Description
This No Knead Bread Dutch Oven recipe delivers a rustic, homemade loaf with a crisp crust and soft, airy interior using minimal effort. Perfect for beginners and bread enthusiasts alike, this method relies on a long fermentation time and baking in a hot Dutch oven to achieve bakery-quality results without kneading.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1½ cups warm water
- 1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
Instructions
- Mix the dough: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, instant yeast, and kosher salt. Add the warm water and stir until the dough is shaggy and all ingredients are just combined. Optionally, add olive oil to enrich the dough.
- First rise: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours, allowing it to ferment and develop flavor. The dough will become bubbly and doubled in size.
- Shape the dough: Turn the risen dough out onto a floured surface and gently shape it into a smooth ball, being careful not to deflate it too much.
- Preheat oven and Dutch oven: Place an empty Dutch oven with its lid inside your oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C). Heating the pot ensures a crispy crust.
- Bake with lid: Carefully transfer the dough into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes; this traps steam to help the bread rise and develop a crust.
- Bake without lid: Remove the lid and continue baking for another 15 minutes until the bread turns golden brown and crusty.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing, which helps finish the cooking and preserves texture.
Notes
- Use warm water around 100-110°F to activate the yeast properly.
- Do not knead the dough; a shaggy mixture is desired for this recipe.
- Allowing a long rise time of 12–18 hours enhances flavor and texture.
- Preheating the Dutch oven is crucial to creating steam and crust formation.
- Let the bread cool completely to prevent it from becoming gummy inside.
- Optional olive oil can be added for a richer dough but is not necessary.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: no knead bread, Dutch oven bread, easy bread recipe, homemade bread, rustic bread, no knead Dutch oven loaf
