No Knead Bread

Published March 31, 2020. Updated April 5, 2020

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No Knead Bread – the easiest ever homemade bread recipe ever! Zero kneading required, just a quick mix, let the dough rest overnight then the next day it’s ready to bake.

Looking for more easy bread recipes? Try my 1-Hour Bread, or for a dessert option don’t miss out on my Banana Bread recipe (another family favorite and no mixer required!).

No knead bread in a large blue enameled cast iron pot. Bread is sitting on a sheet of parchment paper and pot is resting on a marble surface.

Easy No Knead Bread Recipe

This is easily one of the best loaves of bread I have ever made and it always disappears in no time! You’ll instantly fall in love after one bite!

It has a deliciously crisp crust and a soft chewy, moist interior. An artisan style bread made in the comfort of your own home from a dough that’s prepped in minutes!

It’s pretty miraculous really.

I can’t count how many times I’ve made it. Not only is it unbelievably easy and basically foolproof, but it only requires 3 pantry staples (and water) .

Who doesn’t love a good recipe with minimal ingredients? It’s also very inexpensive.

Just one of those back pocket staple recipes that you’ll quickly find yourself memorizing!

Four ingredients used to make no knead bread shown here including all-purpose flour, yeast, salt and water.

No Knead Bread Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour: bread flour could be substituted if that’s what you have. Bread will just be a little more dense.
  • Yeast: instant yeast, active dry yeast or rapid rise yeast can be used. No proofing first necessary.
  • Warm water: I like to use a thermometer just to make sure it’s not too hot. If you don’t have one you can test by dabbing the water against your wrist, it shouldn’t be too hot.
  • Salt: I just use regular table salt 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 tsp is what I prefer.

Four steps of mixing and rising no knead bread dough in a bowl shown here.

How to Make No Knead Bread

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast. Pour in warm water and stir mixture with a wooden spoon until a shaggy ball forms (you can add a little more flour if you feel it needs it).
  2. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 12 – 18 hours.
  3. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Once oven has reached 450 degrees, place a cast iron pot covered with lid into preheated oven, heat pot for 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, turn dough out onto a well floured surface then shape dough into a ball (I like to set on parchment paper heat resistant to 450 for easier transferring, which you can place right in the pot, but this is optional).
  5. Cover dough with an extra large bowl and allow to rest while pot is heating.
  6. Remove pot from oven and with floured hands or holding ends of parchment paper, carefully drop dough into hot pot cover with lid, then immediately return pot to oven and bake 30 minutes.
  7. After 30 minutes, remove lid from pot and bake uncovered for 12 – 15 minutes.
  8. Let cool.

Four steps showing shaping, rising and baking no knead bread shown here.

Can I Use Whole Wheat Flour?

All whole wheat flour can be used but loaf will be very dense, instead I recommend using half whole wheat flour and half white flour a better texture. I also recommend adding a little honey and a little extra water (as mentioned in the recipe notes).

Can I Bake Using Something Else Instead of Cast Iron Pot?

If you don’t have an enameled cast iron pot it can also be baked a baking sheet. To do so:

  • No preheating the baking sheet is necessary.
  • Use parchment paper and shape loaf into an oval shape instead of a round.
  • Bake about 25 – 30 minutes, vs. time listed.

No knead bread shown with a few pieces sliced of to show interior texture.

Tips for Perfect No Knead Bread:

  • Don’t use water over 120 degrees or you may kill the yeast and bread won’t rise.
  • Allow enough time for dough to rest, plan on at least 6 hours or up to 18 hours. I like to begin making the dough at night.
  • Let bread cool, at least a little while before slicing otherwise bread just falls apart.
  • If you want bread to maintain a crisp exterior to the following day you can store in a paper bag. I prefer an airtight bag though just so loaf doesn’t dry.

Different toppings ideas shown on slices of no knead bread.

What to Serve with No Knead Bread:

  • Butter (of course!) or homemade raspberry freezer jam.
  • Cheese (melted with tomatoes and pesto is the best!).
  • Mashed avocado, olive oil, salt and pepper (toast bread first).
  • Almond butter or peanut butter and honey.
  • Make a sandwich or panini.
  • Soup (for dipping obviously).

Soups for Pairing

 

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

No knead bread in a large blue pot resting on parchment paper.
4.91 from 62 votes

No Knead Bread {Rustic Artisan Style}

Easiest ever homemade bread! No kneading, just a quick mixing and let the dough rest overnight then the next day bake in a cast iron pot in a hot oven. It has a deliciously crisp crust and a soft chewy interior, you'll instantly fall in love after one bite!
Servings: 10
Prep10 minutes
Cook45 minutes
Resting12 hours
Ready in: 12 hours 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups (15 oz) all-purpose flour (preferably unbleached, scoop and level to measure)
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp active dry yeast, instant yeast, or rapid rise yeast
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees)

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast. Pour in warm water and stir mixture with a wooden spoon until a shaggy ball forms (you can add a little more water or a little more flour if you feel it needs it).
  • Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 12 - 18 hours (on the counter at room temperature).
  • Heat oven to 450 degrees. Once oven has reached 450 degrees, place an enameled cast iron pot covered with lid into preheated oven, heat pot for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, turn dough out onto a well floured surface, or onto a floured sheet of parchment paper (oven safe to 450) then shape dough into a ball. Cover shaped dough with an extra large bowl and allow to rest while pot is heating, about 30 minutes.
  • Remove pot from oven and with floured hands, or holding the corners of the parchment paper, carefully drop dough into hot pot (you don't need to grease the pot). Immediately cover with lid, then return pot to oven and bake 30 minutes (at 450 degrees). 
  • After 30 minutes, remove lid from pot and bake uncovered for 12 - 15 minutes until nicely golden brown.
  • Remove from oven and allow bread to cool on a cooling rack before slicing.

Notes

  • If you'd like bread to maintain a crisp crust then store in an opened paper bag, for a moister loaf store in an airtight container.
  • I've made a wheat version of this using 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 1/2 cups white flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp yeast, 2 Tbsp honey combine with 1 1/2 cups warm water (or use a little more if needed) and rise and bake according to directions listed. Delicious!
  • Recipe adapted from Jim Lahey's recipe via NYT.
Nutrition Facts
No Knead Bread {Rustic Artisan Style}
Amount Per Serving
Calories 155 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 352mg15%
Potassium 46mg1%
Carbohydrates 33g11%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 4g8%
Calcium 7mg1%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.
Recipe first published here on May 28, 2012. Photos and text updated March 31, 2020.

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366 Comments

  • Maureen

    I am making this for the third time. The final product is great but I always get a little frustrated after the 12 to 18 hour rise. I guess I should be adding more flour in the beginning because it is definitely a sloppy dough and after the rise, need to add more than a cup of flour to be able to form even a rather flat ball. It’s quite messy. Is this to be expected?

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Sorry to hear that it shouldn’t be very difficult to work with an messy. Are you measuring the flour with a scale or using the scoop and sweet method as noted?

  • Ray

    I wanted a somewhat larger loaf so I increased all the ingredients by 50%. I also extended the cooking times by about 5 minutes. It came out great ! I love the crust on this bread. It’s very similar to the what’s made in a wood fired or commercial oven.

  • Rosanne

    I have never made bread before. I tried this recipe. It came out just perfect. My whole family loved it. I did not have a Dutch oven pot. I just made an oval loaf and placed it on a greased cookie sheet. I will make this again. Thank you.

  • Terri

    So easy and delicious! Will definitely make again. Had to lower temp to 400 due to Dutch oven safety recommendations. Cooked for 5 additional minutes with lid on then removed for 10 additional minutes. Wish I could post a picture! Looks amazing.

  • Kaci

    Wow! My loaf just came out of the oven! I wish I could post a picture as well! This bread came out perfect nice and crusty beautiful golden brown two changes I made, I put a small pan of water in the oven, and I used a combination of cornmeal and flour on the parchment paper when I turned the dough out. I used bread flour and I did a few of the Folds you do with a French bread. I can’t wait to make flavored variations of this. I followed the recipe exactly.

  • Pip

    This looks good, but your American measurements are so inexact! And most US recipe sites don’t care about the rest of the world. We have to spend some time converting everything to grams, millilitres and Celsius. And 1 cup of flour isn’t the same weight as 1 cup of rice. Weigh it!

  • Hayley

    Hello! I can’t even count how many times I’ve made this recipe – my family loves it. It comes out perfectly every time! I was wondering if there is a way to make this recipe multigrain? Thank you!

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Hi Hayley – I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed this! I recommend following a recipe like this one for a multigrain option.