No Knead Bread Recipe

If you’ve ever wanted to try to bake homemade bread, this is the recipe for you! This is an easy recipe that bakes up beautifully every single time and there’s no kneading involved! Let me show you how to bake this Rustic No Knead Bread Recipe that only uses FOUR ingredients!

For some people baking bread just comes easily or naturally. And then there are some people who are so afraid of using yeast they never even try to bake bread.

This recipe is almost as easy as the Easy Flatbread Recipe recently posted. That recipe has only five ingredients and yeast isn’t one of them!

This is the perfect bread recipe for beginners!

No Knead Bread Recipe is also the perfect recipe for people who think they can’t work with yeast. You don’t have to worry about “proofing” yeast. And you don’t have to worry about kneading the dough!

Trust me, you can and will be able to bake a delicious loaf of this Rustic Dutch Oven No Knead Bread.

Baking Bread in a Dutch Oven

This recipe does not produce a traditional loaf of sliced white bread like my recipe for Amish White Bread. We’re going to bake this bread in a Dutch Oven.

Baking bread inside a dutch oven helps to distribute the heat around the dough as it bakes, which then in turn helps bake the bread to perfection.

Using a Dutch Oven to bake the bread will also help create steam which helps bake the bread evenly and perfectly every single time. It also helps to create that nice crusty outer layer that we all love with a rustic loaf of bread.

What size Dutch Oven is best?

For this recipe, I used a 2.75 quart size Dutch oven. I believe the smaller size Dutch oven works better because as the dough bakes and heats up in the pan, the dough rises upwards.

Something to keep in mind when baking a No Knead Bread Recipe is the size of the Dutch oven pan you use will determine the shape of the bread. If you use a wider type Dutch oven pan, the dough will spread outward over the surface of the pan while the dough bakes producing a flatter disc shaped bread.

You’ll get a delicious loaf of bread no matter which size/type pan you use. It really depends on your preference to the finished product.

Plan Ahead!

One important thing about this recipe is you need to plan ahead. The dough rises overnight in the refrigerator for at least 8 to 10 even 12 hours.

You could also start the bread in the morning and let it rise all day. Then bake it right before you plan on serving dinner. It will be the perfect accompaniment to Pasta Fagiola Soup or Pot Roast.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

• Large bowl
• 2.75 quart size Dutch oven
• Measuring cups

What temperature is lukewarm for yeast?

When working with yeast, you need to make sure the water is the proper temperature or the yeast will not grow.

Some people like to use room temperature water, but I never have success doing it that way. I like to heat the water in the microwave for about 60 seconds or until it is 105 to 115 degrees.

The easiest way to test the temperature of the water is to use a Digital Meat Thermometer. I love using this digital one. It gives you the temperature within a few seconds. 

No need to proof the yeast!

That’s right, for this recipe you won’t have to proof the yeast. Which is one of the things a lot of people are unsure of how to do when baking bread.

If you want to try baking a bread recipe with yeast, check out my recipe for Amish White Bread. I include step-by-step instructions on how to successful proof yeast.

Ingredients

Make sure you print out the recipe below and save it for later!

• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Active dry yeast
• Water – 105 – 115 degrees

Directions

Add the flour, yeast and salt to a big bowl. Stir to combine. Remember, we’re not proofing the yeast for this recipe.

Since we’re going to let this bread recipe sit for 12 hours or longer, that will help activate the yeast to do what it’s suppose to do.

Next, pour the warm water on top and using a wooden spoon, stir to combine everything.

Take a sheet of plastic wrap and spray the back of it with non-stick cooking spray. You could also brush about a teaspoon of oil on the back of the plastic wrap as well. You don’t want the dough to stick to the plastic wrap as it rises.

Allow the dough to sit covered at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours. The longer it sits and rises, the more dense the bread will become. Yes, you’re reading this correctly. The bread needs that much time to become delicious.

Preheat the oven

Before you start to shape the dough, you need to preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Make sure you place the Dutch oven cast iron pan, with the lid, in the oven so it can preheat and get nice and hot as well.

This is very important. Do not skip this step. Also, be very careful when you remove the Dutch oven pan from the oven. It will VERY HOT. Make sure you use oven mitts.

How to shape the dough

After eight hours or so, remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface. Make sure you flour your hands as well so the dough doesn’t stick too much.

The dough will be sticky, but once you work with it for a few minutes, it will start to come together nicely.

How to bake the bread

Remove the Dutch oven from the oven, take the dough and carefully drop it into the pot.

How do you know the bread is done?

Cover the pot with the lid and place it back into the oven to bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.

The bread is done when it is golden brown. Remove the bread from the pot and allow it to cool on a baking rack before slicing.

No Knead Bread Recipe Baking tips

Some people like to place the dough on top of parchment paper and then lift the corners of the parchment paper to place inside the Dutch oven pot. You can bake the bread with the parchment paper in the Dutch oven pot.

I’ve never tried it that way, however, I am going to bake this bread again soon and will use the parchment paper and update this post to let you all know how it turns out.

Ready for more great recipes?

Here are a few other delicious bread recipes you might enjoy:

• Amish White Bread
• Garlic Parmesan Monkey Bread
• Homemade French Baquettes
• Pepperoni Mozzarella Monkey Bread

Did you make this recipe?
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