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The Best (easiest) No Knead Bread. Crusty on the outside, light and airy inside, with just a little rosemary swirled throughout. It’s the easiest bread recipe, yet still impressive. It’s best served warm right out of the oven with softened butter and a sprinkling of sea salt. Serve alongside your favorite soups, chili, pasta dishes, with roasted chicken, or even on its own. This is certainly sure to become a weekly staple!
Every time I make a pot of soup or chili or even a creamy curry, I also make a homemade bread recipe. Many times I’ll go for everyone’s favorite, honey butter beer bread. And if I’m making Indian, I always, always make naan.
But on snowy Sundays in January, I make my no-knead bread. I’ve been making this for years, sometimes with rosemary, it’s delish with or without.
We LOVE it. But my no-knead bread isn’t like others. I have a little secret.
Instead of water, I use beer, which I think enhances the flavor of the bread. You don’t know it’s there, but it gives the bread more of a sourdough flavor, just without all the work.
Kind of like a “cheaters” sourdough bread in a way.
If you have my Super Simple cookbook, I use this recipe for my pizza dough too. Either way, it’s baked up, it’s delicious. But We really LOVE it as bread (plus I have a new and improved pizza dough that I’ve been making all the time now).
Here are details
Step 1: mix the dough
Using a large bowl and dough hook or just a wooden spoon, mix flour with instant yeast, you could also use active dry yeast, fresh rosemary (if you like), and salt. Now, pour over a room-temperature can/bottle of beer. If you don’t drink, use 1 1/2 cups warm water.
Mix just until the dough comes together. Do not do any kneading!
Step 2: let that dough hang out
Now, cover the dough with a towel and let it hang out on the counter in a nice warm spot for at least 12 hours. I usually let the dough sit overnight or even over two nights for more flavor.
Step 3: bake
Preheat the oven to 450°. Place a cast iron Dutch oven into the oven to preheat. Get it nice and HOT.
Shape the dough into a ball or an oval. Let it rise on a piece of parchment paper while the oven is heating. When ready, you can lift the parchment and the dough up and into the hot Dutch oven.
And then you bake it. Nothing fancy at all. Not even a stand mixer. We love this bread. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.
Step 4: enjoy it
Slice with a sharp knife. Of course, we love this bread most when it’s fresh from the oven. Topped with really good butter and a small amount of sea salt – so yum!
Or serve it up with dinner. Soups, chilis, and slow-roasted meats are our favorites. Or use it for avocado toast. For sandwiches, the options certainly are endless.
Looking for other breads to make? Here are a few to try:
Salted Honey Butter Jalapeño Cheddar Rolls
Jalapeño Cheddar Popovers with Honey Butter
Soft Garlic Herb Cheddar Cheese Bread
Easy Pull Apart Garlic Parmesan Bread
Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Soft Pretzels
Lastly, if you make this The Best (easiest) No Knead Bread, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
The Best (easiest) No Knead Bread
Servings: 1 loaf
Calories Per Serving: 1450 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast (rapid rise)
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 (12 ounce) can or bottle room temperature beer (or 1 1/2 cups warm water)
Instructions
- 1. In a bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, rosemary (if using), and salt. Add the beer and mix with a spatula until combined. Cover the bowl and let sit at room temperature for at least 12 hours, but ideally overnight. 2. Preheat oven to 450° F. Place a large Dutch oven in the oven to preheat for 30 minutes. 3. Generously dust a work surface with flour. Scrape the dough out of the bowl. It should be loose and sticky. Form the dough into a ball and place on a piece of parchment. Cover and allow to rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size. 3. When ready, carefully lift the dough and the parchment and place in the Dutch oven. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking until the bread is a deep, golden brown, about 15-20 minutes more. Remove from the oven. Enjoy with softened butter and sea salt. YUM!
This post was originally published on January 16, 2024
Can I make this with only a 1-2 hr rise time instead? Or do you have another easy bread I can make in a few hours?
Hi Linda,
You definitely want to let this sit for at least 12 hours. You could try this recipe if you are short on time:
https://fett-weg.today/cheaters-no-knead-dutch-oven-sourdough-bread/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> I hope this helps! xT
This is a fantastic bread recipe!! I doubled the recipe for a baby shower dinner party. Served with aged balsamic and local olive oil, YUM! A slice of leftover bread the following morning with avocado and a poached egg drizzled with lemon olive oil was a hit, too!! I wish I had enough to make croutons!! Fabulous and so easy! This will be my new go-to! Why waste time making labor-intensive breads when this is so fabulous? I love the overnight rise. 5 stars for ease, 5 stars for flavor, and 5 stars for being creative, Tieghan.
Hi Kym,
Wonderful! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it turned out well! Have a beautiful Sunday! xx
Do you bake the bread at 450 ?
We are away and I only have access to a large casserole dish. I thought I could make a lid out of aluminum foil. Thoughts?
Hi Brenda,
Yes, you are going to bake the bread at 450F. Yes, the aluminum foil should work nicely for you. I hope you love this recipe! xx
If making with water instead of beer do i still need to let it rise for 12 hours? I love all your recipes. You’re amazing!
Thank you, Lauren:) Yes, you will want to keep the recipe as is. I hope you love this bread!
How come this recipe is different than the one in the book? It doesn’t say anything about letting the bread rise for an hour covered in the book.
Hi Jessica,
The recipes in the cookbooks are not the same as the recipes online:) Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
Would whole wheat flour work in place of all purpose flour in this recipe?
Hi Cam,
Sure, that should work nicely for you. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
If you refrigerate the dough how long do you let it sit before putting in oven
Hi Tarsi,
I would give it at least an hour. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
This was super easy and was so delicious!
Would love to know how to be able to tell if it’s proofed enough/too much and similarly when it’s done. I took a guess on it being ready by the crust and it was good enough for us.
I also did get a bit of a crust when I overnight proofed with a damp towel, not sure if that’s expected or a bad thing but I went with it.
Hi Sydney,
Amazing! Thank you for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it was enjoyed! I would say when the dough has doubled in size it has proofed enough. Try using a plastic wrap next time to avoid that crust. I hope this helps! xxT
Can I bake this in a Bread Cloche ?
Hi Karen,
As long as it is oven safe, I don’t see why not. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try! xx
I followed the directions exactly. After sitting in a warm spot with a towel over it for 24 hours, I turned the dough out to form it and get it ready to cook. Where did that hard skin on top come from? I am so disappointed! I had to throw out my dough. How can I make this bread without the skin forming before baking?
Hi Melanie,
So sorry to hear this. Next time, I would use plastic wrap or a damp dish towel to avoid getting the skin on your dough. I hope this helps! xx
Tieghan, I only have a 4 qt. dutch oven: could I halve all the ingredients to yield a smaller loaf, or would the full recipe possibly still work? Thank you!
Hi there,
I think the full recipe should be just fine for you in the 4 qt dutch oven. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Hi! what would be your recommendation if we don’t have a dutch oven? Would a big pot work with a lid?
Hi Olivia,
Sure, as long as it is oven safe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
this recipe looks great! unfortunately i can’t eat gluten so i am wondering your thoughts on using various types of gf flour, and which might be the best substitute. just swap the ap flour for basic gf flour? thanks for any help!
Hi Jessica,
I think a basic GF flour like Bob’s Red Mill should work nicely for you. I hope you love this recipe! Happy New Year!!🎆 xxT
This was my first attempt at making homemade bread! I was a bit intimidated but Tieghan; I’m happy to report this recipe was a TOTAL WIN!!! Delicious! You are correct; slice it warm and add butter!! 5 stars all the way! Thank you!!
Hey Sandy,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Have the best week! xxT
I was wondering the same thing! How did it turn out with GF flour?
Thx
Hi, I am looking for a bread recipe you used to have on your website. It called for 6 cups flour, 3 cups of water, kosher salt and 1.5tbsp yeast. It makes 3 loaves of bread. I have made it before but I can no longer find it on your website. It is a family favourite.
Hello! I don’t have instant yeast, but I do have active dry yeast. Usually I let it sit in warm water to activate, but this recipe doesn’t call for water at any point. Could I warm the beer up and let the yeast sit in it for a bit? Should I stick to using water? Thanks for the help
Hey Jaime,
Sure, just follow the package instructions for proofing your yeast and then you can follow the recipe as written. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Mine did not double in size 🙁 i let it sit overnight plus when it said let double in size for 1hr before putting in oven, i let it sit for 1 1/2hrs & still did not double …
Hi Sarah,
So sorry to hear this. Was your yeast expired by chance? Did you use warm water or beer? Let me know how I can help! xxT