🍞 Easy No-Knead Bread (Dutch Oven Style)
🛒 Ingredients:
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3 cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour)
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1/4 tsp instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
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1 1/4 tsp salt
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1 1/2 cups warm water (around 105–110°F or 40–43°C)
⏱️ Total Time:
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Hands-on: 10 minutes
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Rest: 8–18 hours
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Bake: ~45 minutes
👩🍳 Instructions:
1. Mix the dough (Day 1 or night before):
In a large bowl, stir together:
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Flour
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Yeast
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Salt
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Warm water
Mix until a shaggy, sticky dough forms (no kneading!). Cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let it rest at room temperature for 8–18 hours.
🕒 The long rest time allows gluten to form naturally — no kneading needed.
2. Shape & second rise (Day 2):
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Lightly flour a surface and your hands.
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Scrape the dough out and quickly shape it into a rough ball.
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Let it rest on a floured parchment paper or towel, seam side down. Cover and rise for 30–60 minutes while the oven preheats.
3. Preheat your oven (with Dutch oven):
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Place your Dutch oven (with lid) in the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C) for at least 30 minutes.
4. Bake:
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Carefully remove the Dutch oven.
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Transfer dough (on parchment) into the hot pot. Cover with lid.
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Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 10–15 minutes until deep golden brown.
5. Cool:
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Let the bread cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing — it finishes cooking inside as it cools.
🔄 Variations:
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Add-ins: herbs, garlic, olives, cheese, seeds
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Whole wheat: Swap 1 cup of flour for whole wheat (may need slightly more water)
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No Dutch oven? Use a heavy pot with a lid, or bake on a hot baking stone with a tray of water in the oven for steam.
Want a faster same-day version, sourdough-style, or flavored variations (like rosemary-garlic or cinnamon-raisin)?
