Easy No-Knead Bread is an artisan-style bread that’s done in 3 hours from start to finish and it’s mostly rising time. This is an easy bread recipe – you don’t even need a mixer. With only 4 ingredients (flour, yeast, salt, and water), you can make a bakery-quality, super soft homemade bread.
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Easy No-Knead Bread
We love the aroma and taste of homemade bread, including our easy Dutch Oven Bread, classic French Bread with the best crust, and of course classic Dinner Rolls. My kitchen has served as a bread-making test lab for the past month. We’ve made this bread countless times. It rises beautifully every time and you will fall in love with the spongy soft texture. It reminds me of the lovely loaves that Costco has perfected.
Many no-knead bread recipes require overnight fermentation but we love that this one is done in just 3 hours (most of which is just letting the dough rise while you go about your business). You’ll get to enjoy fresh homebaked bread within a few hours of when the craving hits.
What is the Best Flour For Bread?
Bread flour typically has slightly more protein and gluten than all-purpose flour so it is the preferred flour for bread. It can give you slightly better rise and texture. We have tested this no-knead rustic artisan bread with both all-purpose flour and bread flour. The loaves turned out perfect with either flour so use what you have on hand.
Watch No-Knead Bread Video Tutorial:
I hope this Easy No-Knead Bread becomes a new favorite homebaked bread recipe for you. If you enjoyed this video, please subscribe to our Youtube Channel and be sure to click the bell icon so you get a notification when we post a new video.
How to Make Easy Homemade Bread:
1. In a large bowl, combine warm water (100˚F) and salt. Sprinkle yeast over the top and let it sit 2 min, then stir.
2. Measure out exactly 3 1/4 cups of flour and add flour to the bowl. Stir together with a spatula just until it together (do not knead). Cover and let rise at room temperature 2 hours (until 2-3 times in volume).
3. Line a cutting board with parchment paper and generously dust with flour. Turn dough out onto the floured surface.
4. With well-floured hands, fold the dough in half, then fold in half again. Dust dough generously with flour, lift it up and form a ball in your hands. Sprinkle the parchment paper flour or cornmeal, extending 1-inch past the border of the dough since it will expand. Place dough over the flour, seam side down, and let it rise at room temp uncovered for 40 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, prepare your oven: place one rack in the middle for the bread and one rack on the bottom for the water pan. Place a rimless cookie sheet (or inverted baking sheet) on the center rack. Preheat the oven and cookie sheet to 450˚ F. Also heat 1 cup water.
6. Just before baking, score the top of the bread 3 times. Place a metal or cast iron dish* on the bottom rack with 1 cup hot water (being careful not to splash water on a glass oven door). Slide dough with the parchment paper onto the hot cookie sheet and bake at 450˚ F for 25-28 min or until golden brown.
*CAUTION: DO NOT USE A GLASS DISH to hold water or it may explode when you add water. Also, be careful not to splash water on a glass oven door to prevent shattering from strong temperature change.
Pro Tips for the Best Homemade Bread:
- Use warm water – ideally about 100˚F to 110˚F. Avoid hot water which can deactivate the yeast.
- Measure precisely – spoon flour into measuring cup and level off the top. See our best tips for How to Measure wet and dry ingredients.
- Dough Rising Temperature – A room temperature of 71˚F to 75˚F is ideal for bread rising. If your room is colder, it will take longer. Do not place dough in a hot oven to rise. If the temperature goes above 110˚F, you can deactivate and ruin the yeast.
- Don’t Rush the Rise – For the best texture and rise, do not rush the rising process. It should be 2-3 times in size when it is finished rising. If you don’t allow the full rise, the bread will be dense.
- Preheat the oven and baking sheet – putting the dough onto a hot baking sheet or pizza stone, will help form a beautiful crust.
- Scoring the bread – scoring the top of the loaf allows it to expand and creates a pretty bread that you will be very proud of. Use a sharp or serrated knife or bread scoring blade.
- Cool before slicing – If you cut freshly baked bread while it’s still hot, the steam will escape and the bread will seem doughy.
Our Top Rated Bread Recipes:
- French Bread with a true crisp crust
- Banana Nut Bread – a moist banana bread studded with nuts and raisins
- Dutch Oven Bread – A 5-seed bread with the same basic dough
- Dinner Rolls – so easy and freezer-friendly
The next day, use this bread to make the most amazing Reuben Sandwich or this restaurant copycat Chicken Bacon Avocado Sandwich.
No-Knead Bread Recipe (Easy Artisan Bread)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups water, warm, at 100˚F (not hot)
- 1/2 Tbsp sea salt
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast, (7 grams or 1 packet)
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, (or bread flour) plus extra flour for dusting
- 2 Tbsp cornmeal , or more flour
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups warm water (100˚F) and 1/2 Tbsp of salt. Sprinkle the top with yeast and let it sit 2 min, then stir.
- Measure out exactly 3 1/4 cups of flour and add flour to the bowl. Using a spatula, stir until dough comes together and is well blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature 2 hours (or about 2-3 times in volume).
- Line a cutting board with parchment paper and generously dust with flour. Scrape dough out of the bowl with a spatula onto the floured surface.
- With well-floured hands, fold dough in half, then fold in half again. Dust dough generously with flour, lift it up and form a ball in your hands. Sprinkle parchment paper with more flour or cornmeal, extending about 1" past the border of the dough since it will expand. Place dough over the flour, seam side down, and let it rise uncovered at room temp 40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare your oven with 2 racks - one rack in the middle for the bread and one rack on the bottom for the water pan. Place a rimless cookie sheet (or use the backside of a rimmed cookie sheet or pizza stone) on the center rack. Preheat the oven and cookie sheet to 450˚ F. Also heat up 1 cup water.
- Just before baking, score the top of the bread 3 times. Place a metal or cast iron dish (never a glass dish*) on the bottom rack with 1 cup hot water (being careful to not splash water on a glass oven door). Slide the dough with the parchment paper onto the hot cookie sheet and bake at 450˚ F for about 25-28 min or until golden brown. Transfer loaf to a rack and cool to room temp before cutting into it.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
This recipe was first published in 2012. It was updated March 2020 with new photos and we improved the recipe adding slightly more flour to help with forming the loaf.
I would like to make an olive bread this way. Would the addition of olives ruin the bread?
Hi Alan, I haven’t tested that but it sounds tasty – just be sure to pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels. Let me know if you experiment. We also have a fun 5-seed bread if you want to see how we did add-ins.
I made the olive bread with this recipe. It turned out really well. The next time I wont put as much flour down on the parchment paper. Messy when you pick it up now.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us!
Someone commented that they were using floured foil instead of parchment paper and asked if it would work. I just baked a loaf on non stick foil (very lightly floured) and it slid right off and onto a cutting board.
Thank you for sharing that, Rich!
I have gluten intolerance but would love a similar recipe using gluten free 1 for 1 flour.
Thank you, Patty! I haven’t substituted made this recipe gluten-free before to advise. If you experiment please let me know how you like it.
This bread looks so good, but I’m Celiac so do you have gluten free recipes to try? Thanks love all your recipes
Hi Darlene, that you for that suggestion. I’ll have to add that to my list of recipes to try.
Hi Natasha , I’m so excited to try this recipe today ! I was wondering if I could use this recipe and cook it according to your Dutch oven bread one? Because I unfortunately only have one rack in my oven . Please let me know ! Thank you
Hi Julie, I have not tested this recipe in the dutch oven, I would try the guidelines just like in our dutch oven bread.
I tried this with gluten free flour, it was an unqualified disaster. Do you have any easy gluten free bread recipes?
Hi Mary, Without testing the recipe with gluten-free/ coconut flour, it’s very difficult to guess why that didn’t work out. I’ve scanned through the reader’s comments and no one has reported trying it yet to better troubleshoot. It would have to be an experiment. Thank you for the suggestion of gluten-free bread recipes, I’m adding that to my list now.
Hi Natasha!!
I tried this bread with with 3 1/4 cups of flour just you have on the recipe but I think I am going to try it again with 3 cups of flour. We loved it!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Thank you Natasha! I baked this bread today and it was so good. We finished it while it was still warm.
Isn’t it the best when warm! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Can you use instant yeast in this recipe?
Hi Millie, I have had several readers report great results using instant yeast in the same amount.
Hi Natasha,
I am i the process of making this bread. I am new to bread-making and I would love your advice. After putting all ingredients together, I did not see the “do not knead” part, and I knead it. Is there something I can do to correct this mistake. Thanks.
Never mind, it turned out to be good as well. Thanks!
That’s so great! I’m so glad it turned out, Astha!
Great and easy recipe!! Made it few times already and always turns out amazing!
Love it! Thank you for sharing your experience with us and for providing a great review!
Hey Natasha, I’m a big fan of your site and am looking forward to trying out this recipe soon. If at some point I decided I wanted to go for a more “classic” look for the bread could I bake it in a bread pan?
Hi Grant, I haven’t tried it in a loaf pan but I would do everything the same except I would put the dough into the loaf pan on the last rise and make sure to remove it from the pan right away when it comes out of the oven.
I’m so upset on how bad this recipe failed me:( I’m unsure why. I followed everything step by step. After my dough rose for 2 hours it was still so wet and sticky, I couldn’t even form it into a ball. I pretty much just scooped it onto my flowered cutting board. We’ll see what happens.
Hi Alla, it sounds like it could have used more flour. If you see that happen, it’s ok to sprinkle flour over the dough so you can fold it easier and make sure to have really well-floured hands when folding it. I think it will still turn out and taste great even though it may not be as pretty of a loaf. Not sure if it applies, but it could be due to changing out the type of flour (with varying gluten or protein content). Also, make sure to measure liquid ingredients with a liquid measuring cup and be precise to make sure you don’t get an overly wet dough. I hope that helps!
Thanks for your reply, after baked it turned out okay:) just a lil more flat than yours but the taste was good!
That’s great! Thanks for the update and I’m sure it will come out perfect next time.
I noticed the carb count (being a diabetic) and recognize that one of my weaknesses is fresh homemade bread. If its here, I eat it My only salvation is to limit what I have. With all of that said, here is my question. Can I halve this recipe and still have it work?
Hi Rich, I haven’t tried halving it but I think it would work. It might take a little less time to bake. Another option, is to make the whole loaf, cut it in half and freeze the other half. Once it’s fully at room temperature, cut the loaf in half, wrap one half with a couple of layers of plastic wrap and freeze. If you freeze it while it’s still fresh (not warm, but fresh), it will taste fresh when you thaw it and enjoy it later.
Looks so good and such a simple recipe. I’m going to make this bread and use it for the Easy Chicken Sandwich Melts recipe that you recently posted.
Sounds yummy! Enjoy and thanks for the great review.
Is a Rapid Rise Instant Yeast Fast Acting the correct ingredient?
Thank you for your many wonderful recipes.
Hi Dru, one of my readers reported that rapid rise yeast Fast Acting in the same measurement worked just as well in this recipe.
Many thanks.
Hi Natasha! on the video you’re saying 3cups of flour but on your recipe you have 3 1/4 cups of flour. W
which is correct?
Hi Julie, this is because when I first published the recipe in 2012 and was just starting out, I wasn’t measuring accurately – I would push my measuring cup directly into the bin which results in significantly more flour than spooning it into the cup and leveling off the top. The 3 1/4 cups is the more accurately measured and it makes for a loaf that is easier to form into a ball, otherwise, it’s pretty sticky.
This no-knead bread is my FAVORITE bread recipe to make! The instructions are so easy to follow and the bread is always a hit! Thank you for the recipe! 🙂
I am so happy to read your great feedback. Thank you so much for the awesome review and I hope you love every recipe that you try!
Nothing beats a freshly baked homemade bread and now more than ever. Thank for sharing this winner of a recipe!
Totally agree! Homemade is always so much better. Thanks for the wonderful review!
This bread recipe is perfect! Thank you!
Thank you so much for the great feedback, Sarah!
I enter your website regularly almost every day. You have some great articles. I Love Your Suggestions. Thanks.
Thank you for checking out my recipes and website all the time. I hope you love every recipe that you try!
Hello, Can use gluten free flour instead?
Hi Michele, Without testing the recipe with gluten free/ coconut flour, it’s very difficult to guess. I’ve scanned through the readers comments and no one has reported trying it yet. It would have to be an experiment. If you do try it, please do let me know how it worked out.
I will give it a try and if it work’s, fingers crossed! I will deferentially let you know.