Easy Dutch Oven Bread Recipe
Making Dutch Oven Bread is surprisingly easy – no kneading required! All you need are a few pantry staples and a mixing bowl to make a bakery-quality bread. This one is done in less than 3 hours and most of that is just rising time. That’s my kind of bread!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Nothing beats a fresh crusty loaf of homemade Dutch Oven Bread. This bread truly tastes like it came from a fancy bakery and still tastes delicious on day 2 – an unusual feat for quick and easy bread! The texture of this bread also makes it perfect to use for sandwich recipes like our Chicken Bacon Avocado Club or even for a Reuben Sandwich.
What goes into Dutch Oven Bread?
The beauty of this quick dutch oven bread is that most of the ingredients are pantry staples. All you need is bread flour, honey, salt, and yeast – adding seeds to the mix creates a beautiful loaf with minimal effort. My parents were mighty impressed with this dutch oven bread and kept raving about it, which is a really big deal because Mom literally makes the best bread ever!
Why Should You Bake Bread in a Dutch Oven?
Baking bread in a dutch oven creates a beautiful crust and is so easy. The dutch oven traps steam that allows the bread to rise more fully before forming the crusty exterior. There’s something really fun about lifting the lid and seeing a perfectly formed golden loaf inside! The best dutch oven for bread is a 5 ½ quart Enameled Cast-Iron Dutch Oven.
How Do You Measure Bread Flour?
No-knead Dutch Oven Bread should be sticky when you set it to rise – which may tempt you to add too much flour. When you measure the bread flour, spoon it into your measuring cup, then level with the back of a knife. If you have more questions about measuring be sure to watch my measuring ingredients tutorial.
Can I Substitute the Seeds?
The seeds in this No-Knead Bread make it taste like an artisan dutch oven bread. They enhance the flavor and add the perfect crunch to complement the soft and spongy center of the loaf. If you don’t have all of the seeds on hand, you can substitute and make it a 3-seed bread or omit the seeds altogether and it will still be a delicious loaf.
Pro Tip: Toasted seeds will have the best flavor. To toast the seeds, put them in a dry skillet over medium heat, tossing often until they are golden and fragrant.
How to Make Dutch Oven Bread:
Prep: Line a work surface with parchment paper and trim corners from the paper to create a round-ish shape to fit better in the dutch oven. Sprinkle the center 9″ of parchment with 1 Tbsp cornmeal, semolina or flour and set aside. Note: Using cornmeal or semolina creates a nice crunch to the crust.
- In a large bowl, combine the warm water, honey, and salt. Stir until honey has dissolved then sprinkle top with the yeast. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the flour and all of the seeds. Use a spatula to mix until it comes together and seeds are well incorporated (no kneading required). The dough will be very sticky. Cover bowl with lid or plastic wrap and let rest at room temp (70˚F) for 2 hours or until tripled in volume.
- Sprinkle dough with flour and use a spatula to fold the dough in half then fold in half again.
- Sprinkle generously again with flour and with well-floured hands, lift up the dough and form a ball in your hands. Place dough in the center of your parchment folded side down. If desired – sprinkle the top with extra sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Let rise uncovered at room temp for 40 minutes.
- Place the empty dutch oven and lid inside the oven and preheat the oven to 450˚F. Once preheated and bread is ready to bake, remove dutch oven and place on the stove. Be careful not to touch the dutch oven or lid without oven mitts because it will be blazing hot. Transfer the parchment paper with bread dough into your HOT dutch oven. Cover with the hot lid and bake at 450˚F for 30 minutes.
- Remove hot lid and bake another 2- 5 minutes until the top is golden brown. Use the parchment paper to lift the bread out of the dutch oven and cool on a wire rack until nearly room temperature before slicing.
Helpful Tips for Perfect Dutch Oven Bread:
- When the bread is out of the oven, put the empty dutch oven back in the oven to cool down as it will be blazing hot to the touch. My dad lifted the lid to see what was inside before I could warn him – Ouch!!
- No dutch oven? No problem! Follow the baking instructions in our Original No-Knead Bread recipe.
- NEVER slice into hot bread or it will release steam and become gummy. Dutch oven bread will taste best if you let it rest and cool.
More Delicious Homemade Bread Recipes
If you love this Dutch Oven Bread, be sure to also try our:
Easy Dutch Oven Bread Recipe
Making Dutch Oven Bread is surprisingly easy - no kneading required! All you need are a few pantry staples and a mixing bowl to make a bakery-quality bread. This one is done in less than 3 hours and most of that is just rising time.
Ingredients
Ingredients for 5-Seed Dutch Oven Bread:
- 1 1/2 cups 12 oz warm water (100˚F)
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1/2 Tbsp salt
- 3/4 Tbsp active dry yeast
- 3 cups bread flour plus extra flour for dusting*
- 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds toasted plus more for top of bread
- 2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds toasted plus more for top of bread
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds toasted
- 1 Tbsp flax seeds
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
What You'll Need:
- 1 Tbsp corn meal or semolina to dust parchment optional
Instructions
Quick Prep:
-
Line work surface with parchment paper and trim the corners to fit better in the dutch oven. Sprinkle the center 9" of parchment with 1 Tbsp cornmeal or semolina and set aside.
How to Make 5-Seed Dutch Oven Bread:
-
In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups warm water, 2 Tbsp honey and 1/2 Tbsp salt. Stir until honey dissolves then sprinkle with 3/4 Tbsp yeast. Let sit at room temp 5 min. Stir in 3 cups flour and all the seeds. Stir with spatula until it comes together and seeds are incorporated (no kneading required). Dough will be very sticky. Cover bowl with lid or plastic wrap and rest at room temp (70˚F) for 2 hours or until tripled in volume.
-
Sprinkle dough with flour and use a spatula to fold dough in half then fold in half again. Sprinkle generously again with flour and with well floured hands, lift up the dough and form a ball in your hands. Place over the center of your prepared parchment paper with the folded seam side down. sprinkle the top with extra seeds if desired. Let rise uncovered at room temp for 40 min.
-
Place the empty dutch oven and lid inside the oven and preheat the oven to 450˚F. Once preheated, remove dutch oven and place on the stove. Be careful not to touch the dutch oven or lid without oven mitts because it will be blazing hot. Lift bread with the parchment paper and set it in the center of HOT dutch oven. Cover with lid and bake at 450˚F for 30 min. Carefully remove hot lid and bake another 2- 5 min or until top is golden brown. Remove bread from dutch oven with the help of parchment paper and place bread directly on wire rack. Cool until it's nearly room temperature before slicing.***
Recipe Notes
*To accurately measure flour: spoon flour into measuring cup and scrape off the top with the back of the knife.
**If you aren't able to find toasted seeds, toast them on a dry skillet a few minutes until golden and fragrant.
***NEVER slice into hot bread or it will release too much steam and become gummy
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Natasha Kravchuk
No-Knead Bread Recipe (VIDEO) 
Pumpkin Bread Recipe 
Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe (VIDEO) 
23 Dutch Oven Recipes + Le Creuset Giveaway 
Wreath Bread Recipe (VIDEO) 
Mom’s Rye and Whole Wheat Bread (Video) 
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Do I have to use bread flour for this recipe ? I only have regular so if I do should I make the No knead recipe instead ??
Hi Juniper, The next best thing would be to use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour. You may need slightly more flour since bread flour has a higher protein and gluten content.
Hello. Is there a way I can make this bread without using parchment paper? It’s impossible for me to get it at the moment. I have everything else, including the dutch oven.
Hi Claudia, I always use parchment paper but I have seen other tutorials recommend spraying with cooking spray before putting the dough into the pre-heated dutch oven.
Did you stir in the yeast, or just sprinkle it ontop and leave it be
Hi Diane, sprinkle it in. Please see step number 1. “In a large bowl, combine the warm water, honey, and salt. Stir until honey has dissolved then sprinkle top with the yeast. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.”
What about jalapeño and cheese bread. Could I do this? And how much of each?
This is so delicious I will never buy bread again but would be nice to change it up sometimes
I haven’t tried adding cheese yet but if you give it a try please share if you liked it!
Hi Natasha,
Thank you for sharing your recipes. My family love everything I have been cooking for them using your recipes. They especially love the 5-seed bread which I changed and made jalapeño cheddar cheese bread instead and let me tell you, It’s a big hit with my family and friends!! I made this bread recipe about every other week. I have made the jalapeño cheese bread using your No-Knead Bread recipe (Easy Artisan Bread) and it’s turned out great too!
That’s so great Anchela! Thank you for that great feedback!
Would really love to know how much you jalapeno and cheese that you added and what type of cheese that you would recommend, Anchela? Sounds yummy!
Hi Bonnie,
I add 1/2 cup of diced jalapeños and 1/2 cup of cheese to mixture and I used any kind of shredded cheddar cheese I have on hand. I also sprinkled some more diced jalapeños and cheese when I am ready to bake the bread. Hope that helps. 😊
I will never buy store bread again! This is so amazing, that I just about ate half of it myself! I do omit the seeds because I’m not a fan. And let me tell you, this turns out perfect without it as well! I don’t have a bread maker, and this recipe makes me happy! Super easy to follow, you won’t go back to the store after this! Thanks Natasha!!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Anna!
Can I add garlic instead to make a garlic flavoured bread?
I haven’t tested that Ange but I bet it could work.
Warning: metric conversion incorrect
I’ll give this recipe a try today, I like to weigh my flours but notice that when I press the metric button on this page the recipe calc for 3c flour comes out to 700+ grams and that’s not right
Hi Dave, thank you so much for pointing that out. I think our recipe conversion calculator got confused. I change it from “better for bread flour” to just read “bread flour” and now the conversion displays accurately at 375 grams for 3 cups of bread flour. Thank you again!
Hi. This looks great but I don’t have bread flour. Can I use regular all purpose flour instead? Thanks in advance.
Hi Mona, all-purpose flour will work in the recipe as well.
I love this recipe. But, I don’t use much sliced bread. I like rolls. So I rolled the dough into a pile of rounds. The whole thing baked up beautifully and now I can pull of a small “roll”. And since I love the crust of this bread, this method gave me more. I’d love to send a photo.
That sounds great, Rita! Thanks for sharing that with us, you can actually share photos of your creation on our Facebook page or group. Hope to see you there!
Can I bake it without the lid or cover with foil instead?
Hi Jenny, I always bake with the heavy dutch oven lid so I”m not sure how that would affect the outcome without it. If anyone else has tried, please let us know.
I always bake mine without a lid just add a pan of a small amount Like a few ounces to creat steam or as soon as you add raised dough spray water on back and sides ,,inside ,oven 40 min at 450 ,depending on your oven true temp get bakkkin
I made it and it was perfect. I am wondering if I can substitute the seeds for tomato and basil? I just love the recipe and it has been so far my favorite one. I don´t want to change.
I haven’t tested that with tomatoes but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Sun dried tomato dry basil fresh herb and tomato would be to moist thus to much water ,,,add some Italian sausage pre cooked to reader fat ,,,little pieces not big ones olives the ones that look wrinkled take out pis and chop ,,,experiment I amusing 7grain raw seed from Amazon have fun if it doesn’t work to your likest week it an try try again ….
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I am so eager to try this but the cast iron cookware I bought from Walmart (it was all I could afford) says temp highest at 400 degrees. It does have a metal knob so not sure why not higher. Do you have ideas about what would happen if I put it in a hotter oven (as in 425-450)? and would this recipe work in a 400 degree oven? Thanks in advance
Hi Diane, I really can’t say for sure what would happen without testing that out. I would follow the manufacturer’s warnings about not overheating the pot so your knob doesn’t melt or get destroyed.
great bread recipe and I have tried all on line ,well 5 diff ones , yours is a 10 star , got 7 seed raw ,on Amazon ,comes in a sealed bag really great finished bread ,,,
Thank you for sharing that with us, Joseph!
Thank you Natasha for all the recipes great job.
I have some whole wheat flour can I use it for the Dutch oven bread?
Hi Salwa. Someone commented this “So I tried a whole wheat version, subbing a mix of white whole wheat and whole wheat for all but 1/2 c of bread flour. I increased the water by 1/4 cup and it turned out awesome! I experimented again by letting it rise the second time in a loaf pan to see if it would make good sandwich bread…again… awesome. I did decrease the oven temp to 375 and baked for 25 min.”
Made this bread today and it looks just like your pictures. Added chopped pecans and poppy seeds, I think it could be a great breakfast bread with raspberry jam, mmm … Thank you, Natasha for all your recipes, they ALWAYS turn out great. More like “no fail recipes”. My daughter learned how to cook from your site since she was 11. Blessings to you and your family!
Lovely to hear that, Mila! Thanks for sharing that with us. Please say hi to your daughter, it’s so great to know that she learned how to cook at an early age, great job!
Hi there
I have started using your recipes especially making freshly baked breads all the way in a Singapore!
I’ve love to bake and cook but I’m not talented in either. I rely a lot on recipes and yours Are wonderful!
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing that with us, Florence. I hope you love every recipe that you try!
Hello Florence Beckman. Have faith in your talents you are cooking remember food is a matter of taste so feel free I have been using recipes fro 50 years and then tweet them to my likes a little more of this or less of that cook and learn all ingredients are not always the same one pepper is hotter than the other although from same plant one garlic more pungent than the next salt pepper add leave out cause your soup broth was already seasoned ,,,be proud of what you create ,,da ya think a chef may have to tweak a recipe or try 5 times ta get it rite they all do ,,,as James Beard said ,”Good Eating ‘
I’m wondering if I could omit the honey or substitute it. I’m making this for my son’s vegan girlfriend!
Hello Kerri, it depends on your preference but we love it with honey!
Hi Kerri,
I would just substitute with sugar.
Elaine
Perfect every time! I use any kind of seeds I have handy, and Robin Hood all purpose flour. Thanks for the recipe 😉 Lot of them are simular to my home cooking 😋👌
Thank you for your great feedback, Jarmila. Thanks for sharing the substitute ingredients that you used too!
Hi Natasha,
I am wanting to make this bread but I don’t have an cast iron Dutch oven can I use a ceramic Dutch oven instead?
Thanks,
Dipali
Hi Dipali, I honestly haven’t tried that yet to advise. If you want to do an experiment, please share with us how the outcome goes.
Hi Natasha,
I made the bread using a metal cooking pan to allow room for bread to rise and it turned out great!
Dipali
So glad to hear that, thank you for sharing!
I put it in a loaf pan and then into my roasting pan to get the rectangular shape. Works perfect every time.
That’s so great! Thank you for sharing that with me Ange!
What is better for bread flour?
Hi Angela, we used bread flour, I have a photo of it in the recipe. The next best thing would be to use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour. You may need slightly more flour since bread flour has a higher protein and gluten content.
hi Angelka I use Caputo 00 flour Amazon. A great Italian bread or pizza dough. just follow da Recipe as directed Im letting a dough rise at this time add 7 grain mix also from Amazon. Happy Baking
Thank you for sharing that with us Joseph.
I made the Dutch oven bread today and it turned put better than those artisan recipes.
Thank you,
Don and Virginia Mims
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Don!
Hey Natasha! My family and I love your recipes! I’ve tried this bread recipe twice, and for some reason, my bread comes out to be a bit doughy. I’ve waited before cutting into it to prevent letting out steam. I’ve also kept it in the oven for a bit longer to account for longer baking times. Any other tips or reasons as to why my bread is coming out sticky?
Hi Esther, are you making any substitutions in the recipe or changes in the process? Is the dough rising as expected (like what you see in the photos)?
I didn’t add seeds into my bread. It seems to rise fine, except for the fact that it spreads out like a pancake. I’m not sure if that’s supposed to happen.
You most likely need more flour.
Hi,
Can Canadian flour be used? Or all purpose flour? What kind of result would be if I use that?
Thank you
Hi Ella, I haven’t tested this with Canadian, but generally you would use less flour using Canadian flour. If you experiment with Canadian, I’d love to hear about your results.
Hi Ella, I am in Canada so I make it with Canadian flour. I use “better for bread” flour, but I’m sure it would be just as good with unbleached or all-purpose.
Thanks for sharing that with us, Elaine and for giving this recipe a great feedback!
I use 🇨🇦 Robin Hood all purpose flour. Exact measurements, and it’s always perfect 👍 made it many times 😁
Made it today and love it! Had all ingredients on hand except flax seeds. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed that, Catherine!
Hi Natasha! Made this last night. It was amazing!!!
Love it! Thanks for sharing that with us and I hope you love every recipe that you will try.
Love it! Thanks for sharing that with us, Diane and I hope you love every recipe that you will try.
Love the bread!
Its awesome that you add honey to it but the bread is not sweet.
Glad you loved it and the honey definitely adds a bit of flavor!
Thanks so much for this recipe, the bread looks so delicious, I’m making it next week, can’t wait!
Sounds like you found a favorite! Thanks for your great review!
Dear Natasha, hope you and your family are safe in this crucial time.
I was reading comments, it seems I am missing this recipe…
I really WANT to make this bread. But I don’t have bread flour. And in this time, I don’t want to go to supermarket for bread flour.
Is there any substitute for bread flour?
PLEASE let me know…
In this crazy time, you and your recipes are one of the motivation to
deal this situation.
I really appreciate your help.
Stay safe
Hi, the next best thing would be to use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour. You may need slightly more flour since bread flour has a higher protein and gluten content.
Amazing – my family was loved it so much. They are already asking me to make it again! Great recipe!
So great to hear that your family enjoyed this recipe. I hope that you all love every recipe that you try!
Nothing like warm, homemade bread!! It is the source of comfort right now! I am so making this for my family! We could use it for so many things!
So true Natalie. I am excited for you to give this recipe a try, please share with us how it goes!
This is really perfect! And I love how easy you can make it!
Thank you for your compliments Toni and for giving this recipe a great review!
Look at that gorgeous crust! This would go perfectly alongside some homemade soup. M’mm…
That’s a great combo, April! I can imagine while I am reading your comment. Thanks for your excellent review!
Love the original no knead and getting ready to try this recipe. My Dutch oven is 7 quartShould I make any adjustments?
Hi Dru, that should work in a 7 quart. You may need to adjust the cook time since the bread will be a little flatter with more surface area.
This bread is a family favorite! I normally pop it back into the oven for a few minutes before dinner, and that makes the most delicious and crunchy crust!
Ooh that sounds so yummy! Thank for giving a great review and I hope you all love every recipe that you try.
Hi Natasha, I made this bread before and it came out really good. I am wondering do you have any Easter bread recipe? I can’t find any. I trust your recipes. Thank you.
Hi Alla, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! If you search for Easter Bread in the search bar on our site, you will find all of our Easter bread recipes.
Hi Natasha, recipe is very good, I made it.But I think 3 cups of flour its not 710 gr in metric.I always use metric system, and first I put 709 gr of flour , the dough came very hard and non sticky at all.So I had add some water and other ingredients.But anyway bread come out very tasty.Thank you
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Lina! Thank you for that feedback.
Hi Natasha, Thanks for sharing the recipe. I made the bread today. It didn’t crack on the top and it was not crunchy after it cooled down. Thanks
That’s so great! Thank you for sharing that with us!
Do you know why it didn’t crack on the top and not crunchy? Any tips to correct that please
Hi Holly, without being there it is hard to say. Was anything altered in the recipe?
Do we have to put the seeds in? Some of my family don’t like them
Hello Robert, I saw some comments that others did this without seeds and it turned out great too. Let us know how it goes!
Can I make this bread on a 3.5 dutch oven qt without cut in it in half?
Hi Tania, I haven’t tested that to say for sure if it wouldn’t overwhelm the pot or have enough air circulating over the bread for the crust to form properly. 3.5 qt is significantly smaller so without testing it, I don’t know. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
Made this bread today, it tastes amazing but it burned at the bottom.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that! Was your pan possibly too close to the bottom of the heating element?
It was right in the middle. I have gas oven, maybe that was the difference?
That could be the culprit, oven temperatures vary, we recommend making sure your oven is calibrated. Did you make it in a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven?
It’s regular Martha Stewart Dutch oven.
Can this be made with gluten free flour?
Hello Deb, I have not tested this with gluten-free flour, so, unfortunately, I cannot make specific recommendations for that. If you do any experimenting, let me know how you like it! Sorry, I can’t be more helpful.
Thank you for this recipe! I just made it yesterday and it was exactly what I was looking for! I normally make sourdough and focaccia, but will definitely be adding this to my bread rotation in our home! Love how it is so simple and yet so delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Anna! Thank you for the wonderful review!
This bread is seriously wonderful. I didnt have any seeds so didnt add them, but it was so delicious. My husband and i absolutely loved it. Will be baking this tonight with your borscht recipe- yum yum!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Jessica!
Hi Natasha, my pot is quite big 10×13 and I would like to make a double portion. how long do I have to bake then?
Hi Edith, I haven’t tested this recipe doubled in portion to advise. I’d imagine you would need to increase the cooking time (also depending on the amount of surface-level your pot has). If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi Natasha, I made double portions and double baking time, it’s great 👍🏻
Thanks for sharing that with us, Edith. That’s a great tip!
Hi Natasha, I really love your recipes!!! Bread is amazing
Thank you for that wonderful comment, Edith! I’m so glad you enjoyed that.
This bread was easy to make and so delicious. Thank you. And what a beautiful blog. So glad I found you. I would love to try a whole wheat version if you have (or could develop one). Peace to you.
Thanks for the great feedback, Valerie! I haven’t tried doing a whole wheat version but let us know how it goes if you do an experiment.
So I tried a whole wheat version, subbing a mix of white whole wheat and whole wheat for all but 1/2 c of bread flour. I increased the water by 1/4 cup and it turned out awesome! I experimented again by letting it rise the second time in a loaf pan to see if it would make good sandwich bread…again… awesome. I did decrease the oven temp to 375 and baked for 25 min. This recipe is a winner!! So versatile!
That’s so great! Thank you so much for sharing that with me Jess!
Honestly this bread changed my life. Thank you a million times for sharing it on line freely. You are an angel. My family eats it every week.
Aww that’s just awesome Alison! Sounds like you found a new favorite.
Hi Natasha: I want to try this bread tomorrow or sometime this week. It looks amazing.
Given this time I only get out once a week for groceries. I don’t have any flax on hand so I wanted to add either some oat bran or some wheat bran. Any preference which? Should I add it in place of the flax seed or maybe replace say 1/4 cup flour for the bran.
I have been cooking and baking for a long time and just want you to know I’ve tried quite a few of your recipes and have not been disappointed yet. You and Hubbie are doing a fabulous job. Thanks so much
I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes Mery! Thank you for that wonderful feedback!
Love this bread. Is there any way I can write comments for myself for next time? I.e. 10 degrees lower for my oven, add a little less salt, so that next time I will be even better. As I’m outside the US I already have to change measurements and oven temps to metric.
Hi Geraldine, if you print it off for yourself you sure can. We don’t a system feature that would allow it but that is a great suggestion! I’ll add it to my list.
Hi Geraldine – thought I’d jump in with what I use for my recipes – there’s an App called Paprika 3 Recipe manager. When you find a recipe you like on-line, you can download automatically into this app. It allows editing of recipe, there is a Scale option and convert units option (standard to metric). There is a notes section, too. It worked fine for me when in Europe and here is US. I have it on my iphone and ipad and they even update automatically whenever I make a change.
Love it! It came out fantastic. Crunchy outside and so soft inside. Yummy
Any suggestion for avoiding the parchment paper to stick to the bread?
Hi Monica, Did it stick to your parchment? It normally should come off really easily. Did you possibly use wax paper instead of parchment?
Honestly this bread changed my life. Thank you a million times for sharing it on line freely. You are an angel. My family eats it every week.
You are so welcome Alison. It’s great that this recipe has become your family’s all-time favorite!
Natasha, thank you for this amazing bread recipe. I made it today and it turned out perfect! SO easy to make and the flavors are just great! This will be our favorite now and I’ll be making it for whenever we have guests over! Love all of your recipes – they make up majority of my home cooking.
That’s so great! I’m so glad you found a favorite on our blog! Thank you for sharing that awesome review with me Oksana!
I have made this bread twice. I used chia seed instead of poppy and added about 6 chopped dates. It was amazing! I’m wondering about adding asiago cheese?
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing this Michelle. I haven’t tried adding asiago cheese yet but if you give it a try please share if you liked it!
I added chia too! 6 seed
I came across your recipe and felt quite inspired to give it a try.
This bread recipe is absolutely perfect! I did not have the sesame seeds but was able to find the other 4- it was not lacking by no means.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing this gorgeous and delicious gem.
I am a HUGE fan of this bread and feel I’ll be making this for years to come!
You’re welcome, Stephanie! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Can I use all purpose flour if I don’t have bread flour?
Hi Zhi, all purpose flour will work in the recipe as well
I am not a fan of seeds, so didn’t add them when I make this recipe. I did not have to make any changes. I’ll tell you this is the best bread I’ve ever had, and so so easy!! Thanks!!
Wow! That’s just awesome Anna! I’m so glad you found a favorite on our blog!
I was going to ask about omitting the seeds. But did you keep the honey? Because other plain white breads don’t have honey. Just wanted your thoughts.
Hi Mira, you can omit the seeds and just make it plain.
Do you think I could use “chia seeds” in place of the flax seed?
Hi Diane, I haven’t tested that but it should work fine.
Well I will let you know….
Natasha the use of chia seeds worked beautifully. My bread turned out awesome and so very good.Thank you
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Diane!
Hi there my associate chef ,,,can I use a bread machine ,mine bakes bread horizontally so I think I can slit top. What do you think ?? Yes I know old man cooking for 65 years and is not a baker till I got this bread machine
Hi Joseph, I have not tested this recipe in a bread machine. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
baked in a cast iron skillet ,,no cover was really good
Thank you for sharing that with us!
Did you add a pan of boiling water beneath the cast iron skillet, Joseph?
I refuse to buy bread now. This bread is so delicious! It is airy, crunchy, and just so perfect. Thank you for never ever disappointing with amazing recipes
Isn’t it the best! I’m so happy you enjoyed that Vera, thank you for sharing that with us!
Can you use sour dough to replace some of the flour and how much would you use?
Hi Sue, I honestly haven’t experimented that way with this recipe so I wouldn’t be able to provide specific instructions. If anyone else has tried, please let us know and thanks in advance!
If I could give this bread 10 stars I would. Best cast iron Dutch oven bread ever!!!!! Thank you for this recipe. We’re about to devour it with split pea and ham soup.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
I should mention I used 2 cups regular bread flour and 1 cup multigrain bread flour. I might try more of the multigrain next time.
I did too! Still delicious. I am Going to add a little more whole grain flour next time as well…has anyone tried all whole wheat?
what’s da recipe for your split pea soup Missssss my Moms
Hi Joseph, I got the soup recipe from allrecipes. It’s literally called Split Pea Soup, by bluebayou. I made it exactly as written except more ham and more carrots.
so nice of you to send that reply
Did u ever use Dutch over to bake cakes?
Hi Alina, I haven’t not tested that but it sounds interesting! If you experiment I would love to know how you like that!
Thank you for this recipe! I make the same no-knead loaf with an 8-12 hour rise, and I’m making this short-rise loaf right now. I am glad this is yours, Natasha. I started making your borscht recipe during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. It’s soooo good! My son makes it now, too. Thanks for both recipes.
Hi Kathie, I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us! 🙂
Hi Natasha
I notice that there is no butter or oil in this bread recipe.
Can that be added and does it make a difference ?
Hi Keren, I haven’t experimented since there is no need – the bread is very soft and airy without needing additional butter or oil. I hope you love this dutch oven loaf 🙂
Hello Natascha, I love the 5 seed recipe. It is perfect and fairly easy to make. I loved it so much that I wanted to share it with my cooking groups. I am sorry that this was not allowed and I apologize. Instead I should have shared your link. Is that ok to do that?
I would love it if you shared the link – thank you!
I recently purchased a 4 quart Dutch oven. Will this work in the smaller pot or do I need to make adjustments?
That should still work, Teri. Your Bread will simply be a little taller.
I just made this bread and it came out perfectly brown and round BUT it wasn’t as crusty as yours. I used Canadian flour and I was wondering if that was maybe the issue
HI Julia, that could be or it could be if your dutch oven doesn’t have a tight fitting lid, or if you used a different method to bake the bread. It has to be the right combination of moisture and heat to get a nice crust.
Hi Natasha,
I’m making your Dutch Oven Seed Bread and I’m wondering if the dough can sit for longer than 2 hours?
Hi Lyndsy, if you needed it to sit longer, I’d suggest placing it into a larger bowl (to allow for more expansion) and also keeping it in a cooler area (maybe a garage).
Would this recipe work with whole wheat flour?
Hi Tracy! I haven’t tried this with 100% whole wheat, but I have tried using half whole wheat and half regular flour but it wasn’t quite as fluffy and didn’t rise as well. If you test it out that way, let me know how you liked it!
Hi Natasha,
Thank you for all the great recipes!
When you used half/half, did you put the same amount of flour in total?
Hi Irina, yes same total amount 🙂
Dec ‘18: I just tried this recipe today. IT’S BRILLIANT! Unusual to try a recipe and not have to tweak anything, but I followed this step-by-step and it turned out exactly like the picture! Literally perfect! Measurements, ingredients, steps, rising, oven time. All worked. Wouldn’t change a thing for the next one. This is a special recipe. Thank you Natashaskitchen!
Wow! I’m so so happy to hear that! Thank you for the great review!
Hi Natasha, I’m making one of your soups tonight and wanted to try this bread ….but with a 3 quart Dutch oven. Do you think from your experiences that there will be enough room for the bread to rise when covered and cooking or would you suggest a proportionally modified recipe to make a smaller loaf ? Any advice appreciated and thanks for great recipes !
Hi Susan, I used a 5 1/2 quart dutch oven here and it filled the dutch oven well. The thing to also keep in mind is that you want some air to circulate inside of the dutch oven for it to bake up properly. I would scale down the recipe for a 3 quart dutch oven. You may need to bake for a little less time with a smaller loaf but without testing that timing, I won’t be able to advise.
I made this bread today. It is so wonderful. I have been baking bread for several years but this recipe could quite possibly be the best ever. Turned out perfect. I am going to try using a smaller dutch oven as I would like to make a thicker loaf. Should I change the instructions in any way?
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
Hey! I only have pumpkin and sunflower seeds- if I substitute the poppy seeds etc etc for the same quantity of sunflower/pumpkin, do you think the recipe will still work? 🙂
I don’t see why not! We used our favorites here and I think others can be substituted!
I was told with those black lid knobs ( as shown in your photos of the blue Le Creuset) you mustn’t go over 375°F.
In fact, it’s on the Le Creuset website.
So how come yours haven’t melted?
Hi Sheila! That is recommended bu Le Creuset but I haven’t had any issues with it. The knobs are replaceable, worst case. I feel like 30 minutes shouldn’t affect that too much.
Old Le Creuset recommendation was 450, so if you have an older dutch oven the knob should be ok. I’ve had mine in the oven at 425.
That being said, Le Creuset offers their newer replacement knobs in stainless – pricey but if you’re worried it’s a good investment.
I wrap the knob with tinfoil to protect it.
This bread has become our favorite
Thanks for all the yummy recipes
I’m so happy you found a favorite! You’re so welcome! It is definitely our pleasure!
I must try this! Thanks Natasha. Can it be frozen?
Hi Carol, I haven’t tried freezing but I don’t see why not.
I would love this recipe served with a hot bowl of soup.
That sounds like the perfect combination.
So easy and delicious! I think we finished the whole loaf in 20 min (4 of us;))) Spead butter, sprinkle a bit of salt and voila. Even my husband who is not a fan of white bread said it was the yummiest bread he ever tried. I already baked it 5 times in last 4 days;)))
WOW! I’m glad you both really enjoy the recipe Oksana! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
I made the 5 seed bread today. So easy and turned out perfectly.
YAY! I’m happy to hear the recipe turned out flawless. Thanks for sharing your excellent review Vickie!
Just made this last night and so impressed with how easy it was!
I used breadcrumbs instead of corn meal or semolina cause I didn’t have that on hand and it worked great. The bread is soft and delicious. The next day I toasted it and the depth of flavour was incredible. Will definitely make again and experiment with different additions.
Awesome! I’m glad to hear how much you enjoy this recipe! Thanks for sharing your outstanding review with other readers!
My mouth is watering for this amazing looking bread!! But can this recipe be used with all purpose flour instead of bread flour with the same results?? Thanks,Janet
Hi Janet, all purpose flour will work in the recipe as well 😀
trying this bread today… It is rising as of right know.. Tried that method with previously breads and i liked that method…
In a future, can you think of any yeast bread (Paska, pletenka, and etc.) and bread that we can set it overnight… it would be much easier… thank you
Hi Zoryana, the only one I have like that is cinnamon rolls (not really a bread though). I haven’t experimented with setting this overnight though. I will definitely keep that in mind as I am testing breads in the future 🙂
bread ended up delicious. could not resist to stop eating it… thank you so much for a great recipe.
Love the recipe. I made it with pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries……yummy
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe Helen! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
Hi Natasha, do you think that we can make this bread with a slow cooker?
Hi Veronique, I honestly have not tried bread in a slow cooker so I won’t be able to advise on that. You might google that to see what the standard is for bread. Have you tried something similar before? I’m curious if it works!
Hi Natasha, the only bread I’ve tried with the Slow cooker is the Basil Pesto Bread but I think I’m gonna try the 5 seed bread we’ll see 😉
Please let me know how it turns out Veronique!
Natasha, do you think this bread would still come out yummy without all of the seeds? I love them but my husband, and youngest, do not.
Thanks!
Dawn
Hi Dawn, yes it will still work great without the seeds. We have a couple other bread recipes without seeds and it works well 🙂
I made this yesterday for a family dinner. I neglected to get poppy seeds and sunflower seeds at the store. What I did was just double the pumpkin seeds and the sesame seeds. It was truly as good as any artisan bread I’ve ever tasted AND, the easiest bread I have ever made.
That’s great, I’m glad to hear the recipe was a success! Thanks for sharing your great review Jane!
Hello Natasha! Could this recipe be made entirely with whole wheat flour? Or buckwheat? I’m wondering if there is a healthier option to the white flour.
Hi Erika, I have tried with half wheat flour and it wasn’t quite as soft as the original but still good. I haven’t tried replacing it completely though.
Very good bread. The only thing it was a bummer that it was wery crummy. But other then that very good.
Hi Mila, I am glad you enjoyed it! It is normally very soft and spongy and not crumbly. Is it possible that it was overbaked or maybe baked uncovered?
I am so excited to try this bread. My darling husband just bought me a cast iron Dutch Oven for my birthday (today 🙂 ) But it is a 7 1/2 quart. Is it too big? Or do you have another bread recipe that I could try? You are my go-to site for everything delicious. Thanks!
I think the larger Dutch oven would still work well. The smaller one creates a little bit taller of a bread loaf, but a larger Dutch oven will still work.
Oh my gosh!!! So good! We had a slice after it cooled and it was delicious. Can’t wait to make toast in the morning! Thank you (and my husband thanks you too).
You’re welcome Sharon! 🙂 I’m glad to hear how much you both love the recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Do you cut the 3 slices on the top with the dutch oven bread and when heating the oven do you leave the cover on the pan
Hi Luna, yes to the lid: “Cover with lid and bake at 450˚F for 30 minutes. Carefully remove hot lid and bake another 2- 5 minutes or until top is golden brown.” And I do not cut the top of the bread. You could if you wish, but it cracked this way naturally 🙂
Interesting method, I can’t wait to give it a try. I also make a multi-seed breads, using similar seeds as you have. Relatively recently I discovered celery seeds. If you haven’t tried them in breads I would recommend you give them a go!
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing that tip!
Hi Natasha, I let rise the dough cover for 1 1/2 hour at room temperature and then leave it in the refrigerator for 12 hours, when I went to bake it, I left 1 hour uncover at room temperature, the dough in the refrigerator develops best flavor.
Was deliciuos
I’m glad you like it Marimar! Thanks for sharing your tips and review for other readers!
So delicious ,amazing flavor., Natasha the dough can be left in the refrigerator the night before and bake the next day ??
Hi Marimar, I haven’t experimented that way so I can’t say for certain, but I imagine it would work. You would have to bring it to room temperature and so it can make that last rise before putting it into the oven.
If you make this the day before you plan to serve, what’s the best way to keep it fresh?
Hi Julie, I would keep it covered loosely with a plastic bag at room temperature so it doesn’t get dry.
HI I love your recipes .I have a question when you use the stand mix in what number your use to kneading (2–4-6.)
Thanks
Hi Marimar, I always knead at speed 2. That is also the speed that is recommended by the manufacturer, probably to protect the mixer from getting overwhelmed.
Soooo good!! I substituted 1 cup of whole wheat flour and it still rose well and tastes great. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome Carolyn! Thanks for sharing your review 🙂
Hi Natasha, I don’t have a Dutch oven…could I still make this bread without it?
Hi Alesya, yes that would work fine for this recipe. Use the baking method that I have detailed in my original no-knead bread recipe.
Hi!
What can you use instead of the semolina or the cornmeal? I don’t have any right now
Hi Mati, I haven’t tested that but here is what one of my readers wrote “Just made this last night and so impressed with how easy it was! I used breadcrumbs instead of cornmeal or semolina cause I didn’t have that on hand and it worked great. The bread is soft and delicious. The next day I toasted it and the depth of flavour was incredible. Will definitely make again and experiment with different additions” I hope this helps.
Hello Natasha! I just tried this bread and is absolutely awesome and delicious! Love it. I totally became a fan of your recipes.
So, I’m from Costa Rica, and I live in the countryside, like really in the middle of nothing, and there is no way I’ll be able to get bread flour here, or poppy seeds, or sunflower and pumpkin seeds peeled, because nobody here eat them. So I peeled some sunflower seeds, but I used peanuts and almonds instead of pumpkin and poppy seeds, also used all purpose flour.
Perhaps it doesn’t taste as good as if I would have used the ingredients you said, but I’m just saying it still taste good.
Thank you very much for the fantastic recipe, and I’m looking forward doing more. 😀
I’m so happy you loved it!! And thank you for sharing your substitutions! 🙂
looks like a great recipe i will surely try it soon. but please let me know if this will work with gluten free flour. if yes what changes do we do. and if not do you have any other recipes with gluten free please share my friend is severely allergic to gluten and i am trying to her her out.
I have not tested this with gluten-free flour, so unfortunately I cannot make specific recommendations for that. If you do any experimenting, let me know how you like it! Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
Natasha, this bread is just awesome! I love making and eating homemade bread, but sometimes find it takes too much time and give in to buying costco bread (which by all means is also good).
But this bread is both DELICIOUS and easy to make. I’ve made it at least 5 time already, and it gets eaten within 24hrs.
Keep up your awesome recipes.
WOW! That’s great Ella!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
If I u try to use just regular flour will I achieve the same result? What will be the difference?
I have used all purpose flour to make this bread and it works fine. 🙂
Natasha!!
Hi! <3
I have made this bread twice and it is wonderful. The first time I went almost by your recipe (I did a 1:2 ration of bread flour to whole wheat flour). The second time I went for a sweet dessert bread. I did the same flour combination but increased the honey, omitted the seeds and folded in some cinnamon, orange peel, cardamom, and allspice. I sprinkled the top with those same spices and a little turbinado sugar. They were both amazing and I just wanted to thank you for such an easy and versatile recipe.
You’re welcome Cristal! I love hearing reviews like this! 🙂
Hi Natasha! This looks like an amazing recipe but I was wondering if it still will work without the seeds? Can I just use this bread recipe without them?
Hi Julie, yes, absolutely!! It will still work great without the seeds 🙂
Hi Natasha, what kind of parchment paper do you use? I am asking because the box of mine says “oven safe to 420F” so with recipes like this one, I am afraid to use it!
P.S this bread is currently rising, can’t wait!
Hi Julia, I use either the Kirkland signature one from Costco or Reynolds. I’m not concerned about it at all since the lid is on for the majority of the cooking time. I’ve never had a problem with the paper getting dark – it hardly has any color to it since it’s covered most of the time. It’s not recommended to use parchment paper under a broiler though since it can burn and scorch. This article from Cook’s Illustrated should definitely ease your mind about using parchment at higher temperatures than recommended :).
Awesome, thanks for replying 🙂
Thank you for your quick reply. Love all your recipes and looking forward to baking this bread. I can smell it now!!
My pleasure Donna! Let me know what you think!!
What type of yeast should I use; Active or Rapid-Rise?
Hi Donna, I had to double check to make sure I had it listed in the ingredients. Yes, it is Active Yeast. I haven’t tested it, but I think it could still work with rapid rise, you just wouldn’t have to wait the initial 5 minutes for it to activate at the beginning 🙂
This looks delicious! I’ve been wanting to try bread making in my French oven, but I haven’t had time yet… so many recipes, so little time! Can’t wait to try this =)
It is so easy and delicious! Let me know what you think Sara!
This bread definitely invites me to make one this weekend….. Thank you very much !
It’s so good! Let me know what you think!
Dear Natasha, I have made the bread this weekend. Planned to try it with several spreads but finished eating it with some salt on the slice and beer. Amazing. Thank you !
You’re welcome! I am glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Hi Natasha, this looks really good, does it only stay soft for 2 days? Thanks
I meant that it has that fresh bread taste for a couple of days. I store it in a ziploc bag at room temperature after that and I do prefer it toasted either in the toaster or a skillet if it’s more than 2 days old to freshen it up, just like any loaf of bread I guess 🙂
Delicious bread and so easy! It was a bit sticky to mold, but it came out just great. Tried it with some Kerrygold butter and honey as you suggested and golly- what a treat! 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Hi Marta! Did it stick to your parchment? It normally should come off really easy. Did you possibly use wax paper instead of parchment? I’m so glad you enjoyed the butter and honey and Kerrygold sure makes some tasty butter too!! 🙂
I’ve noticed if I used a cheaper brand for parchment paper, it would stick to the paper all the time. The best one is from Costco and the one you use ,I see in pics you post.
I’ve only used the one from Costco and have used Reynolds before as well. Thanks for the tip! Oh and make sure you don’t use wax paper – wax paper sticks to everything it seems.
Awesome recipe! Thank you so much for your delicious recipes!!! Can any of the white bread flour be substituted with whole wheat? What would be your recommendation? Thqnk you!
Hi Natalia, I haven’t tried this with 100% whole wheat, but I have tried using half whole wheat and half regular flour but it wasn’t quite as fluffy and didn’t rise as well. If you test it out that way, let me know how you liked it!
Natasha, have you tried mking this with whole wheat flour? Dying to make this but have to stick to whole wheat…
Hi Zhenya, I have tried using half whole wheat and half regular flour but it wasn’t as fluffy and didn’t rise as well. If you test it out that way, let me know how you liked it! 🙂
Looks delicious with the seeds!!! I make a lot of no knead bread – rosemary and bacon make great additions as well!
It is so delish! Your additions sound amazing!
Hello Natasha,
Looking forward to trying this recipe, all of the recipes you have posted have always turned out to be a great success.
Have you tried baking bread without yeast? I’ve read that the yeast can be replaced with baking soda and lemon juice. What are your thoughts on that?
Regards,
Ella
I haven’t tried that substitution so I have no idea how it would work. Also, baking soda is quicker acting so I have no idea what to recommend as far as rising time for the dough. Sorry, I wish I could be more helpful!
How is bread flour different than all purpose flour? Would all purpose work in this recipe?
Hi Lilly, it has a slightly higher gluten content so it works better for bread. I’ve made my original no-knead bread bread recipe with unbleached all-purpose flour and it worked great, so I assume this one would work well with all-purpose flour as well.
Love the bread!
Its awesome that you add honey to it but the bread is not sweet.
This looks amazing!! Can’t wait to go buy what I need to make this😍
I don’t have a Dutch oven tho, can I use a cast iron??
Hi Lana, you can follow the baking instructions on my original no-knead bread if you don’t have a dutch oven. It will still work great! 🙂 If you have a cast iron pot with a lid, that will work as well.
This bread looks amazing, definitely have to try it 🤗
Love your new Blue Dutch oven 😍
Thank you! Let me know what you think of the recipe!!
Hi!! I was wondering if you have any homemade bread or rolls recipies that don’t require yeast. I can’t find any at the stores these days. The yeast I have in my pantry expired in 2014.
Hi Kristin, before you toss the yeast, you might check to see if the yeast is still fresh. It can live beyond the expiration date. Here is a helpful article on checking if your yeast is active. I don’t have any currently. The things that come to mind are biscuits and soda bread both of which I don’t have recipes posted for yet but are on my list.