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.
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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.
M&M Laffs says
I have used and shared your bread recipe for a long while now. I do have a question, have you ever experienced the dough being extra wet after it is risen and placed on the paper? There is no way to form a ball or cut a slit in the top. It still tastes good after baking, sometimes it rises back up and sometimes it is a bit flat. Thank you!
Lois Greene says
I am going to start it tonight so I can bake it tomorrow. I am really excited to try this without dragging out my bread maker.
Anna says
Sounds great, Lois! Happy baking! If you have any questions, feel free to email me.
Joe says
Epic fail for me. Followed recipe exactly. Rise fell about 6-8 hours in to proof. I thought all well as it nearly topped the bowl. By last night. It was slightly larger than when I started. This morning pretty much the same. Dough is super jiggly and wet to the touch. Don't know where or how I goofed. I used a non enamel cast iron dutch oven. It's cooling now and crackles a little. But it feels and sounds dense.
Krzysztof says
Baking bread has never been so easy. And the smell in the house and that crispy crust are indescribable. Thank you Anna for this recipe
Nancy says
Very easy to make! Came out perfect! The size was perfect for the two of us! I almost doubled the recipe, because i have a 7 quart oval. But didn’t. T
It came out perfectly round. It didn’t spread. YUM!!!! Can you use bread flour also?
Anna says
Hi Nancy! Thank you for giving my recipe a try! So glad it was a success! Yes, you can use bread flour. The bread will have more chew to it. Enjoy!
Nancy says
Can i use bread flour instead of all purpose?
Brnda says
This is really good bread. Made it several times. Just wondered what the ice cubes are for. Moisture? The only thing I found was that the bottom crust is a bit thicker and crispier than I would have liked. But overall, good bread.
Marilyn says
What can you do if you don't have ice cubes?
Regards,
Marilyn
Anna says
Hi Marilyn! Just skip it, if you don't have ice cubes. Hope this helps!
Irene Gulla says
Made many types of breads but this was the easiest to make and it’s always perfect and delicious. It’s a no brainer, anyone cam make this bread.
Mary Jo Hosler says
I made (finished) this bread today. It turned out pretty good and has a great flavor. It didn't rise as much as I thought it would and my yeast was brand new. I've tried many recipes over the last several months and I questioned the meager amount of yeast in this one. Is it really supposed to be only 1/2 teaspoon of yeast? Most of the ones I've seen or made have at least 2 tsp. Of yeast. Would more yeast make it rise a little more? I haven't quite figured out the exact chemistry yet. But I've never thrown a loaf away yet. 😄 Nothing better than fresh bread out of the oven.
Anna says
Hi Mary Jo! If you use more yeast, the rising time will be shorter. If you use two teaspoons, the dough will be ready even in one hour if you keep it rising in a warm place. Half of a teaspoon is good amount for an overnight rise. I hope this helps!
Jan says
What to us if you don’t Have cast iron pans.
Alison says
I don't have a Dutch Oven either. I'm going to use a regular oven safe metal pot and lid. It may not be 100% perfect but you can adjust temps or baking time the next time you bake this bread. Necessity is the mother of invention
Judy says
Hello. I am using the 2x recipe. Sould I be baking this for an hour?
Elizabeth says
What do you do when the dough is so sticky you can not form into a round shape?
Anna says
Hi Elizabeth! Sprinkle flour on top of the dough while its still in the bowl. Dust your flat surface (like countertop or cutting board) with flour. Use a silicone dough scraper to remove the dough from the bowl. Gently form into a ball using the scraper or floured hands. I hope this helps!
Fran says
Easy to make and delicious. Thank you
Rox says
So easy I make this bread a lot! Thanks
Rose says
Can this be made ahead and stored? If yes, How is it stored?