This no knead Dutch oven bread is the easiest bread you’ll ever bake! You just need 3 ingredient for a perfect loaf that is soft and chewy inside but crusty and crunchy outside!
A Quick Look At The Recipe
This is a brief summary of the recipe. Jump to the recipe to get the full details.
Prep Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Proof Time
8 hours
Total Time
10 hours 10 minutes
Servings
10 Slices
Difficulty
Easy
Calories *
138 kcal per serving
Technique
Mix dough, rest, shape, proof and bake!
Flavor Profile
Mild, slightly salty, with a soft chewy crumb and crisp crust
* Based on nutrition panel
Mmmm!! This bread is amazing!! I was in the baking mood over the weekend and baked your whole wheat bread which was incredible!! This is the second time I have baked this No-knead bread and let me just say it’s a family favorite!!?????⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Moema Bentley
I am all about that no-knead lifestyle: everything from no knead pizza dough, to no knead ciabatta, and no knead naan bread! A crusty loaf of artisan-style, no knead Dutch oven bread seemed like a natural next step!
I know this artisan bread looks intimidating, but I promise you it isn’t! I’ll guide you step-by-easy-step through this recipe below, so you can join the thousands who have made and loved this bread!
Table of Contents
- Why You Will Love this Dutch oven bread Recipe
- What are the benefits of a Dutch oven for bread?
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- Possible Variations
- How to Enjoy No Knead Dutch Oven Bread
- Watch How to Make This Recipe
- How to Make this No Knead Dutch Oven Bread Recipe
- Frequently Asked Questions
- No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread Recipe
- Before You Go
Why You Will Love this Dutch oven bread Recipe
- A no knead bread recipe without any sets of stretch and folds. This recipe couldn’t be simpler: As in, you stir a few ingredients together, let them sit overnight, and the next morning, you shape and bake a loaf of bread. You don’t even need to do any folds to develop gluten like in no-knead sourdough bread.
- This simple recipe is actually flavorful. It’s slightly salty and not at all boring, like some basic breads tend to be.
- It’s mega-soft on the inside but with a light, tender, almost flaky crust on the outside. Essentially the texture of this bread is perfect especially considering all the work we didn’t have to do! And the air pockets in the bread slices just slay me.
What are the benefits of a Dutch oven for bread?
- A Dutch oven imitates the results of a professional steam-injected oven. Professional bread ovens have a steam injection option, which allow you to add steam at the beginning and then release the steam from the oven deck to continue baking and crisping the crust. You are essentially using the Dutch oven as a miniature deck oven, whereby you can control the release of the steam by removing the top.
- Preheating the Dutch oven with the lid, creates a small, hot mini-oven. This mini oven is small enough to trap the steam released by the bread during baking. A regular oven or even a large Dutch oven are too large and will allow the steam to dissipate. This trapped steam keeps the crust soft (delays crust formation), which allows for maximum expansion and the largest, most open crumb possible.
- Removing the lid of the Dutch oven allows that steam to escape like releasing the steam on a professional bread oven. Once the steam dissipates, the crust will begin forming and you will get that nice thick, crusty, crunchy crust!
- This technique is not just for no-knead breads. You can use this same baking technique for any bread where you want a soft, chewy interior and crunchy crust. I use this same technique for my whole wheat sourdough bread, sourdough bread recipe for beginners, and even this peasant bread.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- All-Purpose Flour: I use all-purpose flour in this easy bread recipe but you could also take a page from my same day sourdough bread recipe and use bread flour to develop more gluten, faster. If you want to use whole wheat check out this no knead whole wheat bread!
- Sea Salt
- Active Dry Yeast: I include measurements for both active dry yeast and instant yeast in the recipe card below, but I recommend using active dry yeast. It has a slower, more consistent rise and will allow your bread enough time to develop a strong gluten network before attempting to shape it.
- Warm Water: I use tap water for my yeasted bread recipes but you can use filtered water if you want.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Possible Variations
- Add some flavorful mix-ins to the dough: Add fresh rosemary and garlic like in my rosemary garlic bread or go in a sweet direct with dried fruit and nuts like cinnamon raisin sourdough bread. Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes like this sun dried tomato bread or parmesan cheese like this tomato basil bread.
- Add a little substance: Add some whole grains and seeds like in this whole grain seeded bread or by substituting some whole wheat flour and adding multigrain hot cereal like in my multigrain bread. It will take a little experimentation but isn’t that what baking is all about?!
- Master this easy Dutch oven bread and then try a no knead sourdough bread! If you don’t already have an active starter, start with my sourdough starter recipe, then read all about how to feed sourdough starter and finally bake your very first loaf with my sourdough bread recipe for beginners!
How to Enjoy No Knead Dutch Oven Bread
- As the most versatile side dish. Dip this bread in soup like 13 bean minestrone, homemade tomato soup or healthy Italian wedding soup. Brush it with garlic butter and bake for easy garlic bread or serve it next to a salad to make a light lunch. Use it to soak up all the juicy goodness from sheet pan shakshuka or slow cooker Italian meatballs.
- Transform any sandwich into a filling meal! This easy bread makes fantastic grilled cheese, bacon turkey bravo, spicy Thai veggie sandwich, or open faced caprese sandwiches.
- Use leftovers in creative ways. Make croutons or make a panzanella like this Summer tomato panzanella salad. You can even make homemade bread crumbs.
Watch How to Make This Recipe
How to Make this No Knead Dutch Oven Bread Recipe
Use these instructions to make the easiest Dutch oven bread! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk flour, salt and yeast until well mixed. Pour in warm water and use a wooden spoon to stir until a shaggy dough forms. The mixture will be wet and very sticky to the touch.
Step 2: Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place 8 to 18 hours until dough rises, bubbles and flattens on top.
Step 3: Heat oven to 450°F. Once oven is preheated, place a 6-quart Dutch oven (with cover) in oven 30 minutes before baking. You can also preheat the Dutch oven with the oven.
Step 4: Generously flour a smooth work surface or counter. Turn out the dough onto the floured surface with floured hands or a bowl scraper.
There is no need to degas or punch down the dough because just the act of transferring it will do that for you and you won’t get all sticky. This will make shaping easier.
Step 5: Dust the top with more flour and working quickly, with floured hands, fold two sides in towards the center then flip over. Re-flour hands and gently shape the dough into a ball by rotating it with both of your hands and pulling it under itself.
It will not form as tight of a ball or have a smooth surface like a more developed dough such as whole wheat bread. That is expected and don’t try to force it or it will just get more and more sticky!
Step 6: Re-flour your hands and scoop up the dough and place it on a piece of parchment paper and sprinkle top lightly with flour. Top with a sheet of plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes. Cut the parchment to be just a little larger than the bottom of your Dutch oven, as needed.
Step 7: Remove Dutch oven from oven. Uncover dough and carefully transfer to Dutch oven, with the parchment paper beneath. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and return it to oven.
Step 8: Bake bread 45 minutes covered, then another 10 to 15 minutes uncovered until dough is baked through and golden brown on top. Cool completely before slicing, at least 1 hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Dutch oven is an enameled cast iron pot with a tight-fitting lid. You can use an uncoated cast iron pot but you will not want to skip the parchment paper. It will keep it from sticking.
To preserve the bread’s crunchy crust, you’ll need to store it at room temperature unwrapped either cut side down on a cutting board or in a bread box. You can store it in an airtight container at room temperature but it will lose the crispy crust almost immediately. Store at room temperature up to 5 days. It doesn’t keep as long as sourdough, so watch for signs of mold!
You can also store well wrapped in the freezer, however, I like to slice my bread before freezing so I don’t need to thaw the whole loaf at one time.
The best oven-spring, most open crumb and crusty crust will occur if baked in a Dutch oven or Challenger bread pan, but you can also preheat a baking sheet on the center rack and a large roasting pan on the bottom of the oven. When ready to bake, place the parchment paper with the scored loaf directly on the hot baking sheet and pour at least 2 quarts of hot water into the baking pan on the bottom. Close the door as quickly as possible. Release the steam after 30 minutes by opening the door.
If you haven’t sliced the loaf yet, but would like to rewarm it for serving, preheat an oven to 400° F. Place the loaf directly onto the oven rack and bake until heated through. It will take about 15-20 minutes. You can also toast a slice at a time. Reheating a partially sliced loaf will dry it out on one side.
No knead bread and bread baked in a Dutch oven are two separate techniques that sometimes overlap! This bread recipe happens to be a no knead bread that is baked in a Dutch oven to get the most open crumb and crusty crust! You can bake any lean dough in a Dutch oven to achieve that ideal crusty crust. I bake all sourdough bread recipes using this technique.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below! I love hearing from you and your comments make my day!
No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast , OR ¾ teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 ½ cups warm water, about 110 to 115°F
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, salt and yeast until well mixed. Pour in warm water and use a wooden spoon to stir until a shaggy dough forms. The mixture will be wet and very sticky to the touch.
- Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place 8 to 18 hours until dough rises, bubbles and flattens on top.
- Heat oven to 450°F. Once oven is preheated, place a 6-quart Dutch oven (with cover) in oven 30 minutes before baking. You can also preheat the Dutch oven with the oven.
- Generously flour a smooth work surface. Turn out the dough onto the floured surface with floured hands or a bowl scraper.
- Dust the top with more flour and working quickly, with floured hands, fold two sides in towards the center then flip over. Re-flour hands and gently shape the dough into a ball by rotating it with both of your hands and pulling it under itself.
- Re-flour your hands and scoop up the dough and place it on a piece of parchment paper and sprinkle top lightly with flour. Top with a sheet of plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes. Cut the parchment to be just a little larger than the bottom of your Dutch oven, as needed.
- Remove the hot Dutch oven from oven. Uncover dough and carefully transfer to Dutch oven, with the parchment paper beneath. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and return it 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 completely before slicing, at least 1 hour.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!Before You Go
I hope you enjoyed this easy bread recipe. Explore our lunch and dinner recipes for ways to use this delicious and easy bread!
Must I use cast iron dutch oven? Or will thinner wall dutch oven work?
a cast iron skillet with a oven proof lid works just as good too!
I made this bread but the dough seems to dry and it won’t rise, I just bought the yeast… what am I doing wrong???
Was the flour amount correct? You should of had a pretty sticky semi wet dough after mixing all the ingredients, and don’t pack your flour in the measuring cup, spoon it in and level off with a knife.Sometimes if the water is too hot it will kill the yeast or if adding too much salt it inhibits the rising. Anyone else have any suggestions?
I just made this yesterday – 1/30/16. I don’t have a cast iron dutch oven- so I made it in a metal pan with a lid. Even still, it was fantastic- but it only had about half the holes in the photo. I cooked it covered for 30 min and uncovered for 10 and I was really happy with the crust and final texture. I am going to go out and buy a dutch oven today and see how it looks! I love this recipe!!!
It works! It’s great! The parchment paper for non-enamel, cast-iron Dutch oven is the trick. Many thanks. Posted pics to Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrBillSanders
I just received a brand new enameled dutch oven (Tramontina brand) as a gift & found this recipe. I was so excited about it & told my friend. She warned me not to use it to bake bread, though, as cooking the dutch oven at such high temperatures will cause it to turn black. 🙁 Have you (or anyone else) experienced this?
Heidi — A heart-shaped bread? I LOVE IT.
I took a chance and made this in my 2 ½ qt heart cocotte from LC. It turned out great (the smaller size forced it into a taller loaf) and it was slightly heart shaped!
Jeff — I’m sorry to hear you had some trouble with the dough! Did you scoop the flour and then level off the top with a knife, or did you spoon the flour into the measuring cup? I always use the first method because the act of scooping helps to “pack” in the flour. And as with any bread recipe, it’s more important to go by feel than by the exact measurement of flour called for in the recipe (which it sounds like you did). I hope it turned out well in the end!
Just tried this for the first time, waiting to go in the oven right now. I carefully measured out the dough and water but after about 14-15 hours it was basically a puddle of dough that poured out onto the parchment. Way too wet. I did use the method of measuring flour where you spoon the flour into the measuring cup, maybe this should be packed? Managed to work enough flour into the dough to form a ball, but it was a pain in the rear. I didn’t measure the extra flour, but it might have been an entire cup just to get the dough firm enough to form a very soft ball. I notice that the king arthur flour recipe for no knead dough uses slightly more than a 2:1 ratio of flour to water.