Easy No Knead Crusty Bread Recipe

by Sarah Recipes
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This no knead bread recipe is SO easy you will certainly Impress your family & yourself with this no knead bread. Bakery quality without the bakery price, only 5 ingredients, no mixer or bread machine needed!

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Ingredients breakdown

  • Salt: Makes your bread flavorful, helps tighten the gluten structure in bread, and stops your dough from rising to fast.
  • Yeast: Active dry yeast & Instant yeast are my top choices for this no knead bread recipe. Yeast releases carbon dioxide that makes bread rise, giving it that light spongey texture!
  • Sugar: Activates the yeast, and helps contribute to the browning of your loaf. Sugar keeps moisture in the finished product which makes your bread stay fresh longer. Because it’s scratch made and not filled with preservatives like store bought bread!
  • Water: Make sure to use warm water, it should feel warm to the touch. Never use hot water, it will kill the yeast.

Into a bowl, add your flour, salt, yeast, and sugar and mix. Next add your water, mix everything until it just comes together. Its a no knead dough… so dont knead it! Although It will look like a sticky and shaggy dough don’t add more flour or water, trust me!  Cover with plastic wrap and a towel, and let rise on the counter or somewhere warm for 12-18 hours.

Once it has risen, scrape your dough out and set it on a lightly floured surface.

Without over kneading, shape your dough into a nice round loaf, pinching the bottom to keep it round with a smooth top.

Set your round loaf onto a piece of parchment paper and back into the bowl, cover and let rise for and additional 30 minutes. Preheat your oven.

Once your oven is preheated your loaf with parchment into yourDutch oven, bake for 30 minutes covered. After 30 minutes take the lid off your Dutch oven to start browning your loaf.

Uncovered baking time depends on your oven, and how soft OR crusty you like your bread. I do 10 minutes uncovered. Try 7 minutes uncovered for a softer crust, just keep an eye on it!

Add anything you’d like, get creative and have fun with it! A few of our favorites are; jalapeño & cheese, cinnamon raisin, and roasted garlic. You can add any dried fruit, chopped nuts or herbs work well too.

When adding mix-ins to your dough, I recommend adding them into the flour mixture so they equally distribute. This also helps avoid over working your dough, which can make it tough and chewy, instead of soft and fluffy!

Easy No Knead Crusty Bread Recipe

Makes 1 loaf or 2 smaller loaves
This no knead bread recipe is SO easy you will certainly Impress your family & yourself with this no knead bread. Bakery quality without the bakery price, only 5 ingredients, no mixer or bread machine needed!
4.67 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 40 minutes
Rise time 12 hours
Course bread
Servings 1

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven See notes for alternatives

Ingredients
  

  • 3 ¼ Cups All purpose flour
  • 2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Sugar or honey
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Active dry yeast or Instant yeast (see notes for instant yeast)
  • 1 ½ Cups Water

Instructions
 

  • Into a large bowl, add your flour, salt, yeast, and sugar and mix.
  • Add your water, mix everything until it just comes together. Do not knead, It will be a sticky and shaggy looking dough but don’t add more flour or water.
  • Cover with Plastic wrap and a towel, let rise on the counter or somewhere warm for 12-18 hours. (See notes if using instant yeast)
  • After it has risen, scrape your dough out and set it on a lightly floured surface.
    At this point you could also divide the dough in half and make 2 smaller loaves.
    Shape your dough into a nice round loaf, pinching the bottom to keep it round with a smooth top.
    (Important note: Your dough will be loose and you may not have a firm ball, it will look flat. its a very moist bread but it will bake perfectly!)
  • Set your round loaf onto a piece of parchment paper and back into the bowl, cover and let rise for and additional 30 minutes.
  • Preheat your oven to 450℉, put your Dutch oven with the lid on in while it preheats.
  • Once your final rise is done, carefully set your loaf with parchment into your hot Dutch oven
  • Cover and bake for 30 minutes,
    Note: If you divided a single recipe into 2 smaller loaves, reduce this time to 25 minutes.
  • After 30 minutes take the lid off your Dutch oven to start browning your loaf.
    Uncovered baking time depends on your oven, and how soft OR crusty you like your bread. I do 10 minutes uncovered. Try 7 minutes uncovered for a softer crust, just keep an eye on it!
  • Remove your loaf from your baking dish and let it cool completely before slicing, if you can wait that long!
    To keep it warm cover with a tea towel.

Notes

    • You can substitute instant yeast for active dry yeast. In this case you will only need to let your dough rise for 2 hours before shaping.
  •  
    • If you dont have a Dutch oven, you can use two cast iron pans, one acting as a lid, or an oven safe pot with a cookie sheet lid.
    • Recipe can be doubled in the same bowl, and split once proofed to form 2 loaves.
    • Recipe can also be turned int0 2 smaller loaves. If you divide single recipe into 2 smaller loaves, reduce covered baking time to 25 minutes. And keep an eye on it while you bake uncovered.
    • I do recommend soaking dried fruits in hot water while you measure your ingredients, or ahead of time. This helps prevent the fruit from absorbing the liquid that’s needed for your dough. Make sure to drain well before adding to the flour mix.
    • Dough Can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for a few days.
    • Bread can be frozen for up to 3 months
Keyword easy bread recipe, No Knead, No knead bread