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 tried this recipe and it turned out so yummy. My son had two slices with bread. He loved it.
Thank you so much. Marguerite
So glad you loved it! Thanks for your excellent feedback.
Super easy for a novice Baker. I used the recipe, however put it in the refrigerator after rising, for 10 hrs. Took out, folded and let it rise again for 40 mins. Baked for 35 mins and it came out mostly good. Next time, I might Keep it slightly longer to rise before baking and also let it get more dark and also be patient with cooling. However, taste was absolutely heavenly.
So great to hear that, Sonali. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I made this bread last night after we ate dinner. I have two little ones and a teen so after dinner we try to have family time and so I don’t usually make anything more unless it is a special occasion. We were out of bread and my husband wanted a sandwich for lunch the next day, so I set out again to try ANOTHER bread recipe and crossed my fingers. Thank you so much for this recipe. I hardly lost any time with my family while making this and it was so delicious that it is already gone. I would love to share this recipe on my blog if that is ok with you?!
That is so awesome, Angela. Thank you so much for sharing that with us, I appreciate your great feedback. Here is more information on our policy for using our photos and recipes.
Do you have to put water in a cast iron? Can I put it in a deep cooking sheet? Will that make a difference?
Hi Jewly, a cookie sheet would work, you just want to avoid glass.
I made it two days ago and it was so good I just made it again!
My kids love it!
We’ve tried about 6-7 (maybe more) of your recipes and they’ve all been such a great success.
Instead of googling recipes and picking the most star- rated one I can find, you are now my go-to person because I know I can rely on the deliciousness of your recipes.
Having to cook all meals, 7 days a week in this quarantine, I was running out of ideas.
THANK YOU!
Forgot to mention – my kids LOVE watching your videos. They think you’re super funny. Thanks for making them laugh and smile 🙂
My pleasure, that’s very inspiring on my end. Thanks for sharing!
I love it! Thank you so much for trusting my recipes and I’m so glad that you loved everything that you tried so far.
Your recipe calls for 3 1/4 flour and your video calls for 3 cups.
Which is it?
Hi Cathy, the written recipe is correct. Unfortunately it’s not possible to go in and correct a published video. We updated the recipe recently and found that when measuring correctly (spooning the flour into the measuring cup and leveling the top, or weighing), 3 1/4 cups is most accurate. You can also click metric and view the weight in grams.
Hi Natasha
Thank you so much for all recipes,every I made were good & delicious ,but I bake the French bread I didn’t know inside was doughy
Can you answer me what is that problem
Hi Shokouh, sounds like it wasn’t baked long enough? Was anything altered in the recipe?
Hi, Natasha. I only have Instant Dried Yeast in my pantry. Can you please advise how it will work? Thank you
Hi Crisyln, I have had several readers report great results using instant yeast in the same amount. With instant yeast, it isn’t necessary to wait for it to proof in the water and it can just be mixed into the flour right away.
Hi, we love the no-knead bread in our house, and yesterday I followed the advice from someone to try using a cup of whole wheat flour in the recipe instead of all white. I used the suggestion to increase the water to 1-3/4 C. It came out perfect! Can’t wait to try the pizza dough tonight!
That’s so great! Thank you for sharing that substitution with us, Karla!
Can you use rapid yeast?
Hi Becky, one of my readers reported that rapid rise yeast Fast Acting in the same measurement worked just as well in this recipe.
Can I cut the ingredients in half If I want to make a small batch?
That’s right! You can halve it this recipe but you may need to adjust bake time
Hi Natasha – Thanks for sharing this way of preparing the bread dough – it really works, is so simple, and has never failed me.
As an alternative to using the oven I cook it for around 90 minutes in a slow-cooker (on high setting) then finish it off under a hot grill for 3 or 4 minutes to get a crunchy, darker, crust.
Thank you for sharing that Stephen. I’m glad that you loved the end result!
First time making bread and WOW! Not only was this recipe easy but also delicious! I keep going back to sneak another slice. I can’t wait to make it again!
It is so good and addicting! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi Natasha. I managed to find a large pack of Instant Yeast and was wondering if I could use it in this recipe. Trying to find yeast in Ontario right now is like looking for a needle in a haystack so when I saw this pack I grabbed it. Thanks.
Hi Irene, I have had several readers report great results using instant yeast in the same amount. With instant yeast, it isn’t necessary to wait for it to proof in the water and it can just be mixed into the flour right away.
No words to thank you, the bread came up so good!! My family is asking to bake it more and more, I wish I could rise it over night and bake next morning…
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us! I haven’t tried leaving this overnight, but I would leave it in the refrigerator if keeping overnight then let it do it’s final rise at room temperature, except you would want to cover it so it doesn’t form a film or get dry by the time it reaches room temp and rises.
I made 3 loaves of the no knead bread. All were great. It is so easy and so good ! The last loaf I made I put in green olives and jalapeño pieces. It was great ! Love your recipes.
That is so awesome to hear! So glad you enjoyed it.
I’m trying to up my bread game. I’ve kneaded and dough hooked a lot of different recipes, including your French bread (which was great). But I’m not seeing much improvement over the no knead – it’s awesome every time. So why does it work?
Hi Todd, the French bread process and especially the baking method produces a better spongier texture and also should have a super crisp crunchy crust that stays crusty. The no-knead bread crust is crusty initially and then it softens as it rests.
I have made this bread twice and it is hands down one of the best I have tried and SO EASY!!! Great taste and texture, an amazing comfort food. Has anyone tried it substituting with half whole wheat flour? I would be very interested to know!
Thank you so much for your great feedback, Karla. I haven’t tried that yet but one of our readers shared and commented this “Have now made four loaves, two substituting 1 cup whole wheat flour and all came out great. My dough seemed drier, so in my latest loaf I used 1 3/4 c. water and dough was nicer. Baked this in a loaf pan; no-stick spray and about 25 minutes. So easy and delicious.”
Hi Natasha , thank you for sharing this lovely recipe . I baked this bread today and we loved it so much . My first at bread making . Now I’m so inspired to further myself in this area . Warm regards.
Nice, great job for making this the first time and getting an awesome result!
Hi Natasha! My family absolutely loves this bread! Can I make dough in advance? Like the night before and bake in the morning? If yes, should I leave it on the counter or in the fridge?
Hi Marina, I haven’t tried leaving this overnight, but I would leave it in the refrigerator if keeping overnight then let it do it’s final rise at room temperature, except you would want to cover it so it doesn’t form a film or get dry by the time it reaches room temp and rises.
Hello Natasha!
Great recipes! Great blog! Keep up the good work!
Could you post a recipe for gluten free yeast bread?
I’m looking to try making a gluten free sandwich bread at home, for my gluten free family.
Thank you for that suggestion, Kate! I will add it to my to-do list.
Hi Natasha, Can I bake this bread with fresh yeast? Can we just change the types of yeast in any recipe based on the measurement chart for yeasts?
Hi Sam, that may work but like you said there will need to be a few adjustments. I would recommend reading through some of the comments on the recipe – we’ve had some great advice in there from our readers.
I have made this bread twice and it is excellent except for one thing. the first loaf seriously burnt the top, and the second one still was over cooked even though I checked it after 20 minutes. My oven is spot on at 450 with a auxiliary thermometer. I am doing my third loaf now, I will lower the oven to 400 and check after 10 minutes. So I kept an eye on this one and it looks perfect, until I cut into it and the entire top 1/3 of the loaf is air. I give up and am going back to the Dutch oven method. also I weighed and measured everything exactly as the recipe calls for.
Are you possibly trying to bake on the convection setting which would bake faster and potentially burn the top. Also be sure to bake in the center of the oven. I was going to suggest the same thing – we use essentially the same bread in our dutch oven bread recipe.
Natasha, your video is different than the written recipe…. in the video you only add 3 cups flour. In the recipe it says 3 1/4. I hope BOTH I made aren’t ruined. Maybe fix the written recipe…::
Hi Danniella, the correct amount is 3 1/4 cups of flour per the written recipe. We were only able to add a notation in the video about it but unfortunately, there’s no easy way to edit a published video.