No Knead Dutch Oven Bread
This rustic, No Knead Dutch Oven Bread has the classic crust and texture of artisan bread without the need for a sourdough starter or kneading. It’s an easy bread recipe that anyone with a Dutch oven can make.
There’s nothing like good, rustic bread, but if you’re like us, you don’t want to go to all the trouble of making a sourdough starter OR kneading until your arms fall off to get it.
That’s why we love this no knead Dutch oven bread recipe. It takes minimal effort, but it has that delicious, old-school flavor and texture.
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a rustic bread recipe that’s substantially easier than traditional rustic methods.
- It only uses a handful of simple ingredients.
- It’s crusty on the outside and tender on the inside.
🛒Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe, and they’re probably already in your kitchen right now. If they aren’t, you’ll find them in one quick trip to the grocery store. See the recipe card at the end of the post for exact amounts.
- Warm water
- Granulated sugar
- Dry active yeast
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
🔪 How to Make No Knead Dutch Oven Bread
Making this bread is substantially easier than other rustic bread recipes. It only takes a few simple steps to make.
Step 1: Proof the Yeast
Combine the warm water, sugar, and dry yeast in a small mixing bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes until the mixture is foamy.
Step 2: Make the Dough
Combine the flour and salt. Then, add the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
Step 3: Proof
Transfer the dough to a large, generously-greased bowl. Turn the dough once to be sure it’s thoroughly coated on all sides. Cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set in a warm place until doubled in size – about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Step 4: Form the Dough
Lightly dust a large piece of parchment paper with flour, then turn the dough ball out onto it. Form the dough into an oval with your hands. Set aside, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise while the oven preheats.
Step 5: Preheat the Oven and Dutch Oven
Place a Dutch oven with the lid on inside your oven and preheat to 470 degrees.
Step 6: Bake
When the oven is preheated, remove the Dutch oven, carefully lower the bread loaf into it by holding the sides of the parchment paper, cover, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes until the bread is golden.
Step 7: Cool
Transfer the baked bread from the Dutch oven to a wire rack and cool for at least 30 to 60 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
📝Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!
- All-Purpose Flour – You can use bread flour, instead.
- Heartier Bread – Use a 1:1 ratio of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour for heartier bread.
- Herb Bread – Try adding some Italian seasoning or your favorite herbs to the dough.
If you love homemade bread, then try our homemade cinnamon swirl bread.
🥄 Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Kitchen towel
- Dutch oven
- Cooling rack
- Parchment paper
🥫 Storage
Store this no knead Dutch oven bread at room temperature for up to 3 days wrapped in plastic. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 3 months wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil.
💭 Tips
- Be sure your water is just warm. Any hotter than 105 to 110 degrees will kill the yeast.
- Use fresh yeast. At least part of old yeast will probably be dead, and the dough won’t rise.
- ONLY use parchment paper for this recipe. You cannot use wax paper.
- If the dough is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until it’s shaggy but manageable. If the dough is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until it’s shaggy but manageable.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Dutch oven bread is a rust bread that’s baked inside of a Dutch oven.
Dutch oven bread is soft and chewy on the inside with a golden, crispy crust on the outside. Thanks to the steam created inside the pot while the bread bakes, the crust becomes extra crusty with a texture that almost shatters with every bite.
You CAN refrigerate bread, but it will dry out and be far less delicious.
🍽 More Recipes
Do you enjoy bread recipes? Then try these delicious recipes:
📌 PIN IT!!
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
No Knead Dutch Oven Bread
Equipment
- parchment paper
- mixing bowls
- dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water 105-110F
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ ounce dry active yeast
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
- Oil to grease the bowl
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and dry active yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes until the mixture is foamy.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and salt. Add the wet yeast mixture and stir together with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
- Note: If the dough is too sticky to handle, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until less sticky. If the dough seems too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together into a shaggy ball.
- Transfer the dough to a large generously greased bowl. Turn the dough once to be sure the oil lightly coats all sides of the dough ball. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.
- Lightly dust a large piece of parchment paper with flour, then turn the bread dough ball out onto the paper. Use your hands to form the dough into an oval. Set aside, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and allow the dough to rise while the oven preheats.
- Preheat the oven to 470F. Place the Dutch Oven and lid inside the oven while it preheats.
- When the oven reaches 470F, remove the Dutch Oven and very carefully lower the loaf of dough into the Dutch Oven by holding the sides of the parchment paper (do not remove the parchment paper; leave it under the bread while it bakes). Cover the Dutch Oven with the lid.
- Bake the bread at 470F for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes until the bread is golden brown.
- Remove the bread from the oven and cool on a wire cooling rack for at least 30-60 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
