Description
This Easy No Knead Bread recipe yields a delicious, crusty loaf with minimal effort and no kneading required. Using simple ingredients and a hands-off rising method, this bread is perfect for beginners and seasoned bakers alike. Baked in a preheated Dutch oven, it results in a beautiful golden crust and soft, airy interior.
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 degrees F)
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, salt, and active dry yeast together until evenly distributed.
- Add Water and Mix Dough: Heat water to between 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour the warm water into the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon or use your hands to gently incorporate all the flour until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overwork the dough.
- Let Dough Rise: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and place it in a warm spot to let the dough rise for 2 hours, allowing it to double in size.
- Preheat Dutch Oven: Thirty minutes before the dough finish rising, place the lid on your Dutch oven and set it in your oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) with the Dutch oven inside to create a hot baking environment.
- Shape Dough: Once the dough has risen, lightly flour a flat surface and carefully transfer the dough onto it. Gently form the dough into a round loaf shape, being careful not to deflate it too much. Lightly score the top with a sharp knife to allow expansion during baking.
- Prepare for Baking: Place the dough on a large sheet of parchment paper for easy transfer into the Dutch oven.
- Bake Covered: Using oven mitts, remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Lift the dough with the parchment paper and carefully place it into the Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and return it to the oven to bake for 30 minutes. This traps steam to develop a crispy crust.
- Bake Uncovered: After 30 minutes, remove the lid from the Dutch oven and continue baking the bread for an additional 15 minutes to brown the crust deeply and crisp it up.
- Cool Bread: Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and carefully lift the bread out using the parchment paper. Place the bread on a cooling rack or countertop and let it cool completely before slicing, allowing the crumb to set.
Notes
- Maintaining water temperature between 100-110°F is important to activate the yeast effectively.
- Do not knead the dough; minimal mixing and gentle handling preserve the bread’s airy texture.
- The Dutch oven must be preheated to create steam which is key to developing a crisp crust.
- Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing to ensure the best crumb structure.
- You can store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
