Easy Dutch Oven No Knead Bread recipe is made with only 4 ingredients and takes 5 minutes of prep time! If you want to make delicious homemade bread that looks & tastes like it came from a fancy bakery but actually takes very little effort, this dutch oven bread recipe is for you!
Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Add the water and mix until the dough forms a ball.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (sprayed with cooking spray) and a damp tea towel.
Let dough sit covered at room temperature for 18-24 hours.
After 24 hours (or at least 1 hour before you want to serve) preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Place a 2 3/4 quart dutch oven (or a 2.4L baking dish) with a lid in the oven while it is preheating. (Note: Readers have used a 5 qt. dutch oven with success).
While oven is preheating, transfer the dough from the bowl onto a floured surface.
Form the dough into a ball, adding a few TBS more flour if needed. The dough should still be slightly loose. Then cover it with a floured towel while the oven is preheating. (Important note: The dough ball will be loose and "floppy." That is how it should be as this is a very moist bread which is what makes it so irresistible. You will not have a firm ball, it will look a little flat).
Carefully remove the hot baking dish from the oven. Remove the lid and spray the dish with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.
Gently put the dough ball into the baking dish so it’s evenly distributed.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown.
Remove the loaf from the baking dish and let it cool on a rack before slicing. To keep it warm, cover with a tea towel.
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Notes
Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:
All-purpose flour. You can replace up to 1 cup of the flour with white whole wheat flour, but I don't recommend making any other changes. This dutch oven bread is best when made with all-purpose flour.
Sea salt. I recommend pure, fine sea salt for the best outcome!
Yeast. Active dry yeast is the best choice for this no knead bread recipe, however you can use rapid rise yeast but you will still need to let it rise overnight.
Water. Make sure to use warm water (105 degrees). It should feel warm to the touch but not hot.
Optional mix-ins. If you'd like to create fun varieties, try mixing in parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, roasted garlic, etc.
Dutch Oven SizeYou can bake a single batch of this bread in a 5-6 quart dutch oven. Doubling this RecipeYou can double this recipe and bake it in a 6 quart dutch oven according to the recipe instructions. Store/FreezeStore leftover bread in an airtight container (silicone or plastic bag) for up to 3 days at room temperature or 1 week in the refrigerator. Or, freeze it in an airtight container for up to 2 months.