Easy No Knead Skillet Bread
The easiest no-knead skillet bread. The recipe only calls for 4 simple ingredients! Mix together, let the dough rise, pan and bake. You won’t get your hands or counters messy!
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If there is anything I know about yeast bread it is that for those who haven’t made it before it can feel intimidating. I know this because I once was that person.
I thought yeast was this scary ingredient that I didn’t understand. And people tell me all the time that they are nervous about working with yeast.
Well I’m here to get your feet wet with working with yeast! This easy no knead skillet bread recipe will build up your baking with yeast confidence! And it only calls for 4 simple ingredients!
This bread really could not be more simple! The make the dough, you just stir all of the ingredients together.
The dough then sits few an hour so the yeast can activate and feed for a while, and then it is baked. That’s it!
There are many things to know about yeast and bread making. If you are interested in learning more in-depth information about baking yeast bread, I suggest you check out my Yeast Bread Essentials Course!
But for this bread you really only need to know 1 thing: Yeast likes warm temperatures, but not hot temperatures! Your water should be warm, slightly warmer than body temperature, but not hot!
You will kill the yeast if you use too hot of water. But other than that, this no knead skillet bread is virtually fool proof!
Now that I am a more experienced bread baker, I still find myself coming back to this bread recipe. It is great for having fresh bread on a busy weeknight. That feels so decadent!
I love to add fresh herbs to my bread- rosemary is a favorite. You could add olives, nuts, roasted garlic, or really anything your heart desires!
Garlic Puree recipe: Simmer peeled garlic cloves in canola oil for 45 minutes stirring frequently. Strain oil, reserving for other uses. Mash garlic cloves and store in the fridge for 3-4 days for spreading on breads, stirring into soups. or flavoring mashed potatoes.
One of the things that continues to fascinate me about bread is that it only requires a few simple ingredients: just water, flour, salt, and yeast.
Those humble and few ingredients result in such a beautiful and comforting product! It feels like magic!
I hope this recipe inspires you to start making yeast bread a habit in your home!
Easy No-Knead Skillet Bread
This is the easiest no-knead skillet bread. Just mix all of the ingredients together, let the dough rise, put it in a pan and bake! You won't get your hands or counters messy!
Ingredients
- 4 1/3 cups (520 g) bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 package (2 1/4 tsp, 7 g) active dry or rapid rise yeast
- 1/2 TBSP (8 g) fine sea salt or kosher salt
- 2 cups (450 g) warm water (about 110-120 F, NOT HOT water)
- about 3 tbsp olive oil (or you can use vegetable oil or canola oil)
- rosemary (*optional)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, and the salt. You can also add in spices or herbs of choice here. I like to add about 1 1/2 tbsp of fresh rosemary.
- Add the warm water to the bowl. Make sure the water is just warm and not hot. Stir with a spoon or rubber spatula until well combined. It will be a very wet dough, almost like a thick batter.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let sit at room temperature until about double in size. This will take about 45 minutes for rapid rise yeast, and an hour and a half with active dry yeast.
- Do not punch down the dough. Add about 1 TBSP of oil to the bottom of a cast iron skillet or any other oven safe skillet (a 10" or 12" skillet works well).
- Drizzle about a tablespoon of the oil over the dough and also drizzle some on your hands. Rub the oil on your hands, this will help the dough not stick. Gently release the dough from the sides of the bowl and then gather it all up in your hands. Gently shape it into a ball. This will be kind of difficult because the dough is sticky, but just do your best. It doesn't need to be perfect.
- Place the dough in the oiled skillet, cover loosely with a towel. Let it rise again until full of air - about 30 minutes for rapid rise yeast and 1 hour for active dry yeast.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Drizzle a little more oil over the top of the bread, and score the dough with a knife creating an X or a few slices across the top. Sprinkle with coarse salt and rosemary leaves if desired.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is starting to brown. Then turn on the broiler for about 5 minutes and watch the bread closely. This is just to help the top brown up some more.
- Allow the bread to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing and preferably longer. Letting the bread cool before slicing will solidify the texture and also help it to stay fresh longer.
- Store sliced bread open at room temperature, sliced side down on a cutting board for up to 48 hours. After that, more it to a bag and seal it. I prefer to slice it up and freeze it after 2 days. It refreshes well from frozen in the toaster.
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Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 98
778 Comments on “Easy No Knead Skillet Bread”
This looks fantastic! I am fairly new to baking bread so this will be perfect with the chili I will make this weekend! As someone who has had her undergrad and grad degrees for about 20 years I can tell you that there are darn few of us who work in the field our actual education is in. My daughter receive her master's degree in a field she had wanted to work in since she was 8 years old – seriously 8! About the time she finished her internship and was set to defend her paper she told me she didn't really care for the field like she had always thought and since it didn't pay that well anyway, she had decided to go into a completely different direction! I think the importance is the general knowledge you gained while in college that will assist you in whatever you do. Don't feel bad, feel lucky that you didn't wake up 30 years from now and wonder why you wasted your life on something that wasn't your passion!
It is so true Kelli! I learned so much about myself and just the world in college. I don’t regret one second of it!
Let me know if you do make the bread and how it turns out!
I am such a baker-fan of no-knead bread! Can't wait to add this into my "portfolio"…
Isn’t it the best?! Sometimes kneading bread is therapeutic, but sometimes I’m just not in the mood.
I decided to try this yesterday to serve with the big pot of chicken soup I had on the stove. As luck would have it, the power went out about the time the dough was risen. I just pulled it away from the edge and sprinkled a drop of flour and put it in the fridge overnight. Our little generator can’t power the ovens. Today I put it in the skillet and let it sit out for about an hour. It was fabulous with the sea salt and fresh rosemary it had a nice finish, but the texture was amazing. Thanks for this one.
I love passionate people! And I love learning about others passions! It really is baring our souls and it feels good. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I’m making for supper today. Oh, and great photography! Be blessed~
Me too Robyn! I love seeing passion in other people! I’m certain everyone has it in them for something. I once thought maybe I didn’t, but here I am writing this post!
You are so fabulous Kristin! Your creativity still remains. I love your blog.
Aww thanks Amy! You are too sweet.
I love and adore your honesty.
I love and adore you.
I love and adore this bread (AND OMG GARLIC PUREE??!)
This is happening. I am gonna make this. forreals.
I love and adore you too Kayle! You are so sweet. If you do make it let me know how it goes!
This looks DElicious! I think it's wonderful that you found your passion early. I know so many people who are following paths choosen by their parents, society pressures or just because they've done it so long they feel it would be a waste of their life if they admitted now that they don't like what they are doing.
It's never to late to be what you might have been. : )
Be proud of yourself and happy you found your path!
i agree. It's never too late to follow your passion, no matter what other's may think.
So true Susan! Honesty with ourselves is the most difficult and most empowering kind of honesty.
Thanks Christine! I am proud and excited!
Baking has always been my therapy, but I never imagined that there would be a Culinary Art Therapy vocation. Good for you that you are following your heart!
The bread is gorgeous and I want to make this one, but first I have to get a cast iron skillet.
I know right? So awesome! It makes sense though right? There is so much involved with cooking and baking that is so healing.
What size skillet do you recommend for this recipe? I have a 6″ and a 12″?
I used a 10″ but I would definitely go with your 12″. The bread will just spread out more and not be so thick. It was really think in my 10″ so I think the 6 would be way too small.
I made this today and used my 10″ cast iron skillet. Came out great. I love the coarse sea salt on top. That was a nice touch. Very good and very easy. I will be making this again.
I have loved your blog the moment I stumbled upon it. This process of finding out who we are is never ending as we are always changing and adapting. But you are so right about finally being honest with yourself. This takes courage just as putting yourself out there with your fabulous blog. I really got a lot out of this post and I love your idea about culinary therapy. This recipe is a keeper and your photos and post make it so exciting to read your blog. Once again, thank you for taking the time to share your experiences and lessons you have learned along the way – not to mention your delicious recipes. 🙂 I am going to pinterest this one!
Allison this is the sweetest comment. It is knowing that people like you are enjoying my blog that truly brings me so much joy with it!
AMAZING!
I am definitely trying this recipe! I absolutely LOVE bread! And I definitely appreciate your approach to cooking!
Thank you!
<3
DJay
I stumbled on this on Pinterest, and have made no knead before with rosemary…and discovered I am allergic to the pointy little needles! But I loved your blog on your new passion. As a mom with 2 kids in college, I can see this transition. My athlete has hung up his cleats and is a self taught musician singing in bars with his band. He is the happiest he has been in years. I don’t know what his career choice will be, but when (Oh dear Lord, let it be soon!) he graduates, I know that I want him to find what makes him happy…I wish he was closer to home, because when I make this bread tonight, sans rosemary, he would certainly be happy!
Oh no! Rosemary is my favorite herb! Too bad. But I’m sure it is delicious without it. Or your could sprinkle some thyme over top in the last few minutes. That would be tasty!
It is interesting how many people start to realize what they thought they wanted before college is not the same after college. But college was still so valuable to me. I learned so much about myself.
I arrived her totally by chance, and your comment Susie , was the first thing I read. I just wanted to say what a lovely thing it is.
.. and I can say so, too! How grand and kindly is all that!
Thank you.
Your friend will understand one day. Give her time and forgive her.
When I was a child, I used to listen to my mother sing next to me in church. I didn’t understand why she wouldn’t join choir because her voice was beautiful. She told me she wasn’t interested.
I always that was so sad, that she had given up a dream.
My dream was to be an actress. And I did that for about 10 years or so when I was young. But things changed and I honestly lost interest. As much time and energy as I put into it, I didn’t care about it anymore. I had done that and wanted to do something else.
You learned this as a young woman and thank God you learned it early. I am happy that you are doing something that brings you joy because honestly, how many people are actually doing that?
BTW, I’ll be pinning your recipe. And thank you for being so transparent.
Thanks Chris. I know she will one day understand. I don’t blame her. She just has no reference point because she is still so passionate about it. One thing that I think a lot of people don’t realize is that it isn’t always about dreams dying, it’s about dreams changing.
I hope you do make the bread sometime. It is so tasty and easy to make!
Followed recipients and made one whole wheat version, both turned out great!! A keeper for sure
yummy!!!
Carolann this makes me so happy! Glad the recipe turned out for you!
Hey! Love your blog! One quick question, could I use a stoneware baking dish instead of cast iron skillet? I’m excited to experiment with this on my new in-laws! Thanks!
I haven’t tried it, but I definitely think so! Let me know if it works. I know people bake bread in stoneware all the time.
Turned out fabulous!!!!! My in-laws were super impressed! Thank you so much for the recipe. You helped me look like a rockstar when truth be told, I’d never baked bread before in my life!
That’s so awesome to hear Laura! Thanks for the feedback and I’m glad everyone loved it!
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I understand completely. After being in the USAF, then I baking, I finally went back to school (culinary) in my early thirties. I am now a pastry chef!
Anyway, quick question.. How long do you let the yeast sit before you add the flour? Till it is active and foamy or is that not crucial to this recipe?
Thanks!
Hi Marisa! Thanks for stopping by. I actually just started culinary school last week and am loving it. So cool that you went back and are doing what you love!
Great question about the yeast. With this bread you do not have to wait for it to activate. You can wait, if you prefer, just to make sure the yeast is alive but I literally just throw it all in together and stir and let it rise.
Thanks you its baking now, looks awesome!
Love your blog. I can relate in many ways. I went back to Culinary School at 29 after serving in the military as weather and then having a family. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life but found cooking therapuetic. It was in school I realized I was and vein better baker. After many of my husbands deployments, sounds sports injuries and delays of life, I finally graduated last year (8years after I first started) with my degree in culinary and baking. Now I am the head pastry chef of the convention center at 37 and loving every minute. Always follow your passion. You can’t be wrong if you love it!
Oh and the brad was a HUGE hit on this cold night? Thanks!
And apparently not much of a typer. Excuse the typos…
I was excited to try this bread but my first attempt was a complete failure. Bread just wouldn’t brown so I knew something was not going right,yuk. I have made bread before with no worries so wasn’t sure of the problem. An hour later I was ready to try again and this time I used unbleached bread flour instead of the AP flour. What a huge difference in this new batch. Dough rose like crazy and was almost impossibly sticky. Decided to look at the date on the AP flour….uh oh… way out of date. Don’t need to tell you by how much but shows you how often I bake . Second attempt, total success. Bread was perfect spread with roasted garlic then dipped in olive oil and a bit of sea salt. Just want my boys to have memories of home baked bread like my mom gave me. Fresh bread rules!
Thanks for a great memory maker ,Baker Betti.
Whats AP Flour
All-purpose flour or regular flour.
I love this I make a similar bread I add any type of garlic, rosemary, roasted tomatoes ect. Whatever sounds good when baking it always turns out awsome another FYI I cook on a pizza stone as unfortunately my kids ruin my cast iron by "washing it" someday soon when they are all out I will get my 4 th set of cast iron cook wear and clean it properly by oiling it!
It is easy to Re Season your cast iron skillet using any kind of 'hard' oil like Coconut or even crisco. Rub it down with the oil and keep wiping and re applying until the rust is all gone. Then put the oil just on the inside and put on the burner on medium. Watch it and let the oil melt. Wipe it out until it is all clean. Good luck!
Mmmm this sounds good and easy
do you have CAST IRON un need of a spruce up? Here is some advice from someone who seems to know what to do: RONA CONNERS-DEGNER says…It is easy to Re Season your cast iron skillet using any kind of 'hard' oil like Coconut or even crisco. Rub it down with the oil and keep wiping and re applying until the rust is all gone. Then put the oil just on the inside and put on the burner on medium. Watch it and let the oil melt. Wipe it out until it is all clean. Good luck!
Thanks, drug out my old cast iron skillet, will reseason with Crisco and try the above bread recipe! Makes me excited to start cooking more after coming out of a deep depression, the SMELL of FRESH BREAD, appeals to me and I WANT to LEARN once more. I am 81 years and it is NEVER too LATE!
Hi Patricia, I’ll be 72 soon & like you I want to start cooking again as I’m beginning to feel so much better. Your right, the smell of freshly baked bread is so appealing, except I bet I’m going to gain some weight (ugh!) Oh well, I can always take that (the weight) with me lol lol 😉
just like it
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I’ve recently been diagnosed as allergic to wheat, corn, and gluten. Have you tried any other kinds of flour with this particular recipe?
I love trying new bread recipes, and making them in a cast iron pan is my favorite.
Wow, this turned out soooo good, so yummy delicious! thank you so much for the recipe and for your very inspiring blog. music was my passion for many, many years. no longer being involved in music at this point leaves my creative energies somewhat at a loss of direction. have found pinterest to be so inspiring. made a delicious meal for my family for Christmas as well as lots of yummy treats. then chocolate chip pancakes this morning and this BREAD! oh my goodness it was good. thank you and happy new year!
I make no kneed rolls from a 1940 Home & Garden cook book, not baked in a cast iron fry pan though, but I don’t see why they couldn’t be. Also makes me think of fry bread, my friends make who live out west. This sounds yummy and will try it. I am newly to making bread and rolls from scratch, and not using a bread machine at all, I use to use one. I have always loved to bake other things and finally decided at my age of 47 to conquer my fear of making bread and I did and I love making it!
Thank you for this recipe! It's so easy and delicious, and I love that I can change the flavor of the bread by changing the topping. I have my degree in music education, but as of now I'm a preschool teacher and soon-to-be SAHM when our 3rd child is born in April. I understand how it feels to have my music teacher friends look sadly at me when I tell them what I do now. 🙂
Patricia Ann, I'm not but a few years behind you; and I agree with you completely. It's NEVER too late to learn something new. I like that the skillet doesn't have to be preheated.
I baked your bread and it was AWESOME!!! I’m a better cook than I am baker … this was my first attempt at “bread from scratch” and was so tickled that it turned out so well….can’t wait to try it again! Thanks for a delicious recipe!
I heartily commend you! I had to give up a 20-year career in cardiac critical care nursing because of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. My passion is knitting. One day I hope to learn to spin and dye my own yarn. That news is generally received with a generous dose of patronization. I'm learning not to care.
Made this tonight – turned out Fantastic! And I didn't have a cast iron skillet. Had to use a round roaster pan. Thank you for this recipe. It will be a family favorite forever.
Thank you so much for the recipe! Came out perfect, and I haven't made bread in 20 years!Good luck on your new career!
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This was really good bread! I didn't have rosemary, so instead I drizzled the top with garlic oil and added some Italian seasonings to the dough. Yummy!
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Check out, “No Need To Knead” by Suzanne Dunaway. This book started me on my bread baking odyssey. I loved the concept of no big mixers and simple breads. I now bake all of our breads, sweet and savory. Sandwich breads, hamburger buns, dinner breads… I love baking!