No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread Recipe for Crispy Crust and Soft Crumb

Making homemade bread is a simple, rewarding way to fill your kitchen with warm, comforting aromas—and no-knead bread makes it even easier. With just a few pantry staples, a bowl, a towel, and a Dutch oven, you can bake a rustic loaf anyone will love.

🍞 How to make homemade bread

No fancy equipment is required. This recipe centers on four basic ingredients and a simple method that yields a crisp, tender loaf with minimal hands-on time.

🧾 Basic ingredients

• All-purpose flour — regular all-purpose flour works well. Avoid overpacking the cup; too much flour gives dense bread.
• Kosher salt
• RapidRise instant yeast
• Water (lukewarm)

See the recipe card below for exact measurements.

🍲 Dutch oven bread recipe

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the lukewarm water. Stir briefly with a wooden spoon—about a minute—until the mixture forms a shaggy, sticky dough. It should be wetter than typical playdough and thicker than pancake batter.

🕐 Let the dough proof

Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and leave it in a warm spot, such as a sunlit countertop. Let the dough rise for about 6–8 hours, until roughly doubled. If it’s slow to rise, small adjustments to temperature or yeast freshness can help.

Turn the dough out onto lightly floured parchment or a silicone mat. Gently deflate it, fold it a couple of times, and shape it into a loose ball—dust your hands with flour if needed. Cover and let it rise again for 1–1½ hours.

⏲️ Baking

About 30 minutes before the second rise is complete, preheat the oven to 425°F. Place your Dutch oven (with its lid) inside the oven while it heats so the pot becomes very hot.

Carefully remove the heated Dutch oven, lift the dough on the parchment into the pot, replace the lid, and return it to the oven. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake another 20 minutes or until the crust is deep golden brown.

Let the loaf cool fully on a rack before slicing to preserve texture and crumb.

⭐ Extra: No-knead garlic and herb bread

If you want to elevate the basic loaf, fold in roasted garlic, fresh herbs, and finish with olive oil and flaky salt. The method is nearly identical, with a few simple additions.

📋 Extra ingredients

• Garlic (one head)
• Fresh oregano, finely chopped
• Fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

See the recipe card below for exact quantities.

🥣 The extra steps

Toward the end of the first rise, prepare a head of garlic: remove loose papery skins, slice the top to expose the cloves, wrap the head tightly in foil, and roast at 400°F for about 30 minutes. Once cool, squeeze out the soft cloves and roughly chop them.

After the first rise, turn the dough onto parchment, gently deflate it, and sprinkle the roasted garlic and chopped herbs over the dough. Fold them into the dough a couple of times, shape into a ball, and let rise another 1–1½ hours.

Preheat the oven and hot Dutch oven as described above. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid, drizzle the loaf with olive oil, sprinkle with flaky salt, and bake an additional 20 minutes until richly browned. Cool completely on a rack before slicing.

Looking for more recipes? Try these other favorites from the same kitchen:

• No-Knead Herb Infused Ciabatta Bread
• Irish Soda Bread
• Gougeres Gruyere
• Easy Naan Bread with Garlic Butter
• Delicious, Easy, Homemade Breadcrumbs
• Linguine with Clams
• Moules Marinière (Mussels with Garlic and Parsley)
• 4-Ingredient Cacio e Pepe
• Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo
• Baked Ziti with Ricotta and Italian Sausage
• Chili con Carne
• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Did you make this Easy No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread? Let us know in the comments below!

📝 Recipe

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