Description
This Easy No Knead Bread recipe yields a wonderfully crusty and soft artisan-style loaf with minimal effort. Combining basic pantry ingredients like all-purpose flour, salt, yeast, and warm water, this bread requires no kneading and uses a Dutch oven for a perfect bake. Ideal for beginners or those craving homemade bread without the fuss, it provides a delicious, golden crust and tender crumb in under an hour of active cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups All-purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 2 teaspoons Active dry yeast
Wet Ingredients
- 1.5 cups warm water (between 100-110°F)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and active dry yeast. Stir well to evenly distribute all dry ingredients.
- Add Warm Water: Heat water to 100-110°F and pour it into the flour mixture. Stir using a spoon or your hands until all flour is fully incorporated, forming a shaggy dough. Avoid overworking the dough.
- Let Dough Rise: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel and place it in a warm spot to rise undisturbed for 2 hours until doubled in size and bubbly.
- Preheat Dutch Oven: Thirty minutes before the dough finishes rising, place the lid on your Dutch oven and put it inside the oven. Preheat your oven to 450°F to get the Dutch oven hot.
- Shape Dough: When the dough has risen, lightly flour a flat surface and gently scoop the dough out of the bowl onto it. Form the dough into a round loaf, then lightly score the top with a sharp knife to help with oven expansion.
- Prepare for Baking: Place the shaped dough on a large sheet of parchment paper for easy transfer into the Dutch oven.
- Bake Covered: Carefully remove the heated Dutch oven from the oven, lift the dough with the parchment paper, and place it inside. Cover with the lid and place it back in the oven to bake for 30 minutes, which helps create steam for a crispy crust.
- Bake Uncovered: After 30 minutes, remove the lid from the Dutch oven and bake the bread uncovered for an additional 15 minutes to deepen the crust’s color.
- Cool the Bread: Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and carefully lift the bread out. Place the bread on a wire rack or countertop and allow it to cool completely before slicing to ensure the crumb sets properly.
Notes
- Use a kitchen thermometer to ensure water is between 100-110°F for optimal yeast activation.
- The dough is sticky and loose; do not add extra flour beyond what is specified.
- The Dutch oven mimics a steam oven environment which helps develop a crispy crust.
- Allow the bread to cool completely for at least 1 hour before slicing to prevent a gummy texture.
- You can store leftover bread wrapped at room temperature for 2-3 days or freeze slices.
