No-Knead Bread
User Reviews
4.9
No-Knead Bread
Description
The No-Knead Bread recipe uses minimal ingredients—flour, yeast, salt, and water—to create a loaf with a rustic texture and flavor. The long fermentation at room temperature develops complexity and gluten strength without manual kneading. After stirring the ingredients into a wet, sticky dough, it rests covered for up to 18 hours, during which it bubbles and rises noticeably. Shaping the dough after fermentation requires flour-dusted hands to handle the sticky dough carefully and form a smooth ball. Baking occurs in a preheated Dutch oven at 425°F, which traps steam and allows the crust to become golden and crisp while the interior remains moist and tender. This approach yields a loaf with an artisanal character without requiring specialized bread-making skills or equipment.
Water amounts can vary depending on humidity and flour moisture, so it is important to look for a dough that is wet and sticky but not glossy. Instant yeast is used for its convenience and direct addition without activation, unlike active dry yeast which requires proofing. The recipe is flexible and well suited for home bakers interested in homemade bread with minimal effort.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour $0.29
- 1/4 tsp instant yeast $0.02, or bread machine yeast
- 1.5 tsp salt $0.02
- 1.5 to 1.75 cup water $0.00
Instructions
- The day before baking, combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl and stir until they're well combined. Stir in about 1.5 to 1.75 cups room temperature water until a shaggy, sticky ball of dough forms and there is no dry flour left on the bottom of the bowl. The dough should be wet and sticky, but not so wet that it appears glossy. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic and let it sit at room temperature for 12-18 hours.
- The next day, the dough should be fluffy and very bubbly. When you're ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on top of the fermented dough and scrape it out of the bowl. With well-floured hands, shape the dough into a ball and place it on a piece of parchment paper. Let the dough rise for 30-60 minutes.
- While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 425ºF, or the highest recommended temperature listed on the packaging for your parchment paper. Place the Dutch oven inside the oven as it preheats, and make sure it sits in the fully heated oven for at least 15 minutes before baking the bread.
- Once the bread has risen and the Dutch oven is fully heated, carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven (it will be EXTREMELY hot). Lift the parchment with the dough straight into the dutch oven and cover it with the lid.
- Return the Dutch oven to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the lid and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven, lift the bread out by by using the parchment paper, and allow it to cool before cutting open and serving.
Sheet Pan Instructions
- Ferment and shape the dough as described above, then place it on a parchment-lined sheet pan to rise for an additional 30 minutes.
- Place a baking pan with about an inch of water on the bottom rack of the oven, then preheat to 425ºF while the dough rises.
- Once the loaf has risen for 30 minutes and the oven is fully preheated, carefully score the top of the dough with a sharp knife (use horizontal motions with no downward pressure). Transfer the sheet pan to the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
Notes
- Active dry yeast should not be used as it requires activation; this recipe calls for instant yeast for direct mixing.
- Water quantity may vary due to humidity and flour moisture; aim for a shaggy, sticky dough without dry spots or glossiness.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8slices (one loaf)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 172 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 172kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 36g | 12% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Sodium | 439mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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