No Knead Dutch Oven Bread

No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread is the perfect easy bread for new bakers. This simple vegan homemade bread recipe has a short ingredients list and doesn’t require a stand mixer.

No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread is the perfect comfort food when you want homemade bread but have never actually made homemade bread before. It truly is that simple. Congrats…you’re about to be a bread baker!

What’s in this recipe?

• Flour – a mixture of bread flour and whole wheat
• Yeast – either rapid or active dry works!
• Sea or table salt

Equipment Needed

• A dutch oven – a 4 or 6 quart works best. You need something with a lid that can be heated to 450 degrees F.
• Medium mixing bowl
• Whisk (I use this one) or silicone spatula
• Parchment paper (do NOT use waxed paper)
• A cover for the mixing bowl – I use these silicone lids or Beeswrap
• Baking cooling rack

Here’s How to Make It:

This recipe is broken down into three steps: the initial rise, second rise/rest, and baking. You’ll find a detailed and printable version of this at the bottom of the post.

Step one: the initial rise

Mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl. The dough shouldn’t be wet, but it will be shaggy and sticky. If it is too wet, add flour 1 tbsp at a time until the side of the bowl are mostly clean. Cover and allow to rise for 12-18 hours. The dough will be ready when it has tripled in size and is dotted with lots of air bubbles.

If you’re pressed for time, you can let it rise in an Instant Pot fitted with a glass lid. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the Instant Pot insert and add the dough. Press “Yogurt”, and adjust the time to 4 hours. 

Step two: second rise/rest

When the dough has tripled in size, sprinkle flour on a clean surface. Flour your hands and sprinkle a bit around the inside edges of the bowl. Grab the dough (it usually won’t come out in just one piece) from the bowl and place on top of the floured surface. Sprinkle a bit more flour on top of the dough and fold it over itself 1-2 times. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes.

Add a thin clean towel in a bowl and sprinkle liberally with flour. Flour the dough again until you can form it into a ball without it sticking to the counter. Place in the bowl and cover with the edges of the towel. Allow it to rest for 1 hour.

Step three: Baking

Fit the dutch oven with a piece of parchment paper. Place the lid on it and put it in the oven. Preheat to 450 degrees F. Once preheated, remove the lid of the dutch oven. Reduce the oven temp to 400 degrees F.

Gently tip the dough out of the bowl and into the dutch oven. Place the lid back on it and bake at 400 F for 30 minutes. Remove the lid after 30 minutes, and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from the dutch oven immediately and allow it to fully cool on a baking rack. 

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

• Do not attempt to cut into the bread until it has fully cooled.
• This bread does not freeze well as it tends to get crumbly upon thawing.
• Do not use waxed paper in place of the parchment – it will fuse to the bottom of the bread.
• Use a day-old loaf for making Sage Sausage Stuffing.

Variations

• Want to make a pizza dough version of this? Try our Overnight Pizza Dough.
• You can take this bread next level and serve it with flavored butter like honey, herbs, or garlic butter (related: how to freeze garlic). Simply blend cool chunks of butter and any mix-ins in a food processor.  
• Add chunks of garlic and cheese for Roasted Garlic No-Knead Bread.
• Top with butter and homemade jam. Related: Strawberry Freezer Jam, Peach Freezer Jam, Blackberry Freezer Jam, or No-Cook Raspberry Freezer Jam.

More Delicious Bread Recipes

• Check out all these Pantry Staples You Can Make Yourself
• Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
• Stuffing Biscuits
• Eggnog Bread Pudding
• Air Fryer Texas Toast
• Air Fryer Biscuits
• Air Fryer Pretzel Bites
• Honey Wheat Sandwich Bread
• Air Fryer Cornbread
• Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
• Homemade Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns
• Cheesy Garlic Bread
• 100% Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

5 from 4 ratings

No Knead Dutch Oven Bread

By: Sarah Cook - Sustainable Cooks

Servings: 15 slices

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 40 minutes mins

Rise Time: 12 hours hrs

Total: 12 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

The perfect easy bread for new bakers.

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• ▢ 2 cups warm water I usually aim for about 110 degrees
• ▢ 3 1/2 cups bread flour
• ▢ 1/3 cup whole wheat flour plus more for dusting
• ▢ 1 1/2 tsp salt

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions 

• Mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl. The dough shouldn’t be wet, but it will be shaggy and sticky. If it is too wet, add flour 1 tbsp at a time until the side of the bowl are mostly clean.
  1/4 tsp active dry yeast, 2 cups warm water, 3 1/2 cups bread flour, 1/3 cup whole wheat flour, 1 1/2 tsp salt
• Cover and allow to rise for 12-18 hours. The dough will be ready when it has tripled in size and is dotted with lots of air bubbles.
• Flour a work surface and your hands. Sprinkle a bit of flour around the inside of the bowl, and remove the dough from the bowl.
• Sprinkle the dough with flour, and fold it over itself once or twice. Let it rest for about 15 minutes.
• Add a thin clean towel in a bowl and sprinkle liberally with flour. Flour the dough again until you can form it into a ball without it sticking to the counter. Place in the bowl and cover with the edges of the towel. Allow it to rest for 1 hour.
• At least 20 minutes before the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a sheet of parchment inside your dutch oven and put the lid on it. Place the dutch oven in the oven while it is preheating.
• Once preheated, remove the lid of the dutch oven. Reduce the oven temp to 400 degrees F.
• Gently tip the dough out of the bowl and into the dutch oven. Place the lid back on it and bake at 400 F for 30 minutes.
• Remove the lid after 30 minutes, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
• Remove from the dutch oven immediately and allow it to fully cool on a baking rack. 

Notes

Courtesy of Mother Earth News, adaptations by me.

 

If you're pressed for time, you can let it rise in an Instant Pot fitted with a glass lid. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the Instant Pot insert and add the dough. Press "Yogurt", and adjust the time to 4 hours. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 115kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 233mgPotassium: 39mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

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