This artisan no knead bread recipe is perfect for beginning bakers. Easy to mix together with just 4 ingredients, you’ll make a beautiful loaf that’s crusty on the outside and soft and delicious inside – great for dipping in soups or even making bread bowls!
Homemade bread doesn’t last very long in our house, and since my schedule usually lands on the busy side, I’m always looking for an EASY bread recipe that requires very little effort on my part.
I can mix up a quick batch of this no knead bread after dinner and bake it the next morning. Since I’m already in the kitchen at dinner time (or making a smoothie in the morning), this is one homemade bread recipe that fits in well with my routine.
If you’re new to baking bread and intimidated by using yeast, this recipe is also perfect for you. Yes, we’re using yeast, but I’ll walk you through the VERY simple recipe steps.
Plus, since this is a NO KNEAD recipe, you pretty much can’t mess up!
WHY MAKE HOMEMADE NO-KNEAD BREAD?
Have I convinced you to try homemade no-knead bread yet?
- It’s really, really good (WAAAY better than store-bought)
- It’s really, really cheap (as little as 25¢ per loaf!)
- And it’s really, really EASY (it’s the perfect beginner bread recipe!)
When you’ve nailed this no-knead bread recipe and you’re ready to try a more “intermediate” loaf of bread, here’s the official guide on how to use yeast.
The tips in that guide helped me get over my fear of yeast and led me to Rosemary Olive Oil Bread and our favorite “sandwich” bread, 90-Minute Man Bread (which officially got us hooked on homemade bread).
NO KNEAD BREAD RECIPE INGREDIENTS
- Water. Every bread recipe needs liquid. Water is the best for this recipe.
- Active Dry Yeast. You may not be used to working with yeast (yet), but you will find that it isn’t so scary after all!
- Salt. A little bit of salt goes a long way when it comes to pulling out the flavor in bread. You really don’t want to skip this.
- Flour. I like to use all-purpose flour for this recipe. Whole wheat flour works too, but it will have a more dense nutty flavor.
- Vital wheat gluten (optional). You don’t need to include vital wheat gluten, but if you do, it makes for a softer, more pliable loaf of bread. Add 1 Tablespoon per cup of flour if you decide to use it. Skip if you are using bread flour.
Psst! Not all salts are made the same! I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because it doesn’t have microplastics (gross, right?) and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!).
A QUICK NOTE ON THE FLOUR
For those who are gluten-free, einkorn may be the solution! Einkorn is an ancient grain with less gluten than modern wheat. It works great for my family members with gluten sensitivity! You can read more about it here.
Whether you use einkorn or stick with all-purpose flour, here are a few brands that I like that are easy to find at local grocery stores or online:
- Bob’s Red Mill is a brand I can often find in stores, and I’ve also found it on Amazon and Thrive Market (Click here to see the Exclusive Offer for Crumbs readers!).
- Jovial Foods offers einkorn flour in both whole wheat and all-purpose. Save 10% off all items in the store (with exclusions on special promotional items such as cookbooks and new harvest oil) when you use coupon code DWCRUMBS. Plus, get free shipping on orders over $99. You can also find Jovial Foods Einkorn Flour on Amazon.
HOW TO MAKE NO KNEAD BREAD
Step 1. Combine flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
Step 2. Add warm water and mix well using your hands. Your goal is to incorporate as much flour as possible while handling the dough as little as possible. The dough will be hard to stir and shaggy, not smooth like traditional bread dough, and that’s okay!
Step 3. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise overnight 8 to 18 hours at room temperature. The sticky dough will bubble and rise slightly.
Step 4. When you’re ready to bake the bread, flour your hands and a silpat mat (or a piece of parchment paper) and turn the dough onto the floured work surface. Without kneading the dough, gently form it into a ball.
Step 5. Tear a piece of parchment paper about 12” square. Place the dough on the parchment paper and cover it with a towel. Let it rest for one hour.
Step 6. Let the dough rise for 30 minutes, then preheat the oven to 450F. Place a Dutch oven (or another cast iron or oven-safe pot that has a lid) inside – WITHOUT THE LID – to preheat. Preheat for 30 minutes.
Note: Do not put the lid in the oven.
Step 7. When the dough has rested for an hour (30 minutes by itself, then another 30 minutes with the pot in the oven), carefully remove the pot from the oven. Gently lift the parchment paper with the dough ball and place the whole thing in the pot.
Step 8. Put the lid on and place the pot back in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on.
Step 9. Carefully remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the top of the loaf is golden brown.
Step 10. Allow your no knead bread to cool completely before slicing. (I recommend at least 30 minutes in a spot where air can flow freely above and below, like on top of one of a wire rack, on the counter, or kitchen table.)
TIPS FOR NO KNEAD RECIPES
- You CAN knead no knead recipes, but it will change the texture so that it’s more like “sandwich bread” rather than artisan crusty bread.
- This recipe calls for using a Dutch oven (I have this one), but you don’t have to have one specifically. Any large pot with an oven-proof lid will work.
- The first rise on no-knead bread should be at least 8 hours long and up to 18 hours. The yeast needs long enough to ferment naturally but will cap out after so long. The heat from baking will finish out the rise on the bread.
- With one minor change, these loaves can become bread bowls (see below!).
NO KNEAD BREAD VARIATIONS
I like to mix up our bread flavors from time to time. Here are our favorite easy variations:
- jalapeno cheddar – add ¼ cup of sliced jalapenos and ½ cup of cheddar cheese
- cinnamon raisin – add ¼ cup of raisins and 1 tsp of cinnamon
- rosemary olive oil – add 1 tsp rosemary and 1 Tbsp olive oil
- onion & herb – add 2 tsp dried minced onion and 1 tsp Italian herb blend (or any other herb)
HOW TO MAKE NO – KNEAD BREAD BOWLS
No – knead bread bowls are the best thing ever! Homemade artisan bread is perfectly sturdy and makes great bread bowls.
- Follow the instructions to mix your dough and let rise overnight.
- Then, divide the dough into two balls before allowing it to rest for 1 hour.
- Use two smaller oven-safe pots (with lids) and proceed with the remaining directions as written.
- After the bread has cooled completely, cut the tops out like you would remove the top of a pumpkin: angle a sharp, serrated knife both down and in towards the center of the loaf. Take care not to cut too far down; otherwise, you’ll poke a hole through to the bottom.
- You can serve the top of the bread bowl with your soup or reserve it for Homemade Croutons or Breadcrumbs.
PAIR WITH NO KNEAD BREAD
No knead bread is perfect with a bowl of soup! Try one of these favorites:
- Garlic White Bean Soup with Kale
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Cheeseburger Soup
- Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup
- Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
- The Best Minestrone Soup
If you’re not in a soup mood, enjoy your no-knead bread with one of these yummy dishes instead:
- Spring Vegetable Pasta Salad
- Healthy Broccoli Salad
- Greek Quinoa Salad
- Roasted Vegetable Kale Salad
- 15-Minute Spaghetti
- Savory Pasta with Greens
Add a flavorful twist with herb-infused oil for dipping (don’t forget to freeze any extra herbs!).
NO KNEAD BREAD DUTCH OVEN FAQS
What kind of bread is no knead bread?
No knead bread is a method of bread baking that uses a really long rising time instead of kneading the dough. It is a wet dough and has a low yeast content.
Why is my homemade no knead bread so dense?
This happens when there is too much flour. Keep in mind that the dough will be sticky – there’s no need to add extra flour!
Can you make no knead bread without dutch oven?
This is a no knead bread dutch oven recipe, but if you don’t have a dutch oven, you can use a different pot with an oven-proof lid. Keeping the lid on for the first part of the baking time ensures that you end up with bread that is fluffy inside instead of overly dry and crumbly.
Can you score a no knead bread?
You can score no knead bread if you want to add a pretty design to the top of your loaf, but it’s not necessary for this no knead bread recipe to be scored for it to bake correctly. Use a sharp knife to cut simple patters on the top of the dough before baking.
MORE OF OUR FAVORITE BREAD RECIPES
- The Easiest White Sandwich Bread
- 90-Minute Man Bread
- No-Knead Einkorn Sourdough Bread
- Homemade Focaccia Bread
- Homemade French Bread
- No Yeast Bread
- Easy Homemade Dinner Biscuits
30 Minute Dinners Sample Meal Plan
Sign up to get instant access to my 30 Minute Dinners Sample Meal Plan, complete with recipes and step-by-step instructions!WATCH HOW TO MAKE NO KNEAD BREAD
No Knead Overnight Artisan Bread
This artisan no knead bread recipe is perfect for beginning bakers. Easy to mix together with just 4 ingredients, you’ll make a beautiful loaf that’s crusty on the outside and soft and delicious inside – great for dipping in soups or even making bread bowls!
- Prep Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 9 hours
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 ½ cups room temperature water
- vital wheat gluten* – 1 Tbsp per cup flour (optional)
Instructions
- Combine flour, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Add water and mix well. The dough will be hard to stir and shaggy, not smooth like traditional bread dough.
- Cover with a towel and let rise overnight, 8 to 18 hours. The sticky dough will bubble and rise.
- When you’re ready to make bread, flour your hands and your working surface and turn the dough out. Without kneading the dough, gently form it into a ball. Cover with a towel and allow to rest for one hour.**
- After the dough has risen for 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 450F and put your Dutch oven or oven-safe pot (that has a lid) inside to preheat. Do not put the lid on the oven. Preheat for 30 minutes.
- When the dough has rested for an hour, and the pot has preheated, remove the pot from the oven. Carefully lift the dough from the surface and place it into the pot. If your pot is stainless steel and not lined, you can line it with a piece of parchment paper first.
- Replace the lid and place the pot back in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on.
- Carefully remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
- Allow to cool completely (at least 30 minutes in a spot where air can flow freely above and below).
Notes
- *Vital wheat gluten is optional but helps create a more pliable, softer loaf.
- ** To turn this recipe into individual bread bowls, divide the dough into two balls before allowing it to rest for 1 hour. Use two smaller oven-safe pots (with lids) and proceed with the remaining directions as written.
- To cut the tops out, cut like you would the top out of a pumpkin: angle a sharp, serrated knife both down and in towards the center of the loaf. Take care not to cut too far down, otherwise, you’ll poke a hole through to the bottom. Cut out the top and either serve, reserve for Homemade Croutons or Breadcrumbs.
Nutrition
- Calories: 115
KANIKA
Hi. I am a beginner baker. So I went and got myself a Pyrex dish yesterday with a lid and prepped it last night and baked the bread today. It was delicious!!
I wanted to ask when shaping the dough can I use semolina flour to give it extra crunch.
The only problem was that my family finished the bread before it cooled.
I have just made the dough again.
My family can’t get enough of it. Thank You
Tiffany
You’re so very welcome Kanika! Your family eating it before it cools is a good problem to have. 🙂
Jeannie
Hi, just wanted to throw in my two cents worth! I love this recipe, I have used it over and over for years except I want to say that I think the temperature is too hot or the length of time is too long, because 30 minutes at 450° started to burn the bottom of the bread, never went to the last 15 minutes with the lid off but it still turned out beautiful on top, took her out of the oven at the 30 minutes. That is why only gave four stars instead of five. Anyway, thanks again and I love all the information you throw in there regarding the flours available, I’m trying to find the Hogson organic, proving to be a little difficult… But I’m not gonna give up yet! Thank you again ! Really wanted to post pictures but I see nowhere for that option?
Tiffany
Hi Jeannie! I don’t currently have the option to upload pictures in comments – sorry! As for the oven, do you think your oven runs hot? I’ve never burned the bottom of the bread, in 4 different ovens!! But glad you found a way to make it work for you!
Eddy
Just made this bread for the first time.
Really good and easy recipe. Recommended for anyone who does not have experience baking bread.
Light, fluffy and delicious bread.
Tiffany
Thanks so much for sharing your review Eddy!
Montreal
I’m going to try this as an onion bread as soon as this heat wave ends here. No oven cooking for anything. But I’ll let you know how it goes once I do it.
Tiffany
I look forward to your update Montreal!
Angel B
Wow!!! This bread is straight up MAGIC. I modified the ingredients just a touch (swapped out a little of the all-purpose for whole wheat), but otherwise followed the instructions exactly. This is my first time making the no-knead bread and so was a little curious at the gloopy texture, but it all turned out just perfectly. I’m going to get adventurous next time and use some flavors like garlic. I’m saving this recipe for future uses!
Tiffany
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Angel! And I agree – it IS magic!
Alba
Hi,
Will making this bread with sour whey (from cottage cheese making with vinegar) work? Or part whey part water.
Tiffany
The whey would work Alba!
James Dickens
This bread is amazing! It is sso easy to make, and turns out even than Panera Bread. I can’t believe that only cost 69 cents!
Tiffany
I’m so glad you like it James!
Liz
Just baked this bread this morning. I let it rise about 12 hours and baked it in a parchment paper lined dutch oven. I just used regular old Gold Medal All Purpose flour – I will try it again with fancier stuff next time. And I *will* try this again. So easy to make and it turned out great! Thanks for the recipe.
Tiffany
You’re very welcome Liz!
Rimsha Salam
So I just prepped this and left it to rise overnight. So excited for tomorrow hoping it turns out well! 😀
Also what other bread recipes would you recommend to a beginner like me? Aside from this, I want to make buns or bread that are very soft and airy but also easy and forgiving. Because I tend to mess up bread baking sometimes. ‘:D
Looking forward to your reply.
Best Wishes.
Tiffany
Hi Rimsha! Man bread is another good one on my site, and the hamburger buns are good too. 🙂
Jeanne Monroe
Hi, I love this bread, and so do all my friends and family ! I have made it many, many times, and it always turns out awesome!! They all think I’m this amazing baker, hee hee…. So that said, I want to add that if you split it into 2 loaves, you should lessen the baking time, I do 20 minutes covered, then 5 uncovered, and I drop the temperature down to 430* F. .. and that works in my gas oven. Also, I have used a clay loaf pan, like pampered chef, and covered with foil, and that works too, kinda have to make a “tent” shape, and cover as loosely but secure as possible. Sometimes we wanted to have more traditional size slices for sandwiches. So go ahead and use the other baking vessels as long as they’re heavy duty and you can cover with something like foil or other ovenproof lids or bowls, it should work! It is a very forgiving recipe. 🙂 Thanks!!
Tiffany
Thanks for all the great suggestions Jeanne!
Tony
I have been successfully using a Cuisinart bread machine for about10 months. Tried various recipes until I modified one to give me a version of multigrain (my favourite so far). I did a search for removing the dough to do the baking in the oven when I happened on your site. I had heard about long, slow rises but was sceptical. Yuor write up impressed me and was supporte by a visit to my optometrist who waxed lyrical and enthusiastically about this technique and the wonderful flavour of the results.
finally, convinced it was worth a try, I rolled up my sleeves and used the recipe for multigrain I used in the machine, omitting a couple of ingredients to keep it simple. I mixed the flours, salt, yeast and water in a large bowl and covered it and left it overnight. I was concerned when I saw how wet the dough was, but pressed on. I used a cast iron frying pan to bake in the oven and was pkeasantly surprised at the handsome, aromatic loaf that came out. I kept myself busy for the cooling period, then cut the first slice. A bit chewier than the usual loaf. which I found preferable, and the flavour! Superb! I had to sample more, and more. Finally I had to stop myself. It is the best bread I have eaten in years, if not ever. The one drawback is the self control I have to exercise to avoid gorging on it.
Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm.
Tony (up north in Canada)
Conni
This bread, like your blog, is Awesome! (It sounds as if you live near my ‘hood…..my husband and I were laughing at your description of the wharf…..MB, right? Ate you still ‘local’). Thanks!
Tiffany
Oh my goodness Conni – you guessed it!! We lived in MB for 8 years before moving to Atlanta, GA in late 2015. I still remember all my shopping tricks though, so let me know if you need tips!!
Alexandra
I don’t have an oven going pot with a lid. I put the dough on parchment paper on a cookie pan, without heating the pan first. Placed a roasting pan containing two cups of hot water on the rack under the rack the bread was baking on and baked for 45 minutes. Perfection. Thank you for this recipe. Previously, I would bake bread every week and then, life. Making this bread has reminded me how this simple task, and this recipe couldn’t be simpler, is so monumentally important.
Tiffany
So glad you were able to make it work Alexandra, and BIG HIGH FIVE for homemade bread again!!
Melissa
I am a beginner bread Baker and am currently baking this bread recipe. So far I’ve made quite a few mistakes, so here are the things I’ve learned so far and wish the recipe had mentioned:
1. Put the parchment paper in AFTER the pot preheats. If you put it in at the beginning it will burn and turn black.
2. Remember to measure and cut your parchment paper to fit your pot BEFORE you put it in the oven, because it’ll be really hot when you are ready to add the paper and you’ll burn yourself trying.
3. Spraying your pot with oil to ensure nothing sticks? Do that AFTER the pot preheats or it will burn and turn black.
4. The dough is super sticky and gloopy – it would be wise to turn it out onto a floured cutting board or cookie sheet, not the counter. What a sloppy sticky wet flour mess I made!
5. Use a sturdy pot if you use a pot – the first pot I tried was large and had a lid that could go in the oven, but was made of thin metal and scorched terribly.
The bread is currently in the oven baking and after all this trial and error I sure do hope it turns out!
Sarah
Just wanted to let you know how I do it, it works perfectly every time.
1. Mix gloop (with a knife, just until combined), in a bowl and leave, covered with a towel, overnight (or minimum of four hours).
2. Get another large, flattish bowl and put a large sheet of baking paper in it. Onto this paper, scrape the gloopy mix carefully. Leave for another hour, covered with a tea towel. Preheat the oven with the pot inside.
3. Pick up the dough using the baking paper. Transfer this whole thing to the pot, leaving the baking paper in the pot. Put the lid on and cook for thirty minutes.
4. Take the lid off and cook for a further fifteen minutes.
5. Remove from oven and take out of pot carefully using the baking paper!
I hope this helps!
Amanda
Thank you!!!! My husband has been dying for homemade crusty “French” bread….. I made this last night and baked it up this morning. My sons and husband munched on it all day.
I wanted to say I did cook it a little differently since I didn’t have a pot with a lid that was oven safe…. so I put it on a cookie sheet and put a glass dish with clean water in the bottom rack. The point of cooking with a lid is to trap the moisture but if you cook it open with a water dish it makes the whole oven moist. Second change was I cooked it at 350 for ~50 minutes……. it looked and smelled great! It was the perfect crusty crunch, the ever so golden color, and the soft chewy inside. “just like my mom makes”….. THABK YOU!!!!!! I just set up another batch to bake tomorrow. I am thinking I will double the recipe next time then cut it in half when second raising to freeze for later/guests. You (and your blog) are my favorite thing since sliced bread ;)! Masalam!
Tiffany
You’re very welcome Amanda! Thank your for sharing your unique cooking instructions. I have no doubt they will help other readers that don’t have an oven-safe pot!
Natalia
I just made this for the first time and it came out spectacular. I’m from Spain but I live in Miami and it’s difficult to find live yeast to make bread like I used to in Spain, so finding good recipes with dry yeast has been difficult specially for crusty awesome breads like this one. I love you for posting it lol!!!! Gracias ❤️
Tiffany
De nada! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe Natalia!
Bob B
I made the bread with organic whole grain spelt. It did not rise in the refrigerator, which I think is because 2 tsp salt is too much. It did rise after removing from the refrigerator and allowing to come to room temperature. It is somewhat dense as I would expect of a whole grain bread.
BTW a comment in the recipe says it has been made with all purpose flour, while above that is the statement that only whole grain flours are used by the bake. I don’t think there is such a thing as whole grain all purpose flour. I do use all purpose flour at times, and a combination of all purpose and whole grain. I use only organic.
Tiffany
Hi Bob! Bread doesn’t rise much in the fridge because of the cold, not the salt so much. Yeast does better at warmer temperatures. You can leave this bread in the fridge, or on the counter overnight – your choice!
Don
Would using half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat pastry flour be a good combination to make this better than all whole wheat?
Also if you don’t have a dutch oven what else do you suggest I use in order to bake it?
Tiffany
Don – that combination should work. Pastry is in general lighter than regular flour, but it also has added corn starch. I’m not sure how that would work in the recipe, but I’d give it a shot! Any pot with a lid will work. If it’s stainless steel, use parchment paper to line the pot first.
Joyce D
Oh my! Oh my! Oh my! I am challenging myself to use ingredients I have on hand and not rush to the store. Found your recipe while looking for overnight artisan bread. My daughter, family and friends are coming by tomorrow on their way to play in the snow and wanted to make toasted cheese sandwiches. So…I followed all except, I only had quick rise yeast so used a bit less as per other recipes I make in my bread machine. I used my big Tupperware bowl with the lid on loosely for overnight. (It was 21 degrees out last night so I put the bowl, etc in the living room near the wood stove!) The lids to my pots are only good to 350 degrees so I had to use a cookie sheet for a lid. (A note in the recipe to take the bread out of the pan as soon as it is out of the oven would be helpful). Waited as long as I could to taste it. Waiting overnight for bread is like waiting to catch a fish~patience… Now I have to restrain myself from eating anymore as I need the bread for tomorrow. Very good, so easy. Next time I will add some garlic cloves and maybe rosemary or parmesan cheese. So many options from here… PS. Read about you on your blog. Enjoyed what you shared. Went around and unplugged everything that I don’t have to crawl under over or thru to save on my electric bill. You have some great ideas…. Inspirational! Thanks.
Juliane
That sounds like a great recipe! But what do I need the Dutch oven / lid for? Can’t I just make it without a lid or in a normal bread loaf form? I’m asking because I don’t have any oven proof pots with lids…
Tiffany
Hi Juliane – The lid creates a steaming effect for the bread to bake in and helps to give it that super-crust on the outside without burning. Do you have a cookie sheet that’s big enough to cover a pot? You’re welcome to try it without a lid, but the results won’t be the same.