This Dutch Oven No Knead Bread is the perfect way to make a delicious, crusty artisan loaf in the comfort of your own home! Best of all? It takes only FIVE MINUTES of prep, and you don’t have to ever touch the sticky dough with your hands! With a short, two-hour total rise time, you can make this for dinner tonight.
I’m a good cook. I mean, I’m allowed to brag about that… I’ve built a career out of it with this website. But until now, I’ve had the HARDEST time making a good homemade bread.
Am I alone in this? Homemade bread has always eluded me and been a real challenge. My homemade breads have always been too flat, too dry, too hard, too annoying and sticky to work with, etc.
UNTIL NOW.
YOU GUYS. I finally cracked the code for homemade bread that isn’t a hassle and is so amazingly delicious, moist, with fluffy holes, and with the perfect crusty crust!
You can use all-purpose flour – no need for fancy bread flour!
This is the only no knead bread recipe you’ll need, and it’s great for beginner bread bakers. The Dutch oven is key for developing a perfect crusty crust and keeping the inside perfectly moist, and best of all, you don’t EVER have to touch the super sticky dough with your hands!
You can let this dough rise for only 2 hours and bake it right away, OR you can keep the dough in your fridge for up to 7 days and use when you want to. Unlike other no-knead bread recipes that require 12 hours minimum rise time.
Here are all the details.
First of all, what is no knead bread?
No knead bread is, as the name suggests, bread that can be made without kneading the dough. No need to knead. Hah!
The dough is notoriously very loose and sticky, which can make it a little frustrating to work with (which is why I developed this method to not touch it at all- it takes a lot of that frustration away!).
No knead bread loafs do not need a second rise time, like a traditional loaf. The bread doesn’t have enough structure to rise “up,” and instead will flatten out and fill the shape of whatever you are making (Note: you CAN do a second rise time with no knead focaccia, which is a flatter bread type.)
The lack of a second rise results in two things: first, a faster overall time to make. And the second: it won’t have as many holes as a kneaded bread dough.
While I love a good fluffy artisan bread with holes for days, I think the pros here outweigh the cons. The bread DOES have some good holes, it’s got a great texture, and the fact that it’s so easy and hassle free is enough to make me never want to make a kneaded artisan loaf again!
How to make no knead dough
You only need water, yeast, flour, and salt for this no knead bread dough.
- First, warm the water (1.5 cups) to about 100 degrees F. A little more or less is fine. I usually measure it in my pyrex measuring cup and put it in the microwave for about 40 seconds, then take the temperature with a meat thermometer to make sure it’s the right temp. Don’t go any hotter than 110 degrees F – it might kill the yeast.
- Then, add the warm water to a large bowl, along with a packet of yeast, or 2.25 teaspoons (instant or active dry is fine) and 1/2 tablespoon of table salt (or 2 teaspoons kosher salt). Whisk together until the yeast and salt are dissolved.
- Finally, add the flour – 3.25 cups – all at once, and stir with a wooden spoon until everything is uniformly wet.
I like to use a silicone spatula to scrape the dough off the wooden spoon, as it will be quite sticky and loose.
Letting the dough rise
Once the dough is mixed, just cover it with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm-ish spot for two or three hours. It should double in size at least.
If your house is cold, I recommend turning your oven on for a few seconds, turning it off, and placing the bowl in the warm oven with the door closed to trap the heat in.
If you’re using your oven to cook something (or in the next step when you need to preheat your Dutch oven), you can leave the bowl on top of the stove- the vented heat at the top will help it rise well.
You can also get some really hot water in a mug or glass measuring cup, stick it in the microwave, and place the bowl next to it. Shut the door to the microwave- this will trap the warmth and steam inside.
If your house is warm, you can just leave it out.
If it’s warm outside, you can leave the bowl outside.
Storing the dough in your fridge
After the dough has risen for 2 hours, you can bake it immediately. But if you like, you can stick it in your refrigerator for up to 7 days until you’re ready to bake it!
Cold dough is a little easier to handle, so that’s a pro for this.
I recommend using plastic wrap or something more airtight to cover the bowl when you put it in the fridge. If you know you are making this dough days in advance, you can mix it up in a container, keep the lid on ajar while it’s rising and then seal the lid when you put it in the fridge.
The taste will get funkier as time goes on- by the 7th day, the bread will taste more like sourdough. And the dough will collapse over time- don’t worry about this.
Preheating the Dutch Oven
You want your Dutch oven to be good and hot for baking the bread so it gets a chance to crisp up properly on the outside.
About 30 minutes to an hour before you want to bake the bread, place the Dutch Oven, with the lid on, on the center rack of your oven and turn your oven on to 450 degrees F. Once it reaches 450, keep preheating the Dutch Oven for about 20 minutes.
Be very careful when handling the hot Dutch oven, as it’s very heavy and gets searing hot.
Forming the loaf
Here’s my favorite part! This is how to make the sticky mess of a dough into a loaf without having to touch it with your hands.
- First, lay a piece of parchment paper on your counter and sprinkle some flour on the bottom part closest to you.
- Then, use a silicone spatula to scrape the dough in a pile onto the floured part. Try to be gentle. The more you handle the dough, the more gasses escape, and the fewer fluffy holes there will be in the loaf.
- Use the silicone spatula to form it into a “loaf” shape, scooping up the dough from the bottom of the pile and placing it on top. You don’t need to do much of this- you just want it to be less of a “pile” and more of a “loaf.” You may also want to make it circular or oval shaped, depending on what shape your Dutch oven is.
- Finally, grab the corners of the parchment paper closest to you and use them to gently flip the loaf onto the center of the sheet of parchment. It may be a little misshapen, which is fine. If it bothers you, you can use the spatula to try to shape it some more but keep in mind, the more you handle it, the less fluffy the loaf will be.
At this point, before putting it in the Dutch oven, you can use a very sharp knife or clean razor blade to make a few cuts about 1/2″ deep in the top of the loaf. I did this with mine in a cross shape from end to end in both directions. This will help it rise up a little more in the oven and get some browner crustier bits. But it’s totally optional.
Baking the bread
Once you have the loaf shape in the center of your parchment, open your oven door and take the lid off the Dutch oven (USING POTHOLDERS of course).
Then, grab the sides of the parchment paper and transfer the loaf to the Dutch oven. Place the cover BACK ON (USING POTHOLDERS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD), and bake at 450 degrees for about 35 minutes.
I know I keep yelling about potholders but too often I’ve reached absentmindedly for the lid of a Dutch oven thinking it’s going to be cool but it’s searing hot. It’s easy to make that mistake!
Once the 35 minutes are up, take the lid OFF, and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until it’s golden brown.
Stop for a moment, and inhale deeply. The smell of fresh-baked bread is one of the best things in the world.
Finally, remove the bread by holding the parchment paper, and place on a wire rack or a cutting board to cool. You want it to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
AND YOU’RE DONE! Congrats on your gorgeous artisan Dutch oven bread!
Why does the lid to the Dutch Oven need to be on while it bakes?
The key to moist bread with a perfectly crusty crust is that it needs to be baked in a humid environment. I know it seams counter-intuitive, but it really works.
The lid to the Dutch oven traps the steam from the sticky dough inside, making it a perfect bread baking environment.
Then, taking the lid off for the last bit of cooking helps really brown the top of the loaf without it over-drying.
It’s truly a miracle to behold. And it’s why we can call it “artisan bread!”
But what if I don’t have a Dutch Oven?
Glad you asked.
This bread is possible to make without a Dutch oven, but you won’t get the same amazingly crusty results. Don’t let that stop you- just temper your expectations a bit.
You can bake the bread, on parchment paper since the dough is so sticky, on a baking sheet or, preferably, in a preheated cast iron skillet.
Here’s what you can do to help make it extra tasty with a crusty crust.
Create a humid environment in your oven by placing a rimmed baking sheet on the bottom rack while the oven preheats. When you add the bread to the oven, pour about 4 cups of water onto the preheated baking sheet. This will create steam as the cold water hits the hot metal. Close the oven door as fast as you can to trap the steam inside.
Can I use another kind of flour?
I used all-purpose for this crusty artisan bread, but you can use bread flour if you like.
You can also use part whole wheat flour– I recommend substituting 1 cup of the AP flour with whole wheat. A 100% whole wheat loaf has not been tested, but it might work.
I haven’t tried using a gluten-free flour mix for this and therefore cannot recommend it. Here’s a gluten-free artisan bread that might be helpful for you!
And finally, you should never substitute a non-flour flour, such as almond flour or chickpea flour, for AP flour. Those won’t work with this bread.
Wait- don’t I need sugar to make bread?
Nope! Some people thing you MUST use sugar in bread or dough recipes so the yeast have something to eat. While yeast do love sugar, and adding sugar to dough can cause a more rapid rise time, it’s not necessary. Yeast love to eat flour too (which is a carbohydrate just like sugar, so acts in a similar way). So you don’t need sugar in this no knead bread recipe at all!
Can I freeze it?
Yes!
The bread stays good at room temperature in a plastic bag or airtight container for about 2 days, and it will get staler as time goes on. Any longer than 1-2 days, and you should freeze it.
You can freeze the loaf whole if you like- you’ll just need to leave it out for about 12 hours before you can slice into it.
Or, you can slice it before freezing, which enables you to take out one slice at a time for toast or sandwiches.
Here are some tips for freezing:
- Store the whole loaf or sliced loaf in an airtight bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. This will help prevent freezer burn.
- Wait until it’s COMPLETELY cool before storing, especially if you’re slicing it before, as the slices may stick together if you don’t.
It should stay good for 2-3 months in the freezer if stored properly.
How to serve an artisan bread loaf
I’m a big fan of eating the bread smeared with salted butter and drizzled with honey, as pictured above. But this homemade bread would be delicious…
- Served with a hearty soup, like split pea soup or lentil soup.
- Used for a fancy grilled cheese, like this leek and gruyere grilled cheese.
- To make cold sandwiches, like this fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil sandwich with balsamic glaze.
- Served sliced with a basic olive oil and balsamic bread dip, as a side to your favorite Italian pasta recipe (like this five-ingredient pasta with Bolognese sauce).
- Used to sop up the sauce from classic shrimp scampi.
What to make with the stale bread
If you forget about the bread and leave it out at room temperature for more than a couple days, it may go stale. I hardly ever have this happen, as my family and I inhale the entire loaf in one sitting usually. But there are a few things you can do with the leftover stale bread!
Here are my favorites:
- Make homemade croutons with it
- Use it in Panzanella salad
- Make a Tuscan Tomato and Bread soup
Do I HAVE to preheat the Dutch Oven?
No. I’ve made this plenty of times putting the loaf into a cold Dutch Oven and then baking for an extra 5-10 minutes with it covered. Preheating the Dutch Oven before baking the no knead bread can help get it a taller rise while baking, since it will start baking faster and more rapidly. But if you are concerned about preheating your Dutch Oven while it’s empty, as some manufacturers recommend not to do, or if you want it to just be a little easier/safer, feel free to skip this step!
How can I add other ingredients to the dough?
Once of the most common questions I get for this recipe is “Can I add herbs and cheese?” or “Can I add jalapenos and cheddar?” YES! It’s SO easy to add other ingredients to no knead bread.
Just add whatever other ingredients you want when you mix the dough together. Let it rise with all those ingredients, and then shape and bake as directed. You may even want to sprinkle the top with some extra ingredients. For example, sprinkle with grated parmesan or cheddar cheese, or brush with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt.
One thing to keep in mind: if you add ingredients with moisture, such as rehydrated dried fruit, olives, or pickled jalapeños, you will need to drain them very well and/or add less water to the mix. It’s not a huge deal, as this recipe doesn’t require a super exact ratio of liquid to flour, but keep in mind that extra moisture may affect outcome a little bit.
Here are some suggestions for no knead bread flavors:
- Jalapeño and Cheddar – add drained pickled jalapeños and grated or cubed cheddar cheese. Grated cheese will melt into the dough and flavor the whole thing, while cubed will maintain its shape and create melty pockets of cheese.
- Rosemary and Sea Salt – add chopped fresh rosemary to the dough, and before baking brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle with extra rosemary and a sprinkle of sea salt.
- Herb and Parmesan – add a medley of fresh or dried herbs to the dough, as well as grated parmesan. Sprinkle the top with extra herbs and parmesan after brushing with olive oil, if you want.
- Olive – add well-drained olives to the loaf. Whole or chopped, depending on how big you want them in the final thing. This is also great paired with the rosemary and sea salt or herb and parmesan combo above.
- Cinnamon raisin – let some raisins soak in warm water for a few minutes to plump up, drain well, and add them, along with some cinnamon, to the dough. You may want to add a little sugar to the dough as well here – this may cause a faster rise time, since yeast love sugar, so keep that in mind.
There are so many other ways to play around with other flavor combos- I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
Other easy yeast bread recipes
- Quick and Easy Dinner Rolls
- Vasilopita (Sweet Greek New Year’s Bread)
- Whole Wheat No-Knead Focaccia with Rosemary and Sea Salt
- Honey Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
- White Sandwich Bread (from The Brown Eyed Baker)
Check out all my homemade basic essential recipes here.
I also LOVE using my Dutch oven to roast a whole chicken.
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Dutch Oven No Knead Crusty Bread
Equipment
- Silicone Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 100 degrees F)
- 1 packet yeast (active dry, instant, or quick rise- 2.25 teaspoons)
- 1/2 tablespoon fine grain salt (preferably NOT iodized, see notes)
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour, plus more for dusting
Instructions
- In a large bowl (or container), mix together the warm water (1.5 cups), yeast (1 packet/2.25 teaspoons), and table salt (1/2 tablespoon), until yeast and salt are fully or almost dissolved (I like using a whisk for this).
- Add the flour (3.25 cups) to the bowl all at once and stir together until a sticky dough forms. Don't worry about mixing it too much, just make sure everything is uniformly wet. It WILL be messy and sticky. You can scrape what's left on the spoon with a silicone spatula.
- Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel (or place the container to the lid on ajar). Leave it for 2-3 hours to rise in a somewhat warm place until it's doubled in volume (If it's cold out, I like to preheat my oven for a few minutes, then turn it off, then place the bowl in the oven, trapping the heat inside. If your house is warm just leave it out, or if it's warm outside you can place it there).
- After the two-three hour rise time when the dough has about doubled, you have two options: bake, or store in the fridge. See notes for how to store.
- 30 minutes to an hour before you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Place your Dutch oven in the oven, with the lid ON, while the oven is preheating. Once the oven reaches 450, keep it preheating for another 20 minutes, so the Dutch oven gets good and hot.
- Scrape the dough into the edge of a piece of parchment paper dusted with flour. Make it into as much of a "loaf" shape as you can by folding the edges up on top of it (a silicone spatula works well for this).
- Then, use the edges of the parchment paper to flip the loaf over so the floured side is on top and the loaf is in the center of the parchment paper. Don't worry about it looking beautiful or smooth on top. My Dutch oven is an oval, so I made an oval shape. You can do a circle if yours is round.
- Optional: use a very sharp knife or clean razor blade to cut a few slits across the top of the loaf about 1/2" deep, across the entire top. I did this in a cross shape for mine.
- Take out the preheated Dutch oven and take off the lid, carefully! Grab the parchment from the sides and place the loaf in your Dutch oven.
- Place the cover back on the Dutch oven and place in the preheated oven on the center rack. Bake for 35 minutes at 450 degrees F (40 minutes if dough was cold from the fridge). Remove the lid and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until a golden brown color forms- longer if necessary. Remove the loaf from the dutch oven (grabbing the sides of the parchment paper works well here) and place it on a wire rack or cutting board to cool for at least 10 minutes (preferably 30 minutes – an hour, if you have time) before slicing.
Notes
- Make two small loaves instead: You can make two smaller by using only half the dough at a time, saving some in the fridge for later. Once the dough has risen, you can take out half of it to divide it in half. Using a serrated knife to cut the dough in half directly in the bowl is a great way to do this, as it won’t deflate the dough as much. I recommend cutting the cooking time to 20-25 minutes covered if you do this. Alternatively, you can double the recipe to make two large or four small loaves, leaving the extra dough in your fridge for fresh bread every few days! Use a serrated knife to cut the dough into pieces, trying your best not to squish it down as you handle it, and make sure you use a very large container or bowl for this.
- Fine grain salt can be fine sea salt, Himalayan salt, or any other salt you prefer.
- Iodized salt is not recommended, but can be used if that’s all you have. The iodine in the salt may impart a bitter taste in the bread and it also may inhibit the growth of yeast, leading to a longer rise time.
- Kosher salt may be used instead of table salt- I recommend 2 teaspoons since it’s a larger grain. Same goes with coarse sea salt.
- Avoid “gummy” bread by allowing it to cool for a longer time. I often can’t resist and just tear into the thing after 10 minutes, but often the inside seems gummy, and almost raw, because it’s too steamy to cut into. Waiting a whole hour, if you can manage, is ideal.
- Super hard, tough bottom crust? Next time, try putting a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven. It will help divert some of that high heat away from the bottom of the Dutch Oven as it bakes.
- Some Dutch Oven manufacturers recommend NOT preheating an enameled cast iron Dutch Oven empty. It may result in the enamel cracking. I’ve never had a problem with my Lodge Dutch Oven, but if you’re nervous about it, you don’t have to preheat the Dutch Oven. Just put the dough in the cold Dutch Oven and bake for 5-10 minutes longer covered, and you should be good to go!
- How to store dough in fridge: If storing in the fridge, leave the lid ajar or use loose plastic wrap covering the bowl so gasses can escape. Storing it in the fridge makes the sticky dough a bit easier to handle, and it also enhances the flavor, so I recommend refrigerating it for at least 12 hours. It can stay in the fridge for up to 7 days! After two days, you can seal the lid to the container or cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. The taste of the bread will get funkier the longer it stays in your fridge. By the 7th day, it will taste more like sourdough.
- Since cold dough is easier to handle, you can place the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes or so after the two hour rise time, just before baking, so it’s easier to scrape out and form.
- If using cold dough from the fridge, I recommend baking for 5-10 minutes longer with the lid on (40-45 minutes instead of 35 minutes).
- Dutch Oven Alternatives: The Dutch oven does a really good job of trapping the steam, ensuring a crusty, golden brown loaf. If you don’t have a dutch oven, you can bake this bread on a baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet. I recommend adding some water to a rimmed baking sheet, or other oven-safe dish, and placing it in the oven on the lower rack, to add steam to the oven and help develop a crusty crust.
- Freeze the baked bread by slicing it first, then storing it in a zip-top bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. The bread should be completely cool before freezing. You can also freeze a whole or half loaf without slicing, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, but you’ll need to wait to defrost the whole thing before slicing into it.
- Dutch Oven Size: I use my oval 5.5 qt. Dutch Oven or my 6 qt. round Dutch Oven for this recipe. There is some wiggle room, so you can go a little smaller if you like, especially if the parchment paper comes up the sides to prevent sticking. And you can definitely go bigger if you want.
- Parchment paper trick: crumple up the parchment before using it, to help it mold to the shape of the Dutch oven better.
- Sticking to the parchment paper: A few readers have noted that their bread sticks to the parchment after baking. This usually does NOT happen, as parchment paper is non-stick. However, after doing some research, I found that sometimes using a very cheap brand of parchment paper can result in the bread sticking. I recommend using a “nicer” brand of parchment paper, or brushing or spraying it with a little bit of oil or nonstick spray before placing the shaped loaf on the paper and baking it.
- Parchment paper at high temperatures: Some readers have expressed concern over the high temperature used for parchment paper. I’ve used parchment rated to 420 degrees for this recipe with no issue, but you can buy a parchment paper rated to 450 degrees if you are concerned. Here’s a great article about using parchment paper at high temperatures. As a general rule, keep an eye on what you are cooking, for any recipe!
- Avoid too much flour on the outside of the bread: You can use a pastry brush to brush away any thick layers of flour – before baking is best but after works too! You can also spritz the outside of the loaf with some water from a spray bottle, which also can add some lovely blisters to the crust.
- For a hard, too crusty bottom of the loaf: try putting a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven while baking. It helps deflect some of that direct intense heat away from the bottom of the Dutch Oven, resulting in a softer bottom to the loaf.
- Dry dough? Some readers have commented that their dough is dry, not wet and sticky. If this happens, it may have something to do with the brand or type of flour, or measuring discrepancies. Jut add a little more water until it’s a little looser and you should be good to go!
- High Altitude? A reader did this at a high altitude and she said she just added a little more water to the dough (about 1 tablespoon) and kept the towel damp during the rise time.
- Adding other ingredients: Feel free to mix in other ingredients, like herbs, roasted garlic, parmesan cheese, etc. with the rest of the ingredients! Then let it rise, shape, and bake according to instructions. See more about this in the body of the post with flavor suggestions.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
RACHELLE
Recipe looks fabulous and easy! I did make a dutch oven bread and the bottom was burned. The tip for putting a cookie sheet on the bottom rack makes sense. I have a question, can you adapt this to make sourdough with a sourdough starter?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hope you like it and that the cookie sheet trick works well for you!
Good question about the sourdough. A few people have asked about this and I’m going to experiment with it and get back to you on using it with this exact process. But basically with sourdough starter – it takes longer to rise, so you’ll have to account for more time. The rise time will depend on how much starter you use and also how active and healthy the starter is. I usually use this recipe for an easy all-purpose sourdough loaf, which uses 50g starter for one loaf and an overnight rise. It does involve stretching/folding, typical in sourdough loaves to help develop gluten strength without traditional kneading. I’m going to try out my recipe without any stretching/folding or kneading of any sort to see, but in the meantime, check out this recipe! I always have good success with it. https://www.theclevercarrot.com/2020/04/artisan-sourdough-with-all-purpose-flour/
Melinda Beaird
What happens if you add a teaspoon of sugar to the dough mix?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Sugar helps make the yeast more active – they get super excited to eat it! So adding sugar may result in a shorter rise time. A teaspoon of sugar won’t make the bread super sweet or anything. Hope that helps!
Tasha
One day….I’ll read the ENTIRE page before cooking a recipe. I had SEVERAL of these issues so I came back to see what I did wrong and a solution to each of my problems was written, so I could have avoided them all 😂 well. Now I know what NOT to do. I’ll enjoy my parchment paper paper infused bread anyways!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! And I, too, am guilty of not reading recipes thoroughly lol, but I sure am glad your questions were answered!
Kim Clayton
Loved it!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Brooke
Can you use active starter for the yeast instead of the powder yeast?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Do you mean active sourdough starter, or fresh yeast?
For active sourdough starter, it takes a much longer time to rise, so while in theory this would work, you would need to adjust the rise time based on how much starter you use, and how active and strong the starter is. I use this recipe when making sourdough – it’s the easiest one I found and uses AP flour! https://www.theclevercarrot.com/2020/04/artisan-sourdough-with-all-purpose-flour/
Fresh yeast is a different story – you can definitely use fresh yeast. Here’s a conversion chart to help! https://redstaryeast.com/yeast-conversion-chart/
charrington
Wow! Amazing, delicious, perfect, and SO easy! added everything but the bagel seasoning on top.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Donna Caldera
I’ve made this recipe several times, along with others, to see which my husband prefers. This is his favorite, so I’m wondering if I can tweak it by adding herbs, cheese, seeds, etc., or if this will ruin the dough and prevent it from rising. I’m new to bread baking, so I have no idea and I don’t want to waste a perfectly good loaf on experimentation. Thank you.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you and your husband like it! Yes, you can add other things in with all the other ingredients, and then let it rise and bake as normal. Have fun experimenting!
Cathy S
Made this and it came out wonderful! This is my go to recipe every time!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
John
Total fail
Elizabeth Lindemann
I’m always happy to troubleshoot recipe problems with context, but this comment has no context. It’s always successful for me, and amidst the thousands of reviews of success here, I’m confident we can figure out what went wrong for you – feel free to reply back and let me know if you want some guidance!
Lois Straber
I’ve made this wonderful bread many times directly after rising but it was the first time yesterday that I refrigerated after rising. I loosely covered with plastic wrap but today I notice the dough is harder /drier in areas where plastic wrap was loose. I turned dough over and recovered but this time tightly with plastic wrap. Planned on making tomorrow morning but hoping dough softens in those spots. Have 3 separate loaves to make and all got hard /dry in spots…. Any suggestions- hate to start over.
Elizabeth Lindemann
I think it should turn out just fine! Sometimes I will use a spray bottle with water to mist the surface of the dough and that can not only help rehydrate it but make the crust extra golden and beautiful.
Karen C ODonnell
i just made this loaf for the first time and it came out looking just like the loaf in the picture. This is my bread for the week. Very Tasty too!! I can’t wait to try other ingredients ie: cheeses and herbs for different flavors. Thank you for posting such an easy recipe to follow with easy directions and plenty of extra information ie: substitutions, freezing etc. This will definitely be my go to loaf for when I make soup!! :)
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Simon
You’ve explained almost everything except for WHY this is no knead and why not overnight. On the surface most bread recipes look almost identical. I don’t understand why this is special and no knead?
Elizabeth Lindemann
This is talked about a bit in the body of the post. No knead bread – well, you don’t have to knead it! You just stir the ingredients together, let it rise, and form the loaf and bake. Other bread recipes require kneading. What kneading does is helps develop gluten strength. This causes the dough to be able to rise with really nice holes and an airy inside. No knead bread can still accomplish this, to a lesser extent but with much more convenience. Some no knead breads allow an overnight rise in order to develop more gluten – a longer rise time will also result in more gluten development. This recipe is both no knead AND has a fast rise time. The thing that makes it work in getting a nice fluffy, airy interior is a) making sure to bake it in a Dutch Oven so the steam stays in, and b) shaping the loaf with very minimal handling – that parchment paper flip trick can help form the loaf without deflating too many air pockets, which can be easy to do without as much gluten strength. The parchment paper flip shaping trick isn’t 100% necessary here, but can be helpful for people who have trouble shaping loafs or are just starting out. It takes the too-sticky-to-shape factor away.
All that to say – bread making can be complicated or it can be simple. As with many recipes, sometimes more complicated can mean a more consistent and quality result. But for this no knead bread, the shortcuts more than make up for any lack of gluten strength. It’s so EASY, not messy, and fast to make!
Hope that helps!
Katie
Easy to follow recipe! Tastes great! This will be our fourth time making it. My husband loves it and it’s so soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Great with chili or soup!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Marsha Dyer
This is my first attempt to make this bread. The directions are easy to follow. I switched to metric and weighed the ingredients. My husband and I enjoy the flavor. Could I add herbs without changing the instructions?
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! Yes, add herbs with everything else and you should be good to go!
Keith W.
Very easy, makes a pretty loaf, very rustic. Not much flavor, but there won’t be considering the short rise time. I’ll try the over night method next time to see if that develops the flavor any better. Still a big hit with my husband. Thanks! Keith
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! You may want to try subbing some of the all purpose flour with whole wheat, which has much more flavor, or another kind of flour like rye. It’s fun to play around here to adjust for different flavor preferences. Hope it turns out well with the long rise time!
Theresa Love
I had no idea you could make a delicious bread like this so easily. My family eats every speck when we make this. I’m glad I came upon this. I’ve made it over and over as has my husband and it always comes out…
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Tiff
This is the first time I’ve made bread…eva! And I must say this is a recipe I will use over, and over, and over. I even shared it, expecting people to ask me to make it for them. thank you for posting! Let me tell you though, I did a couple things differently (I’m rogue like that, even though it usually proves detrimental), and I am sure glad I did. First off, I didn’t heat my Dutch Oven. I wasn’t freaked out about the enamel cracking or anything like that, I just don’t know what I’m doing and that sounded like more work. I baked it the same amount of time and I didn’t have to bake it any longer than had I warmed it up. BUT, I think part of that was because about mid-rise, I had a hankering for rosemary thyme bread, so I mixed up about a 1/4 cup of EVOO with rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, and a little salt. Then I worked that into the rising dough. I save just a smidgen to baste on the top before I baked it. It is the BEST bread I’ve ever eaten in my life, I kid you not. I am so stoked and can’t wait to make it again…times 50! I took pictures and I’d post if I could, but I don’t see where I can. ENJOY THIS!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! I often make this without preheating my Dutch oven and it always turns out just fine. I get a slightly higher rise with the preheated DO usually but sometimes I just don’t want to deal, hah! Love the flavor additions too, thanks for sharing! Unfortunately the comments here don’t allow for photo uploads but if you ever want to share a photo on social media be sure to tag me @bowlofdelicious!
Angie
My dough barley rised after 2-3 hours……….and after 35min the oven it was almost raw….. I have an electric oven dors that have anything to do with it. I followed the recipe exact help lol!!!! What brand of yeast did everyone use?
Elizabeth Lindemann
It’s likely your yeast just wasn’t good anymore! Yeast is a living organism, and over time, it can die. Try with a fresh batch of yeast and see how that works for you. I usually have good luck with Fleischmann’s yeast.
Kim Scott
My dough was very dry. I followed exact measurements. What do I do?
Elizabeth Lindemann
It’s hard to know exactly what happened for sure, but there are two most likely scenarios here.
1) The type of flour used – if you used a bread flour, or a brand of flour that has a higher protein content than other brands, or if you swapped out some of the flour for whole wheat, etc. Some flours are “thirstier” than others and can absorb more water. Or, 2) a measurement by volume instead of weight can affect this. Measuring cups out can, sometimes, result in more or less flour than required. I always spoon and level my flour to measure in volume. But sometimes the flour gets compressed in the cup measure, resulting in more used.
Hope that helps! You can always adjust and add more water on the fly to your dough if necessary!
Tammy
So simple but sooo delicious!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Josie tavone
Hi, love this bread. Do you have a Dutch oven recipe for artisan sour dough bread?
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! I don’t have one for sourdough, but my go-to is from the Clever Carrot – https://www.theclevercarrot.com/2020/04/artisan-sourdough-with-all-purpose-flour/ – and I always make it in a Dutch Oven.
Melissa
So – the two loaves thing that I tried last weekend worked pretty well, although the inner part where the loaf wasn’t touching the pot was a little lighter. After the first 30 minutes or so I just turned them around – all in all they came out great. This let me freeze one and eat the other – we’re into the second loaf now :)
Also, the garlic and basil was great. Both dried (not fresh).
Next quest: gluten free for a little girl just diagnosed with Crohn’s.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Great to know! I’ve had it on my list to try and make a gluten free version of this for a while but haven’t gotten around to it yet. Hoping to soon, and would love to know how it turns out for you and what kind of flour you use (brand, etc.) if you give it a go!
Hadeel
Thanks for the great recipe. Do you know if leaving the dough to rise for longer ( 5 hours for example) and/or refrigerating it to delay baking for a few days on purpose would give the bread more taste?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Good question!
You shouldn’t leave the bread to rise for much longer (like 5 hours) with the amount of yeast in this recipe. The yeast will feed off the food in the flour, multiply as they feed (this causes the bread to rise, as they create gas as they eat and multiply). But once the food is gone, they will stop, and the bread will deflate. This is what’s referred to as over-proofing.
There are no-knead bread recipes out there that only use 1/4 teaspoon of yeast and allow an overnight rise at room temperature! This works because of the very small amount of yeast in the beginning – it gives them a much longer time to multiply and more food for them to eat. This method is often used for the reason you asked about – more time helps develop more flavor, and it also helps develop more gluten, which can lead to a stronger dough. There’s nothing wrong with this method – the only reason why I do the larger amount of yeast and shorter rise time is for convenience, when you want bread in a few hours.
As for refrigerating – yes, this is a good way to develop more flavor. Refrigerating will delay the yeast multiplying. I recommend letting the dough rise as directed at room temp, then transferring to the fridge. This will hinder the growth of more yeast so the dough shouldn’t overproof. As a bonus, the cold dough can be much easier to handle and less likely to deflate when transferring it to the Dutch oven, meaning it can have a better structure (more holes, taller loaf). In theory, you could mix the dough and then refrigerate, then let it rise when you take it out of the fridge. This will take a little longer to do as the yeast won’t activate (multiply) until the dough reaches a warmer temperature, and as mentioned before, the room temperature dough won’t be quite as easy to handle as the cold.
Well there you go – probably way more information than you wanted lol. Hope that helps! Good luck!