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Easy No-Knead Bread Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 355 reviews

Easy No-Knead Bread is a simple and fuss-free artisan-style loaf recipe that produces a golden crust with a soft, airy interior using minimal ingredients and effort. Perfect for beginner bakers or those short on time, it involves a long rise and baking in a Dutch oven for professional-quality bread at home.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Dough

  • 3 cups flour (bread flour or all-purpose/plain flour)
  • 2 tsp instant or rapid rise yeast
  • 2 tsp cooking or kosher salt
  • 1½ cups warm water

For Dusting and Baking

  • 1½ tbsp flour (for dusting)

Instructions

  1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the 3 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of yeast, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Stir well to evenly distribute all dry ingredients.
  2. Add Water and Stir Dough: Pour in 1½ cups of warm water and mix with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated. The dough should appear shaggy and loose, not smooth or elastic. Adjust water or flour slightly if dough is too dry or wet.
  3. First Rise: Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, until it doubles in size and looks bubbly. If the dough does not rise, move it to a warmer spot. For richer flavor, dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, but warm to room temperature for 45-60 minutes before baking.
  4. Preheat Oven and Dutch Oven: Place a Dutch oven with its lid inside your oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C) for 30 minutes to get it very hot.
  5. Shape the Dough: On a floured surface, dusted with 1½ tablespoons of flour, gently fold the dough edges inward to form a round shape. Place the dough seam-side down onto a piece of parchment paper.
  6. Bake Covered: Carefully transfer the dough on the parchment paper into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. The covered baking traps steam which creates the perfect crust.
  7. Bake Uncovered: Remove the lid and bake the bread for an additional 12 minutes uncovered until the crust is golden brown and crusty.
  8. Cool and Serve: Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and place it on a cooling rack. Let it cool completely before slicing to preserve texture.

Notes

  • If a Dutch oven is unavailable, bake the dough on a baking sheet with a pan of water placed underneath to create steam.
  • Preheating the Dutch oven is essential to achieve the bakery-style crust through steam trapped inside the pot.
  • Refrigerating the dough for a few days enhances flavor but requires extra warming time before baking.

Keywords: no knead bread, easy bread recipe, artisan bread, homemade bread, Dutch oven bread, simple bread, beginner bread recipe

Find it online: https://foodbylina.com/easy-no-knead-bread-recipe/