Introduction

This no-knead artisan bread is incredibly simple to make and delivers a wonderfully crispy crust with a chewy, airy crumb. Perfect for any home baker, it requires minimal effort but yields impressive bakery-quality results.

World’s Easiest No-Knead Artisan Bread with Crispy Crust & Chewy Crumb Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
2 tsp instant or rapid rise yeast
2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups very warm tap water
Extra flour for dusting

Instructions

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, instant yeast, and salt. Stir briefly to evenly distribute the yeast and salt throughout the flour.
Step 2: Pour the very warm tap water into the bowl. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula, mix until all the flour is fully hydrated. The dough will be sticky, loose, and shaggy—this wet consistency is essential for creating large air pockets.
Step 3: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Place it in a warm area for 2 to 3 hours until the dough has doubled in size, looks bubbly, and jiggles gently when the bowl is shaken.
Step 4: (Optional) For deeper flavor, transfer the covered bowl to the refrigerator for 8 hours up to 3 days. The longer it rests, the more complex the taste.
Step 5: Thirty minutes before baking, place an empty Dutch oven with its lid into the oven and preheat to 230°C (450°F) to create intense heat and steam.
Step 6: Lightly flour your work surface. Scrape the dough out using a dough scraper, sprinkle with a little flour, and fold the edges inward 5–6 times to form a rough ball. Do not knead.
Step 7: Flip the dough seam-side down onto a sheet of parchment paper to make transferring easier and safer.
Step 8: Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Lift the dough with the parchment paper and place it directly into the pot. Cover immediately with the lid and bake for 30 minutes.
Step 9: Remove the lid and bake an additional 10–12 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
Step 10: Transfer the bread to a wire rack and cool for at least 10–15 minutes before slicing to allow the crumb to set and prevent gummy texture.

Tips & Variations

Use bread flour for a chewier texture or all-purpose flour for a lighter crumb.
Cold fermentation enhances flavor but can be skipped for faster baking.
Try adding herbs or garlic to the dough for extra flavor.
Using a Dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid is key to creating steam for a crispy crust.

Storage

Store the bread wrapped loosely in a clean kitchen towel or paper bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze the bread tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and foil. Reheat slices in a toaster or warm whole loaves in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 5 to 10 minutes to refresh the crust.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?

Yes, but you will need to dissolve active dry yeast in warm water first and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before mixing with the flour. Instant yeast can be added directly to dry ingredients.

Do I have to use a Dutch oven?

While a Dutch oven helps create steam for the best crust, you can bake on a preheated baking stone or heavy pan with a tray of hot water in the oven to generate steam as an alternative.

World’s Easiest No-Knead Artisan Bread with Crispy Crust & Chewy Crumb Recipe

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4.8 from 99 reviews

This World’s Easiest Yeast Bread is a no-knead artisan loaf featuring a crispy crust and a chewy, airy crumb. Using simple ingredients and minimal handling, it leverages a warm water fermentation and baking in a hot Dutch oven to create bakery-quality bread at home with little effort.

Author: Stella
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 42 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes (including 2–3 hours rising time)
Yield: 1 large loaf (10 servings) 1x
Category: Bread
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Artisan/European

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

3 cups All-purpose or Bread flour
2 tsp Instant or Rapid Rise yeast
2 tsp Kosher salt

Wet Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Very warm tap water

Other

Extra flour for dusting

Instructions

Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, instant yeast, and salt. Stir briefly to evenly distribute the yeast and salt throughout the flour.
Add Water and Form the Dough: Pour the very warm tap water into the bowl. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula, mix until all the flour is fully hydrated. The dough will be sticky, loose, and shaggy—this wet consistency is essential for creating large air pockets.
First Rise (Room Temperature Fermentation): Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Place it in a warm area for 2 to 3 hours, until the dough has doubled in size. The surface should look bubbly and the dough should jiggle when the bowl is gently shaken.
Optional Cold Fermentation (Flavor Boost): For deeper flavor and a more complex, sourdough-style taste, transfer the covered bowl to the refrigerator for anywhere from 8 hours up to 3 days. The longer it rests, the more developed the flavor will be.
Preheat the Dutch Oven: Thirty minutes before baking, place the empty Dutch oven with its lid into the oven. Preheat the oven to 230°C / 450°F. This step is crucial to create intense heat and steam for proper oven spring.
Shape the Dough (Minimal Handling): Lightly flour your work surface. Scrape the dough out of the bowl using a dough scraper. Sprinkle the top with a little flour, then fold the edges inward about 5–6 times to form a rough ball. Do not knead.
Transfer to Parchment Paper: Flip the dough seam-side down onto a sheet of parchment paper. This makes transferring the dough into the hot pot safe and easy.
Bake Covered (Steam Phase): Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Lift the dough using the parchment paper and place it directly into the pot. Cover immediately with the lid and bake for 30 minutes.
Uncover and Crisp the Crust: Remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 10–12 minutes, until the crust turns deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
Cool Before Slicing: Transfer the bread to a wire rack and allow it to cool for at least 10–15 minutes. This resting time allows the interior crumb to finish setting and prevents a gummy texture.

Notes

The dough is very wet and sticky; this is normal and essential for creating open crumb with large air pockets.
Cold fermentation is optional but enhances the flavor significantly, giving a mild sourdough-style tang.
Preheating the Dutch oven is critical to ensure a crispy crust by generating steam inside the pot.
Minimal handling preserves the dough’s air pockets, so avoid kneading.
Allow the bread to cool properly before slicing to prevent a gummy texture inside.

Keywords: no-knead bread, artisan bread recipe, easy yeast bread, no-knead yeast bread, Dutch oven bread, crispy crust bread