Quick No-Knead Loaf (Printable Version)
This crusty bread is made from four simple ingredients, no kneading necessary. Baked in a Dutch oven, it has a soft, tender middle and crisp crust.
# Ingredients:
→ Key Ingredients
01 -
3 cups of bread flour (feel free to use all-purpose if that's what you have)
02 -
1 ½ cups of warm water
03 -
2 ½ teaspoons of kosher salt
04 -
1 packet of instant yeast (that’s 2 ¼ teaspoons)
# Steps:
01 -
Start by stirring the kosher salt and bread flour together in a big bowl. Dissolve yeast in your warm water in another bowl or measuring cup. Mix the yeast water with the dry stuff, stirring until you get a rough, sticky dough. You’re good—there’s no kneading here!
02 -
Cover your bowl with a clean towel or some plastic wrap. Leave it on the counter at room temperature for at least an hour. Waiting 4 hours makes the flavor even better! The dough should puff up and get bubbly.
03 -
Put your Dutch oven (keep the lid on) or cast iron pan in the oven. Crank the heat to 450°F and let it get super hot for 30 minutes. If you’re using a baking sheet, just line it with parchment paper and leave it aside.
04 -
Gently place the dough on a floured surface and shape it into a nice, round ball—be careful not to squish the air bubbles inside it! Slice two slashes across the top, place the dough on parchment paper, and set it aside to rest while the oven heats up.
05 -
Remove the hot Dutch oven or cast iron pan from the oven. Carefully place the dough inside using the parchment paper. Put the lid on and bake for 30 minutes. Then, take the lid off and let it bake another 15 minutes till the crust looks golden and crispy.
06 -
Using cast iron? Bake it for 30 minutes, then check. Add 5-minute increments as needed till it’s golden—usually 45 minutes in total. For a baking sheet, shape the dough on lined parchment, pop it in the oven, and bake for 30 minutes. Check it every 5 minutes after that (same total bake time as cast iron).
07 -
Take the bread out of the pan and set it on a wire rack. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes to cool off. This keeps the inside from being sticky and lets the structure set nicely before slicing.
# Notes:
01 -
You don’t need to knead anything for this bread.
02 -
Letting the dough sit for 4 hours instead of 1 makes it taste better.
03 -
Cutting the bread right after baking makes it mushy, so let it cool first.