Last updated on November 4th, 2018 at 02:47 pm
No Knead Bread – no kneading required, 4 simple ingredients, baked in a Dutch Oven! The result is simple perfection, hands down the best bread you’ll ever eat!
I shared this recipe with you guys almost 4 years ago and I have to share it again because it is one of my favorite recipes of all time and it’s one I make often, plus I made a video for you guys! Whenever I want a crusty bread, this is the recipe I go to, it really couldn’t get any easier. The simplicity of this no knead bread is what I love the most and the fact that your entire house will smell of fresh bread as you bake this. This bread could not get any easier, it’s even easier than the artisan bread.
The ingredients are the same as for the artisan bread but the way it’s made, totally different. The thought of baking bread in a cast iron pot with the lid on never crossed my mind years ago, but it makes complete sense. As you bake it with the lid on, it creates steam inside the pot therefore creating a nice crust on the bread. We know steam makes crusty bread, I learned this a long time ago as well.
Do not worry about a thing. If you think there is no way your bread will look like this, you are so wrong. This could not get any easier. If you’ve never baked bread before you could still make this. Every single time I make this, I end up with a gorgeous loaf of bread. You cannot screw this up!
But admire the bread for a minute. Is that crust not perfection? Have you seen a better looking crust than that?
Now let me tell you about this no knead bread a bit. It is the best bread I have ever made. No lie! And I’ve made a few breads in my day. It is crusty, it is crunchy and it is flavorful. You know those great Italian loaves of bread with a nice crust to them that you buy from the local Italian bakery, it’s like that, but better because you made it yourself.
Making this could not get any easier. Simply mix the flour, salt and yeast together and then add the water to it. Mix it using a wooden spoon or spatula until it’s all incorporated, no need to over mix, it will look like a sticky mess. Cover up the bowl, let it rest outside on the counter for 12 to 18 hours. Yes, if you thought you were going to eat bread today you won’t, you have to let it rest for that long, and also please do not refrigerate it. I left mine for 18 hours overnight, and after all that time that sticky mess will rise and will become even stickier but that’s OK. You have to preheat your oven to 450 F degrees, and also preheat your cast iron pot as well. Apparently you don’t have to use a cast iron pot if you don’t have one, any other oven proof pot with a lid on would work. When the pot is heated, be careful not to burn yourself, using a lot of flour on your hands roughly shape the dough into a round ball, you don’t have to be perfect, and drop it in the pot. Put the lid on and bake it 30 minutes, after which remove the lid and let it bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until it’s nice and golden brown. Perfection.
And if I haven’t said it a million times, there is nothing better than warm bread, right out of your oven. I know you want to rush and make this right now. Oh by the way you can add other ingredients to the flour before adding the water, such as cheese, or herbs, that’s what I’m going to try next. 🙂
This recipe was originally shared Nov 10, 2012.
For other No Knead breads, try these:
If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #jocooks on Instagram so we can see it. I always love to see what you guys come up with!
No Knead Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups water room temperature
Instructions
- In a big bowl mix the flour, salt and yeast together. Pour water into the bowl and using a spatula or a wooden spoon mix it until well incorporated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit on your counter for 12 to 18 hours.
- Preheat oven to 450 F degrees. Add your cast iron pot to the oven as it's heating and heat it as well until it's at 450 F degrees.
- Remove the pot from the oven and remove the lid from it. If you want to make sure your bread doesn't stick to the pot you can sprinkle some flour or cornmeal on the bottom of the pot.
- Flour your hands really well and also sprinkle a bit of flour over the dough. With your floured hands gently remove the dough from the bowl and roughly shape it into a ball. Take the ball of dough and drop it into the pot. Cover the pot with the lid and place it back in the oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on, after which remove the lid and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove the bread from the pot, it should fall out easily. Let cool completely before slicing into it and serving.
Video
Notes
- I used a small 3.5 qt Dutch oven. A small Dutch oven is better here so that the bread rises upwards, whereas if you were to use a big Dutch oven the bread would spread out over the entire surface of the pot.
- If the dough mixture is too dry, add a bit more water, the dough should be sticky, as seen in the video.
- To add other ingredients to the bread such as dried fruit, seeds, herbs or cheeses, add them in step 1 when mixing everything together.
- Always check the expiration date on your yeast and make sure it hasn't expired. All your yeast products whether it’s in a jar or a package should be stamped with a “Best if Used by” date. Always make sure you check this date, even when you purchase the yeast, who knows it could have been on the shelf past its expiry date.
- To keep your yeast fresh and longer lasting, unopened yeast packages or jars should be stored in a cool or dry place such as your cupboard. However, you can also store your yeast in the fridge or freezer. If you do store it in the freezer and need to use yeast for your baking, make sure you take out the amount you need and let it sit at room temperature for at least half hour before using.
- Once your yeast package or jar has been opened, you must refrigerate the yeast or freeze it in an airtight container.
- One thing to remember about your yeast, is that it is a living organism and over time it will lose activity, even if you’ve never opened the jar or package. So if you don’t bake often, buy the smaller yeast packages rather than a big jar of yeast.
- Why is my bread chewy: Usually your bread will be chewy when there isn't enough gluten formation or you're using a low-protein flour. Make sure you let your bread dough rest for at least 12 hours to give it enough time for gluten formation.
- Why is my bread dense: Usually bread will be too dense when there is too much flour. Keep in mind this dough will be pretty sticky, do not add more flour than specified. Other factors that come into play are humidity and age of flour. Little yeast, long rise, sticky dough are keys to a good, light loaf.
- I don't have a Dutch oven, what can I use instead: If you don't have a Dutch Oven, a covered metal pot would work as well, just make sure it can stand up to 450 F heat. A 4 quart Calphalon soup pot with lid would work as well. If your pot doesn't have a lid, you can cover the pot with heavy-duty aluminum foil, just make sure you seal the pot well.
- How do I know when my bread is done baking: Tap the bottom! Take the bread out of the Dutch oven, turn it upside down and give the bottom a firm thump with your thumb, or a knock and if it sounds hollow it's done.
- Nutrition: Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition
What you’ll need:
Every time I’ve tried this, my dough is a sloppy mess, even after adding more flour to get the consistency shown in the video. I can never get it to form into even a loose ball, and it spreads into a flatbread when baking. It gets dense from the additional flour I’ve added, and seems undercooked. I don’t know why I can’t get this to work – it’s frustrating!
This is a yeast issue. Your yeast is dead- time to buy a new jar. Store it in the freezer and it will last longer. A good way to test if yeast is still good is to put about a teaspoon into warm water with a bit of sugar. After 5-10 minutes it will be nice and foamy. Also, this recipe uses instant yeast so make sure you have that instead of active yeast.
Can you add beer to this bread to make a beer bread?
We have never done that with this recipe. Since beer is made via fermentation I would find recipes that are tailored for bread made with beer.
When pre-hearting the cast iron pot do you pre-heat the lid as well or just the pot?
Just the pot is okay.
This bread was great and so easy!! I added 2 tsp italian seasonings and 3/4 shredded cheddar to the dry mix. Made it today in a crock pot insert covered with foil in the oven; husband says we need to get started on the next batch!!
Just made your bread recipe and it turned out perfect. Can’t wait to make again and start adding topping ingredients.
I tried this recipe and I loved it! I added 1 cup of spent beer grain this time and it smells fabulous!
Can I leave it longer to have a sour bread? Say 24 hours and with a cloth instead of plastic?
Hi Alice! The longer you leave ir, it will only rise. The sour flavor in sourdough breads comes from a special starter that you can make yourself. Search up “homemade sourdough starter” and you can achieve that flavor.
I have made this bread a bunch of times and it always turns out beautifully. I’m thinking of making it for a family get-together and was wondering: If I have a 7 Qt Dutch oven, dan I just double this recipe? Will it do well?
You’ll have to bake it a bit longer. Bread should have an internal temperature of 200F, so if yo have a kitchen thermometer use that!
Hi Jo,
I followed the recipe exactly but my dough was so wet I couldn’t even form it into a ball. By the time I as able to get it in the dutch oven I think I compressed all the air as it has only risen about 1.5 inches. Should I have added more flour? Help!
Thank you!
Hi Ashley! The important thing to remember about making bread dough is that your climate can have an impact on how much flour you need to use. We live in a very dry climate. If you live in a climate with humidity, you’ll have to sprinkle a little bit more flour into the dough to get the some consistency as ours. Just do a little bit of flour at a time.
Made this/ Love this!
It turned out perfect 1st time and second. Third is in the oven. Tastes like a mild sour dough. I don’t have a cast iron pot…too heavy but use a pasta pot with corn meal and parchment on the bottom. So easy amd yet so impressive!
Simple straight forward instructions. Thank you so much – I am excited to try bread
for the first time.
I have made both this bread and the whole wheat version, both were great! I am interested in trying 50/50 version, half whole wheat flour and half white flour. Has anyone tried this? And if so, are the proportions for this known? Any tips are appreciated!
Love this recipe! My bread tastes good and is golden and crusty; however, it’s not forming into a nice dome. It’s a low flattish piece of bread and once baked, is only about two inches thick. Any suggestions? I follow the directions exactly.
This sounds like an issue with your yeast. When you notice your bread isn’t rising, its because the yeast is dead and as a result it’s not creating those air bubbles. Buy a new jar and store it in your freezer to make sure it lasts longer. To test your yeast, mix it in some warm water with a bit of sugar. It should foam up quite a lot after leaving it for 5-10 minutes.