This bread recipe is so easy that it will quickly become your go-to recipe any time you want to make crusty on the outside and soft on the inside bread.
The key to this easy bread recipe is an enameled covered cast iron pot also known as a dutch oven. The sizes of a dutch oven can span from .5 quart to as large as 15 quarts. in the picture above I used a 5-quart dutch oven. I have also made this recipe in a 7 quart. As long as your dutch oven is 2.5 quarts or larger it will work with this easy bread recipe.
What I Love About No-Knead Bread
- This bread is effortless to make.
- A perfect bread to start learning about bread making.
- The dutch oven makes the bread crusty on the outside and soft on the inside.
Ingredients
Flour - 3 cups - for this recipe you can use either all-purpose or bread flour. My preference with this recipe is all-purpose flour.
Active Dry Yeast - 2 teaspoons or one standard packet -
Salt - 1 and a half teaspoons - You can use any salt with this recipe. I like to use sea salt, but that is just a personal preference.
Water - 1 and ½ cups - To activate the yeast, the water needs to be between 95 and 105 degrees. If the water is too cold, the yeast will not be activated. If the water is too hot, the yeast will die.
Instructions
Make the Dough: Place dry ingredients in a bowl with the yeast on one side and the salt on the other side. Add in the warm water and mix until the dough forms a ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a shower cap (it's reusable) and a damp towel for 20 - 24 hours.
Prep the Dough and Dutch Oven: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with the dutch oven inside. While heating takes the dough out of the bowl, place it on a lightly floured surface, and shape the dough into a ball. Place the dough ball in the center of a large square of parchment paper.
Baking: Carefully remove the dutch oven from the oven (it will be hot, so be careful) and remove the lid. Either spray the dutch oven with cooking spray or line the dutch oven with parchment paper, then place the dough in the dutch oven and put the cover back on. Place the dough in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Once done, remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes before eating.
Note about baking times: The time to bake the dough depends on the oven and climate. I like to cook my bread until the outside crust is medium to dark brown. To test if the bread is thoroughly cooked. Remove it from the dutch oven and tap it underneath. If the bread sounds hollow it is done baking.
Expert Tips
- Salt and Yeast - When you place the ingredients in the bowl, place the salt and the yeast on opposite sides. If they are placed together or on top of each other, the salt will kill the yeast. Once the water is added the salt and yeast can come in contact.
- Water Tempter Test - If you do not have a thermometer test the water temperature runs on the inside of your wrist. If the water feels warm, but not too hot, it is perfect to activate the yeast.
Great British Baking Show Challenge
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Did you make this? Leave a comment below or on my social media and let me know how it turned out.
Recipe
Easy Bread Recipe - No Knead Dutch Oven
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
- Bowl
- Wooden Spoon or Spatula
Ingredients
- 3 cups Flour (all-purpose or bread)
- 2 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
- 1.5 teaspoon Salt (sea salt preferably)
- 1.5 cups Water between 95 and 105 degrees
Instructions
- Making the Dough: Place the flour, yeast and salt in a bowl with the yeast on one side and the salt on the other side. Add in the warm water and mix until the dough forms a ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a shower cap (it's reusable) and a damp towel for 20 - 24 hours.3 cups Flour (all-purpose or bread), 2 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast, 1.5 teaspoon Salt (sea salt preferably), 1.5 cups Water between 95 and 105 degrees
- Prep the Dough and Dutch Oven: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with the dutch oven inside.While heating takes the dough out of the bowl, place it on a lightly floured surface, and shape the dough into a ball. Place the dough ball in the center of a large square of parchment paper.Carefully remove the dutch oven from the oven (it will be hot, so be careful) and remove the lid. Either spray the dutch oven with cooking spray or line the dutch oven with parchment paper, then place the dough in the dutch oven and put the cover back on.
- Bake: Place the dough in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and continue to cook for another 15 minutes.  Once done, remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes before eating.Note about baking times: The time to bake the dough depends on the oven and climate. I like to cook my bread until the outside crust is medium to dark brown. To test if the bread is thoroughly cooked. Remove it from the dutch oven and tap it underneath. If the bread sounds hollow it is done baking.
Caz Taylor
I think I will stick to my recipe as although I do 3 rises overall it is quicker although I will use the parchment paper tip as that dutch oven is scarily hot and it means I can place my dough easier rather than just let it slide in... sigh and the shower cap is a brilliant idea.. 😀
Ruth Grindeland
I totally understand. The hot dutch oven freaks me out. The thing I like about the parchment paper is the dough keeps it's shape better than when I toss it directly into the pot. I do take the bread off of the parchment paper pretty quickly. I left it on the parchment paper over night once and it left a wood fire smoke taste to it. My husband really liked it. But I don't even like the way the dough on wood fire pizza tastes so I always remove the bread very quickly.
CarolCooks2
I bake mine in a Dutch oven but not with just one rise...I love the idea of using a shower cap this is why I love blogging as you come across some great little tips...Thank you for following CarolCooks2, Ruth..I have followed you back something I don't often do straight away but I like your style ...Be well and stay safe 🙂
Ruth Grindeland
Thank you Carol! I like your style too. The shower cap is my favorite trick. I feel so much better about not being wasteful. I love the easy bread recipe. We make it all the time and works like a charm. I just needs about a day to rise.
Efrona Mor
That's interesting bread, I've done the dutch oven but not with one rise, but it looks yummy... (:
Ruth Grindeland
That's what I thought when I first started making this. It seemed to easy, but it really is that easy and that good. It's just about patience. But as I am learning bread and baking is all about patience.
Efrona Mor
Just shows the simple things in life are the best.. (:
HT
ok. This looks amazing!
Ruth Grindeland
OMG it is and it's so easy!!! Honestly takes less than five minutes. I have mixed feelings about the parchment paper. But it's easy to spray the dutch oven with cooking spray. It's just weird when you put dough on a sizzling hot pot. Either way it's totally worth it. Let me know if you try it.