The 13 World’s Most Famous Bread Specialties You Have to Know!

From the iconic baguette that is the star of French tables to the softest Chinese steamed buns, passing through the ancestral lavash of Armenia, bread around the world offers a privileged look at the culture and economy of the country where it originates. A food that for millennia has not only been nourishment for the body, but also for the spirit, despite the differences in ingredients and preparations: what unites the many varieties of bread are the raw materials, simple and characteristic of the territory, just think of the rye flour of the Nordic countries, of that of white corn in Mexico or of teff in East Africa. Here we have collected 13 specialties to know, some more famous than others.

1. Baguette (France)

The baguette is perhaps the most famous loaf in the world: its length is between 65-70 cm, while it is 5-6 cm thick. Weight: 250 grams. More than a bread, it is one of the major symbols of French gastronomy: in 2022 it became part of the intangible heritage of UNESCO. Its origins, however, date back to the invention of steam ovens brought to Paris by the Austrian entrepreneur August Zang, who in 1839 opened the first Boulangerie Viennoise: from here comes the baguette, made of flour, water, yeast and salt, light, with a crunchy crust and soft crumb. The collective imagination wants this bread carried for a walk under the armpit: it is enjoyed for breakfast with butter and jam, as well as sandwiches with ham, cheese, chicken and tuna, to name the most classic fillings.

2. Altamura Bread (Italy)

The result of processing re-milled durum wheat semolina, here is Altamura Bread. Among the many famous Italian varieties, including ciabatte, rosette and mafalde, the choice fell on the giant Apulian loaf (it cannot weigh less than 500 grams) because it was the first bread product in Europe to receive the DOP in 2005. Its identity is deeply linked to that of the Alta Murgia area, among farmers and shepherds: it was already known in ancient Roman times because it could be kept for a long time, and women were the ones who prepared and baked it. It has a characteristic overlapping shape (called u sckuanète) or low (a cappid d'prèvte), a brownish crust at least 3 mm thick and a straw-yellow crumb with uniform alveolation. Excellent for bruschetta, for platters of local cheeses and cured meats and for making cialledda when stale, seasoned with onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and good extra virgin olive oil.

3. Pita (Greece)

Pita is a flat, soft bread, typical of Greece, with origins that are lost in the mists of time. This flattened type – which still retains a certain thickness – and circular shape is widespread in different variations also in the Middle Eastern area, just think of khubz, the typical Arab bread used to make kebabs. Here we take into consideration the Greek specialty that we find as an accompaniment to mezédes and as a base for gyros if we were to have a dinner under the sign of Hellenic cuisine. The dough is made with white flour, salt, water, brewer's yeast and extra virgin olive oil that is left to rise for a few hours before being separated into balls and then cooked in a pan. It can also be put in the oven: the result does not change, because it remains versatile whether you present it with a souvlaki or to dip it in tzatziki sauce.

4. Naan (India)

We move to India to discover naan, which stands out for having white yogurt among its ingredients: its consistency is soft and pleasantly chewy. Traditionally it is cooked in the tandoor oven, which made its appearance in the northern part of the country with the invasion of the Mughal dynasty in the 15th century: the term naan, in Persian, simply means "bread" and nobles ate it for breakfast. When it is ready it is seasoned with ghee (the clarified butter typical of Indian cuisine) and aromatic herbs, such as coriander, and can be enriched with garlic and cheese (cheese naan). Its flavor is rich and appetizing: it is brought to the table in combination with many spicy dishes.

5. Pretzel (Germany)

Germany is second to none when it comes to bread varieties: there are more than 3,000 of them, and the entire Teutonic art of baking, due to its importance in national gastronomy, was named an intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO in 2014. There is one type in particular that has won everyone's sympathy, and that is the pretzel, one of the foods that cannot be missing from the Oktoberfest menu , as well as in the city's beer gardens along with würst: its braided shape makes it immediately recognizable, while its particular shiny and dark crust that contrasts with the soft interior is given by immersion in a solution of boiling water and baking soda before actually baking in the oven.

6. Rugbrød (Denmark)

Rugbrød is a traditional Danish bread, characterized by a compact consistency and a sour taste, due to the long fermentation of the dough: the main ingredient is rye flour, which for many centuries was the only flour available in Northern European countries, so much so that we find different interpretations of it throughout Scandinavia. It looks like a wholemeal sandwich bread with a rustic texture, rich in fiber and nutritious, given that inside there are also oily flax, pumpkin or sunflower seeds: it is the bread of everyday life and the one used to prepare the famous smørrebrød, or open sandwiches filled with smoked fish, cheese and pickled vegetables.

7. Injera (Ethiopia)

Injera is a spongy sourdough bread, found mostly in Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia, made with teff flour, a gluten-free grain that is widely grown in East Africa. It has an elastic and porous consistency, perfect for absorbing sauces and gravies, and is round and thin in shape, easy to roll up and portion with your hands: it is used as a large disk on which to place food (usually spicy stews of chicken, beef or lamb, vegetables and legumes), as if it were a “plate” to be shared , it is broken and the contents are collected, thus eating without cutlery , as per tradition.

8. Challah (Israel)

A bread deeply linked to Jewish religious rites like unleavened bread is challah, which is eaten especially during Shabbat and other holidays. Its preparation, as well as its final appearance, are a concentration of symbolism. Its shape is scenographic: the most well-known is an elongated braid, but during the New Year (Rosh Hashanah) it becomes round, to represent the cyclical nature of life. In essence, we are faced with a kind of very soft brioche bread, with a dough that contains eggs, but without milk and animal fats. Challah pairs well with cured meats and cheeses, as well as jams and sweet creams.

9. Pandesal (Philippines)

Pandesal, also called pan de sal is probably less known than the previous ones, but in the Philippines it is a real must have for breakfast and as a snack: it is stuffed with butter, cheese or jam or served as an accompaniment to hot drinks, one of all chocolate (tsokolate). The main characteristic is that they are light rolls with a thin crust covered in breadcrumbs and a super fluffy inside. They are made with flour, yeast, oil, salt and sugar, so they are slightly sweet to the palate, but delicate.

10. Lavash (Armenia)

Lavash is a flat, thin bread, originally from Armenia and other regions of the Caucasus: it is an integral part of Armenian culture, so much so that it has been included in the intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO. It is cooked in traditional clay ovens called "tonir", dug into the ground, with a simple dough made of flour, water and salt that sticks to the walls. It does not need to rise: it is soft and elastic, but it can also be dried, so that it lasts longer and to revive it you simply need to moisten it. In addition to being eaten every day, it is also a sacred symbol: placed behind the bride and groom during the wedding ceremony, for example, it wishes fertility and, in general, prosperity.

11. Shokupan (Japan)

Shokupan is a Japanese milk bread that has the shape of a sandwich loaf, but in essence it is much closer to a pain brioche. Its lightness is due to the Chinese preparation method called Tang Zhong or water roux, a technique that involves working a pre-dough with flour and water that acts as a starter for leavening, promoting the increase in volume and softness. Shokupan is used to prepare  katsu sando, the famous sandwiches with fried pork cutlet, but it is also used filled with whipped cream and fruit like sweet sandiwch, or for breakfast, with butter, jams and hazelnut cream. Lately it has become very trendy as a base for “gourmet” toast.

12. Montou (China)

It may seem strange, but not all areas of China can grow rice: and this is where wheat grows and, consequently, bread. Mantou come from northern China: steamed buns prepared with refined wheat flour (like our 00), water and yeast, like baozi , but with different fillings and sealed in different ways. Their flavor is neutral, with versions that lean more towards the sweet, with recipes that include milk and sugar among the ingredients. They have a color that ranges from pure white to ivory and the consistency is soft and light like that of a cloud: the shape is rectangular and puffy. They are eaten with soups and stews, but can also be stuffed with creams and jams.

13. Tortillas (Mexico)

The traditional bread of Mexico? Obviously corn tortillas, which have been known since the times of pre-Columbian civilizations. The dough, gluten-free, is prepared with masa harina, a finely ground white corn flour – different from the yellow corn flour used for polenta – and to make them, a press called comal is traditionally used, which allows a ball of dough (masa) to be crushed until it becomes a thin disk. How to eat them is well known: tacos and nachos with guacamole come first. Wheat tortillas are also popular in the country, used to make fajitas and burritos , typical of Tex-Mex cuisine.