No-Knead Artisan Bread
A thick, crispy-crusted, big-holed loaf baked in a Dutch oven -- no kneading, no stand mixer, just a wooden spoon and time.
Recipe from RecipeTinEats
BreadAmericanTotal 2 hr 55 minYield ¼ loafScaled Quarter — ¼×
BreadAmericanTotal 2 hr 55 minYield ⅓ loafScaled Third — ⅓×
BreadAmericanTotal 2 hr 55 minYield ½ loafScaled Half — ½×
BreadAmericanTotal 2 hr 55 minYield 1 loafScaled Original — 1×
BreadAmericanTotal 2 hr 55 minYield 2 loavesScaled Double — 2×
BreadAmericanTotal 2 hr 55 minYield 3 loavesScaled Triple — 3×
BreadAmericanTotal 2 hr 55 minYield 4 loavesScaled Quadruple — 4×
Ingredients
Tap one to check it off
For shaping
Instructions
Make and rise the dough
- Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and mix with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated. The dough will be wet and sloppy -- far too sticky to knead, and that's correct.
- Cover and leave at room temperature (77-86°F/25-30°C) for 2-3 hours, until doubled, wobbly, and bubbly on top.
- Optional flavor development: instead of baking right away, refrigerate the risen dough for up to 3 days. If chilled, let it sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes before shaping -- the surface deflating a little in the fridge is normal.
Shape and bake
- Put a covered Dutch oven (26cm/10in or larger) in the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C) (or 220°C if using a fan/convection oven) for 30 minutes.
- Scrape the dough onto a well-floured surface. Using a dough scraper, fold the sides inward roughly 6 times to form a round shape.
- Slide a sheet of parchment paper under the dough, flip it seam-side down, and reshape into a round(ish) loaf.
- Carefully lower the dough, on its parchment, into the hot Dutch oven and put the lid back on.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake 12 more minutes, until deep golden brown and crispy.
- Rest on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before slicing.
Ingredients
Tap one to check it off
For shaping
Instructions
Make and rise the dough
- Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and mix with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated. The dough will be wet and sloppy -- far too sticky to knead, and that's correct.
- Cover and leave at room temperature (77-86°F/25-30°C) for 2-3 hours, until doubled, wobbly, and bubbly on top.
- Optional flavor development: instead of baking right away, refrigerate the risen dough for up to 3 days. If chilled, let it sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes before shaping -- the surface deflating a little in the fridge is normal.
Shape and bake
- Put a covered Dutch oven (26cm/10in or larger) in the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C) (or 220°C if using a fan/convection oven) for 30 minutes.
- Scrape the dough onto a well-floured surface. Using a dough scraper, fold the sides inward roughly 6 times to form a round shape.
- Slide a sheet of parchment paper under the dough, flip it seam-side down, and reshape into a round(ish) loaf.
- Carefully lower the dough, on its parchment, into the hot Dutch oven and put the lid back on.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake 12 more minutes, until deep golden brown and crispy.
- Rest on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before slicing.
Ingredients
Tap one to check it off
For shaping
Instructions
Make and rise the dough
- Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and mix with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated. The dough will be wet and sloppy -- far too sticky to knead, and that's correct.
- Cover and leave at room temperature (77-86°F/25-30°C) for 2-3 hours, until doubled, wobbly, and bubbly on top.
- Optional flavor development: instead of baking right away, refrigerate the risen dough for up to 3 days. If chilled, let it sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes before shaping -- the surface deflating a little in the fridge is normal.
Shape and bake
- Put a covered Dutch oven (26cm/10in or larger) in the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C) (or 220°C if using a fan/convection oven) for 30 minutes.
- Scrape the dough onto a well-floured surface. Using a dough scraper, fold the sides inward roughly 6 times to form a round shape.
- Slide a sheet of parchment paper under the dough, flip it seam-side down, and reshape into a round(ish) loaf.
- Carefully lower the dough, on its parchment, into the hot Dutch oven and put the lid back on.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake 12 more minutes, until deep golden brown and crispy.
- Rest on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before slicing.
Ingredients
Tap one to check it off
For shaping
Instructions
Make and rise the dough
- Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and mix with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated. The dough will be wet and sloppy -- far too sticky to knead, and that's correct.
- Cover and leave at room temperature (77-86°F/25-30°C) for 2-3 hours, until doubled, wobbly, and bubbly on top.
- Optional flavor development: instead of baking right away, refrigerate the risen dough for up to 3 days. If chilled, let it sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes before shaping -- the surface deflating a little in the fridge is normal.
Shape and bake
- Put a covered Dutch oven (26cm/10in or larger) in the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C) (or 220°C if using a fan/convection oven) for 30 minutes.
- Scrape the dough onto a well-floured surface. Using a dough scraper, fold the sides inward roughly 6 times to form a round shape.
- Slide a sheet of parchment paper under the dough, flip it seam-side down, and reshape into a round(ish) loaf.
- Carefully lower the dough, on its parchment, into the hot Dutch oven and put the lid back on.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake 12 more minutes, until deep golden brown and crispy.
- Rest on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before slicing.
Ingredients
Tap one to check it off
For shaping
Instructions
Make and rise the dough
- Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and mix with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated. The dough will be wet and sloppy -- far too sticky to knead, and that's correct.
- Cover and leave at room temperature (77-86°F/25-30°C) for 2-3 hours, until doubled, wobbly, and bubbly on top.
- Optional flavor development: instead of baking right away, refrigerate the risen dough for up to 3 days. If chilled, let it sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes before shaping -- the surface deflating a little in the fridge is normal.
Shape and bake
- Put a covered Dutch oven (26cm/10in or larger) in the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C) (or 220°C if using a fan/convection oven) for 30 minutes.
- Scrape the dough onto a well-floured surface. Using a dough scraper, fold the sides inward roughly 6 times to form a round shape.
- Slide a sheet of parchment paper under the dough, flip it seam-side down, and reshape into a round(ish) loaf.
- Carefully lower the dough, on its parchment, into the hot Dutch oven and put the lid back on.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake 12 more minutes, until deep golden brown and crispy.
- Rest on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before slicing.
Ingredients
Tap one to check it off
For shaping
Instructions
Make and rise the dough
- Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and mix with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated. The dough will be wet and sloppy -- far too sticky to knead, and that's correct.
- Cover and leave at room temperature (77-86°F/25-30°C) for 2-3 hours, until doubled, wobbly, and bubbly on top.
- Optional flavor development: instead of baking right away, refrigerate the risen dough for up to 3 days. If chilled, let it sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes before shaping -- the surface deflating a little in the fridge is normal.
Shape and bake
- Put a covered Dutch oven (26cm/10in or larger) in the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C) (or 220°C if using a fan/convection oven) for 30 minutes.
- Scrape the dough onto a well-floured surface. Using a dough scraper, fold the sides inward roughly 6 times to form a round shape.
- Slide a sheet of parchment paper under the dough, flip it seam-side down, and reshape into a round(ish) loaf.
- Carefully lower the dough, on its parchment, into the hot Dutch oven and put the lid back on.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake 12 more minutes, until deep golden brown and crispy.
- Rest on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before slicing.
Ingredients
Tap one to check it off
For shaping
Instructions
Make and rise the dough
- Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and mix with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated. The dough will be wet and sloppy -- far too sticky to knead, and that's correct.
- Cover and leave at room temperature (77-86°F/25-30°C) for 2-3 hours, until doubled, wobbly, and bubbly on top.
- Optional flavor development: instead of baking right away, refrigerate the risen dough for up to 3 days. If chilled, let it sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes before shaping -- the surface deflating a little in the fridge is normal.
Shape and bake
- Put a covered Dutch oven (26cm/10in or larger) in the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C) (or 220°C if using a fan/convection oven) for 30 minutes.
- Scrape the dough onto a well-floured surface. Using a dough scraper, fold the sides inward roughly 6 times to form a round shape.
- Slide a sheet of parchment paper under the dough, flip it seam-side down, and reshape into a round(ish) loaf.
- Carefully lower the dough, on its parchment, into the hot Dutch oven and put the lid back on.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake 12 more minutes, until deep golden brown and crispy.
- Rest on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Scaling: the source recipe is calibrated for one loaf in a 26cm/10in Dutch oven and doesn't say what changes at larger batches -- a doubled (2x) or quadrupled (4x) batch of dough likely won't fit the same pot and may need a longer covered bake, or should be split and baked as two loaves. Untested at anything above 1x; use judgment. The old site's own "Artisan Bread" post was just a link to this recipe, never written up here directly, until now. No Dutch oven? Use a 20cm/8in metal pan (not glass), preheated with the oven; place the shaped dough on a baking tray, slide it in, then quickly pour a cup of boiling water into the preheated pan and close the oven door to trap the steam. Bake the full 40 minutes either way. Cooked bread keeps 2 days airtight at room temperature, or freezes up to 3 months. Dough troubleshooting: too dry, add a splash more water; too wet, add a little more flour -- it should be sticky, not soupy.