Easy No-Knead Crusty Bread

4.91 from 43 votes

Effortless and delicious, this 4-ingredient no-knead bread comes together in under 4 hours! If you're new to bread baking, this is the perfect place to start. With just 10 minutes of prep and no kneading required, simply let the dough rise, then bake until golden brown and crisp on the outside, yet soft and chewy inside.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Rise Time2

Total Time2 55

Course: Side

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: loaf

Calories: 1893kcal

Author: Rachel Kochlin

Equipment

Ingredients

4 cups bread flour (or all-purpose flour*)
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet) see notes for active yeast
2 ½ teaspoons salt
2 cups warm water (110 - 120°F)

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, yeast and salt.
Pour in the warm water and use a sturdy spoon to mix together until fully combined. The dough should be wet and shaggy, but not runny.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for about 2-3 hours, or until doubled in size.
Optional: once the dough has doubled in size, you can store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours for enhanced flavor development, or continue to follow the instructions below to bake right away.
When you're ready to bake, place the dutch oven with the lid on into the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F.
Once the oven is preheated, lighlty sprinkle a work surface with about a tablespoon of flour. Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto your floured surface and roughly shape into a ball. No need for it to be perfect. It'll look nice once it bakes. Place the dough ball seam side down on a sheet of parchment paper.
Once the oven is preheated, remove the hot dutch oven and transfer the parchment paper with the dough to the dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy on top.
Lift the parchment paper with the bread from the dutch oven and let cool for 1 hour, then slice and enjoy!

Notes

Using active yeast:

Ingredients:

4 cups bread flour (or all-purpose)
¾ teaspoon active dry yeast
2 ½ teaspoons salt
2 cups warm water

Instructions:

Follow instructions above through step 2.
Cover the bowl and place in a warm spot. Let rise overnight, about 12-18 hours.
Resume with step 5 above.

*All-Purpose Flour:

Bread flour has a higher protein content, giving the bread that more soft and chewy texture we all love when it comes to crusty bread! So, for the best results, I recommend bread flour, BUT all-purpose flour will still work and your bread will still taste delicious! So, use all-purpose if that's what you've got!

Nutrition