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!!!)
George says
Hi,
I’ve made this recipe several times.
I initially tried doing the dough inversions out of the bowl, but found this to be too messy and difficult.
Now I do the dough inversions in the mixing bowl, rather than out of it.
I then transfer direct to a greased medium loaf pan straight from the bowl.
MUCH EASIER AND QUICKER,
I did this because I don’t like a round shape for the bread.
This way I end up with a well-shaped loaf of bread, and without any need for steaming.
Without ever touching the dough!
I did try steaming, but the bread turned out too crusty.
This gives me a great loaf of sandwich bread …
Aneesa Baker says
Made this tonight for the first time. Great success! Hubs and I had it with soup for dinner. Made the dough in the morning, fridge all afternoon until time for dinner. I probably should have let it sit longer before baking but I was impatient. Crusty crust and soft inside. Will make it again.
Nagi says
Glad you liked it! N x
Ed Morsch says
Hi Nagi,
October 2021. Just bake my 114 boule within a year and a half. Love it as do many of my friends with whom it share it. Some have even asked for the recipe which I gladly share. I will even give a quick lesson or answer questions if need be. Even mailed one to my 93 year young eighth grade nun for Christmas last year. What a pip and still has all of her own teeth.
Joyce says
Nagi, this looks amazing. I’ve tried your no knead bread rolls and so far, they’re the best bread rolls (and the easiest!) I’ve ever made. Now I’m keen to try this recipe too.
I was wondering, will i be able to use a casserole pot instead of a dutch oven? Will it also create a steamer effect too?
KATE says
STARS 5X5 My hubby said to tell you that this is the most wonderful bread ever. He sits with his bowl of garlic mixed with salt and olive oil and dips the bread into it. Going to do a second loaf tomorrow and try using the water underneath in the tray . Hoping it will be a little less dense.
KATE says
Nagi,
What would cause this loaf to rise but be quite dense in its consistency. It rose really well sitting in a bowl on the window sill.After the 2 hours I put it into a hot steel saucepan inside the baking paper with a lid on. Ended up having to remove from pot after the 30 minutes and bake a further 45 mins or longer to go brown. Could the oven itself be the problem? Tasted ok though but not fluffy like your pics.
Teresa J says
This is mind blowing how easy it was to bake bread !
It came out quite dense for me, I wonder why? Could it be because I used tipo 00?
Any ideas ?
Cindy says
Can I possibly add raisins and cinnamon to your recipe? Would I need to alter anything?
This looks amazing and can’t wait to make it!
Nagi says
Hi Cindy…I haven’t tested this with fruit but I would think that adding raisins and cinnamon would not affect the bread…let me know how it turns out!
Cindy says
I only had organic bleached flour but still turned out great! Cooked in my le creuset pot and came out so crusty😍
We put butter and sprinkled sugar and toasted in the toaster oven and everyone loved it! It’s a bit on the thick cakier side because of the flour, so I’ll make it with bread flour next! And I’ll sneak in some raisin and cinnamon too. I can’t wait! This was so fun making!
potatobaby says
This bread is amazing and can be made quickly or for the next day! I was in a time crunch so I let it rise for a little over an hour and it still turned out good. I am going to make a batch of dough and let it sit overnight. Thank you for the great recipe!!! Went along great with some tomato soup.
deb says
All I can say is WOW!!!! This bread was amazing. Very chewy, delicious and most of all easy. Follow directions as written and hoping this recipe will be in your new cookbook. Another winner!!!!!
Nagi says
It sure will be Deb! It’s a Life Essential 🙂 N x
Vicky says
Followed recipe to a T. Used normal plain flour and normal yeast. So easy, looked so impressive, and to top it all off tasted delicious. We all loved the texture and I suspect this will be our ‘go to’ recipe for bread from now on!
Don says
Recipe calls for 3 cups of flour or 450 grams. I understand that is equal to 360 grams. Please clarify.
Meryl Dorey says
Once again, another great recipe. I’m a bread-a-phobe (is that a thing?) and I’ve made this twice now and both times, it’s come out perfectly!
My question is – if I want to get crazy and add things in like fried onion and garlic, cheese or herbs – do I do it at the time I mix all of the ingredients together before putting into the fridge or just before baking? And do you think it will affect the water ratio if I do?
Valerie says
Love this recipe. If I want to add some whole meal flour and seeds do I need to adjust water or anything else? Thx
david says
I’ve made this a few times now, it’s delicious and easy. I’ve just started making my own kefir, could I add that to the dough?
Thanks, David
Stephanie says
First, I love your recipes! You are very talented and have good taste!
But I tried making this recipe 2 different times and they both came out …not right. The first time I added way to much water ( I was using active dry yeast, so I tried to dissolve in water before hand and had to compensate with extra flour) second time I used the same technique with much less water (about 2 US tbsp) but still had almost same result , without having to add much extra flour. The video had almost same consistency as far as I could tell… I used your chicken fricasse recipe and wanted to eat that with this bread.. your pictures of the bread look sooo good and I want to try again today. Do you have any extra tips on how to dissolve active dry yeast? What if I didn’t dissolve in water before, would it make much difference or just take longer to rise, do you think?
Eli says
Hey there, from my understanding you’re meant to activate the yeast in the water you’re supposed to use for the recipe. Try not adding different water, just the amount the recipe calls for
Joyce says
Absolutely delicious and SO easy for this “not so great” baker LOL! Thank you for sharing this recipe. Going to try with different seasonings too!
Egg says
My bread keeps having a cake like texture? Do you know what i could be doing wrong?
Nagi says
Hi Egg, are you following the recipe exactly? Sounds like it could be to do with the flour you’re using. It’s not cake flour is it? N x
egg says
Hi Nagi! Thank you for replying I used all purpose flour. I tried the recipe twice and got the same result of a cake like texture.
Barbara Daly says
Quick and easy
Hopefully it will be nice
Marika says
I made this two times. First without dutch oven, second with one. First time it was good, but the dough was hard in the middel. Second time the bread was completely flat, hard in the middle. Any ideas what did i do wrong? I really want it to work out
Nagi says
Sounds like it could be the type of yeast you’re using Marika, can you let me know what you’re using? N x