Easy No Knead Bread
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FOOL-PROOF and only 4-ingredients! So hearty and rustic with the most amazing crust + fluffy, soft, chewy inside. Seriously, SO GOOD.
Guys, please say hello to my COVID baby.
Yes, that’s exactly right. My bread baby. My bread baby I made every single week starting in March.
My first loaf was…well, it wasn’t the prettiest but it was still so darn good. The shaping definitely needed some work.
My second loaf was better, and then my third and fourth loaves were dropped off at neighbors and friends with a contactless drop off.
They all got rave reviews. Like the ravest reviews ever. And they all finished the loaves within a day.
I don’t blame them. It is just that good. And it’s unbelievably easy (except no one will believe you when you tell them that). Bread making has such a tedious, overwhelming rap to make but this no knead method requires very little hands-on time.
Some notes on the recipe
- If you cannot find instant yeast, I have substituted active dry yeast with an overnight rise with beautiful results.
- A Dutch oven is key for this recipe to get that amazing crisp exterior. If you do not have a Dutch oven, I recommend trying this recipe instead.
- You do not necessarily need a bread lame to make slits across your dough. I have used kitchen sheers and I have also forgotten to cut slits prior to baking – it is all good.
- You can substitute 1 cup of all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour, keeping the rest of the recipe the same.
Easy No Knead Bread
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 ½ cups warm water, 100-110 degrees F
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and yeast. Create a well in the center; add water.
- Using a wooden spoon or your hand, stir until a wet, sticky dough forms, about 1-2 minutes.
- Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand at a warm place until doubled in size and surface is dotted with bubbles, about 6-8 hours.
- Working on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, fold dough over itself 3-4 times, turning after each fold; gently shape dough into a round.
- Cover with a clean dishtowel and let stand at room temperature until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place a 4-qt Dutch oven, covered, in the oven for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove Dutch oven from the oven; working carefully, place dough into the Dutch oven using the parchment paper as a sling.
- OPTIONAL: Using a sharp knife or bread lame, make a few shallow cuts on the top.
- Cover and place in the oven; remove the lid after 30 minutes. Continue baking until golden brown and completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 210 degrees F, about 15 minutes more. Let cool 30 minutes on a wire rack
- Serve warm.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
What can you use if you don’t have a 4 qt oven proof pot? This recipe looks delicious and easy to make.
SO GOOD!! AND super easy! I used bread flour and active yeast but it still turned out perfectly! I’ll definitely be making this again and again!
Mine didn’t rise and I followed it exactly. It’s humid in Florida right now.
Looks delicious
Really easy and great texture and flavor. The only thing I changed is using lightly floured counter top instead of parchment paper. Mine sticks to parchment paper, then put it on parchment paper.
This bread looks so good can’t wait to make it, but I don’t have a Dutch oven. What else can be used.
Thank you
I’ve been making this bread with a few changes to my liking and taste for almost 2 years now! Thanks for the recipe! It’s delicious and easy to make! I use bread flour instead of a.p. and let the rise time differ by how warm the house is. It is surely a family favorite and one I have shared and made for many friends.
I followed this recipe exactly and my husband swore I bought this bread from a bakery. It was so perfect! You definitely need time, but that’s it….actual hands on time is practically nothing. I’m making it again for company tomorrow!
HELP! I used Bread flour and just realized the yeast I used is not instant but active. Can this loaf of bread be saved? Or just dump and try again?….
This is the best, easiest bread I have ever made/eaten. Made it three time so far, plain, with rosemary and olives added and with bacon and cheddar added. Great every time.
I love it! We are on our third loaf in THREE DAYS! We didn’t have a Dutch oven to use, so we used a Corningware casserole dish with a glass lid instead. It worked great! Also, we didn’t have Kosher salt so we used table salt instead. It came out kind of salty the first time since the table salt granules are much finer thank Kosher granules, so we cut a quarter of a teaspoon of salt back from the recipe. It worked out perfect!
Fantastic! So easy. The crumb was perfect and just enough crunch in the crust. I was looking for a scaled-down recipe, since it’s just me. Thank you!
Wow, when my dough was rising for the second time, it was trying to get out of the top of the pan! Thanks for the great recipe!
Absolutely the best bread recipe ever! I can’t believe how easy it was too! We always finish the entire loaf at one meal. It is that good.
The no-knead method of bread-making has become increasingly popular in recent years, due in large part to its simplicity. Unlike traditional methods of bread-making, which require a great deal of time and effort, the no-knead method requires very little hands-on time. Instead, the dough is allowed to rise slowly, resulting in a light and airy loaf of bread. In addition, the no-knead method is incredibly versatile, and can be used to create a variety of different breads, from sourdough to ciabatta. Whether you’re a experienced baker or a novice, the no-knead method is sure to give you delicious results.
Good One !!
Help! Mine was wayyy too sticky to turn out onto the parchment. I couldn’t turn it at all. What consistency should it be at this stage? I had let it rise about 4 hours, it was more than doubled and had all the bubbles as outlined. Thanks! 🙂
Easy to make and damn delicious.
I am so impressed with myself after making this bread. It’s so simple and delicious. As long as you plan ahead, it takes no time at all. I just prep the dough before bed and bake in the morning. Thank you for this great recipe I will forever cherish!
Delicious and so easy to make. My kids are so impressed.
BEST and EASIEST bread recipe of all time. This is my go-to!
I can’t wait to make this! I could only find Active Dry Yeast packets. Can I use this and do I use the whole packet or 3/4 tsp of it per the recipe?
What a delightful recipe. A great treat I’m looking forward to making this weekend!
I tried this recipe two nights ago when I invited some of my coworkers for a light dinner and they loved it. The bread had a crusty exterior that was hard yet broke durably to reveal such a spongy-soft interior. The bread was piping hot and went spectacular with the wine we had as well. Highly recommend for a light dinner addition with some wine. Doesn’t take that long to be completely honest.
Not sure where you live… but 6-8 hrs for rising is not doing it here in upstate cold. I have to let it rise longer or add more yeast in the future.
That being said…it’s still rising and I’m looking forward to baking!!!
Best way to get the temp for raising is to ues your oven with the light left on…works every time
I’m in upstate NY too. I put mine on top of the stove with the overhead light on. I doubles in about 7-8 hours.
Incredible! Thanks for guiding me through my first loaf. It was delicious!
I am about to make, but realized I only have a 2 qt Dutch oven, so making half at a time. Any suggestions about how long to cook with lid on then off? I’m thinking 20 mins with kid and 10 mins without, but not entirely sure. Thank you I’m advance!
Lid*
No kids in the oven
If the kids start rising, put them outside!
Absolutely LOVE this bread recipe! It’s so easy…tools help…and patience (I’m short in those). I’ve made 5 in the past week. Took some to a blue crab cookout here in Nebraska and it didn’t make it long enough for the meal. (Best friend from TX brought them up fresh)!! Anyhow, I added roasted garlic seasoning and everything bagel seasoning to my bread – delicious! Thank you!!
Becky – NE
i have not made yet, but can you make with whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour?
This was my first ever time making bread and it came out as described: “So hearty and rustic with the most amazing crust + fluffy, soft, chewy inside. Seriously, SO GOOD”. Made this for my family of 5 since everyone is working/schooling from home right now. My kids loved it even without toasting bc it’s so fluffy and good.
Highly recommend!
This is probably a dumb question… but I don’t use plastic wrap. Is that an essential part of the process (outlined in step 2), or can I just cover it with a dish towel?
I would think you could cover it with a cookie sheet.
Made once, was perfect. Delicious.
Question: I plan to let rise overnight. If more than 8 hours, is that ok??
Do you have let it rise for that amount of time?
I have made this bread several times and always just cover with a dish towel. I’ve added garlic,Italian seasoning,everything bagel change it up and enjoy.
Amazing recipe! Super easy and the bread tastes like it’s from a restaurant! I do have one question. Could you add rosemary/ garlic or any other add in to this recipe? Or would it mess up the chemistry?
Sure you could add herb & garlic. I’ve baked bread for years. I personally would use the minced garlic not big chucks. Should not effect chemistry of bread just add to flavor. Happy Baking
Was the easiest bread I have ever made!
i have been making this with King Arthur Unbleached Bread flour and it’s PHENOMENAL.
I did have to make two alterations – using a little less flour and a little more water.
i use 3 cups of flour and 1 and 2/3 cups water – turns out perfect now every time
Is instant yeast the same as rapid rise yeast?
I bought rapid rise instant yeast, and the bread never rose- just stayed a gloopy mess.
So I guess maybe there is a difference? I hate when recipes say fool proof- it just makes me feel that much more like a failure when I mess them up
Hardest part of making bread at first is first getting it to rise, which then leads to all the anxiety about types of yeast, how to use it, how long to let dough rise, temperatures, and is this dough actually rising or not…you are not alone, for sure!
I am only an occasional bread maker, but I definitely prefer no knead types in a Dutch oven recipes like this one.
Best tip I can give anyone is to simply “proof your yeast”, whatever type it is, before adding it to the flour mix, to ensure you know it is properly active before you go thru all the rest of the steps. If it froths up, you’re good to go…if it doesn’t…any one of many things has gone wrong (yeast is too old and it can get old very fast, proofing water was too hot or cold).
I must have printed off an earlier incorrect version of this recipe, because the one I used, sitting in front of me, called for 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast, not 3/4 teaspoon like this version. So just be aware and don’t make my mistake! Mine was just a big gooey glop that didn’t do anything. But I will try it again with the 3/4 teaspoon and I am sure it will be fabulous!
An update: I made it again today with the corrected yeast. It was SO GOOD!!! Bread perfection. This recipe is so easy and the results are amazing!!!
The easiest bread I’ve ever made and it was AMAZING!!! So easy to make, texture and flavor are wonderful and it is sublime with butter on it. I could easily see myself making this bread weekly. Thank you!!!
For those asking, I baked this in my large, 7.25 quart dutch oven, and it turned out great.
Also, I used America Test Kitchens method, in that I Did not pre-heat the Dutch oven…. instead, I let the dough do half of its second rise (~1/2 hour) on the counter (in the Dutch oven w/lid) and then put the whole thing (dough/Dutch oven/lid) in the cold oven and pre-heated them together, then baked for the time the recipe recommends once at temp.
(Le Cruiset does not recommend heating their Dutch ovens empty, saying it could crack the enamel coating.) ♀️
I’ve tried 5 or 6 recipes from this site, and they are all amazing tasting and very easy/quick to make. Keep up the good work!
I have made lots of breads, this one was amazing! Best loaf ever, easy to do – just need to remember to set aside the time for the dough to sit.
My husband absolutely loved it! Thanks for sharing :0)
I made this bread last night and it turned out perfectly, except I forgot to cut the top before putting it in the oven… but that was alright because it looked beautiful when it was done 🙂
. Since the crust is so solid, I think it even would make a great bowl for dips or even soup! Thank you for sharing, I’ll definitely be making it again and maybe will leave more than a slice for my family.
Amazing! Everybody loves this! We only have a giant dutch oven so we bake two loaves together at the same time.
Thank you for helping me make my first bread baby! I felt so accomplished and my family went crazy over it. A new frontier in my kitchen and that was possible due to your easy and clear recipe. I already feel ready to take on sourdough! Any sourdough starter tips?
The recipe calls for All Purpose Flour…can I use Bread Flour?
I’m not sure about it being fool proof as I think I’ve screwed it up twice. Or maybe I’m the proof that a fool can make bread. I’ve made this twice, different consistency both times and it was excellent. EXCELLENT! I love it, and think I’ll go screw up another batch today!
Id love to try to this recipe but would like to know if I could replace instant yeast with soughdough starter instead?
I’ve tried several bread recipes during this quarantine. This recipe is one I keep coming back to! The texture and crust of the bread is on point.
Fabulous concept! I am an old school bread maker and this recipe rivals many loaves made with tedious, classic technique. Don’t be afraid to try this if you are not experienced. It is incredibly simple and you will be amazed with the results. I love baking and cooking; however, I am becoming weary of the never-ending meal planning and preparation during this pandemic. Throw it together while you have your morning coffee and it will be ready to serve with dinner — or reverse process to serve with breakfast I did not change a thing except for the measurement of the flour. I measured 1 pound of flour on a kitchen scale as directed in the original Kitchn recipe, which is about 3 cups. ( Flour volume varies with density and humidity). I have since made different versions of this recipe published in other food blogs. TIP: If you do not own a cast iron Dutch oven like the one pictured above, there is a 30% discount and a bonus offer for a free decorative knob if you order directly from the manufacturer. It is an excellent investment and useful for many other cooking projects.
I have never made some bread, this will be my first time and thank you for the notes you have given it really helps
Before I start, does the oven stay on at 450 during the whole baking process or do you turn the oven off after you place the dough in the Dutch oven and place back in the oven?
Leave the oven on.
This bread was AMAZING! I used this recipe to make my first homemade bread. Very impressed!
I’m a bread lover and this goes extremely well with salted butter. Thanks for this recipe that my family and I had prepared over the weekend 🙂
Can you please explain how to sub with the active dry yeast? 🙂
I combined the water and yeast(plus an extra pinch of yeast and a teaspoon of sugar) separately, mixed and allowed to sit for 5 minutes then added to the flour and salt to combine. Turned out pretty good with two loaves. I’ve got two more baking. My first bread!
What a fabulous recipe! So easy and tasty! I’ll definitely be making this one again!
discovered both your blog and this recipe by accident.
the ease you described as well as it being damndelicious go to home made bread, inspired ME to make bread.
i also enjoy the tar out of the comments received from others!
very inclined to skip steps 3-5 ; yes thanks.
i’d love not having to hit the shops for very expensive dinner table bread.
so, tho i’ve not yet baked this, i will today.
for you blog, knowledge and followers alone, you already get a great review from me. 🙂
this look easy and delicious, it worth a try!
Hi – I love your recipes too! This came out great. I have a couple of comments though. It seems similar to the Simple Crusty Bread recipe from the New York Times. Did you adapt it from there? It differs in one respect in that their dough was divided into several portions. I doubled your recipe and sort of wish I had cut the resulting dough after the 6 hour rise into four. I divided my double batch into two, and I thought the loaf I baked was kind of huge. I probably could have subdivided further. I set the other dough in the fridge and it has been growing in there…hoping it won’t take over (like the blob)!! But the crust and taste are delicious. Oh and I substituted King Arthur bread flour and used active dry yeast. Maybe that is why it grew so much?
Looks fantastic!! Do you think I could use a Le Creuset 5qt Dutch oven since I don’t have a 4qt?
Did you end up baking this in your 5qt? That’s what I’m getting ready to try.
No problem.
Hi, I’ve made this bread for years…over time I figured out you can just skip steps 3-5! Just let it sit somewhere warm for an hour after step 2. Sometimes I heat up my toaster oven and then turn it off and put the covered bowl on top. Then just dump the bowl into the hot Dutch oven. I literally never touch the dough, except with the spoon in step 2. It comes out exactly the same. You’re welcome 🙂
My first time baking bread! I am very pleased with the results. Very easy to follow recipe. I will certainly make again. Thank you!
Oh my!! My first loaf of bread ever! I was inspired by your recipe and it turned out great on the first try!!
Thank you for sharing!!
Can you explain how the directions would change if you don’t have yeast and do the overnight rise instead? Thank you!
It’s overnight WITH yeast. An alternative would be sourdough starter, but you need to have some active and ready to use.
Made this today! I have only made bread one other time in my life so I’m new at this but it turned out perfectly. I killed the yeast the first time with too hot of water but I added more yeast and it was fine. Hope that’s ok to do since I know nothing! Lol I probably shouldn’t have made bread when it was 90 degrees outside though but it was worth it and the perfect distraction from what’s going on in the world. Love your blog! Made Swedish meatballs yesterday and your lemon fish last week!
Hi, My name is Lila,
I really love your recipe idea & I also inspired from you & star my own blog lemonhoneyrecipes [Dot] com.
Is dutch oven is really necessary ? can I cook the same bread in Micro-Oven?
Please suggest me.
Looks fantastic, can’t wait to try. Would slices of this work well if used to make a panini?
If I don’t have a dutch oven, can I use a large pot instead?
I am not understanding the last sentence in the notes concerning substituting 1 cup of all purpose flour for whole wheat flour. Did you mean the reverse– substituting one cup of whole wheat flour for all purpose flour. I did not see whole wheat flour mentioned in the recipe. Will be trying this recipe!
I think she’s trying to say that if you can use a cup of whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour to make things a little healthier. Keep the rest of the recipe same.
It means take out one cup of the all purpose flour and replace with 1 cup of whole wheat flour.
You can’t bake with all whole wheat flour. You have to use a combination for it to work.
This sounds fantastic. I have a 5.5 qt dutch oven – do you think that will still work?
…or a 4 qt covered pot?
I have successfully cooked this in a Corningware 3qt. casserole dish.
This what I am going to try. Did you follow the recipe exactly.
This was awesome. I always love your recipes. Have you ever added herbs like rosemary, garlic, jalapeños or grated cheddar cheese. Let me know your thoughts.
I just tried this recipe last night & added fresh rosemary from my garden. It was amazing!
Can’t wait to try this! Thanks for posting–I love homemade bread!
Hello
This looks delicious and I am eager to experiment with this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
If you ate this bread on a regular basis did it cause any excessive weight gain for you?
I was just curious because I could potentially eat this bread myself without sharing and then blow up in size for being super greedy!
I just bought a Dutch oven just to make bread in.
I’ll make it this weekend.. Thanks!
Did you buy a cast iron one or an enameled one?
I’ve read you can’t pre heat an enameled Dutch oven empty or it may crack