Breakfast
No-Knead Bread
Prep
10 minutes
Cook
30 minutes
Yield
8 Pieces, 1 loaf
🍞 This easy No-Knead Bread recipe uses just 4 ingredients and creates bakery-quality bread! Perfect overnight rise with minimal effort!
This no-knead bread recipe is one of the easiest ways to make homemade bread, and all you’ll need is 4 ingredients to bake this bread up. This overnight no-knead bread is perfect to make for the week or make as a side to a delicious bowl of soup or stew. There is nothing better than having a homemade loaf of bread and knowing exactly what ingredients are going into the bread you’re eating.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This No-Knead Bread Recipe
- 4-Ingredients Only: I love a recipe that uses simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, and this is one of them.
- Quick Prep: This easy no-knead bread recipe takes just 10 minutes to prepare, eliminating the need for extensive time and effort spent on kneading.
- Incredibly Delicious: This Dutch oven bread will make your house smell like heaven, and it tastes like heaven, too.
- Foolproof Method: Perfect for beginners who want bakery-quality bread without complicated techniques or equipment.
🍲 Ingredients
All-Purpose or Bread Flour – Use all-purpose flour or bread flour for the best texture and rise. It’s essential when baking to avoid swapping out flours without researching proper substitution ratios, as not all flours are a 1:1 replacement. Bread flour will yield a slightly chewier texture, while all-purpose flour results in a more tender crumb.
Active Dry Yeast – There are three main types of yeast for baking: active, instant, and fresh. All of them work; however, you may not need the water step depending on which yeast you’re using. I like to use active dry yeast as I find it the easiest and most reliable for this overnight no-knead bread recipe.
👩🍳 How to Make No-Knead Bread Recipe
- In a large bowl, add the flour and make a well in the center.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine warm water, yeast & salt. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the water-yeast mixture into the well of the large bowl.
- Stir with a wooden spoon until it begins to come together as a dough.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, until no flour streaks remain. Add more flour if it is too sticky, and more water if too dry. The dough will look slightly bumpy and slightly smooth.
- Roughly form the dough into a round and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, and dust the top of the dough with a little flour.
- Gently cover in plastic wrap and a tea towel or cloth.
- Let the dough rise at room temperature for 18 – 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 450F.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a floured counter.
- Lightly press, fold four corners (the edges of the dough) into the middle and form a ball.
- Flip over to expose the smooth side, and place the dough onto a piece of parchment paper.
- Round the dough ball a bit more with your hands. Set aside, dust with flour, and cover with a tea towel or cloth.
- Once the oven is at temperature, place the Dutch oven inside for 20 – 30 minutes.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and take off the lid.
- Lift the edges of the parchment paper to carefully place the dough into the Dutch oven. Put the lid back on.
- Bake for 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for another 15 – 20 minutes until nice and golden!
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Flavoring: Add garlic, spices, fresh herbs, or grated Parmesan to your dough at the first step for variety.
- Timing: If your schedule is busy, let your dough rise in the fridge for up to 3 days instead of at room temperature.
- Topping: Top the bread with flaky salt before baking for extra flavor and a beautiful presentation.
🗒 Substitutions
- Flour: Whole wheat flour can replace up to half the all-purpose flour for whole wheat no knead bread.
- Yeast: Instant yeast can be substituted for active dry yeast in equal amounts without proofing in water first.
- Salt: Sea salt or kosher salt work equally well in this recipe for flavor and yeast control.
- Add-ins: Herbs, seeds, dried fruits, or cheese can be folded in during the initial mixing stage.
🗒 Best served with
👝 How to Store Leftovers
To store your bread, wrap it tightly in plastic and keep it at room temperature for 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If freezing, slice the bread before making it easier! Please do not put your bread in the fridge, as it will dry it out quickly.
🤔 Common Questions
While the long rise develops flavor, you can let the dough rise in a warm spot for 8-12 hours, though the flavor won’t be as complex.
Use leftover bread for bread crumbs, holiday stuffing, French toast, or bread pudding – it’s perfect for so many recipes!
While Dutch oven bread gives the best crust, you can bake on a baking stone or heavy baking sheet with a pan of water for steam.
The bread should be deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, or reach an internal temperature of 200°F.
This recipe requires gluten for structure, but you can try a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with added xanthan gum; however, please note that the results may differ from the original recipe.
Yes! You can substitute up to half the flour with whole wheat for a heartier whole wheat no knead bread with nuttier flavor.
The extended fermentation develops complex flavors and allows the gluten to develop without kneading, creating better texture and taste.
You can dust the Dutch oven with flour or cornmeal, but parchment paper makes transfer much safer and easier.
At least 20-30 minutes at 450°F to ensure it’s hot enough to create the perfect crust and oven spring.
No-Knead Bread
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour OR bread flour
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 2/3 cups warm water
- olive oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the flour and make a well in the center.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine warm water, yeast & salt. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the water-yeast mixture into the well of the large bowl.
- Stir with a wooden spoon until it begins to come together as a dough.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, until no flour streaks remain. Add more flour if it is too sticky, and more water if too dry. The dough will look slightly bumpy and slightly smooth.
- Roughly form the dough into a round and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, and dust the top of the dough with a little flour.
- Gently cover in plastic wrap and a tea towel or cloth.
- Let the dough rise at room temperature for 18 – 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 450F.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a floured counter.
- Lightly press, fold four corners (the edges of the dough) into the middle and form a ball.
- Flip over to expose the smooth side, and place the dough onto a piece of parchment paper.
- Round the dough ball a bit more with your hands. Set aside, dust with flour, and cover with a tea towel or cloth.
- Once the oven is at temperature, place the Dutch oven inside for 20 – 30 minutes.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and take off the lid.
- Lift the edges of the parchment paper to carefully place the dough into the Dutch oven. Put the lid back on.
- Bake for 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for another 15 – 20 minutes until nice and golden!
- Serve with butter! Enjoy!
You need to make this recipe! It is so easy and so good. I made 2 loaves for family and my nieces and nephew (7,5,3,1) and kiddos (3,1) are both loaves in 2 days. I laugh when it says leftovers can be used for bread crumbs. You won’t have any leftovers! This was my first time making bread and it was fool proof!
YESSS HUN!! THIS MAKES ME SO HAPPY!!!!