The Best Easy No Knead Bread

The Best Easy No Knead Bread is a simple, foolproof way to make bakery style bread at home in a dutch oven without any bread making experience or special equipment – no kneading required!

Simply mix and let rise for bakery style bread at home in no time! 

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The Best No Knead Bread

I don’t know why bread making is one of those endeavors that will always intimidate me.

Baking has never quite been my thing – I am a decent baker, but I am more a toss ingredients in without making precise measurements kind of person – and I hate following rules.

Bread, however, requires a lot of rules and a specific process – which is just not the way I instinctively like to cook. I love it with a hearty soup like Beef and Lentil Stew, or a fresh summer salad like Salade de Chèvre Chaud.

Thankfully, this easy no knead bread recipe is crazy simple, and SO easy!

This Easy No Knead Bread, however, is totally a game-changer.

Seriously – Artisan No Knead Bread – right at home in your own kitchen!

It does take a little time for things like rising, but nothing that is incredibly labor intensive, and is an incredibly easy way to make quick, delicious, and incredibly flavorful bread.

This artisan no knead bread recipe also is a simple mix by hand or spoon bread technique – no stand mixer required!

It is loosely based off the famous NY Times No Knead Bread recipe that was a massive hit – with some of my own flavors and modifications added.

While I used rosemary (one of my absolute favorite herbs ever), you can use any herbs to make this bread your own.

It’s so simple – there are so many delicious combinations you could add in!

Be sure to check out my other No Knead Bread – full of Jalapeno and Cheddar goodness!

This bread is my new favorite thing to bake on the weekends – you can even prep it the night before and let it rise.

I hope you love it as much as we do!

How To Make No Knead Bread

This bread is incredibly simple to make – if you follow the steps properly, it is as easy as mix, rise, and bake.

Since we do need to rise – and follow the steps exactly – for the best results, we recommend reading the instructions a few times before baking.

Thankfully, this recipe is pretty forgiving as long as you let the dough rise, and make sure your oven is hot enough.

How To Proof Yeast

It’s not entirely necessary, but I always “bloom” or “proof” my yeast when making this bread to make sure it’s active and going to rise.

This step is super simple, and just takes a few minutes.

Use warm water – lukewarm, so the yeast is encouraged to rise, but not too hot that it dies.

Add yeast to water and let sit for five minutes – it will foam a bit to “prove” it is active.

If your yeast doesn’t do anything, it is dead and your bread won’t rise properly, and you need to get different yeast.

How To Let No Knead Bread Rise

This process will involve three rise periods – twice in a bowl, and once wrapped in plastic.

When letting your bread rise, make sure you’ve cleaned down the sides of your bowl. Bread won’t rise as well when it sticks to dirty bits on the side of the bowl.

Cover with a damp, warm towel. Don’t let towel touch bread, and don’t let it be wet enough to drip water onto bread – but this will help bread rise.

Let bread rise in cool area free from cold drafts.

Don’t set bread on stovetop while oven preheats, this may start bread cooking.

Baking Bread in a Dutch Oven

Part of why this recipe works so well is because of the dutch oven, and the way it holds in heat and helps to evenly distribute it – almost creating a steaming effect to rise the bread as it bakes.

I’ve had a few people ask what they can use if they do not have a dutch oven. Since this bread is no-knead, it’s really relying on the heat of a very hot dutch oven to help make it light, fluffy, and airy (instead of a gummy, dense bread).

If you don’t have a dutch oven, you could try this in another heavy pot with a lid, but I really think for the texture to be perfect, it does need the extra heat.

I find it is best to line the dutch oven with parchment paper, with a little sprinkling of flour on the bottom.

Preheat the dutch oven at 450 F during the final 30 minute rise when the bread is wrapped in plastic wrap, with parchment in dutch oven.

Preheating dutch oven helps to create very hot pot so the bread can lift and rise immediately as it goes in the oven,

Step By Step No Knead Bread Instructions

This bread is simple, but the steps do need to be followed in order for the best results.

• In a small bowl, add water and stir yeast packet in (make sure water is warm, but not too hot – if it is too cold or too hot it will not bloom properly).
• Let yeast bloom for about 5 minutes – it will have a light foam on it.
• In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients with a spoon.
• Make a small well in the middle of the dry ingredients, and when yeast is proofed, slowly pour into dry ingredients.
• Mix by hand (either with your hands, or a spoon).
• The dough will turn begin to come together and pull away from the bowl.
• If the dough is too sticky, add more flour in small increments, about 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Once the dough has come together, cover it and let it rise until it doubles in size (about 1.5 to 2 hours).
• Uncover the dough and give it a few pokes with your finger.
• If the dough has risen correctly, it should indent under the pressure of your fingers and slowly deflate.
• Gently scoop up the dough and make sure to remove it from the sides of the bowl (you want it to fully rise again, if it is still stuck to the sides of the bowl in parts, it won’t.)
• Place back in bowl, cover, and allow the dough to continue to rise for another 1.5-2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees (230 degrees C, gas mark 8) and add dutch oven to it, (you want it to be incredibly hot).
• Punch down dough.
• Generously flour a sheet of parchment paper; transfer dough to parchment and, with floured hands, shape into a ball.
• Place dough on parchment paper and sprinkle top lightly with flour.
• Top with any extra herbs or a sprinkle of celtic sea salt.
• Top with a sheet of plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes.
• Remove Dutch oven from oven.
• Uncover dough and carefully transfer to Dutch oven, with or without parchment paper beneath (if bottom of Dutch oven is not coated with enamel, keep parchment paper beneath dough- I always use parchment paper because it is just the easiest and I never have to worry about anything sticking).
• Cover Dutch oven with lid and return to oven.
• Bake bread 45 minutes covered, then another 10 to 15 minutes uncovered until dough is baked through and golden brown on top.
• Cool slightly before slicing.

Tips to Perfect No Knead Bread and FAQs

For the best no knead bread, we’ve found a few tips and tricks to ensure success, every time.

Don’t skip preheating. Preheating the oven really is important, it helps your bread rise and get a perfect chewy, light texture.

Other Bread Recipes You’ll Love

If you love this easy, effortless bread, be sure to check out my other everyday easy breads like our soft buttery dinner rolls (just like parker house rolls!), our cheddar bay biscuits, Easy Fogo De Chao Brazilian Cheese Bread Copycat rolls, no knead cheddar jalapeno bread, easy peanut butter bread, and so many more:

You can find our complete bread recipe archives here.

Easy No Knead Bread Recipe

If you love this Easy No Knead Bread Recipe as much as I do, please write a five star review, and be sure to help me share on facebook and pinterest!

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