Description

This Easy Dutch Oven No Knead Bread recipe yields a beautifully crusty and flavorful artisan-style loaf with minimal effort. The dough requires no kneading and undergoes a long, slow rise to develop a complex flavor and airy texture. Baking in a preheated Dutch oven ensures a perfect crust and tender crumb, making it ideal for homemade bread lovers looking for a simple yet impressive baking project.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1½ teaspoons sea salt

Wet Ingredients

1½ cups warm water (105°F)

Instructions

Combine Dry Ingredients: In a spacious mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the all-purpose flour, active dry yeast, and sea salt until well combined.
Mix the Dough: Pour in the warm water and stir until all ingredients come together to form a shaggy, somewhat sticky dough ball. The mixture should look slightly rough and uneven.
First Rise Setup: Transfer your dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap, then place a dampened kitchen towel over the top to maintain optimal humidity.
Long, Slow Rise: Place the covered bowl in a draft-free location at room temperature and allow the dough to rise for 18 to 24 hours. During this time, the dough will become bubbly and develop a complex flavor.
Preheat Your Setup: Position your oven rack in the middle and place your Dutch oven inside. Preheat the oven to 450°F and allow the Dutch oven to heat for at least 30 minutes to ensure a hot baking environment.
Shape the Loaf: Turn the dough onto a generously floured surface. With floured hands, gently gather and shape the dough into a round loaf, being careful not to deflate it too much to preserve air bubbles.
Bake to Perfection: Carefully transfer the shaped dough into your preheated Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes or until the crust is deeply golden brown and crisp.
Cool and Enjoy: Remove the finished loaf from the Dutch oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing, allowing the crumb to set properly.

Notes

For best results, use a Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid to trap steam and create a perfect crust.
Do not rush the long rise; the slow fermentation develops flavor and texture.
If you don’t have a Dutch oven, use a heavy oven-safe pot with a lid or a covered baking dish.
Be gentle when shaping to preserve the dough’s air bubbles for a light crumb.
The dough can be refrigerated after mixing for up to 48 hours as an alternative to the room temperature rise, extend baking time slightly if baking cold dough.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: no knead bread, dutch oven bread, artisan bread, easy homemade bread, no-knead, crusty bread recipe