Description
This Best No Knead Artisan Bread recipe delivers a crusty, golden loaf with minimal effort. Using simple ingredients and a long fermentation time, this bread develops great flavor and texture without the need for kneading. Perfect for home bakers looking for an easy way to make bakery-quality artisan bread in their oven.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast (or instant yeast)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water (about 110°F)
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, coarse sea salt, and active dry yeast to evenly distribute the yeast and salt throughout the flour.
- Add Water and Form Dough: Pour the warm water into the dry mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
- First Rise: Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for 12-18 hours. The dough will rise and show bubbles on the surface, indicating fermentation.
- Preheat Oven and Pot: After the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Place a Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot with lid inside the oven and heat for 30 minutes to get it very hot.
- Shape the Dough: Lightly flour a clean surface and gently turn out the dough onto it. Shape the dough into a round loaf, being careful not to deflate it too much.
- Transfer to Hot Pot: Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Place the shaped dough into the pot and cover it with the lid immediately.
- Bake Covered: Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on, which traps steam and helps develop the crust.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 10-15 minutes until the crust is a deep golden brown and crisp.
- Cool: Carefully remove the bread from the pot and place it on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. This resting period improves crumb texture.
Notes
- Using a Dutch oven or oven-safe pot creates steam, essential for a crispy crust.
- Warm water should be about 110°F to activate the yeast without killing it.
- Do not skip the long rise; it develops the bread’s flavor and texture.
- Letting the bread cool fully before slicing prevents it from becoming gummy.
- You can use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast without proofing; just mix it with dry ingredients.
