This recipe is hands down the EASIEST artisan bread made right at home. It's a no knead Dutch Oven Bread that is not only simple, but delicious! Easy homemade bread has never been less intimidating.
Homemade bread with that golden crust has to be one of life's simplest joys!
Whether you enjoy it as an appetizer with some dipping oil , cooked up as a grilled cheese, or as a side dish for a hearty turkey lentil soup...it's truly the perfect pairing!
Why You'll Love It
Other than the smell of warm bread wafting through your home, there are so many reasons why you'll fall in love with this no knead bread recipe...
- Easy method for perfect golden brown bread. This recipe is tried & true and is honestly one of the easiest ways to achieve that artisan breadloaf right at home.
- No-knead recipe. Adding to the ease of the recipe is the fact you don't even have to manually knead the bread dough!
- It's quick! Well, relative to many other bread recipes, this one is fast! Homemade bread in only 4 hours start to finish.
For many, the thought of making homemade bread recipes is intimidating but I'm here to show you that if you've got a cast iron dutch oven, you can do it in no time!
🥂Make it A Rosy Moment
Enjoying warm bread is considered a rosy moment in itself! But here are some other ways that you can use this recipe to create amazing memories for the family.
- Cook with the kids! There is no easier recipe to get kids involved with in the kitchen than a one-bowl recipe! It's so fun for them to watch the dough start as a few ingredients, mix together, rise up, and bake to perfection!
- Date Night Side Dish. Making a cozy dinner at home? Slice this bread and serve it with a mix of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for the perfect side dish for your date night in.
- Serve with homemade bread dipping oil
- Goes well with a salmon lemon pasta or easy flank steak.
- Grilled Summer Appetizer. Have you ever grilled up sourdough bread? Slices of crusty bread with those yummy grill marks are something I dream about!
- Drizzle the bread with olive oil and grill for 2-3 minutes then top with chunks of burrata and fresh basil or marinated mozzarella.
- Serve with a crisp white wine!
Kitchen Essentials: The Dutch Oven
So this technique to making bread is made possible by one of my favorite kitchen essentials: the dutch oven.
I have multiple of these utility pots and use them for nearly everything. From braises and stews to making easy dutch oven bread. Some brands I recommend:
Dutch ovens are typically made from cast iron or ceramic and have thick walls plus a tight fitting lid.
The sheer weight and heaviness of this pot creates an environment that retains heat very well. This is great for sautéing on the stove top then into the oven for low, slow cooking (like for my Guiness Root Veggie Pot Roast)
The tight fitting lid also makes it great for baking bread! It keeps the enclosed space piping hot. I love using my dutch oven for all kinds of recipes, even my Seared Ahi Tuna! What size dutch oven you use can vary, but I use a 5 qt dutch oven for this recipe.
Other tools you'll need include a large bowl, parchment paper, wooden spoon and a sharp knife for slicing!
Important Ingredients
all purpose flour(you could use bread flour or mix in whole wheat flour)water(warmed up to 100-110 degrees)yeastkosher salt- table salt is too fine for this, so opt for kosher salt here!
Swaps and Substitutions
- swaps and
- I would also recommend trying out different additions to elevate your bread! Mix in things like:
- Fresh Herbs. Rosemary, thyme, oregano or dill for a pop of freshness to your artisan bread.
- Cheese. Adding in your favorite cheeses add a savory flavor to your dough.
- Sun-dried tomatoes or red peppers. A burst of tangy tomato or red pepper would really brighten up this recipe!
- Pair an herbed bread with delicious butter, a glass of wine, and homemade Chicken Cacciatore Soup for what I would love to eat for every meal of every day.
Does the Type of Flour I Use Matter?
Yes and no...This works totally fine without using a bread flour but you could definitely use it if you'd like!
Another option is to swap in whole wheat for half of the all purpose flour for a different crumb in your final bread.
Fast Rising Yeast or Active Dry Yeast?
For this recipe I'm using fast rising yeast. We don't plan to let this sit overnight or double rise so I'm opting for the fast rising yeast.
You could definitely use active dry yeast though!
The main difference being for active dry yeast you must dissolve it in water prior to using. Where Fast Rising Yeast can be added right into dry ingredients.
Full Recipe Below
Find the full list of ingredients & measurements below!
Step by Step Instructions
These steps are SO easy, so no need to get intimidated by the thought of attempting your own crusty bread.
- Step 1: In a mixing bowl whisk together the warm water, salt, and fast rising yeast until well combined.
- Step 2: Stir in the flour until a shaggy, sticky dough has formed. Don't panic if you need to add a splash more water to get this combined. (Up to ½ cup) Different places have different humidity levels. You are looking for a sticky texture!
- Step 3: Place in a greased bowl and cover with a tea towel and place in a warm area of your kitchen. I like to place it next to my preheating oven.
- Step 4: Let this rise for about 2 hours or until it's doubled in size.
- Step 5: Turn the risen dough out onto the parchment using a silicone spatula and carefully form the dough into a ball
- Step 6: Using a knife, slice a couple of slits in the top of the dough. This will allow steam to escape and give us that nice form on top.
- Step 7: CAREFULLY remove the dutch oven from the oven and picking up all 4 corners of the piece of parchment paper. CAREFULLY place it into the hot dutch oven with an oven mit, replace the lid and place it all back into the oven for 35 minutes.
- Step 8: After 35 minutes, uncover and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes. Then remove the dutch oven, carefully remove the parchment & the loaf of bread, then place on a cutting board to cool.
Tips for the Perfect Dutch Oven Bread
- DON'T SKIP PREHEATING the Dutch Oven. This is essential to creating an environment where the heat retained inside the dutch oven is hot enough for our bread.
- PLEASE Use Potholders when grabbing the dutch oven and lid from the oven. Don't ask how I know this, but it's easy to forget.
- When letting the dough rise, place dough in a warm place in the kitchen like next to the oven.
💡Recipe FAQ
This is delicious sliced and served with dips or soups! Like Pesto Rosso
or dunk it in my Chicken Potato Soup.
Avocado toast is another great option for enjoying some sliced dutch oven bread.
If your bread starts to go stale or you just need to use it up asap, try making
homemade breadcrumbs, toast it and put in the food processor with fresh herbs!
Storing In The Freezer:
Once it's cooled, simply slice and tightly wrap in Saran Wrap and inside a ziplock freezer bag then place in the freezer. You can also freeze the whole loaf! You want this to be completely cool before freezing. (otherwise the steam created in the air tight bag or Tupperware will make it soggy!)
It defrosts easily in the microwave or put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes to get it nice and toasty again.
Storing In The Fridge:
If you don't plan to freeze it, you can wrap it tightly in Saran Wrap and place in a large ziplock in the fridge whole or sliced. This keeps most of the air out and the bread stays nice and soft.
This keeps well up to 5 days in the fridge, but it may not even last that long when your family gets a hold of it!
The extended 2 hour rise time give this bread plenty of time to develop the gluten and not require kneading.
Yes, unless you have a silicone mat for baking bread, the parchment paper helps the bread not stick to the dutch oven and makes for super easy removal of the hot bread when finished!
More Recipes
If you tried this Dutch Oven Bread Recipe, or any other of the delicious recipes on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Easy Dutch Oven Bread
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 packet of fast rising yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups water use up to ½ cup extra to get the correct texture
Instructions
- Warm your water in the microwave for 45 seconds to a minute.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the salt and fast rising yeast until well combined
- Stir in the flour until a shaggy, sticky dough has formed. Don't panic if you need to add a splash more water to get this combined. (Up to ½ cup) Different places have different humidity levels. You are looking for a sticky texture!
- Cover with a tea towel and place in a warm area of your kitchen. I like to place it next to my preheating oven.
- Let this rise for about 2 hours or until it's doubled in size.
- 45 minutes prior to baking, preheat the oven to 450 with your dutch oven inside to get it piping hot.
- When it's time to bake, lay out a sheet of parchment and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of flour.
- Turn the risen dough out onto the parchment using a silicone spatula and carefully form the dough into a ball
- I use my spatula to fold the dough over onto itself in 4 places, kind of like folding a letter. We just want to ensure that it is in a round loaf shape.
- Using a knife, slice a couple of slits in the top of the dough. This will allow steam to escape and give us that nice form on top.
- CAREFULLY remove the dutch oven from the oven and picking up all 4 corners of the parchment CAREFULLY place it into the pot.
- With an oven mit, replace the lid and place it all back into the oven for 35 minutes.
- After 35 minutes, uncover and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the dutch oven, carefully remove the parchment & the loaf of bread, then place on a cutting board to cool.
Phyllis Sheehan says
Sooo tasty
Phyllis Sheehan says
This was easy to make and was delicious
Maria says
What size dutch over do you use??
Sara Ayesh says
I use a 4.5 or 5 quart dutch oven!
Allie Ekeler says
I have made this recipe using my Dutch oven so many times this summer! So simple and easy to follow. Nothing like fresh baked bread!