No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread

This dutch oven bread recipe calls for only 4 ingredients (flour, water, salt, and yeast). With no kneading required, you can easily bake fresh bread at home. If you are intimidated by using yeast, this is the easiest recipe to get your feet wet.

Overview

• Skill Level: Beginner
• Technique Used: No-Knead Lean Dough Master Recipe

I often hear that beginner bakers are intimidated by working with yeast. I find that baking with yeast can range from being incredibly simple to being overly complicated. 

No-knead bread is the easiest yeast bread you can bake! It only requires 4 very basic ingredients and very little hands-on time. This is the perfect recipe to get your feet wet and build your confidence in yeast bread baking.

This type of bread is beautiful and crusty on the outside while remaining soft and chewy on the inside. This is the bread you dream about! It makes the perfect slice of buttered toast.

Ingredients in Dutch Oven Bread

Basic dutch oven bread only calls for 4 ingredients: water, flour, salt, and yeast. That’s it! This recipe makes an incredible crusty bread that only needs a slather of butter.

However, to liven it up you can add your favorite spices, herbs, cheeses, nuts, or seeds to further flavor your bread.

Yeast: The leavening agent in this recipe is dried yeast. You can use either instant yeast (also known as rapid-rise or quick-rise yeast) or active dry yeast. No matter which kind of yeast you choose, you don’t need to activate it before adding it to the other ingredients.

For some bread recipes, you may need to proof your dough longer if using active dry than if you used instant yeast. However, for my version it doesn’t make that much of a difference so you can use the same timing for either type.

Water: Water wakes up and activates the yeast. Dry yeast is in a dormant state and needs moisture to wake it up to begin feeding.

The temperature of the water is very important. You want it to be very warm but not hot. Overly hot water can kill the yeast. Cold water will not harm the yeast but it will require much longer to activate the yeast and proof the bread.

I highly recommend using a kitchen thermometer. Somewhere around 120°F-130°F (48-54°C) is perfect for this recipe. If you do not have a thermometer, err on the side of lukewarm (not hot) water.

Flour: Flour is the structure in bread and the food for yeast. For this recipe, you can use all-purpose flour or bread flour. Although you can use all-purpose, bread flour will develop the strongest gluten structure and will allow the bread to rise higher and develop more chewiness.

Salt: Salt not only flavors the bread but also slows down the yeast from activating too quickly. Dough without salt will rise much faster resulting in larger air pockets and an uneven crumb.

How to Make No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread

This recipe utilizes my lean dough master recipe. A lean dough only requires flour, water, salt, and yeast. This is the same dough I use to make pizza crust and focaccia.

Combine All Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, salt, yeast, and warmed water. Start mixing with a spatula and then switch to using clean hands. Squeeze the dough until all of the flour is fully hydrated.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (or a shower cap works really well) and let sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes.

Stretch and Fold (optional step)

As an optional step, perform 1 round of stretch and folds. This optional step helps build elasticity and helps the boule keep it’s shape. If you are unfamiliar with this technique, watch this video as it will help to see the process.

Dampen your hand with water and then grab underneath the dough pulling it up to stretch it as far as it will go without breaking, then fold it down over itself. Go all the way around the bowl until it tightens up into a ball.

Bulk Ferment

Re-cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature for another 3 hours to bulk ferment. It is ready to be used once it is at least double in size and bubbly on top.

Shape

On a lightly floured surface, tip the dough out of the bowl, being careful not to deflate. Starting on the edge of the dough that is closest to you, gently pull out on it and fold it into the center. Now do this same thing on the top edge. Then on the left and the right edge to form your dough into a rough ball.

Flip the dough over seam side down, and gently round it into a ball by pulling it toward you on the counter to create tension.

Transfer the dough, seam side down, to a piece of parchment paper and let proof for 30 -45 minutes until puffy and full of air.

Meanwhile, position an oven rack on the center position and place a dutch oven or oven safe pot with a lid inside. Preheat to 450°F/230°C.

*If you don’t have a dutch oven or other oven-safe pot, bake the bread in a cast-iron skillet or on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Bake

Carefully lift the piece of parchment paper with the dough into the preheated pot and cover with the lid.

Bake at 450°F/230°C covered for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 10-20 minutes until the crust of the bread reaches a deep golden brown or internal temperature of 200°F.

Let cool on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Storage

Store uneaten bread cut side down on a cutting board at room temperature for up to 2 days. After that, slice the rest of the loaf and place in a zipper bag in the freezer. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Toast individual slices in the toaster or toaster oven to refresh. No need to thaw, you can toast straight from the freezer.