Fresh bread is a staple in our home and while I love to make more complicated bread with longer rise times and more ingredients, having an easy artisanal bread recipe ready to use is key when I need something quick. This no-knead recipe can be started during lunch, and finished throughout the day while I’m doing other things and is delicious.
Below you can see my artisanal bread recipe or you can get some of my other favorites like:
If you’ve ever wanted bakery-style crusty bread without fussing over kneading or complicated steps, this simple method is a game changer. It requires only basic ingredients, a bowl, and a little patience for rising time. The dough keeps well in the fridge, too, so you can bake fresh loaves throughout the week.
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Contents
Instructions for Making No-Knead Artisanal Bread
Makes: 3 medium loaves (about 10 slices each)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes
Hands-Off Rising Time: About 2 hours 40 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes active + rising
Ingredients
- 6½ cups all-purpose flour, leveled (a higher-protein flour like King Arthur works best)
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1½ tablespoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
- 3 cups warm water (approximately 100°F)
- Cornmeal for dusting (with parchment paper you can skip this if needed)
Instructions
1. Mix the Dough
In a very large bowl (around 6 quarts), combine the flour, salt, and yeast. Pour in the warm water and use a wooden spoon to bring everything together. The dough will look rough and sticky—that’s perfect. If it seems dry, splash in a bit more water; if it’s overly wet, sprinkle in a little flour.
Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for about 2 hours. The dough will rise and become bubbly. If you aren’t baking right away, you can refrigerate the dough for up to two weeks. Leave the plastic wrap loose and don’t punch the dough down; it will naturally deflate slightly in the fridge.
2. Shape a Loaf
Scatter cornmeal over a sturdy baking sheet. Lightly flour your hands and the surface of the dough, then pull off roughly one-third of it. Dust the outside of the dough ball with a little flour so it’s easier to handle, but avoid mixing more flour into the dough.
Gently stretch and tuck the dough until you create a smooth round loaf: this only takes about 30 seconds. Place it on the prepared baking sheet. Let it rest, uncovered, for about 40 minutes (or 60–90 minutes if the dough came from the refrigerator). It should puff slightly.
3. Prepare the Oven
Set one oven rack to the lower position and one in the center. Place a metal pan (not glass) on the lower rack—this will be used later to create steam. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
4. Score and Bake
Dust the top of the dough generously with flour. Using a sharp knife, cut a few ½-inch-deep slashes—use any pattern you like.
Slide the baking sheet onto the middle rack, then quickly pour about 1 cup of hot tap water into the pan on the bottom rack. Close the door immediately to trap the steam. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden.
Let the loaf cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Storage Tips
This bread tastes best the day it’s baked. If you’ve sliced it, store it cut-side-down on a board and leave it uncovered. For longer storage, freeze slices or whole loaves for up to a month. Wrap well before freezing.
Freezing the Dough
After the initial 2-hour rise, divide the dough into three portions and freeze each in an airtight container for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then shape and bake as usual.
Yeast Notes
Active dry yeast can be substituted. To speed up its rise, dissolve it in the warm water first and let it sit about 10 minutes, until foamy, before adding it to the flour mixture.
Flour Notes
If using a lower-protein all-purpose flour (like Gold Medal), you may need to add a few extra tablespoons to achieve the right dough consistency.
Ingredients
Method
- In a very large bowl (around 6 quarts), combine the flour, salt, and yeast. Pour in the warm water and use a wooden spoon to bring everything together. The dough will look rough and sticky: that’s perfect. If it seems dry, splash in a bit more water; if it’s overly wet, sprinkle in a little flour. You don't need to knead this dough, but I will often mix this in a stand mixer and let the dough hook mix for a few minutes.
- Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for about 2 hours. The dough will rise and become bubbly. If you aren’t baking right away, you can refrigerate the dough for up to two weeks. Leave the plastic wrap loose and don’t punch the dough down; it will naturally deflate slightly in the fridge.
- Scatter cornmeal over a sturdy baking sheet. Lightly flour your hands and the surface of the dough, then pull off roughly one-half of it. Dust the outside of the dough ball with a little flour so it’s easier to handle
- Gently stretch and tuck the dough until you create a smooth round loaf—this only takes about 30 seconds. Place it on the prepared baking sheet. Let it rest, uncovered, for about 40 minutes (or 60–90 minutes if the dough came from the refrigerator). It should puff slightly.
- Set one oven rack to the lower position and one in the center. Place a metal pan (not glass) on the lower rack to create steam. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Dust the top of the dough generously with flour. Using a sharp knife, cut a few ½-inch-deep slashes: use any pattern you like.
- Slide the baking sheet onto the middle rack, then quickly pour about 1 cup of hot tap water into the pan on the bottom rack. Close the door immediately to trap the steam. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden.
- Let the loaf cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
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