Easy No-Knead Bread

This easy no-knead bread recipe is perfect for beginners and busy home bakers alike. With minimal prep and no kneading required, it's an effortless way to make crusty homemade bread.

This easy no-knead bread proves that homemade breads don't have to be complicated.

With only four ingredients and almost no hands-on work, you'll get a bakery-style loaf right at home.

No need to feel intimidated by bread baking! This recipe is fit for all baking levels, including total beginners. Simply mix the ingredients, leave dough to rise overnight, and bake.

Ingredients You'll Need

You'll only need four ingredients to make this easy no-knead bread. You may even have all of them in your pantry!

• Lukewarm Water: Hydrates the flour to activate gluten formation and yeast activity, helping the dough come together and rise properly.
• Sugar: Feeds the yeast to encourage fermentation and a good rise, while also adding a subtle sweetness and helping the crust brown.
• Active dry yeast: Leavens the bread by producing carbon dioxide during fermentation, creating air pockets that give the loaf its light, airy texture.
• All purpose flour: Provides the structure of the bread. Its moderate protein content creates enough gluten for a chewy, tender crumb without requiring kneading.
• Salt: Enhances flavor and strengthens the gluten structure, giving the bread better texture and preventing it from tasting flat.

Why Everyone Loves this Bread

• No kneading required - It's in the name! The long rest time does all the work for you.
• Beginner-friendly - Perfect if you're new to bread baking or want a foolproof recipe.
• Minimal ingredients - Made with simple pantry staples you likely already have.
• Crispy crust, soft interior - Bakery-style texture with hardly any effort.
• Flexible timing - The dough can rest while you go about your day.
• Versatile - Delicious on its own or used for sandwiches, toast, or dipping in soup.
• Fresh-baked flavor - Nothing beats warm, homemade bread straight from the oven.

How to Make No-Knead Bread (step-by-step)

Please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page for full instructions and ingredient measurements.

Begin by blooming the yeast. Combine the lukewarm water, sugar and yeast together in a measuring cup. Allow to sit aside for 10 minutes or until it becomes frothy (as pictured).

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Pour the water/yeast mixture into the bowl and stir until dough comes together.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and set in a warm, dry place to proof for 8-12 hours. Overnight works best.

During this time the dough should double to triple in size.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula. Gently shape the dough into a large, loose ball.

Crumple up a sheet of parchment paper and set it in a medium-size bowl. Sprinkle with flour and place the dough inside. Sprinkle flour over the dough and score the top. Cover and set aside while oven preheats.

Place a dutch oven (with its lid) into your oven and preheat to 450 degrees F (230 C).

Once oven is fully preheated, remove the dutch oven and transfer the dough (in the parchment paper!) to the hot dutch oven. Replace the cover and place dutch oven back in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.

Once 30 minutes have elapsed, remove dutch oven from the oven and take off the lid.

Return bread to oven and bake for an additional 10-25 minutes. The amount of time depends on how dark you like your crust.

Place bread on a wire cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.

What is No-Knead Bread?

No-knead bread is a simple, rustic style of bread that develops structure and flavor without traditional kneading.

Instead of kneading, no-knead bread relies on:

• High moisture (wet dough)
• Time (a long, slow rise - often 8-24 hours)
• Natural gluten development through fermentation

How it works

As the dough rests, gluten forms on its own as the flour hydrates and the yeast slowly ferments. This creates a dough that's stretchy and strong enough to trap air.

How it differs from traditional bread

• No kneading or stand mixer needed
• Longer rise time instead of hands-on work
• Wetter, stickier dough
• More rustic appearance

In short, no-knead bread is the easiest way to make bakery-quality bread at home, even if you've never baked bread before.

No-Knead Bread Tips and Tricks

Here are a few simple tips you can employ to ensure your bread turns out as perfectly as possible:

1. Measure flour correctly: Spoon and level the flour to avoid a dense loaf.
2. Use warm (not hot) water: About 100-110°F helps activate the yeast without killing it.
3. Give it time to rise: A long, slow rise develops better flavor and texture.
4. Don't over-work the dough: Stir just until combined; it should look shaggy and sticky.
5. Wet your hands: This will help prevent dough from sticking to them when handling.
6. Score the dough lightly: Controls how the loaf expands in the oven.
7. Rotate the loaf during the uncovered bake: Keeps the dough from getting too dark on one side.
8. Cool on a wire rack: Maintains crispiness of the loaf on all sides.
9. Let it cool before slicing: Cooling allows the crumb to set and prevents gumminess.
10. Adjust hydration if needed: If the dough feels dry, add a tablespoon of water at a time.
11. Bake until deeply golden: Color equals flavor; pale bread will taste flat.
12. Store properly after cooling: Keep loosely wrapped to maintain crust without drying out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Recipe Variations

Here are a few of our favorite ways to mix up this recipe:

1. Herb & Garlic Bread: Stir minced garlic and dried or fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme into the dough for a savory loaf.
2. Seeded No-Knead Bread: Add sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or sesame seeds for extra crunch and flavor.
3. Whole Wheat No-Knead Bread: Replace up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a heartier loaf.
4. Olive Bread: Fold in chopped olives and a drizzle of olive oil for a Mediterranean-style bread.
5. Cheese No-Knead Bread: Add dairy-free shredded cheese for a soft, savory loaf with crisp edges.
6. Cinnamon Raisin Bread: Mix in cinnamon and raisins for a lightly sweet breakfast-style bread.
7. Everything Bagel Bread: Sprinkle everything bagel seasoning over the dough before baking for bold flavor.

What to Eat with No-Knead Bread

This bread goes great with so many meals! Here are a few soups and salads we love to pair it with:

• Roasted Cauliflower Gnocchi Soup
• Pumpkin Tomato Soup
• Kale Butternut Squash Salad
• Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Storage

At Room Temperature
Once completely cooled, store the bread in a paper bag or loosely wrapped in a clean kitchen towel for up to 2 days. This helps keep the crust crisp.

In the Refrigerator
Refrigeration isn't recommended, as it can dry out the bread and make it stale faster.

In the Freezer
For longer storage, slice the bread and freeze it in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature or toast straight from frozen.

Refreshing Day-Old Bread
To revive slightly stale bread, lightly mist the crust with water and warm it in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes.

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If you make this recipe be sure to tag @censoredbaker on Instagram!

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