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This amazing artisan no-knead bread recipe will make you feel like a rock-star baker! It has a perfectly crispy crust with a soft and chewy texture on the inside. Plus, it couldn’t be easier to make from home!
Homemade bread really falls into its own category when it comes to the ultimate comfort food! Some of my favorite homemade bread recipes include The Best Homemade Garlic Bread and 30-minute Asiago Cheese Rolls and Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread.
No Knead Bread
All it takes is one time making this no-knead bread recipe and you will be completely hooked! It requires basically no effort at all, and it’s absolutely amazing! It has the best texture. It’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. And it’s also easy to add in different mix-in items like cheese, nuts, or seasonings to really take the flavor up a notch (see the tips below on how to do this!).
My kids love helping me make this no-knead bread, and I love that I always have what I need to make it! We stir the ingredients together the night before, and it’s ready to bake the next day. On the rare occasions that we don’t devour the warm loaf in one sitting, we enjoy the leftovers for days–it makes yummy grilled cheese sandwiches! Or you can try dipping it into this chicken alfredo dip or even spreading some of this delicious cinnamon honey butter on it. Then, your kids will eat it all up in one sitting!
Ingredients in No Knead Bread
This bread is super easy to make and only takes a few ingredients! This makes it easy to bake it whenever you want! See the recipe card below for a list of exact ingredient measurements.
- Flour: This creates the base of your bread.
- Sea salt: I liike to use coarse sea salt for it’s flavor and texture.
- Dry yeast: Using active, dry yeast is what helps this dough to rise and create that soft, perfect texture.
- Warm water: The warm water will activate the yeast and also bind all of the ingredients together.
Let’s Bake Some Bread!
The longest part about this no-knead bread recipe is waiting for it to rise. But you can just set it and forget it! You don’t have to do anything to this bread in the meantime! It’s easy so go ahead and try it out!
- Mix ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and yeast. Add warm water and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. The dough will be sticky.
- Cover and let it rise: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise on your counter, at room temperature, for 12 – 18 hours.
- Preheat the oven: Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Shape dough and cover: Pour dough out onto floured counter, shape into a ball and place on a piece of parchment paper. Cover the dough lightly with plastic wrap.
- Preheat pot: Place a cast iron pot, with the lid ON, into the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Bake the bread: Once the pot is hot, remove it from the oven. Remove the plastic wrap off of the dough ball and carefully lift the parchment paper with the dough ball on it, into the pot. Cover with lid and return pot to oven to bake for 30 minutes.
- Bake again, uncovered and then cool: After 30 minutes, remove lid from pot and continue baking, uncovered for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow bread to cool on a wire cooling rack.
- Store it for later: Store bread in an open paper bag, to ensure the crust stays crispy.
Can You Freeze It?
Yes! You can freeze the no-knead bread dough. To freeze the bread dough, make the dough as instructed and let it rise. Once risen, form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and then place in a freezer-friendly container. Freeze it for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, allow the dough to come to room temperature for 2-3 hours on the counter, or thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and then bake as directed.
Variations
If you are looking for a loaf of bread that is SO easy to have plain or change up, then you have come to the right place! In fact, I’ve come up with a few ideas on how you can easily do that to this no-knead bread. Go ahead and try them out. It will be like you are trying a new bread every time you make it!
- Cheese: Try adding in some cheese to this bread. Work in about 1 cup of your favorite cheese just after you put together the dough. Work it in and cook according to the rest of the directions! It will be delicious!
- Seasonings: Add in a tablespoon of italian seasoning or minced garlic (or both!) to the bread dough and mix it in at the same time that you mix the other ingredients. You can even try roesemary for an especially delicious flavor!
- Other mix ins: I love adding in ¾ cup of my favorits nuts or dried fruit (like craisins!) to the dough when I am mixing it up. It bakes up so delicious and then you have this amazing taste and texture that you have added to the bread!
What if I Don’t Have a Cast Iron Pot?
No worries! You can totally bake this no-knead bread on a regular baking sheet instead. Go ahead and follow these instructions on how to do this instead and then you will have delicious bread to eat! In fact, you will want to make this all the time!
- Make dough: Make the dough and allow it to rise as directed. Shape it into a round or long loaf and place it on a greased baking sheet.
- Preheat oven and add water to baking dish: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Add one cup of water to a shallow baking dish and set it on the lower rack of your oven. The steam created will help make a crispy crust on the bread.
- Bake: Bake the bread on the middle oven rack for about 25-30 minutes, or until golden.
What to Serve with No Knead Bread
Miracle No Knead Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 teaspoons coarse sea salt*
- 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 and ½ cups warm water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and yeast. Add warm water and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. The dough will be sticky.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise on your counter, at room temperature, for 12 – 18 hours.
- Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Pour dough out onto the floured counter, shape into a ball, and place on a piece of parchment paper. Cover the dough lightly with plastic wrap.
- Place a cast-iron pot, with the lid ON, into the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Once the pot is hot, remove it from the oven. Remove the plastic wrap off of the dough ball and carefully lift the parchment paper with the dough ball on it, into the pot. Cover with lid and return pot to oven to bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the lid from the pot and continue baking, uncovered for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the bread to cool on a wire cooling rack.
- Store bread in an open paper bag, to ensure the crust stays crispy.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Serves: 12
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Looks nice and easy
It looks delicious & It is very tasty, And very worth to taste – Farhat Sweets
Can bread flour be used? Thanks
Yes, that will work great!
Can I substitute Quick Rise Yeast Packets in this Recipe? And, if so, can you please tell me the conversion? I am new to both bread AND Yeast! Thanks!!~~~
Yes, that will work.
Is it a 1 to 1 Substitution with the Rapid Rise Yeast? I am a Newbie here!!! Lol!!! Thanks!!~~~
Warm water can be a variety of temps.
The way I usually do it, is 1 cup cold water and 1/2 cup BOILING water.
After the dough has risen do you have to bake it right away or can you refrigerate until closer to dinner time?
You can either freeze or refrigerate your dough after it is risen. Hope that helps and you love it!
Assuming, you leave the pan with water in the oven during the cooking process?
do you have to use cast iron would you believe I dont have one tks
No, you can bake no knead bread on a regular baking sheet, following this method:Make the dough and allow it to rise as directed. Shape it into a round or long loaf and place it on a greased baking sheet.Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Add one cup of water to a shallow baking dish and set it on the lower rack of your oven. The steam created will help make a crispy crust on the bread.Bake the bread on the middle oven rack for about 25-30 minutes, or until golden.
Can you use wholemeal flour for this recipe instead of white plain flour?
You are welcome to try that flour. I have not tried it yet. Let me know how it turns out!
Have you tried this with Robin Hood Gluten free flour?
You are welcome to try that flour. I have not tried it yet. Let me know how it turns out!
How much parmesan cheese can you add and when in the mixing process?
Thank you
The parmesan cheese can be added at the beginning with the other ingredients. You will add just enough for flavor but also not much to outweigh the other ingredients.
The dough rises for 12-18 hours? Wouldn’t that be recorded in the total time or should that be 12-18 minutes?
It is 12 to 18 hours 🙂
Can I substitute Gluten Free flour for regular flour?
You are welcome to try that flour. I have not tried it yet. Let me know how it turns out!
Can the salt be reduced or omitted? I need to watch my sodium intake. Thx
You may susbstitute regular salt, I just like the added flavor of the sea salt.
Could you make this bread with whole wheat flour instead of white flour?
You are welcome to try that flour. I have not tried it yet. Let me know how it turns out!
Can you use whole wheat flour, instead of white flour?
You are welcome to try that flour. I have not tried it yet. Let me know how it turns out!
What size cast iron pot? I have to purchase one as was wondering if a 2 quart pot is big enough?
You do not need to have a cast iron pot. If you do, the 2 quart pot is big enough. Enjoy your bread!
What other kinds of flour can you use?
You are welcome to experiment with different flours. Let me know which one is best for you!
If you use rapid yeast do you still have to wait for 12to18hrs and do you use the same amount Thank you.
With this bread, I would recommend not using rapid yeast. If you do, let me know how it turns out.
Just wondering if you could use a roasting pan to cook the bread? With lid on?
Hi Lisa!
Thanks for following along with me! I have not tried this method before and would be interested in what the results would be. Please let me know if you try it!
I’m concerned about the the plastic wrap in the oven mektingon the bread and to the pot.
How does it not melt with the heat?
You will not bake it with the plastic wrap. That is to let it rise. You will bake it with the parchment paper. That is meant to withstand high heat and temperatures.
I have seen similar recipes and they seem to all have one thing in common, none of them ever say anything about how large a cast iron pot/Dutch oven is needed. These pots come in various sizes. I worry that using what I have at home might be too small or too large.
Please let us know what size to use for this recipe.
The cast iron pot/dutch oven I use for this recipe is a 8 quart. Hope that helps!
Has anyone tried this recipe to make small round buns (hamburger buns size)? Just wondering how long to bake them in the oven for. Thanks.
Thank you so much for your response regarding a bread recipe without being sweet! I plan to try your No-Knead Bread recipe tonight!
I found this recipe yesterday, mixed it up about 6 p.m. and then put it into the oven today about 2 p.m. It’s really good, and you’re right! I’m proud of it, plus it’s a good something-to-eat when I haven’t been to the supermarket since our stay-at-home order came down 10 days ago. Thank you!
im making the recipe today its in first step stage have to wait till tomorrow to finish it wish me luck
Do you have to punch down the dough if it rises too high or does the Saran wrap keep it from doing that?
The plastic wrap will help with that but it shouldn’t rise enough to have to punch down.
I followed your recipe and it actually turned out like your picture!!!! It’s delicious and so easy!!!! Thank you!!!!
I just made this bread it was easy to make and it was the best bread I made….no wait this is the first time I bake bread and it won’t be the last I make this recipe. The family loved it
This bread SHOULD be rated 5 stars! It was the best bread I have ever made! I put some melted butter on the top after it was done and it was sensational. Full of flavor and crispy. I made one for my neighbors and they went crazy asking me to make some for them again. They actually thought I was a master baker! Thanks for such a superb recipe. Great job Lauren!
Or maybe I should have said Alyssa! Sorry…
Just made this bread for the first time. Turned out great! Any suggestions for making a softer crust? Husband has a hard time with the (yummy to me) crust. Thanks.
Came out perfectly!
Could you use Whole Wheat flour? I can’t eat white flour.
Yes, that will be a great substitute for this bread.
Easy peazy. I make this often. I add sundried tomatoes, Asiago cheese and oregano. Other difference is I bake uncovered for 5 minutes. I think if I went 12-15, it would be too crusty on top. But I will try longer next time to see how it comes out.
I am sorry but I have a problem with this bread! It is so delicious I can’t stop eating it! Thanks for the recipe!
haha, you are the best! I am so glad that is your problem. That is the BEST problem. Thanks for sharing!