This no-knead bread makes wonderfully flavorful, hearty artisan loaves using just four ingredients. It's easy and requires no special equipment.
The bread has a thick, crusty exterior and a soft crumb. In this recipe, the fermentation time allows the dough to become bubbly, moist, and slightly tangy.
The long fermentation period replaces the need for kneading. You can make one large loaf family-style or three smaller loaves, which you can bake as needed.
It's the perfect accompaniment to coffee or any meal.
![Easy No-Knead Bread (4 Ingredients)](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20720%20960'%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Method at a Glance
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and yeast. Add warm water and stir until the dough is sticky and uniformly moist.
- Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).
- Dust a baking sheet with cornmeal. Lightly dust the dough and your hands with flour, then shape the dough into a smooth ball. Place it on the baking sheet and let it rest for 40 minutes (60-90 minutes if refrigerated).
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a metal pan on the bottom rack.
- Dust the dough with flour and make a few ½-inch-deep slashes. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and fill the metal pan with one cup of boiling water.
- Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy fresh.
Tips and Variations
- This recipe makes a single large loaf for a family-style meal or can be divided into three smaller loaves.
- Active dry yeast can be used instead of instant yeast, but the dough will take longer to rise. To speed it up, dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water and let it sit for 10 minutes until frothy. Then add it to the flour and salt, and proceed with the recipe. Ensure the water is warm (about 110°F/45°C) to help activate the yeast.
- If your environment is very dry, you might need to add a bit more water to the dough.
- For a more pronounced flavor, let the dough rest longer in the refrigerator. It can improve the texture and taste.
- Be gentle when dusting the dough with flour to avoid incorporating too much into the dough, which can make it dense.
- Creating steam in the oven helps develop a crispy crust. Be cautious when adding water to the hot pan to avoid burns.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of dried herbs (like rosemary, thyme, or oregano) into the flour mixture.
See More Bread Recipes
Recipe
Easy No-Knead Bread (4 Ingredients)
Tools
- Large 6-quart bowl
Ingredients
- 845 g bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1-½ tablespoons instant dry yeast
- 710 ml lukewarm water (110°F to 115°F)
- Cornmeal , for dusting the pan
- Flour , for dusting
Instructions
- In a large 6-quart bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast. Gradually add the warm water, stirring with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, until the mixture is uniformly moist with no patches of dry flour. Shape the dough into a ball as best as you can. The dough should be quite loose and sticky. If it is too dry, add more warm water, one tablespoon at a time. If it is too wet, add more flour, one tablespoon at a time.
- Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).
- If you’re not baking immediately, refrigerate the dough for up to 2 weeks. The dough will deflate slightly; this is normal. Keep it loosely covered with plastic wrap. Do not punch down the dough at any point.
- When ready to bake, dust a sturdy baking sheet with cornmeal. Lightly dust the surface of the dough and your hands with flour. Pull out the dough, lightly coating the outside with flour to handle it without sticking. Form the dough into a smooth ball by gently stretching the surface and tucking the ends underneath. Avoid overworking the dough.
- Place the dough ball onto the prepared baking sheet. Let it rest at room temperature, uncovered, for about 40 minutes. If the dough has been refrigerated, let it rise for 60 to 90 minutes. The dough will rise slightly and may spread a bit, which is okay.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place one rack in the lowest position and one in the middle position. Place a metal pan (not glass) on the bottom rack. This will be used to create steam in the oven.
- Generously dust the dough with flour. Using a sharp knife, make a few ½-inch-deep slashes in a scallop, cross, or tic-tac-toe pattern on the dough.
- Slide the baking sheet with the dough into the oven. Carefully fill the metal pan on the bottom rack with one cup of boiling water to create steam. Do this quickly to avoid losing heat from the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes until the loaf is golden brown.
- Remove the bread from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. This bread is best enjoyed fresh on the day it is made.
Notes
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.