Bolillos Used For?

Bolillos are commonly used for tortas, a type of Mexican sandwich. Fillings can include a variety of meats, refried beans, avocado, cheese, peppers, and more. They are also frequently served as a side dish alongside soups, stews, and other dishes.

How Do You Pronounce Bolillo?

Bolillo, a classic Mexican bread roll, is pronounced "buh-lee-ohz."

Traditional Italian Bread

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
209Calories
1g Fat
40g Carbs
7g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories209
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 0g1%
Cholesterol 19mg6%
Sodium 221mg10%
Total Carbohydrate 40g15%
Dietary Fiber 2g5%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 12mg1%
Iron 1mg3%
Potassium 69mg1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • bread
  • mexican bread
  • side dish
  • mexican

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Make Your Own Mexican Bolillo Bread With Only 6 Ingredients (2024)

FAQs

What is bolillo bread made of? ›

The traditional recipe for Mexican bread bolillo typically includes bread flour, salt, active yeast, lukewarm water, and sugar. The ingredients are mixed together to form a dough, which is then shaped into small, oval-shaped rolls.

What is a substitute for bolillo bread? ›

Can't find bolillo bread rolls? You can use any French bread, Italian bread, or sub sandwich bread instead. Instead of traditional refried beans made with pinto beans, you could use refried black beans.

What are the six ingredients in yeast bread? ›

2 The basic ingredients in a yeast dough are: flour, liquid, salt, sugar, fat, eggs and yeast. FLOUR: The flour used in making bread provides starch and protein, namely gluten.

What is bolillo in English? ›

A bolillo (Spanish pronunciation: [boˈliʝo]) (in Mexico) or pan francés (in Central America) (meaning "French bread") is a type of savory bread made in Mexico and Central America. It is a variation of the baguette, but shorter in length and is often baked in a stone oven.

What is Mexican bread made of? ›

The most common breads sold are still basic white breads for sandwiches and other meals. These are made with a simple flour dough with only a little salt and/or sugar for flavoring.

What are the 6 alternatives to serving bread? ›

Here are some options to try:
  • Corn, reduced-carb or whole-grain tortillas.
  • Cheese wraps or cheese slices.
  • Coconut wraps.
  • Cauliflower bread.
  • Cucumber slices.
  • Sweet potato slices.
  • Bell pepper slices.
  • Portobello mushrooms.
Jun 29, 2022

What is the healthiest bread to make? ›

The 7 Healthiest Types of Bread
  • Sourdough.
  • Whole wheat.
  • Oat bread.
  • Flax bread.
  • Sprouted rye.
  • Gluten-free.
  • Choosing healthy bread.
  • Takeaway.

What ingredient kills yeast in bread? ›

Salt acts as a yeast inhibitor, slowing growth and reproduction of yeast in bread dough.

Which ingredient keeps the bread tender and fresh? ›

Butter, margarine, shortening or oil add flavor and make bread tender and moist. Fat slows moisture loss, helping bread stay fresh longer.

Which ingredient helps yeast grow in bread? ›

Molasses, a form of sugar, provides the food for the yeast so it can reproduce.

What is the secret to making good bread? ›

Follow these tips for bread that comes out right every time.
  • Use the right yeast. ...
  • Store your yeast properly. ...
  • Treat salt with care. ...
  • Take your time. ...
  • Try different flours. ...
  • Measure carefully. ...
  • Consider vitamin C. ...
  • Practice makes perfect.

What is the ideal flour for making yeast bread? ›

For best results, base your yeast dough on wheat flour — only wheat-based flour provides the type and amount of protein yeast dough needs to support its structure. Whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour, bread flour, or all-purpose flour are all good choices.

Is bolillo bread healthy? ›

Bolillos are a tasty Mexican bread roll with around 180-200 calories, making them a great source of energy with 35-40 grams of carbohydrates and 5-7 grams of protein. These versatile bolillos are low in fat and cholesterol, vegan-friendly, and perfect for making sandwiches, French toast, and more.

What is Rosca bread made of? ›

Prepare bread: Mix flour, eggs, egg yolks, sugar, water, dry yeast, orange zest, lime zest, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter; mix until dough is elastic and shiny, about 5 minutes. Form dough into a ball.

What's the difference between a torta and a bolillo? ›

In Mexico, a torta is a kind of sandwich, served on one of two types of white sandwich rolls. The first is similar to a small baguette, and may be referred to as a bolillo, birote, or pan francés depending on region. The second is a flat, oblong, soft roll called a telera.

What is a tamale inside a bolillo? ›

Guajolota (Spanish: [ɡwaxoˈlota]), also known as a torta de tamal, is a form of street food commonly found in Mexico City and within the State of Mexico. It is essentially a sandwich composed of a tamal placed inside a bolillo or a telera, which is a rounder version of a bolillo.

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