Braided Stuffed Bread

This Braided Stuffed Bread is stunning and so easy to make that I had to share with you all immediately after I tried it.  The dough for this recipe is similar to my Honeycomb Stuffed bread recipe.  But instead of the round stuffed buns, we are going to roll, stuff and braid the bread.  The end product is absolutely gorgeous!

Ingredients used to make Braided stuffed bread

For the Bread

• 2 ½ cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 cup Luke warm milk
• 1 ½ teaspoon Active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
•  1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup cooking oil
• Sesame seeds for sprinkling on top of the bread

For the Vegan Egg wash

• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoon any plant based milk or regular milk if not vegan

For the Paneer Bhurjee Filling

• 1 1/2 cups grated or crumbled paneer (for vegan version substitute tofu)
• 1 small green pepper, diced small
• ½ small onion, diced small (optional)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 2 small green chilis, finely chopped (or adjust according to heat level preference)
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric (haldi)
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
• Salt

Filling for Braided Stuffed bread

The filling possibilities for this bread are endless and you can fill it with whatever your family likes.  In this recipe I have provided a simple paneer filling recipe but some other ideas include- Samosa masala, batata vada masala and spicy mix vegetable filling.  If you would like the batata vada filling recipe, head over to the Honeycomb Stuffed Bread recipe page. 

Note that the pictures on this page are not with the paneer filling.  My daughter loves this simple filling of boiled potatoes, chopped jarred jalapenos and shredded cheddar cheese.  She used it to fill the bread when I was photographing it 😊

Steps to make Braided stuffed bread

Make the dough– Proof the yeast, add all the ingredients and knead the dough till soft and pliable.  I use a stand mixer to do this part, but you can use your hands.  Just note that it will take a bit longer to knead a soft dough. 

First rise– Leave the dough to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour till almost double in size. 

Make the filling– When the dough it set to rise, it is the perfect time to make your filling.  Let it cool slightly before you move to the next step. 

Roll, stuff and braid the bread– In my opinion this is the most important part of the recipe if you want to get the shape right.  I have to say that my daughter is much better than me in shaping and braiding the bread.  The dough is divided in 4 equal sections (eye ball it) and rolled long with the help of a rolling pin. The filling is placed in the center of the rolled dough, leaving a 2 inch border.  The borders are cut keeping equal distance on both the sides.  The cut pieces are folded over as neatly as possible.  See pictures below as a guide to help you with the process. 

What you see in the picture above:

1. Rolled out dough with filling in the center
2. Slanted cuts made on the sides
3. Criss cross folded cuts
4. Fully braided bread dough

Second rise– The shaped dough is placed on parchment paper lined cookie sheet, cover with kitchen towel and let us rise for 30-45 minutes. 

Bake– It is baked in a 400 F degree preheated oven for 17-20 minutes till the tops are dark golden brown. 

Recipe tips to make Braided Stuffed Bread

• I have used Active dry yeast in this recipe. It is different from Instant yeast. Active dry yeast needs to be proofed in warm water as the recipe indicates. I also keep my yeast container in the refrigerator once opened and replace it every 6 months. The quality of yeast really makes a huge difference.
• Leftover bread can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.  Re-heat in the oven at 350 F degrees for 10-12 minutes. 
• Our family likes to enjoy it with a hot bowl of soup and we make a meal out of it. You can also serve it as an appetizer with soup to your guests.

FAQs- Braided stuffed Bread

Other Bread recipes to try

Honeycomb Stuffed Bread

Masala cloverleaf rolls

Recipe Card- Braided Stuffed Bread

Braided Stuffed Bread

Gorgeous braided stuffed bread that can be filled with your choice of filling

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Recipe by Divya Jhaveri

5 from 3 votes

Course: Snacks

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Proofing time

90 minutes

Baking Time

15-18 minutes

Ingredients

• For the Bread

• 2 1/2 cups All purpose Flour

• 1 cup Whole Milk (or any plant based milk)

• 1 1/2 teaspoon Active Dry yeast

• 1 teaspoon Sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup any cooking oil (I use Avocado oil)

• Sesame seeds for sprinkling on top (optional)

• For the Vegan Egg wash

• 1 teaspoon Maple Syrup

• 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 2 tablespoons any plant plant based milk (or regular milk if not vegan)

• For the Filling

• 1 1/2 cups grated or crumbled paneer

• 1 small green pepper. finely diced

• 1/2 small onion, finely diced

• 1 tablespoon cooking oil (I use Avocado oil)

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)

• 2 small thai green chilis, finely chopped (or just to heat preference level)

• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric (haldi)

• 1/2 teaspoon Red chili powder (or just to heat preference level)

• salt

• 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

Method

• Make the filling
• Heat oil in a pan. Once heated, add the jeera seeds and let it splutter. Add the green chilis (if using) and chopped green pepper and onions. Cook stirring occasionally for 5-6 minutes till the vegetables soften a bit.
• Add turmeric, salt and red chili powder. Stir and add the crumbled paneer. Add chopped cilantro, stir to combine well and turn off the heat.
• Make the Bread
• Heat milk till it is just luke warm. You should be able to touch it comfortably. Combine the milk, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl and keep it aside for 10 minutes.
  
• In a stand mixer add flour, salt and oil. Mix to combine on slow speed. Now add the proofed yeast to the flour mixture and knead till you get a smooth and elastic dough that is not sticky. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a well oiled bowl, turning it once to coat completely with the oil. Cover and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour till almost double in volume.
  
• Once the dough is doubled in volume, put it on a work surface and divide the dough in 4 equal parts.
  With the help of a rolling pin, roll each piece lengthwise, approx. 10 inch in length and 8 inches wide. Place the filling in the center of the rolled dough, leaving a 2 inch border. With the help of a knife, cut the borders on the two sides, keeping equal distance, at approx. 1/2- ¾ inch intervals. Taking turn between the two sides, fold the cut pieces over the filling and crossing over to the other side. Be as neat as possible. The tops and bottoms can be folded over and cute down if necessary.
  
• Place the shaped bread on parchment paper on 2 cookie sheets. Cover and let the bread rise for 30 minutes.
  
• To make vegan egg wash, combine all the ingredients and mix well.
  
• Pre heat the oven to 400 degree F. When ready to bake, brush the tops with vegan egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  
• Bake the buns at 400 F for about 15-18 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
  Cool it in the tin for 5 minutes and then cool it on a wire rack.
  Serve warm with a hot bowl of soup.

Tips

• I have used Active dry yeast in this recipe. It is different from Instant yeast. Active dry yeast needs to be proofed in warm water as the recipe indicates. I also keep my yeast container in the refrigerator once opened and replace it every 6 months. The quality of yeast really makes a huge difference.
• Leftover bread can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.  Re-heat in the oven at 350 F degrees for 10-12 minutes. 
• Our family likes to enjoy it with a hot bowl of soup and we make a meal out of it. You can also serve it as an appetizer with soup to your guests.