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No-Knead Bread (Crusty Dutch Oven Loaf)

No-Knead Bread (Crusty Dutch Oven Loaf)

Homemade bread with a crisp crust and an airy inside, with no kneading and no effort. Start the night before.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 14 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 1 loaf
Course: Breads & Rolls
Cuisine: Israeli
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups (500 g) bread flour
  • ¼ teaspoon (2 g) instant yeast
  • 2 teaspoons (10 g) salt
  • 1½ cups + 1 tablespoon (375 ml) lukewarm water

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the water and stir gently with a spoon until you have a sticky, even dough.
  2. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature (about 68°F / 20°C) for 12–14 hours, until the dough has doubled and is full of bubbles.
  3. Gently turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Stretch each side outward and fold it into the center, until you have a ball.
  4. Place it smooth side up on a piece of parchment paper. Cover and let rise for about 1 hour.
  5. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 480°F (250°C) with a suitable pot (such as a Dutch oven) inside, for 30 minutes.
  6. When the pot is very hot, lift the dough by the parchment paper and lower it into the pot.
  7. Bake covered for 25 minutes. Remove the lid, lower the heat to 425°F (220°C), and bake another 10–15 minutes, until the bread is golden and crisp.
  8. Cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Notes

Tips for the best crust
  • Give the pot the full 30 minutes in the oven. A very hot pot is what creates the crisp crust.
  • Use the parchment paper as a sling. It makes moving the dough into the hot pot much safer.
  • Wait the full hour before slicing. The inside keeps cooking as it cools.
  • In a warm kitchen, the first rise may be faster. Look for doubled, bubbly dough.
Substitutions
  • Bread flour → all-purpose flour (same amount; a slightly softer, less chewy crumb).
  • Dutch oven → any heavy, oven-safe pot with a lid.