This No-Knead Bread recipe is the best and easiest way to make perfect bread at home! No kneading is needed! This recipe is super easy to follow and makes the best bread loaf at home.
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Why This Recipe Works
This bread is exactly what your next sandwich or a steaming bowl of soup needs. A thick slice of home-baked bread. It's simply too easy not to try it. Just stir all of the ingredients in a bowl, cover, and let sit overnight. Next day, bake, slice, and enjoy!
Homemade bread is one of my very favorite things to bake. It's very gratifying and be used for sweet sandwiches (peanut butter and strawberry jelly come to mind) or loaded with cheese and meat, tomatoes, lettuce, and peppers OR dipped into thick tomato soup. By the way, this bread is amazing for grilled cheese sandwiches!
Instructions:
- Start by measuring out the flour by scooping it with a spoon into a measuring cup, then level off the top.
- Combine water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Add flour and stir in well.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough sit for 24 hours. It should double in size.
- Place dough onto parchment paper, shape into a ball and let sit while you preheat the oven.
- Place dough in Dutch oven and bake, covered, until the top is golden. Remove lid and bake for a few more minutes.
What to use if you don't have a Dutch oven?
If you don't have a cast iron Dutch oven with a lid, you can use a shallow cast iron skillet and a deep cast iron skillet. Use the deep skillet as a lid. The whole setup is heavy so be aware and have kitchen mittens on hand. You need to create a closed environment for the bread to bake with steam.
What size Dutch oven should I use to make this bread?
I've tested this recipe with different sizes of the Dutch oven over the years and anything between 3qt and 5 qt will give you great results. If you want to use a bigger pot, double the recipe. Keep in mind, that if baking the bread in a 3-quart Dutch oven, the bread will have more height, while bread baked in a 5-quart Dutch oven will spread out more.
Can I make this bread with a yeast starter?
The starter, also called levain, is a mixture made with naturally occurring yeast. To make it, you mix flour with water and let it sit letting the yeast and bacteria activate. You can use it in place of yeast in this recipe. Our readers used about ¼ cup of starter to make the no-knead bread and had fantastic results!
Helpful Tips!
- sugar: There are a lot of no-knead bread recipes out there, most of them using only 3 ingredients: flour, yeast, and water. While these ingredients are indeed required, I do not think they will make the best-tasting bread. You need to add sugar to make the yeast happy and bubbling and salt to give the bread flavor. So it's 5 ingredients but the result is the best bread you will make at home.
- flour: Make sure you measure out flour the proper way. Do not dunk the measuring cup into the flour container, but use a spoon to scoop it out into the cup, then level off the top.
- slicing: Cool the bread completely before slicing or you will pull the crumb and the slices won't have the pretty air bubbles.
Variations:
- garlic and herb: add minced garlic and fresh or dried herbs to the dough before rising.
- lemon and garlic: add citrus zest and minced or roasted garlic to the dough before rising.
- cranberries and nuts: add dried cranberries (or any fruit) and chopped nuts to the dough before rising. Orange zest would be great too!
Recipe FAQs:
Yes, honey or maple syrup can be used in place of sugar.
A dough made with active dry yeast rises slower, hence the overnight step. If you are using instant yeast, you can cut the rising time to even 2 hours. Watch the dough if it doubles in size. You will also need to use more of it, I suggest 1 teaspoon of instant yeast. The bread will taste the same, but the crumb won't have as many holes.
If the dough doesn't double in size after the rising time, it means the yeast is old and it didn't activate. Start over with a fresh batch of yeast. Also, make sure you measure out the flour properly.
Yes, bread flour or all-purpose flour can be used.
More easy bread recipes:
If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!
No-Knead Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 ½ cup warm water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Add water and stir just until incorporated. Do not overmix. The dough will be shaggy (wet and sticky, not smooth).
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter, at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours. The dough will rise and have lots of air bubbles.
- The next day, lightly flour a piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle a little bit of flour ( a tablespoon or two) on the surface of the dough. Using the bowl scraper, remove the dough from bowl and place it onto the parchment paper. With floured hands or the bowl scraper, shape into a ball, by tucking the sides of the dough underneath it.
- Preheat oven to 450° F. Adjust rack to lower position. Place Dutch oven inside. Preheat for 30 minutes.
- When oven is ready, make a cut in the center of the dough with a sharp knife and carefully place the parchment paper with dough inside the Dutch oven. Add two ice cubes to the Dutch oven (in between the parchment and the side of the pot). Cover with Dutch oven lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake for 10 to 15 minutes OR until the top is golden brown.
- When the timer is up, carefully remove Dutch oven from oven. Remove parchment paper with bread and place on a wooden cutting board. Let cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- To measure out flour the proper way: do not dunk the measuring cup into the flour container, but use a spoon to scoop it out into the cup, then level off the top.
- If you are not sure if your yeast is still good, dissolve ¼ of a teaspoon of it in ½ cup of warm water. If it foams up, your yeast is still good!
- Cool the bread completely before slicing or you will pull the crumb and the slices won't have the pretty air bubbles.
- I use a silicone bowl scraper to handle a sticky dough like this one. You can purchase it on Amazon or any store.
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
Melissa says
I am trying to stay away from sugar. Would it still work if I replaced the sugar with honey or maple syrup?
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
I never tested it with honey or maple syrup so I can't guarantee the result but it should be fine. Let me know if you make it, Melissa!
Gayla says
Just as a general FYI: Honey and Maple Syrup ARE sugars. The idea is to feed the yeast. Doesn't take that much.
PJ says
Are you suppose to stretch the plastic wrap tightly to seal contents so it can rise? It’s been 9 hours and I’m not seeing it doubled in size. I hadn’t covered tightly when I laid wrap on top of bowl overnight so I just now tightened it across the top to try and get dough to double.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi PJ! The dough should rise even if the bowl is not tightly wrapped. If it's not rising then it's probably the yeast. Did you use a new package or older one?
Kristiana says
Hello! I was wondering if I could double the recipe for a larger loaf? Or perhaps that would negatively effect the bread? Thank you for your help! Really excited about this recipe!
Kristiana says
I tried tripling the recipe and baking it in a large Dutch oven. Great results! That being said, I found that the taste developed quite a bit more when left to rise a second 24 hours or so in the refrigerator. It doesn’t have much taste when only allowed to rise once. That being said it is a fabulous bread both ways!
Anna says
Thank you so much for letting me know, Kristiana! I am so glad it worked out!
alyssa says
Would this fit in a 4 quart Dutch? Or do you recommend I cut the ingredients in half?
maruquel rivera says
what size dutchoven should be used.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
I recommend a 5-quart Dutch oven. Hope this helps!
Toni says
I made this yesterday! Delicious!! First time ever making bread and this was soooo easy! This Recipe is a keeper!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Toni! I am so happy to know you love this recipe! It's my favorite! Thank you!
Margaret says
I have made this with 1/4 cup of starter instead of yeast and it is marvelous. I usually make bread and pancakes or brownies since
I need to use one cup a week when I feed it.
Ali says
Looking forward to making this - one query, what do you mean by 'shaggy'? (The dough will be shaggy)
Annie Miller says
I have made this bread in the past and last night, while preparing the mix, decided to add rosemary, thyme, and garlic. This morning, as it was baking, the aroma was amazing! couldn't wait for it to cool enough to eat that best-slice-end-of-the-loaf slathered with butter (don't judge me!). Fantastic! Would be great toasted with cheese, as garlic bread, or for a lovely sandwich!
This is the best, and my favorite site ever. Thanks, Anna!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Annie!! I am so happy you made this bread! Isn't it just wonderful? I absolutely love your addition of rosemary, thyme and garlic. That sounds incredible! Thank you so much!! Have a beautiful week! -Anna
Toni says
Definitely will try adding this!
Lauren says
Making bread is a memory that I share with Grandpa so I love this!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Awww, I love that! Thank you for sharing, Lauren!
Michelle says
Oh my goodness, this looks incredible! It's begging to be filled with soup!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Oooo! Yes! I love that idea. Thanks, Michelle!
Megan says
This bread is a serious stunner! It looks crunchy on the outside, yet soft on the inside. Just how I like it!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Me too! So perfect! 😀 Thanks so much, Megan!
Dee says
Sourdough is my absolute favorite bread -- I'm drooling just looking at these pictures!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Mine too! Thank you, Dee! 😀
Erin says
I am TOTALLY making the starter for this bread tonight so I can bake it tomorrow. I am just LOVING this!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Woohoo! I love it! Let me know how you like it, Erin! 😀
Michelle says
Such a great recipe, and I am beyond excited to try it!
Dorothy says
The crumb...the structure...the crust...that is one PERFECT loaf of bread!
Erren says
This bread looks absolutely gorgeous! I love homemade bread!