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!!!)
leeuk says
Always comes out a treat so tried it in the Ninja 10 in 1 oven which easily took the cast iron pot,knocked about 20/25 mins off the cooking time saving money and energy.Came out just as good as a regular oven.
Veronica says
This is a fantastic recipe! Magic! My bread looked exactly like the photos. Family were very impressed. And so easy. Thank you Nagi. Your recipes never fail x
Julie says
I can ditch my bread machine now 😅. This bread tastes so good and makes perfect toast the next day! Thanks for sharing Nagi!! xx
Sew Kitty says
I just made this bread after having left it overnight in the fridge. YUM!!! Thank you so much for having posted this recipe. It’s absolutely lovely.
Jordan says
So I’m going to talk a bit here: I grew up in a really toxic household, but the one thing I remember was the smell of freshly baked bread and that’s the one thing from my childhood that brings me happiness. I’m not 38 and I don’t bake often, not really the patient type, when I made this bread today and I wasn’t sure it was going to work out, but OMG the smell in my apartment, the hollow thump on the bottom as I checked if the bread was finished, was so satisfying and gave me a bit of joy in my day, and my partner loved the heck out of it as well. I recommend this to anyone who wants to make simple yet delicious bread.
Shirley Chandrawati says
One word: divine
Thank you for the recipe, will always use it. I just bought your recipe book tooo, cant wait to cook all of them😁
Carmen Wishlow says
Can you use gluten free flour for this recipe
Jane says
While following your directions, and maybe there’s a tad too much flour, BUT there is absolutely nothing soupy about my dough. I made another one of these recipes (must be yours) and that was soupy. This isn’t at all.
Gonna keep going….😊🙏
RobinB says
I’ve made the recipe many times and it’s never been too dry. There’s a point when you’re mixing it where it seems as though there might not be enough water, but if you complete the mixing (I do the final bit with a dough scraper to get all the dry flour off the sides of the bowl) I find it comes out exactly the right consistency.
Corrie says
Hi Jane- in one version of Nagi’s recipe it says 390gms of flour (not 450) and all my googling says 1 cup of flour is about 120-130gms of flour so I would try 390gms next time. I made this with 450gms this morning and I needed to add more water because it was too dry also.
Lisa Till says
Hi Nagi.
Love your recipes thank you.
My baking paper keeps sticking into the bread which means I have to cut the crust off. I’ve tried piling the paper but it still happens. Any suggestions for how to solve this please?
Thank you.
Tara says
Hey, just thought I’d pipe up from my own experiences. Make sure you’re using baking paper and not grease proof paper. Greaseproof is not non stick. If you’re using greaseproof, you might need to spray with oil or grease with butter first!
Serenity says
I would love to make this bread however I want to know if it will ruin the pot or not? I only have one pot like yours.
John says
It should not ruin the pot. If you have an oven compatible pot you are fine. How do you think it would be ruined? Parchment paper also protects the pot
Nicky Maxey says
Baking bread in your pot will not ruin it, I do these breads all the time. You won’t regret using it!
Kelsey says
No it won’t! I’ve made this a few times in a white Dutch oven and haven’t had any issues
Chelsea says
No, it does not ruin your pot. Its in the oven so the heat is not direct like on a stovetop. Having nothing in a pot on the stove top would ruin it because of the direct heat. Hope this helps!
Zee says
I’m generally a sourdough baker these days, but still make this bread any time I need something a little quicker. I’m having a soup party tonight and am coming back to this recipe again after more times than I can count to get something delicious on the table to feed myself and my friends. I haven’t bought grocery store bread in a long time because this recipe is always in my back pocket for when I’m short on time and it’s SO much better than anything I’ve found at the supermarket.
Ira Kollo says
So easy quick and delish
MD says
I’ve made this several times using wholemeal flour. First few attempts weren’t great, always too sticky or doughy/undercooked. I played around with ratios, increasing cooking time got an oven thermometer and tried the same-day proof/bake & overnight methods. While further attempts turned out okay, even with a longer oven time, I can’t seem to get a great crust that stays crusty. It does have a very chewy centre and the texture reminds me of a crumpet. I presume that isn’t a bad thing?! Will try with white flour to see if that makes a difference.
RobinB says
If you make it with 100% wholemeal flour you will get a very heavy loaf and need quite a bit more water, because wholemeal flour absorbs much more than white. I’ve made it with 10% wholemeal rye flour and about 10g more water and it came out very well, and with a really good flavour. But I still think all white is the best for this loaf.
Anna says
So easy to make and super delicious toasted with jam and butter. Thanks Nagi, you never fail to please with your amazing recipes
Serenity says
Will it ruin the pot?
Jenny says
I have always wanted to make yeast bread but it always intimidated me. THANK YOU FOR THE VIDEO! I am a visual learner so I was able to know exactly what the dough should look like. Turned out great!
Cj says
I have made both this version and the cheesy version. Both are amazing for how easy and tasty they are. I will probably get into the more fancy breads, but I strongly suggest this for a rustic, artisan loaf.
Traci Brown says
I love this recipe!! I have made it so many times. Even for communion at church. I have shared this with many friends and they have made it well. We had a fundraiser recently to help send my husband and I to Honduras in February. I made 16 loaves and every one sold. And some people want more. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!!
Annabel W. says
Absolutely awesome! I’ve never made bread before and decided I wanted to give it a go, added some rosemary to the dough and it turned out delicious.
Ebeth Lones says
This is my 2nd time making this and sadly each time it turns out more like a round, crusty focaccia bread more than a round loaf. Mine doubled in size while rising just like the video but once it bakes it’s only about 2-3 inches tall and the top is blond and almost looks like it’s glazed. Please help! What am I doing wrong?
KAY says
This is by far my fav artisian no knead recipe I’ve tried and actually liked enough to make again and again. Love adding different seeds to change up the seasoning. Thanks!