The Best Colombian Pan Aliñado (Seasoned Bread)
This recipe for Colombian pan aliñado is one of the easiest bread recipes you can find. And just like pandebonos, buñuelos, and almojábanas, pan aliñado can be found in almost every bakery in Colombia.
Pan aliñado has different names in Colombia depending on the region, city, or neighborhood. You can also find it as pan blandito or pan colombiano. Some people stuff the soft, pillowy center with shredded cheese. While others sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese or their favorite seasoning. I love making it with lots of shredded mozzarella in the center and then sprinkling the top with Everything Bagel Seasoning.
Watch the Colombian Pan Aliñado Video
Colombian Pan Aliñado Ingredients
Flour
As with all bread recipes, I use bread flour. It contains a higher percentage of protein, resulting in a much better texture. However, you can also use all-purpose flour.
Active Dry Yeast
Activating dry yeast is easy to do and it’s one of the most important steps when making bread. Make sure you use warm milk to activate it with the help of a little sugar. Instant dry yeast can also be used by mixing it directly with the flour. However, I find that I get a nicer texture with the regular active dry yeast.
Butter
We’ll be using unsalted butter to have better control of the seasoning. Just place it in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes to melt it.
Sugar
For this recipe, we’ll be using white granulated sugar. It’s a small amount to give it some flavor, but you can add more if you want your bread to be extra sweet.
Salt
A small amount of salt is used for this recipe, mainly to balance the level of sweetness.
Egg Wash
Mixing a whole egg with about a tablespoon of water will create an egg wash that we’ll use to brush the top of the bread rolls. This gives them a shiny, golden brown color. If you prefer not to use eggs in your recipes, then you can use a couple of tablespoons of whole milk instead.
Everything Bagel Seasoning
This is my go-to seasoning whenever I make pan aliñado. The word “aliñado” means seasoned, so why not sprinkle this bread with the best mix of seasoned ingredients? It has onion and garlic flakes, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and salt. In my opinion, it is what makes this recipe stand out above the rest.
How To Make Colombian Pan Aliñado
- Activate the dry yeast. We’ll use warm milk to activate the yeast because it gives the bread a delicious flavor. You can also use water to activate it. Make sure it is between 100°F – 110°F (37°C – 43°C) so the dry yeast activates properly. If it’s too hot, you will most likely kill it. If it’s not warm enough, it will not activate. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can use the inside of your wrist to test it. If it’s really warm, but not hot, it’s ready.
- Add the melted butter to the yeast. After about 5-8 minutes the yeast will form a thick foam on top of the milk. This is a great sign that it was activated properly. At this point, you can add the melted butter and stir.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt. I use a large whisk to do this.
- Add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients and knead. I always use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment to knead any bread dough. I set the speed between 1-2 and let it knead for about 10 minutes. You can also mix the yeast mixture with the dry ingredients in a large bowl and then knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth and elastic.
- Let the dough rest. After kneading the dough, the gluten will have developed quite nicely. Letting the gluten rest in a warm place will give the dough the most amazing texture.
- Shape the bread and let it rest a second time. Pan aliñado is usually shaped into large or small loaves. When shaping them, you can also stuff them with your favorite shredded cheese. Cover the bread loaves and let them rest a second time in a warm place.
- Season and bake. Brush the top of the loaves with some egg wash. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese or your favorite seeds or seasoning. Bake until golden brown.
Tips For Making The Best Colombian Pan Aliñado
Make the bread loaves ahead of time. After shaping the bread loaves, cover them well and store them in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, let them rise a second time on the counter for about 1-2 hours before baking.
Freeze them! Instead of refrigerating the shaped bread loaves, freeze them on a baking sheet for about 45 minutes. Once they are partially frozen, you can place them in a large freezer bag. Let them rise on the counter for about 4-5 hours before baking.
Storage. Store baked pan aliñado in an airtight container. Then reheat it in the microwave for about 20-25 seconds before serving and it’ll taste just as when you took it out of the oven. You can also store the baked loaves in the freezer for up to three months and reheat them in the microwave for a few minutes. Unbaked pan aliñado can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer as stated in the first two options above.
Colombian Pan Aliñado Flavors
Cheese. Add different types of cheese to vary the flavor. Cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese are fantastic options.
Herbs. Sprinkling them with different herbs like oregano, basil, rosemary or garlic will elevate this pan aliñado to a whole new level.
Make them sweet. Brushing the tops of the baked loaves with whipped unsalted butter, mixed with either honey or maple syrup, gives them a sweet and buttery flavor!
¡Buen Provecho!
More bread recipes you can try
These are some ideas for making fantastic homemade bread at home.
- Colombian Pan Blandito (Soft Bread Rolls)
- Colombian Pan de Coco (Coconut Bread)
- Colombian Pan Mojicón (Sweet Bread)
- Basic White Sandwich Bread
Colombian Pan Aliñado
Ingredients
- 1 cup 236 ml warm whole milk (about 100°F – 110°F or 37°C – 43°C)
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- ¼ tsp white granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
- 3 cups 480 g bread flour **See notes
- 3 tbsp white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp oil
- Shredded mozzarella cheese or 8 small pieces of frozen string cheese (Optional)
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp water
- Everything bagel seasoning or your favorite seasoning (to taste)
Instructions
- Whisk the warm milk, dry active yeast, and ¼ tsp of sugar in a small cup. Let it sit for about 5-8 minutes so the yeast can activate. Once it is foamy on top, you can add the melted butter and stir.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the yeast mixture and knead with the dough hook attachment for about 8-10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. You can also mix the dry ingredients with the yeast mixture in a large bowl. Then, knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface for about 8-10 minutes.
- Grease a large bowl with the oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to cover all sides with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rest in a warm place for about 1-2 hours, or until it doubles in size.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, you can shape it into a log and divide it into 8 small pieces. Flatten each piece with a rolling pin until it is about 7-8 inches (17-20 cm) long. Sprinkle the inside of the dough with shredded mozzarella cheese to taste, if using, and roll the dough starting at the top to form a small loaf. Another option is placing a small piece of string cheese on the top edge of the dough, and rolling it down to form a small loaf. Place all shaped loaves on a greased baking sheet, loosely cover them with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let them rest a second time for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until they grow in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Brush each loaf with the egg wash and sprinkle the tops with the Everything Bagel Seasoning or your favorite seasoning, to taste. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Notes
- Even though bread flour will give the bread a much better texture, you can also use all-purpose flour. Use 3 cups or about 420 g.
- If while kneading the dough you notice that it is too dry, you can add a small amount of milk. If on the other hand, it is too wet, you can add a small amount of flour.
- You can also brush the top of the loaves with whole milk instead of the egg wash.
- After shaping the loaves, you can cover them tightly and store them in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, let them rise on the counter for about 1-2 hours before baking.
- You can freeze the shaped loaves on a baking sheet for about 45 minutes. And then place them in a freezer bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let them rise for about 4-5 hours on the counter before baking.
