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This easy no knead artisan bread recipe in 5 minutes a day uses only 5 ingredients with a soft inside and perfect crunchy crust, everything bread should be without all the work! This step-by-step tutorial will have you turning out loaves of homemade goodness in no time.
I first fell in love with this bread when I had toddlers at home, was working full time, and needed a foolproof quick bread recipe.
Since then I’ve tweaked this basic recipe from No-Knead Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francios to a thing of perfection. If you have my book Hand Made: the Modern Guide to Made-from-Scratch Living you’ll recognize this from page 44 as my Master Dough Recipe.
Having a versatile quick no-knead bread recipe is key, I’ve made this all different ways over the years, including different bake times, baking dishes, and below is my favorite way variation. Trust me, this will quickly become a staple at your house. It makes excellent garlic bread, sandwiches, dipped into soup… or you might just devour it as is.
How to Make Easy No-Knead Artisan Bread
Mix together yeast and water. Allow yeast to turn bubbly (about 3 to 6 minutes).
Stir in vinegar, salt, and first three cups of flour.
Incorporate remaining flour one cup at a time.
Allow dough to rise for 2 to 3 hours until it has at least doubled in size.
Cover bowl, don’t seal completely and place in the fridge for at least 8 hours before use.
Use 1/3 of the dough (just pull it out with your hands) and from a round loaf on parchment paper. Let the dough rise for 40 minutes.
Preheat oven with cast iron Dutch oven inside to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Transfer loaf to preheated Dutch oven (it’s hot, use oven mitts) and slash the top with a sharp knife or bread lame.
Bake with lid on for 25 minutes.
Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden on top.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 1 hour before slicing.
No knead bread variation
Don’t have a Dutch oven, no problem, use a cookie sheet and place a metal broiling pan in the oven on the lowest rack and preheat to 450 degrees. Put your loaf in the oven and then quickly pour a cup of HOT water into the broiler pan and shut your oven. Bake for 45 minutes.
No Knead Artisan Bread Ingredients
Flour. Use unsifted all-purpose or bread flour. Spoon flour into measuring cup and level. You can use whole wheat or fresh ground, but reduce flour to 5 1/2 cups and increase only if the dough is too wet and won’t hold any type of shape. I’ve successfully done half whole wheat and half all-purpose at the full 6 and 1/2 cups.
Water. Make sure water is warm enough to activate yeast but not so hot it kills it. If using a thermometer about 115 degrees Fahrenheit or warm to the inside of your wrist.
Salt. I use Redmond’s Real Salt or sea salt, but table salt works fine too.
Vinegar. I use my homemade apple cider vinegar but any vinegar will do, it helps create a better texture in no knead bread recipes.
Yeast. I use active dry yeast but instant will work too. Store your yeast in the fridge to help prolong shelf life.
This bread has that awesome crunchy crust with an incredible soft flaky inside. My kids inhale it. The recipe states this makes three 1 and 1/2 lb. loaves.
No Knead Bread Equipment
While not required, these are some tools that I find invaluable in my bread baking, both this easy no knead artisan bread dough and my sourdough loaves. Speaking of sourdough, here’s my free homemade sourdough starter series!
Bread lame this razor blade makes it easy to slash the top of the dough without tearing it or burning myself on the side of the preheated Dutch oven
Cast iron bread baking Dutch oven I love this one because I don’t worry about the knob melting and can use the lid as a skillet, plus no enamel coating to scratch or damage.
1 1/2 Tablespoons yeast (store your yeast in the fridge to prolong freshness)
1 1/2 Tablespoons salt (kosher or coarse sea salt is best)
1 1/2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
6 1/2 cups unsifted flour (all-purpose or bread) see notes for whole wheat
Instructions
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and warm water. Allow to sit for 6 to 8 minutes until water is foamy. Add salt and vinegar. Mix in flour a cupful at a time until it’s all incorporated. Dough will be slightly wet.
Cover your dough with a tea towel and set it on top of the fridge (usually a draft free warm place) to rise for about 2 to 3 hours, or until the dough has at least doubled in size.
Cover dough (make sure it can still breathe, don’t seal completely) and place in fridge for 8 hours.
Take 1/2 of the dough (or 1/3 for a smaller loaf) out of the bowl, it’s very wet, so lightly flour your hands, and pull it into the shape of your loaf. Dust the top with flour and slash it with a sharp knife (flour keeps your blade from sticking) and let it rise for about 40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit with cast iron Dutch oven inside.
Carefully place loaf into Dutch oven with the lid and bake for 25 minutes with lid on, remove lid and bake for another 10 minutes until golden on top. (No cast iron Dutch oven, see notes for alternate baking instructions)
Notes
No cast iron Dutch Oven, no problem: Place a metal broiling pan in the oven on the lowest rack and preheat to 450 degrees. Place loaf on a cookie sheet, cast iron skillet, or baking stone and place in oven. Quickly pour a cup of HOT water into the broiler pan and shut your oven. Bake for 45 minutes.
Flour. Use unsifted all-purpose or bread flour. Spoon flour into measuring cup and level. You can use whole wheat or fresh ground, but reduce flour to 5 1/2 cups and increase only if the dough is too wet and won’t hold any type of shape. I’ve successfully done half whole wheat and half all-purpose at the full 6 and 1/2 cups.
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About the Author
Melissa K. Norris inspires people's faith and pioneer roots with her books, podcast, and blog. Melissa lives with her husband and two children in their own little house in the big woods in the foothills of the North Cascade Mountains. When she's not wrangling chickens and cattle, you can find her stuffing Mason jars with homegrown food and playing with flour and sugar in the kitchen.
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