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World’s Easiest No-Knead Artisan Yeast Bread Recipe

★★★★★

4.7 from 57 reviews
  • Author: Sophie
  • Total Time: 2 hours 52 minutes (excluding optional refrigeration time)
  • Yield: 1 loaf (about 10-inch diameter) 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This recipe for the World’s Easiest Yeast Bread is an artisan-style, no-knead bread that yields a crusty, golden loaf with a tender, airy crumb. Using just a few basic ingredients and a simple mixing process, this bread requires minimal effort and time, relying on a long rise and baking in a preheated Dutch oven to develop flavor and texture. Perfect for beginners and bread enthusiasts alike, it’s a foolproof way to enjoy homemade bread with a crisp crust and soft interior.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 3 cups (450g) bread flour or plain/all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp instant or rapid rise yeast
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher or cooking salt (halve if using table salt)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp flour for dusting

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) very warm tap water (up to 55°C / 130°F, not boiling)

Instructions

  1. Mix Dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, instant or rapid rise yeast, and salt. Add the very warm water and stir with the handle of a wooden spoon until all flour is incorporated. The dough will be wet and sticky, almost like jelly, but not runny like cake batter. Adjust by adding a little more water or flour if needed for the right consistency.
  2. Rise: Cover the bowl with cling wrap or a plate. Let the dough rise on the counter for 2 to 3 hours until it doubles in size, becomes wobbly like jelly, and the surface bubbles. If after one hour the rise is slow, move it to a warmer spot.
  3. Optional Refrigeration for Flavor: At this point, you can bake immediately or cover and refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days to develop more flavor. If refrigerated, allow dough to come to room temperature for 45–60 minutes before baking.
  4. Preheat Oven and Dutch Oven: Place a Dutch oven with the lid on in your oven and preheat to 230°C (450°F) or 220°C fan (about 450°F) for 30 minutes. This step ensures the Dutch oven is piping hot for optimal crust formation.
  5. Shape Dough: Lightly flour your work surface with 1 tablespoon of flour. Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto the surface, sprinkle the dough’s top with 1/2 tablespoon flour. Using a dough scraper or similar tool, fold the sides of the dough inward approximately six times to form a loose round shape. This deflates some bubbles and forms a manageable shape without overworking the dough.
  6. Transfer to Parchment Paper: Place a large piece of parchment paper next to the dough and invert the dough onto it so the seam side is down and the smooth side is up. Slide it towards the center and gently reshape it into a roundish shape. Imperfections or lopsided shapes are good—they create more crusty ridges.
  7. Place Dough into Hot Dutch Oven: Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Using the parchment paper as a sling, transfer the dough into the pot. Cover with the lid immediately.
  8. Bake Covered: Bake the bread covered for 30 minutes to trap steam and create a perfect crust.
  9. Bake Uncovered: Remove the lid and bake for an additional 12 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and crispy.
  10. Cool: Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This resting period helps set the crumb and prevents the bread from becoming gummy.

Notes

  • Use instant or rapid rise yeast for best results. If using normal active dry yeast, proof it in warm water before mixing.
  • The temperature of the water should be warm but not hot—up to 55°C (130°F)—to activate the yeast without killing it.
  • If using table salt instead of kosher salt, cut the amount in half to avoid over-salting.
  • Dough consistency is wet and sticky, unlike traditional kneaded bread doughs; avoid adding too much extra flour.
  • Rising time will depend on ambient temperature; a warmer spot helps speed up fermentation.
  • Refrigerating the dough enhances flavor by allowing slow fermentation; remove dough and let it come to room temperature before baking.
  • If you don’t have a Dutch oven, use another heavy oven-safe pot with a lid or bake the dough on a preheated baking stone, covering with a metal bowl to trap steam.
  • The folding step shapes the dough roughly and deflates large air bubbles without kneading.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 42 minutes
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Artisan / Western

Keywords: no knead bread, artisan bread, easy yeast bread, homemade bread, crusty bread, Dutch oven bread

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Find it online: https://cookwithsophie.com/worlds-easiest-no-knead-artisan-yeast-bread-recipe/