This Pan de Agua recipe, which translates to “water bread” is a traditional Latin American bread that is fluffy, dense, and the easiest loaf of bread you will ever make!
There is something cathartic about baking bread. If you want some of my other favorite bread recipes then you have to try my Easy Rustic Olive Bread, Savory Irish Soda Bread, and Honey and Herb Bread.
When someone tells you they make their own bread, you might think “wow they must have nothing but time on their hands.” And in some cases that might be true, however, one thing I can assure you of, you have time to make this recipe. If you have never made bread before this is the PERFECT recipe to start with. It’s quick, easy, only uses four ingredients, and it’s likely that all four are already sitting in your pantry. So, buckle up because once you make this recipe, and taste how amazing fresh bread is compared to the store-bought kind, you will never want to go back.
As I mentioned, this Pan de Agua recipe only uses four ingredients. Flour, water, salt, and yeast. And although you might think that this loaf tastes “bland”, it’s really all about how you use it!
How to make Pan de Agua
Assemble your ingredients. For exact amounts see the recipe card below.
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water and let it sit for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Next, add in the flour and salt.
Then, knead the dough for 10 minutes until the consistency is elastic.
Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Then punch down and let rise for another 45 minutes.
While it is rising the second time, preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
After it has risen, shape your dough into a loaf, cut slits in the middle, and bake on a baking sheet for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Finally, serve and enjoy!
How to use Pan De Agua
There are so many ways to serve this pan de agua, here are some of my favorite ways
- Making slices for a sandwich
- Adding some Garlic Herb Butter to a slice alongside any main dish
- Toast in the morning
- Hollowing out the middle and using as a bread bowl for soup
Do I have to make this into such a large loaf?
Not at all. You can make this into more of a baguette shape, or a smaller loaf, or any shape you desire. My only note with this is if you decide a different shape to keep more of an eye on the cooking time in case it needs less or more to bake all the way through.
Storage Information
You can store this recipe in an airtight container on your counter for 3-5 days or in your fridge for up to 1 week.
Pan de Agua Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast in hot water and let it sit for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Next, add in the flour and salt to the yeast mixture.
- Then, knead the dough for 10 minutes until the consistency is elastic.
- Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Then punch down and let rise for another 45 minutes.
- While it is rising the second time, preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- After it has risen, shape your dough into a loaf, cut slits in the middle, and bake on a baking sheet for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Finally, serve and enjoy!
VIDEO
NOTES
Nutrition
Hi Linda,
Love your site followed it for years w your predecessor, something seems goofy w the quantities of this recipe. It blew out my breadmaker (I always use it in dough setting and then rise and bake in oven, a thing of beauty!) bent the blade, so I threw it all out and started over (figured I must have measured wrong, how can you go wrong w 3 ingredients? you can!) so, no go, too loose, bent blade useless, umm don’t know… Anyway, of course if you have access to sponsors wanting to donate breadmaker- I’m a candidate -my husband has stage 3 cancer, we both have Covid (you can’t make this ** up!) so actually, my $3.99 no name flour (8 cups) really does make a difference in my life (2 tablespoons yeast) $149.00 beadmaker all in lovely Canadian dollars.
Yours, sorry, and readers the recipes are great, otherwise have loved and used tons of your recipes, this was a real deal breaker
Mia
Hi Mia, I’m so sorry to hear this news and what you and your husband are going through. You and your husband are in our thoughts and prayers and how you both get over the Covid soon.