This easy no-knead bread recipe requires just a few simple ingredients, a little bit of time, and practically zero effort. An artisan-style bread that costs just pennies per loaf and rivals the bakery!
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If you’re new to bread baking, this is hands down THE recipe to begin with.
It took me almost 30 years to try making my own bread dough because I figured it would be a labour-intensive process that was beyond my abilities. When I came across this recipe for no-knead bread, it was a game-changer! Not only does it require just four basic ingredients, it can be mixed by hand in a regular mixing bowl with just a wooden spoon—no fancy bread machine or stand mixer required. Best of all, it comes out perfect every time.
It only takes a couple minutes to prepare, and you don’t even have to touch the dough. Just mix flour, yeast, and salt with warm water, and let it rise. Not only will it take you next to no time to prepare, but it costs just pennies to make and has no added sugar, preservatives, or other unwanted ingredients. Try it once, and you’ll wonder why anyone pays upwards of $5.00 a loaf at the grocery store (and easily much more for an artisan-style loaf from a bakery).
Artisan-Style No-Knead Bread
This is a crusty bread that’s denser than fluffy, uniform sandwich-style bread and has larger holes and a chewier crumb. Many people call this artisan bread, though I hesitate to use that term since I believe it should be reserved for things made by people with real talent! This recipe requires zero talent—just a little patience while the bread dough rises.
Okay, to be fair, it does take a little skill to shape the bread properly, but even if you don’t get it quite right the first time, the bread will still come out just fine.
Ingredient Notes
My recipe calls for white, all-purpose flour, simply because that’s the type of flour that most people have on hand. But if you’d rather use whole wheat flour, it will work just as well. I haven’t tried it with ancient grains like Einkorn or gluten-free flour, but feel free to experiment.
You can also add toppings like cheese, herbs, olives, or sun-dried tomatoes to enhance the flavour and make this bread more like the decadent artisan-style breads you might find at a bakery. Feel free to get creative!
How to Make No-Knead Bread
Start by mixing 1 1/2 cups of warm, room temperature water in a large mixing bowl with 1/2 teaspoon of active dry yeast. Add 3 cups of flour, along with a teaspoon of salt, and, using a wooden spoon, mix all of the ingredients together until a shaggy dough is formed.
Cover the mixing bowl with a tea towel or some plastic wrap (I like to use beeswax wraps), and place it in a warm place to let the dough rise. This can take anywhere from 4 to 24 hours, depending on how warm your kitchen is. If it’s winter and my kitchen is particularly cold, I like to let my dough rise by the wood stove. Alternatively, you can place your dough in the oven with the light turned on to warm it up just enough to help it rise a little quicker.
Once the dough has doubled in size, flour your work surface and dump the dough out onto it—I like to use a dough scraper to help gently pull the dough out of the bowl and onto the floured surface. With floured hands (or a bench scraper), shape the dough into a ball. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 450ºF. Line a Dutch oven with a piece of parchment paper or lightly flour the bottom to prevent sticking. I like to use a sheet of parchment paper because it makes it easier to lift the bread out after, and prevents sticking (which can ruin the bottom crust of the bread and make it very difficult to clean the Dutch oven). As for Dutch ovens, I’ve used enamelled cast iron, and even just a deep ceramic baking dish before, but my favourite is this Lodge-brand cast iron pot. I find the bread bakes really evenly, and I just love the rustic feel of baking a loaf of crusty bread in a cast iron Dutch oven—there’s something very “Ma Ingalls” about the whole experience!
Carefully transfer the dough ball into the Dutch oven—if using parchment paper, you can even place the dough directly on the parchment paper and transfer it into the pot. Score the bread with a bread lame or a sharp knife, then cover with a lid and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes is up, remove the lid and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the crust turns a beautiful golden brown.
When the bread is done baking, remove the loaf from the Dutch oven and let cool—on a wire rack, if you have one—for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Serving Suggestions
This is also a wonderful homemade bread to dip in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, serve with a cheese board, or use as a base for French toast. It’s delicious slathered in butter and homemade strawberry jam, toasted as garlic bread, or used in French onion soup or in homemade stuffing at Thanksgiving—or any day, really. This is a truly versatile bread, and once you make it, you’ll want to try it every way possible!
Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments!
Easy No-Knead Homemade Bread
This easy no-knead bread recipe requires just a few simple ingredients, a little bit of time, and practically zero effort. An artisan-style bread that costs just pennies per loaf and rivals the bakery!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water (around 105°F)
- 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 3 cups flour (all-purpose or whole wheat)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the warm water with the active dry yeast and whisk together.
- Add the flour and the salt. Mix with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are well combined. The mixture should form a sticky dough.
- Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or beeswax wrap and place it in a warm place to let the dough rise. This can take anywhere from 4 to 24 hours, depending on how warm your kitchen is.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, lightly flour a work surface and carefully dump the dough onto it. With floured hands (or a bench scraper), shape the dough into a ball. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat your hot oven to 450°F.
- Line a Dutch oven with a piece of parchment paper or lightly flour the bottom to prevent sticking.
- Carefully transfer the dough ball into the Dutch oven. Cover with a lid and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the crust turns a beautiful golden brown.
- Remove the loaf from the Dutch oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
How warm is warm, for the water?
Lukewarm should do – you don’t want it too hot.
Does the flour need to be sifted or can you “scoop” from the container without it making the bread overly dense?
Hi Debra – sifting flour is usually done to ensure that any “lumps” are broken up and the measurement is more accurate. It can also help to ensure even mixing and aeration of the flour.
After the dough has risen the first time, I line a bowl with parchment and pour the dough into it for the second rise. Then, I’ve found, it is easy to lift the dough, using the edges of the parchment, into the heated dutch oven. The bowl naturally gives the dough it’s ‘ball shape’ without me needing ( no pun) to handle the rather wet and shaggy mixture.
Can I use an enamel dutch oven with lid as my baking dish?
And should I dissolve the yeast in water first?
Yes! I often use an enamelled dutch oven for my bread baking. Just grease it first. With the yeast, you can either let it dissolve in water first and let it proof for 10 minutes or just throw all the ingredients in together all at once. I’ve tried both and haven’t noticed a huge difference in the results.