This is a phenomenal bread recipe. The best, EASY yeast bread you will ever make, beginners love how simple it is while bread connoisseurs appreciate the Artisan bread qualities – the thick crispy crust and chewy crumb with big fat holes like sourdough!
No knead, 3 minutes active effort, very forgiving recipe. Make this today, then the Cheese Bread version tomorrow!
Phenomenal EASY yeast bread recipe
This is an extraordinary white bread recipe with outstanding results. While it’s easy and forgiving, making it suitable for beginners, experienced bakers will recognise and appreciate the Artisan bread characteristics – large holes in the crumb like your favourite sourdough bread with that signature chewiness, and a thick, crispy crust.
It’s a gold nugget recipe, and you may never buy bread again after trying this!
Here’s why it’s so easy:
No knead, no stand mixer
3 minutes active effort – you won’t even get your hands dirty
Dutch oven (cast iron pot) ideal but not necessary
Incredibly forgiving dough, with rise times ranging from 2 hours to 3 days (yes, really, you choose what works for you)
Easy but yet no compromise on quality of bread
What you need to make this homemade bread recipe
Here’s what you need to make homemade bread from scratch – yeast, flour, salt and water. Yep, really, that’s it!
No yeast?
Make this famous Irish Soda Bread instead, or this incredible No Yeast Sandwich bread based on the traditional Australian Damper!
Yeast – my base recipe uses Rapid Rise or Instant Yeast which does not need to be dissolved in water. But it works just as well with normal yeast (“Active Dry Yeast” or just “dry yeast”) – you just need to change the order of the steps and dissolve the yeast in water first. The bread comes out exactly the same!
Best flour for homemade bread – use bread flour if you can. Bread flour has more protein in it than normal flour which means more gluten, and this makes the dough more elastic and yields a more fluffy yet chewy texture inside the bread, as well as creating the big holes you see in the photos, like sourdough bread. However, this bread is still spectacular made with normal flour too!
How to make the world’s easiest homemade bread – Artisan style!
Here are process steps with tips, but also see the video below – super handy to see the dough consistency, and how to form the dough.
1. Make wet sticky dough
Mix together the flour, salt and yeast, then add warm water and mix. The “dough” will be very wet and sloppy, not kneadable at all – this is what you want! See video at 17 seconds for consistency.
2. Rise!
Cover with cling wrap then place it in a warm place (25 – 30°C / 77 – 86°F) for 2 hours. The dough will increase in volume by double or more, the surface will become bubbly and the dough will be wobbly, like jelly. See video at 24 seconds for consistency.
OPTIONAL – develop flavour: Once dough has risen, you can bake immediately. OR, for better flavour, refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours, up to 3 days. Time = better flavour development.
Bread in photos and video were baked immediately. I usually make this dough in the morning, refrigerate all day then bake in the evening. Or make the dough in the evening, refrigerate overnight and bake fresh in the morning! (10 – 12 hours in fridge). Beauty of this bread is that you can bake anytime!
No dutch oven? No problem! Just bake it on a tray – see the recipe notes.
3. Preheat oven & pot
30 minutes before dough has risen, or while refrigerated dough is coming to room temperature, place dutch oven (cast iron pot) in the oven to preheat at 230°C/450°F.
Hot oven + hot pot = bread rising boost!
4. Scrape dough out
Scrape dough out of bowl onto floured work surface. It will be wet and sticky and that’s exactly what you want – because we will not be kneading it! In fact, you won’t even touch it with your hand.
PRO TIP: Dough handling and shaping technique devised to minimise addition of flour. Less flour = wetter dough = bigger air pockets, fluffier bread and more moist.
5. Shape the dough very roughly
Use a dough scraper or anything of similar shape (spatula, cake server, or large knife) to fold the sides in so it roughly resembles a round disc.
Don’t get too hung up on the shaping – you’ll deform it in the next step!! This step is mainly to deflate the dough.
6. FLIP dough upside down onto paper
Slide a large piece of baking / parchment paper next to the dough, then flip it upside down onto the paper using the scraper so the seams from the step above are face down, and you have the smooth side up.
Slide/push the dough into the centre, then briefly reshape it into a round or slightly oval shape.
Do not get too hung up on a neat shape – this bread is supposed to be rustic! Besides, scruffier shape = more awesome crispy ridges
7. Prepare to bake!
Remove very hot pot from oven, then use paper to pick up the dough and put it in the pot, and put the lid on.
See recipe notes for no dutch oven method.
8. Bake!
Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on (this creates a steamer effect, allowing the bread to rise while it cooks before crust sets), then 12 minutes with the lid off to brown and crisp up the crust. The surface will crack – and you want this, for extra crispy ridges!! And it looks authentic, just like the Artisan bread you buy at bakeries. 😇
Cool for 10 minutes before slicing. This is important – to let the centre of the bread finish cooking (if you slice too early, it will seem a bit doughy. Patience was never my greatest virtue, so I learnt this first hand!)
Remember – you can make this bread recipe WITHOUT a dutch oven!
Why this bread recipe works – and TIPS!
Loose, sticky dough = easier to rise than firmer dough.
No kneading = rough dough, but because the dough is so soft, it puffs up enough to “smooth out” the roughness.
Super forgiving dough – too stiff, add water. Too wet, add flour. Dough not rising? Move it to a warmer place. Takes 45 minutes to rise or 5 hours? It will still work. As long as your dough is the same consistency as what you see in the video and you let it rise to double the volume, this bread recipe will work as long as the yeast is not past its expiry date!
Why you need a preheated dutch oven for no knead bread recipes – to create a steamy environment to give the bread a rise boost before the crust sets (which stops the bread from rising). Professional bakeries are equipped with steam ovens – the cast iron pot is the home method!
Don’t have a dutch oven? No problem! Recreate the steamy environment by placing hot water in a pan in the oven, and bake the bread on a tray.
Big holes in the crumb – loose dough from less flour, high oven temp and preheated pot allows the yeast to give the bread a great rise boost, creating big air pockets. Also the use of bread flour rather than normal flour helps – you get less large holes using normal flour.
Bake immediately if it’s a bread emergency….
…but you’ll be rewarded with tastier bread if you leave the dough 8+ hours in the fridge! I normally make dough first thing in the morning (it takes 3 minutes!) then bake that night. Or make dough at night and bake in the morning. (~12 hrs in fridge for both scenarios)
Why refrigerating the dough creates a better tasting bread – because the fridge slows down the fermentation of the yeast (ie dough stops rising, if it kept rising it would kill the rising power of the yeast), allowing the enzymes in the yeast to do their work, transforming starch into sugar which creates a more flavourful bread. So we let the dough rise first, then refrigerate it.
All the ways to eat this bread!
Everything you do with bread you buy, you can do with this bread. It truly has the structure of bakery bread, so there are no limits!
Eat it fresh out of the oven, slathered with butter. Make sandwiches, toast it, mop plates clean, dunk it in soups and stews. Make bruschetta, garlic bread, grilled cheese, CHEESY garlic bread or Cheese and Garlic CRACK Bread!
I hope you enjoy this crusty bread recipe as much as I do. This really is one of those gold nugget recipes that you’ll make once and treasure forever! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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World’s Easiest Yeast Bread recipe – Artisan, NO KNEAD
Ingredients
- 3 cups (450g) flour , bread or plain/all purpose (Note 1)
- 2 tsp instant or rapid rise yeast (Note 2 for normal / active dry yeast)
- 2 tsp cooking / kosher salt , NOT table salt (Note 3)
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) very warm tap water , NOT boiling or super hot (ie up to 55°C/130°F) (Note 4)
Dough shaping
- 1 1/2 tbsp flour , for dusting
Instructions
- Mix Dough: Mix flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add water, then use the handle of a wooden spoon to mix until all the flour is incorporated. Dough will be wet and sloppy – not kneadable, but not runny like cake batter. Adjust with more water or flour if needed for right consistency (see video at 17 sec, Note 5).
- Rise: Cover with cling wrap or plate, leave on counter for 2 – 3 hours until it doubles in volume, it’s wobbly like jelly and the top is bubbly (see video at 24 seconds). If after 1 hour it doesn’t seem to be rising, move it somewhere warmer (Note 6).
- Optional – refrigerate for flavour development (Note 9): At this stage, you can either bake immediately (move onto Step 5) or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Take chill out of refrigerated dough – if you refrigerated dough per above, leave the bowl on the counter for 45 – 60 minutes while the oven is preheating. Cold dough does not rise as well.
- Preheat oven (Note 7) – Put dutch oven in oven with lid on (26cm/10" or larger). Preheat to 230°C/450°F (220° fan) 30 minutes prior to baking. (Note 8 for no dutch oven)
- Shape dough: Sprinkle work surface with 1 tbsp flour, scrape dough out of bowl. Sprinkle top with 1/2 tbsp flour.
- Using a dough scraper or anything of similar shape (cake server, large knife, spatula), fold the sides inwards (about 6 folds) to roughly form a roundish shape. Don’t be too meticulous here – you’re about to deform it, it’s more about deflating the bubbles in the dough and forming a shape you can move.
- Transfer to paper: Slide a large piece of parchment/baking paper (not wax paper) next to the dough, then flip the dough upside down onto the paper (ie seam side down, smooth side up). Slide/push it towards the middle, then reshape it into a round(ish) shape. Don't get too hung up about shape. In fact, lopsided = more ridges = more crunchy bits!
- Dough in pot: Remove piping hot dutch oven from oven. Use paper to place dough into pot, place lid on.
- Bake 30 minutes covered, then 12 minutes uncovered or until deep golden and crispy.
- Cool on rack for 10 minutes before slicing.
Recipe Notes:
- Fridge up to 3 days – Rise dough per recipe, then leave in bowl and refrigerate up to 3 days. Flavour gets better with time. Dough will stay bubbly for a day or two, then will deflate – that’s fine. Shape into round and place on paper per recipe, then leave for 45 – 60 minutes to take the chill out of it, then bake per recipe. Cold dough won’t rise as well.
- Bread in photos & video is 2 hr rise, immediate bake.
- Cooked bread – great fresh for 2 days, then after that, better warmed or toasted. Keep in an airtight container or ziplock bag. This stays more fresh than usual homemade bread, especially if you use bread flour.
- Freeze cooked bread for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information:
More bread recipes
Life of Dozer
Just keeping a close eye on it for me….
Good job Dozer. Here’s your treat. Look, I even buttered it for you! (PS He’s in his robe because it’s a rainy day yet I still took him to the beach!!!)
Jenn says
Worked very well. Started with 1.5 cups water, added more until I reached the consistency shown in video. Cooked immediately because I wanted a baseline on taste differences. I got a nice crispy crust with a dense, yet airy Center. Family test tasters destroyed it before it could cool. Super easy, maybe easier than my bread machine, and certainly more impressive looking.
Gordon James Williamson says
Worked beautifully. After being in the fridge I needed to let it warm up again – no problems after that
Robyn Day says
Hi Nagi, I have tried to make this bread twice. Both times was going great, until I had to remove it from the fridge and let unchill. Mine then deflates totally when I scrape out of the bowl. I then goes into the oven and does not rise but comes out doughy and uncooked. It doesn’t even smell like bread.I have followed your recipe to the letter and do not understand why my bread fails
Martha says
I am having the exact same problem! I’ve done the recipe twice – it rises beautifully I see lots of bubbles even in the fridge, but once out the fridge, it goes pretty flat and seems a bit wetter than it should be. There are no seams after doing the scraping. After baking for 40 minutes it’s still doughy in the middle: what is up with that?? If it was a yeast issue, would the bread rise at all?
Martha says
I should add that I’m doing the non Dutch oven version. Added an additional 10 min baking time (so 50 total), still doughy in the middle.
Kristina Eide says
Is it possible your yeast isn’t alive? If you don’t know how to test, google “how to proof yeast.”
Krystian says
Test your yeast with a little sugar and warm water (like the hot water from kitchen sink around 110 degrees) mix and let it sit for a few minutes if it bubbles you’re good to go…if not your yeast might be compromised. I had that problem one time, otherwise the recipe works so well for me. Also may depend on the type of flour you use, I like whole wheat and there was my other problem haha but if I use bread flour or a mix of all purpose and whole wheat it comes out great. I also find I have to add more water sometimes so I use the video as a guide. You’ll get it eventually. 🙂
WE says
Turned out really well : – ) I want to add chopped up walnuts and dates – how much could I put in, and would the other ingredients need adjusting? Thanks : – )
Ryan says
Not sure about anyone else but using 1.5 cups of water to 3 cups of flour gives me a very dry mix. I probably need to do double that water to have something similar to the recipe pictures.
Bette says
Can I use rye flour or half rye and half bread flour for this recipe to add some more flavor? I have not tried it yet but will. My son said it is great
Mary says
Amazing bread so beautiful tasty and crispy and easy to make ,everyone loved it especially my grandkids 😊
Thanks for the recipe
Carol says
Hi Nagi
I am getting ready to try your recipe…..it sounds amazing! If I am successful…..I was wondering if you have ever tried to add to the bread to make it savory or a bit sweet? I thought perhaps adding cheese ….. or olives and figs. Would that work with this recipe? Thank you ;^)
Bec says
I have added small cheddar cubes, it works just fine and is wonerful!
Nagi says
Hi Carol – I think cheese might change the texture but you could try the olives and let me know how it goes! N x
Muriel Heart says
Loved it… simple and tasty xx
Olivia says
I’ve made this a couple of times and loved it. I think the last time I accidentally used wax paper and it stuck..whoops! Any sub for parchment paper if I don’t have that on hand? What about oil int be bottom and no paper?
Nagi says
Hi Olivia – for this recipe you really need baking paper. N x
Linda says
The was the first time I even attempted to make bread and it was one of the best breads I ever had. I used 00 flour and it was truly amazing. My whole family loved it.. Thank you!!
CYNTHIA BABCOCK says
Always turns out PERFECT!! I love you and Dozer so mush!!💕
Bonnie says
Hi! I have made twice. First time I used regular flour and table salt, baked after 3hrs. Cooked beautifully, but not a lot of flavor. 2nd time I used bread flour and kosher salt. Refrigerated 2 days. Took 55 minutes took cook, could have cooked a bit more as a bit doughy and still not much flavor. Both time I made on baking sheet with a pan of boiling water on lower rack. What am I doing wrong?? Please help! Thanks
Louisa says
Fantastic and super easy. I did the overnight fridge version. And it’s almost all gone in one sitting. Does doubling the recipe work the same? Cause this thing isn’t going to last through today. 😀
Nagi says
HI Louisa – I don’t suggest doubling as it’s harder to work with that volume. It’s safer to make two batches. N x
Allison says
Hi, just made the dough and left to rise. But 1.5c of water for 450g flour created a ball of dough, it was not the “soupy” texture yours was. Has anyone else had this issue? I’m going to stick to the recipe and see what happens, but curious to know if anyone else found these measurements off?
Donna says
The weight is wrong. 3 cups of flour equals 360g of AP flour, not 450g. Not sure how much it is for bread flour.
Sue GENDRON says
I have made this a few times, using bread flour. I find I need a bit more water than the recipe calls for. It’s very dry here (November in northeast US), maybe that’s why…
Nagi says
Hi Allison – take a look at my Note 5 under the recipe and the 17 second mark in the video and if you need to then add a bit more water to get the correct consistency. N x
monica DelRosso says
Hi Nagi and Dozer,
Hi from the USA.
I made this bread last night and I think its fantastic. I did alter the recipe in that the temperature of the water seemed like it would be too hot so I used water at a temp. of 114 degrees F. My bread had a great rise in 2 hours. I refrigerated for only about 6 hours then cooked it later in the evening as I wanted it for breakfast. My only regret is that I cooked it on the bottom rack and got a slight burn on the crust. The good news is the burn can be easily cut off. Thanks for all your great recipes and Dozer stories!
Terry says
I baked the bread immediately after rise and it was fantastic. I am going to extend the rise time on the next round to check the flavor development. I would rank myself as an intermediate level baker…this recipe raised my standing. Thank You!
Maureen Jones says
Great bread one question.
Would a white sourdough starter be okay to use? Before I try it
Alexandra says
I just found this recipe yesterday. It’s super easy. I hope the results won’t be bitter. My question is can this dough be frozen.
Vivian Tham says
Dear Nagi, I am very impressed with the tips and the recipe given. Tried for 5 times. Out of which, 2 times my bread has risen very tall and beautiful (using overnight proofing). I let it cool down for 2 hours (after shaped) after taken out from fridge. However, the baked bread sticked to the parchment paper. Is it the moist has gotten into the paper (coz proof for 2 hours) before baking? Thanks!