With just four simple ingredients and no kneading required, this no knead bread recipe is perfect for beginner bakers or anyone looking for an easy and delicious homemade bread recipe. Enjoy this delicious homemade crusty bread with just a few easy steps.
I love this homemade bread. It is crusty on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. It is the definition of both great bread and great joy! Every time I bake it, I can hardly wait for it to cool down enough to cut a big chunk off and slather it with sweet, creamy butter. It is just that good.
I could go on and on, but then you wouldn’t have the time to mix this up. It does take a little advanced preparation as it needs to sit covered at room temperature for 12-18 hours, but believe me, it is well worth it. Just the smell alone will send your head reeling. I love to serve this Dutch Oven No Knead bread with beef tips and gravy, meatballs and gravy, slow cooker pot roast, and beef noodle soup.
DUTCH OVEN NO KNEAD BREAD INGREDIENTS
This bread is made with four simple ingredients!!
- Bread flour – or all-purpose flour
- Instant yeast (rapid rise)
- Salt
HOW TO MAKE NO KNEAD BREAD
- Whisk together the flour, yeast, and sea salt in a large bowl. Slowly pour in the warm water while stirring with a wooden spoon. Keep stirring until well combined. It is a sticky, loose dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it on the counter to rise for 12-18 hours.
- Work the dough out of the bowl onto a well-floured large piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle a little flour onto the top of the dough to make it easier to work with. Shape the dough into a rough ball using the parchment paper overhang to help. It does not need to be perfect. Remember, do not knead this dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap, a lightly moistened tea towel, or an upside-down glass bowl, and let it rise for about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, place a large Dutch oven (3 1/2 quart) with the lid on into the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- When the dough is ready for baking, carefully remove the pot from the oven. Remember everything, including the lid, will be very hot. Remove the lid, and using the parchment paper, place the dough into the pot. Cover it and put the pot back in the oven. Bake covered for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and continue baking for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven using the parchment paper overhang and put it on a cooling rack. For best results, let the loaf cool before slicing.
RECIPE TIPS
- This bread needs 12-18 hours to rise, so plan accordingly. If needed, you can slow down the rise by placing it in the fridge. It takes dough ten times longer to rise in the refrigerator than at room temperature.
- You do not have to do the second one-hour rise on this dough, but it will make it a lighter and airier loaf.
- I love my Dutch ovens. They are fantastic for baking bread, braising meats, and cooking soup and stews. Check out this inexpensive yet highly-rated Dutch ovenfrom Amazon.
- Use the parchment paper overhang to help shape the dough, move it into the Dutch oven for baking, and remove it from the Dutch oven when it is hot.
- Please do not get too hung up on shaping this loaf, as it is a loose dough. Use the parchment paper to shape it and put it in the Dutch oven. A 3 1/2 quart Dutch oven will help it hold its shape.
- Let the bread cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. Warm bread is very tempting, but your bread will taste better if you can wait.
NO KNEAD BREAD FAQS
Can no-knead bread rise too long?
This recipe is quite forgiving. I have gone slightly longer than 24 hours, and the dough still produced a nice loaf of bread. Remember, you can slow it down by placing the covered bowl in the refrigerator.
What do I do? My no knead bread is so wet.
Don’t add anything. Just stir until combined. Then, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise. This is a loose, sticky dough.
I don’t own a Dutch oven. Can I still make this bread?
Use any oven-proof lidded pot. Make sure it is rated for at least 450 degrees. Or use an oven-proof pot covered with a heavy baking sheet.
Can I knead no knead bread?
No-knead breads rely on heavy hydration and long fermentation times. You would have a big mess if you tried to knead this bread.
RECIPE VARIATIONS
- Fresh Herbs – stir in chopped fresh thyme, rosemary, or dill into the dough before rising. Or try dried oregano and dried marjoram.
- Seeds – stir in small amounts of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, and chia seeds into the dough before rising.
- Vegetables – work sauteed minced garlic or chopped caramelized onions into the risen dough. Let the dough rise again for 1-2 hours.
- Cheese – work 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese or Asiago cheese into the risen dough. Let the dough rise again for 1-2 hours.
STORAGE
Store the fully-cooled bread in a zipper bag at room temperature for 2-3 days. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible.
To freeze, cool completely, then store double-wrapped in zipper freezer bags with as much air removed as possible. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw on the counter overnight.
