This quick and easy No Knead Bread has a crisp artisan crust and is extra soft and tender inside. It only requires four ingredients and couldn't be easier to make.
Nothing beats the smell of homemade bread! It will amaze you how quick and easy it is to make this No Knead Bread and you can make the bread dough without any special tools!! My other favorite bread recipes include Honey Whole Wheat Bread and Easy Banana Bread.
I have included some variations for making this No Knead Bread. You can make the bread dough even healthier by using whole wheat flour (see directions below) or add a variety of different flavors to the dough. You can also choose to bake it on a baking sheet or in a cast iron pan!
It's hard to believe there is absolutely no kneading required to make this bread, but you have to try it! I'm confidant you'll “wowed” by how easy this bread is to make!
How to make No Knead Bread:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and yeast. Pour in warm water and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined. The dough will be sticky. Cover the bowl and allow it to rise at room temperature for 3-4 hours, or in the refrigerator for up to 15 hours.
- Scoop dough onto a floured work surface and shape into a ball. Sprinkle a tiny bit of flour on top of the dough ball and place it on a piece of parchment paper. Cover the dough lightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place an empty cast iron pot, with the lid on, into the oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Remove covering from dough ball. Lift the parchment paper and dough ball up, and place inside cast iron pot that’s been preheating in the oven. Cover with lid and return to oven to bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove lid and bake, uncovered for 12-15 more minutes, until golden on top. Remove from oven and allow bread to cool on a wire cooling rack.
- Store bread in an open paper bag on the counter for up to 1 week.
- Baked (and cooled) loaves of bread can be frozen for up to 3 months.
No Cast Iron Pan? Use a Baking Sheet!
- Make the dough as directed, including allowing it to rise. Place it on a greased baking sheet.
- Add three cups boiling water to a 9×13 pan and set it on the lowest rack of your oven. The water will create steam which will help keep the bread crusty on the outside as it bakes. Bake for about 30-35 minutes.
The result is the same delicious, crusty bread, and I love that you can really shape the dough any way you like when you use this method. I shaped mine into a log and I cut 3 very shallow diagonal slits in the top (optional). I felt like I was eating my own homemade version of a La Brea baguette!
Variations:
- Whole Wheat Flour: For best results, use half whole wheat flour and half white flour. Try stirring in 2 tablespoons of honey to the warm water, for a flavor boost. Make and bake as directed.
- Mix-Ins (add to the flour mixture, before adding water):
- 3 large cloves minced garlic plus 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary,
- 1 cup favorite kind of shredded cheese (try adding a chopped jalapeño!)
- ¾ cup dried cranberries and/or chopped nuts.
Freezing Instructions:
Make the dough and place in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator, then allow to rise for 30-45 minutes at room temperature before baking. Baked (and cooled) loaves of bread can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
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Recipe
No Knead Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast (or instant yeast)
- 1 ½ cups warm water (about 110 degrees F)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and yeast. Pour in warm water and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined. The dough will be sticky. Cover the bowl and allow it to rise at room temperature for 3-4 hours, or in the refrigerator for up to 15 hours.
- Scoop dough onto a floured work surface and shape into a ball. Sprinkle a tiny bit of flour on top of the dough ball and place it on a piece of parchment paper. Cover the dough lightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place an empty dutch oven/cast iron pot*, with the lid on, into the oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Remove covering from dough ball. Lift the parchment paper and dough ball up, and place inside cast iron pot that’s been preheating in the oven. Cover with lid and return to oven to bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove lid and bake, uncovered for 12-15 more minutes, until golden on top. Remove from oven and allow bread to cool on a wire cooling rack.
- Store bread in an open paper bag on the counter for up to 1 week.
Notes
- 3 large cloves minced garlic plus 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary,
- 1 cup favorite kind of shredded cheese (try adding a chopped jalapeño!)
- ¾ cup dried cranberries and/or chopped nuts.
Nutrition
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I was skeptical at first because I thought 3-4 hrs for the dough to rise??🙄 But oooh man this bread was absolutely amazing. I’m so happy I tried it. Thank you
Thank you for your recipes you’re artisan bread the whole wheat does it use the same amount of water I was told to put extra water if you’re using whole wheat flour could you please advise thank you
can i use rye flour?
I have never made bread in my life and decided to try this recipe and am so thankful I did!! I added 2 jalepenos and 1 cup cheddar cheese like she suggested in the notes. Yes, it takes a long time for the rising of the dough but I can tell you the end product was absolutely AMAZING! Nice and crusty on the outside and super moist on the inside. I plan on using this recipe many more times. Thank you for sharing!!
Can the dry ingredients be mixed and stored in a Mason jar for later use???
If so
About how long do you think it would keep on a shelf???
Just a hint for other’s with the “tough bottom crust” issue: I use a vintage cast iron dutch oven in a propane fueled oven. The 1st time I ate this bread I think I burned more calories chewing than I consumed. A possible solution is to put a cookie sheet on the lower rack of the oven to keep the direct heat away from the bottom of the dutch oven. Works great for me.
I have an issue with this recipe’s ingredients. I don’t see how 1/2 tsp of yeast would ever make this bread rise. I used 2 tsp and it worked fine. But even with 2 tsp it took a LONG time to rise. I’ve tried other No-Knead recipes and all are almost identical in ingredient amounts and procedure – with the exception of the yeast.
That’s what I’m thinking. It sure isn’t rising like I’d like. Fingers crossed it turns out
This recipe was no for me. The dough did not rise fully and the bread was undercooked inside, almost burnt on the bottom. Waste of time!
Love this recipe! I make it most weekends for us to enjoy and it’s a hit. I love serving with soup or stew
I made this recipe with Bob Mills gluten free flour, I think it would have worked if I hadn’t put too much water in the dough!! Will try again. Do you have any tips for a gluten free version?
This recipe is everything! I’ve wanted to make from scratch bread but have been intimidated. This recipe & your instructions couldn’t be any easier. I followed it exactly and made a most perfect bread. I’ve already raved to everyone about it and can’t wait to make it again. Many thanks!
Are you sure the 1/2 tsp of yeast is correct? It dosen’t seem like much and mine didn’t rise hardly at all.
I use 1 full tsp of granulated yeast and it’s just right for me. Yeast is tricky in that every kind seems to have a different strength. It also loses some of its punch as it ages, and you have no way of knowing how long it sat on the shelf before you bought it. It’s trial and error.