This easy Dutch oven bread is a no-knead recipe, meaning you can simply stir together the ingredients, let the dough rise, then bake it! It’s so simple but the results are delicious.

dutch oven bread
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I love fresh bread. A few years ago, Alex went through a sourdough baking phase before we had kids and it was wonderful. But these days, we’re busy with a toddler and it’s been too much work to keep a sourdough starter alive. But I found myself craving fresh bread, so I looked for an easier way. Luckily, I found the magic of no-knead Dutch oven bread. There are a lot of recipes out there. (I was inspired by this one from Jo Cooks which was inspired by this one from the New York Times.) I’ve made variations of this style of bread dozens of times so I thought I’d share my own!

If you love this bread, be sure to try my vegan naan, cottage cheese breadsticks, or this Turkish bread.

How to Make No-Knead Bread

Let me start by saying I’m more of a cook than a baker. I don’t love the science that is often required in baking. I’d rather add a little of this and a little of that. But this Dutch oven bread is perfect because it’s not really an exact science and it’s very hard to mess up. The trick is to let it rise for a long time, at least 8 hours or overnight. This eliminates the need for kneading the dough. By cooking it in a dutch oven, we can get a nice crispy crust with a soft interior. In my opinion, that’s the best kind of bread!

What Kind of Yeast Do I Need?

I used active dry yeast. Normally, this type of yeast needs to be dissolved in water, but in this case we can just add it to the flour. Be sure your yeast isn’t too old, or the bread won’t rise. I keep my yeast in the fridge to help it last longer. You can find active dry yeast in the baking aisle, sold in packets or glass jars.

The Best Dutch Oven for Bread Baking

A Dutch oven is a cast iron pot with a lid. It’s oven-safe so it’s perfect for baking. I have a small 4 qt dutch oven and a large 12 qt dutch oven. Both work just fine for baking bread. The important thing is to ensure it’s oven safe and that it has a lid. Be sure to put the dutch oven in the oven while the oven is preheating.

How to Make Dutch Oven Bread



You’ll need flour, water,
yeast, and salt.


In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the water and stir until combined.


Cover with a towel and allow the dough to rise for 7-8 hours.
Preheat oven and dutch oven to 450 degrees. Bake in a preheated Dutch oven pot for 30 minutes.
Uncover and continue to bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Let the bread cool, then slice and enjoy.

Tips for Perfect No Knead Dutch Oven Bread

  • Parchment paper makes it easy to place the dough in the preheated dutch oven. It also helps prevent the bread from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  • You may need to remove a rack from the oven in order to fit the Dutch oven inside. Arrange the rack so that the pot is in the center of the oven for the even baking.
  • You need to preheat the Dutch oven before baking the bread. This can be done while the oven preheats.

How to Store Leftover Bread

This bread is best enjoyed within the first couple of days. To store leftover bread, keep it in a cloth bag at room temperature, cut side down. To freeze leftovers, I recommend slicing the bread into thick slices and then freezing the sliced bread in a zipper-top freezer bag. When you’re ready to enjoy it, toast the slices in a toaster until warm.

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dutch oven bread

Easy Dutch Oven Bread

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Rise Time: 8 hours
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 9 hours
  • Yield: 1 loaf 1x
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This easy Dutch oven bread is a no-knead recipe, meaning you can simply stir together the ingredients, let the dough rise, and then bake it! It’s so simple but the results are delicious!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, and salt.
  2. Add the water and stir until combined. (You can just stir it using a large wooden spoon. You don’t need to knead the dough.)
  3. Cover with a towel and allow the dough to rise for 7-8 hours or overnight.
  4. When you’re ready to bake the bread, move the oven rack to a lower position in order to allow a Dutch oven pot to fit in the middle of the oven.
  5. Place the Dutch oven with lid in the oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  6. Lightly dust your hands with flour and transfer the dough to a square of parchment paper.
  7. Using oven mitts, carefully remove the preheated Dutch oven, take off the lid, and lower the parchment paper with the dough into the pot.
  8. Cover with the lid and transfer the pot into the oven. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
  9. Remove the Dutch oven lid and continue to bake for 15 minutes or until the bread has a golden brown crust.
  10. Let the bread cool, then slice and enjoy.