No-knead Bread
This is the no-knead bread you totally need in your life right now!
I rarely eat bread because I don’t eat store-bought bread. With a sesame allergy and soy allergy, there is too much cross-contamination. But when I crave a sandwich, this no-knead bread is the perfect go-to easy recipe.
Easiest No-Knead Bread Recipe
There is no kneading or proofing and all you need is 8-12 hours and a dutch oven. The best part? This bread makes you look like a pro baker. It has a perfectly crusty outside and a dense inside that screams for a little butter and honey. Did I mention it’s pretty much foolproof, you can make it in your sleep? I have literally stumbled out of bed, made the dough, and fallen right back asleep 10 minutes later.
Does it sound like I am a fan of this bread or what! The only downside is you need a Dutch Oven to make it. The sealed dutch oven is what gives you the amazing texture and crisp. If you don’t have one, I’d put it on your kitchen wish list since Christmas is coming! A Dutch Oven is an item you won’t believe you were able to live without for so long. It is worth it for the bread alone 😉
The dough is great to make before bed to be baked in the morning, or if you want fresh bread for dinner whip up the dough before you head out and bake it when you get home.
Let’s get baking!
Other great bread recipes
Pumpkin Chocolate Bread
Super Simple Socca (Gluten-Free)
No-Knead Bread
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Description
A simple bread recipe, that rises for 8-12 hours and is baked in a Dutch Oven for a crunchy crust and a dense inside. The ingredient ratios in this no-knead bread recipe are what I found best for texture and taste after many experiments (some recipes call for more or less yeast and salt).
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dry active yeast
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
Special Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Instructions
- In a large bowl stir all the dry ingredients together so the yeast is spread evenly throughout the flour.
- Add the water and mix until everything is incorporated. The dough will be very sticky and soft.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 8-12 hours in a warm draft free area (I pop it in the oven). The dough will about double in size.
- After 8-12 hours turn on the oven to 400° and place the dutch oven inside. Let the dutch oven heat for 30 minutes.
- As the Dutch Oven is warming up, with floured hands, form a ball with the dough and cover with plastic wrap. You will need to use lots of flour while doing this because the dough will very sticky. I also coat the dough ball with flour, so it doesn’t stick to the plastic wrap.
- Once the Dutch Oven is hot, place the dough in the centre and bake with the lid on for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake for another 10-15 minutes, depending on how dark and thick you want the crust. (I prefer 10 minutes)
- Remove the bread from the Dutch Oven and let cool before slicing.
Notes
You can store this bread for a couple of days if wrapped in plastic. When you wrap it in plastic the crust becomes softer.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Bread
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
This style of bread stores really well if you wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and freeze it. Takes like an hour on the counter to thaw and then just pop it in a 350 oven for a few minutes to re-crisp it.
The Dutch Oven is important because it seals in the escaping steam making a mini steam oven which is necessary for a crisp crust. An “overall heat” doesn’t really mean anything.
Also, you really ought give a hat tip to where you got this recipe idea from (ie http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11376-no-knead-bread).
Hi Cameron, Thank you for your comment. I appreciate your feedback, especially regarding the reason why a dutch oven gives us such an amazing crust. I actually read many different recipes for no-knead and dutch oven bread before finding the right ingredient ratios for my preferred bread. I was unaware of the NYT article and very much enjoyed reading it. Cheers!
This recipe changed my life! I hate baking, besides the occasional banana bread, this was sooo easy. never buying sliced bread again. btw as a non baker I read nytimes recipe and was like…NOPE! Lost interest after the mention of using a towel (not terry cloth) This is waay better especially for someone who hates following directions/baking. Can’t wait to experiment with it…….. Is there such thing as eating too much bread??
Thanks! That is so great to hear. Before this recipe I never really ate bread because I cannot eat store bought bread and now I make it almost once a week! I don’t think there is such thing as eating too much bread, I mean the possibilities are endless 🙂
HI! Do you need to coat the dutch oven with anything so it does not stick, or does the flour do the trick? Also, what size dutch oven do you use? Thank you! Can’t wait to try this.
Hi Alana,
I use a 4.5 quart (4.2 L) Dutch Oven. I have also made the bread in a 7.25 quart one and it turned out great. I don’t do anything in terms of preventing sticking. Usually, the dough is pretty sticky so I covered it very generously with flour before covering it with plastic wrap to let sit for 30 minutes (or else it sticks to the plastic wrap). That probably does the trick 🙂
I hope this helps! Have fun baking.
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I’m not much of a baker, but did make no-knead bread once and it really turned out great! Thanks for reminding me about it; I need to do it again!
Oh wow I need to try this!! but first need to go buy that dutch oven! I am a terrible baker but this looks like a great place to start.