5 Easy No-Knead Bread Recipes

Fresh bread is the epitome of comfort and an excellent accompaniment to a big breakfast, warming soup, or satisfying dinner. Because we love a good loaf with any meal, we feel it is our mission to encourage you to bake, as well. After all, homemade bread is glorious. Feeling insecure about your baking abilities? Give one of these easy no-knead bread variations a shot, and it won’t be a concern ever again.

If you’re unfamiliar with no-knead bread, it is, as the name implies, a bread that does not require any kneading. You combine flour, salt, yeast, and warm water, let your dough rise while you tackle your daily to-dos, form it into a loaf, and bake it in a preheated Dutch oven. There’s almost no effort involved, and it is one of those simple delicacies that are virtually impossible to mess up. By the end of the day, you have fresh homemade bread to show for it. Without further ado, here are five no-knead bread recipes to get you excited to bake.

Bread With Cheddar and Jalapeño

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (450 g) flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ¾ tsp active dry yeast
• 1 ½ cup water
• 4 oz (120 g) cheddar
• 4 oz (120 g) Parmesan
• 1 jalapeño
• 3 scallions

Instructions:

1. Combine flour, salt, and yeast in a bowl. Make an indentation in the middle and add warm water; stir thoroughly. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 7 hours.
2. Next, dice cheddar and grate Parmesan, slice jalapeño and chop scallions.
3. Transfer the dough onto parchment paper dusted with flour.
4. Sprinkle the dough with the cheeses, jalapeño, and scallions. Fold the dough several times to incorporate.
5. Carefully turn the dough over and shape it into a ball before covering with a towel and letting rise until doubled in size (approximately an hour).
6. Half an hour before the dough is ready for baking, place a Dutch oven with its lid in the oven and start heating it to 450 °F.
7. Carefully transfer the dough inside the Dutch oven. Cover with the lid, return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
8. Uncover and bake until the top is browned (approximately 15 minutes).

Bread With Rosemary and Olives

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (450 g) flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ¾ tsp active dry yeast
• 1 cup Kalamata olives
• ½ cup Calvestrano olives
• 1 ½ cup water
• 1 shallot
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs

Instructions:

1. Combine flour, salt, and yeast in a bowl. Make an indentation in the middle and add halved, pitted olives and warm water; stir thoroughly. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 7 hours.
2. Next, finely chop shallot and rosemary sprigs.
3. Transfer the dough onto parchment paper dusted with flour.
4. Sprinkle the dough with the cheeses, jalapeño, and scallions. Fold the dough several times to incorporate.
5. Carefully turn the dough over and shape it into a ball before covering with a towel and letting rise until doubled in size (approximately an hour).
6. Half an hour before the dough is ready for baking, place a Dutch oven with its lid in the oven and start heating it to 450 °F.
7. Carefully transfer the dough inside the Dutch oven. Cover with the lid, return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
8. Uncover and bake until the top is browned (approximately 15 minutes).

Bread With Cinnamon and Raisins

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (450 g) flour
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ¾ tsp active dry yeast
• 1 ½ cup water

Instructions:

1. Combine flour, raisins, dried cranberries, orange zest, 1 teaspoon sugar, cinnamon, salt, and yeast in a bowl. Make an indentation in the middle and add warm water; stir thoroughly. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 7 hours.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining sugar with ground cinnamon.
3. Sprinkle parchment paper with the cinnamon sugar and transfer the dough onto it. Sprinkle it with more cinnamon sugar.
4. Fold the dough a couple of times to incorporate.
5. Carefully turn the dough over and shape it into a ball before sprinkling with more cinnamon sugar, covering with a towel and letting rise until doubled in size (approximately an hour).
6. Half an hour before the dough is ready for baking, place a Dutch oven with its lid in the oven and start heating it to 450 °F.
7. Carefully transfer the dough inside the Dutch oven. Cover with the lid, return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
8. Uncover and bake until the top is browned (approximately 15 minutes).

Bread With Seeds

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (450 g) flour
• 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 3 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• 2 tsp flax seeds
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ¾ tsp active dry yeast
• 1 ½ cup water

Instructions:

1. Combine flour, 2 tablespoons of pumpkin and sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, and sesame seeds, salt, and yeast in a bowl. Make an indentation in the middle and add warm water; stir thoroughly. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 7 hours.
2. Transfer the dough onto parchment paper dusted with flour.
3. Fold the dough a couple of times.
4. Carefully turn the dough over and shape it into a ball before sprinkling with the remaining sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. Cover the dough with a towel and let rise until doubled in size (approximately an hour).
5. Half an hour before the dough is ready for baking, place a Dutch oven with its lid in the oven and start heating it to 450 °F.
6. Carefully transfer the dough inside the Dutch oven. Cover with the lid, return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
7. Uncover and bake until the top is browned (approximately 15 minutes).

Bread With Roasted Garlic and Herbs

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (450 g) flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ¾ tsp active dry yeast
• 1 ½ cup water
• a garlic head
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp flaky salt

Instructions:

1. Combine flour, salt, and yeast in a bowl. Make an indentation in the middle and add warm water; stir thoroughly. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 7 hours.
2. Peel the excess papery skins from the garlic head and slice a bit off the top to reveal the cloves. Wrap the garlic in aluminum foil and roast at 400 ºF until tender (approximately half an hour). Let cool before squeezing the cloves out of their skins. Set aside.
3. Transfer the dough onto parchment paper dusted with flour. Sprinkle with the roasted garlic and herbs. Fold the dough several times to incorporate.
4. Carefully turn the dough over and shape it into a ball before covering with a towel and letting rise until doubled in size (approximately an hour).
5. Half an hour before the dough is ready for baking, place a Dutch oven with its lid in the oven and start heating it to 450 °F.
6. Carefully transfer the dough inside the Dutch oven, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt. Cover with the lid, return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
7. Uncover and bake until the top is browned (approximately 15 minutes).

Once you’ve mastered these recipes, you’ll see how flexible the method of making no-knead bread is. Did this article manage to make you feel inspired to bake? Which of these no-knead bread recipes are you most excited to try? Please tell us in the comments section below, as we’d love to know.

Valerie

I am an English major with a love of languages and fiction, and with an incurable travel bug. In my free time, I read fantasy, drink copious amounts of coffee, and like to go see movies. Culinary art means everything to me. My main hypostasis is the taster, though. The music school has taught me to appreciate the symphony of airy meringues, to create harmonious overtures of light snacks, hard rock of meat, fish, and vegetables on the grill. Choir classes have accustomed me to hear and feel the people nearby and create perfect harmonies of sounds.