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Easy No-Knead Bread

A forgiving, low-effort recipe for a crusty homemade bread ideal for sandwiches, soups, or simply with butter.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 18 hours
Servings: 8 slices
Course: Bread, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 150
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour 360 g
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 0.5 teaspoon active dry yeast or instant yeast
Wet Ingredients
  • 1.5 cups warm water about 100–110°F / 38–43°C
  • 1 teaspoon sugar or honey optional, helps yeast wake up
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil optional, for softer crust

Method
 

Mixing
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast. If using active dry yeast, proof it in warm water with sugar for 5 minutes until frothy.
  2. Add the warm water (and yeast mixture if proofed) and olive oil (if using) to the flour mixture. Stir until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
First Rise
  1. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rise at room temperature for 12–18 hours.
Shaping
  1. After the rise, lightly flour a surface and scrape the dough onto it. Gently fold the edges into the center to shape into a round loaf. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
Baking
  1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with the Dutch oven inside.
  2. Carefully transfer the dough into the hot pot, score the top, cover, and bake for 30 minutes.
  3. Remove the lid and bake for another 10–15 minutes until golden brown and crusty.
Cooling
  1. Remove the bread and let it cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Notes

For variations, you can add seeds or herbs, or replace up to 1 cup of flour with whole wheat flour. If your kitchen is cold, place the bowl in an oven with the light on to help the dough rise.