Pretzel Rolls

The wealth of knowledge that USU Dietetics students have is amazing. We decided it was time to have their share some of their knowledge with you!  We gave the junior dietetic students  an assignment to write a post for the blog. They had free rein in their topic…but it had to relate to Soup of course! This is a wonderful post written by USU Dietetic student Hayley Bryan about how liven up your bowl of soup!

A bowl of veggie soup just not CUTTIN’ IT?!

Trust me folks. I'm right there with you. I love nothing more than a warm, soothing bowl of split pea soup or vegetable chowder…but where’s the main course, right? Give me something to chew on, give me something with a little more “rib-sticking” action. Those delicious vegetables and decadent, herb-infused broth can harmonize to create a wonderful product that truly can be the main event…if paired with the correct side-kick! I bring you, the perfect addition to any soup meal: the Pretzel Roll.

The Recipe:

Turn a bowl of soup into a meal by pairing it with hardy, dense bread. The perfect contrast to a soft, warm soup is this chewy pretzel roll, easy to make, but a stylish addition to a simple dish like soup!

Yield: 8 Rolls
Adapted from King Arthur Flour

1 cup warm water

2 ½ tsp yeast
1 T sugar
2 ¾ cup bread  flour (AP flour works too!)
1 ½ tsp salt

Combine warm water, yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl and let proof for 6 minutes. Once proofed, add bread flour and salt. Mix on low for 3 min, then on medium for 2 min. Allow dough to rise until doubled in size (about 40 minutes).

Once dough has risen, punch down, separate into 8 pieces. Roll into balls. Let rise another 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 ° F and bring 4 qts of water and ¼ cups baking soda to a boil.  Boil raised rolls for 30 seconds each side, removing with a slotted spoon and placing on a greased baking sheet. Optional: Egg wash and sprinkle each roll with coarse salt. With a sharp knife, slice an X onto each roll, bake for 15-17 min.

This recipe is so simple, it uses only 5 ingredients, but looks really fancy and tastes gourmet! The dough can be made far in advance and frozen until ready to boil and bake. These rolls are delicious right out of the oven or can be held at room temperature in an air-tight container for 3-5 days. The “crustiness” of these rolls makes them perfect to eat alongside a liquidy, soft textured soup. They are perfect for ripping off pieces and dipping into soup but if you’re really adventurous, double the batch and make 6 “pretzel bread bowls!”