Dutch Oven No Knead Bread

There’s a point in the summer when I crave being back in the kitchen. After spring and an early summer season spent with my hands full of dirt from planting and gardening, I need to get my hands full of flour to create something delicious like this Dutch Oven No Knead Bread recipe.

And, there’s always a point when I can feel summer shift. When the school supply aisle returns, the sun starts setting earlier again, the nights start to cool off – when you know the dog days of summer are just a gateway to the promise of fall when baking will be in full swing again. Maybe that’s why this is the time of year I stop thinking about salads and start thinking about baking again. The warmth, the coziness and the comfort are all calling out to me and beckoning me to bake.

Sunday meals

On Sundays in particular, I love to cook and bake and make sure we have a nice meal. That usually includes pasta and this Dutch Oven No Knead Bread recipe. The kids love this meal because it’s full of carbs that give their little bodies fuel. I love this day because it’s the one day each week when I allow myself to indulge in carbs without feeling guilty (sort of). But most of all, I love it because it makes them happy.

For me growing up, Sundays were a day for family. If we ate at home, my dad cooked. It was the one day each week he didn’t work and he loved being in the kitchen as much as I do. If he wasn’t cooking, it’s because we went to his mom’s (my grandma’s) for dinner. She was a lover of Bon Appetite Magazine and would like to try new recipes from each month’s issue. No matter what, Sundays were the days for home cooked things.

This past Sunday I spent hours in the kitchen. Not only did I make this Dutch Oven No Knead Bread recipe, but I also make Homemade Strawberry Jam and Tortellini & Prosciutto Pasta Salad with homemade dressing for dinner. Overall, it was a Sunday well spent baking, mixing and whirling together food for the people I love most.

The magic of Dutch Oven No Knead Bread

I’m not sure what it is about Dutch Oven No Knead Bread that always feels so magical to me. Maybe it’s because it always looks like it’s difficult to make but in reality, it’s one of the easiest things you’ll ever make. You don’t have to be an artisan bread maker to make a loaf of Dutch Oven No Knead Bread that looks like a masterpiece. It surely has something to do with the cozy feeling it invokes.

But truly, there are no crazy tricks with this bread. No 10-day starters like it’s high maintenance sibling Sourdough Bread. There’s no equipment that’s too outrageous for someone who enjoys cooking and baking. No fancy ingredients to hunt down in specialty grocery stores. Dutch Oven No Knead Bread is as basic as they come, and quite frankly, sometimes basic is all you need. It’s perfection without all the fluff. This is a recipe for real people that real people can make.

What is Dutch Oven No Knead bread?

Dutch Oven No Knead Bread is bread that is cooked in a Dutch oven – a large pot commonly used for soups and stews – that doesn’t require a lot of work to make it delicious. Unlike most breads (Sourdough), you don’t need to spend anytime kneading this bread with your hands. In fact, all you have to do is mix it, shape it and bake it.

The dough for Dutch Oven No Knead Bread is sticky and doesn’t need a second set of time to rise. It has less holes than an artisan loaf of Sourdough, but I appreciate then when I want to use it for a sandwich or to go along with some of the Homemade Strawberry Jam.

The texture of the bread is very consistent, moist and will have your family eating every piece. If we ever have any left an hour after I let my family eat it, it’s because I stopped them from gorging themselves on it before dinner. 🙂

How to make Dutch Oven No Knead Bread

Making Dutch Oven No Knead bread is simple. The only ingredients you need are water, yeast, flour and salt. I use bread flour in this recipe for a denser loaf, but you can also use all-purpose flour too. Leave the whole wheat flour for the Sourdough bread.

The only equipment you need is a mixer, a bowl, a Dutch oven, parchment paper, a cookie sheet and potholders. Why am I calling out potholders? They’re a necessity. Please make sure you have two ready to go so you don’t burn yourself.

I recommend using a stand mixer for the Dutch oven no knead bread recipe if you have it. It just makes for easier mixing. However, you can do it with a good hand mixer too.

Also, you can make this without a Dutch oven. You can use any oven-safe pot (up to 450 degrees) with a good fitting lid. The Dutch oven is used most commonly when making any kind of crusty bread because the way it helps to create a humid environment for the crust.

Tips for making Dutch Oven No Knead Bread

• I recommend using bread flour for this recipe. This has a greater gluten content than all-purpose flour and it allows you to work with it more easily. If you use all-purpose flour then be aware your dough will be VERY, VERY sticky. It will still work, but you won’t be able to score the bread (or at least I couldn’t) because it doesn’t hold up as well as bread made with bread flour. I’ve not tried to make this with whole wheat flour yet but you could try that too.
• I strongly recommend using a mixer for this recipe like the one I have {HERE}. However, if you have a really great hand mixer you may be able to get by just using that.
• Again, I do also recommend using a Dutch Oven to make the Dutch Oven No Knead Bread. It really works the best and is a great investment piece. I use it to make bread, soups, stews, roasted chicken and more. We have one just like this {HERE}.
• You will need to warm the Dutch Oven in the oven ahead of time so make sure to use really good oven mitts. Knit ones always look nice but I’ve found that my fingers get hot quickly when the pot has been cooking at 450 degrees. PLEASE DON’T BURN YOURSELF! I use silicone mitts similar to these {HERE}.
• Put a pan of water on a cookie sheet under the pot. This will help to create a more humid environment for the crust of the bread. I add the sheet pan and pour the water on it as soon as I put the bread in. Don’t put it in ahead of time or when you open the oven to remove your pot for the bread all the steam will escape.
• Let the bread cool for at least one hour, possibly two. I know it’s a long time but if you cut it when it’s warm the bread will be a bit doughy and gummy. Allow the process to finish out.

What to eat with Dutch Oven No Knead Bread

Everything! Or eat it by itself. This makes a great side for any pasta dish and all soups and stews. However, it rarely makes it that far because my family likes to eat it all the second they can slice it. My favorite way to eat it is with this Homemade Strawberry Jam {HERE}. This is a simple jam recipe that you can either can or just keep in the refrigerator for a few weeks. It also tastes amazing with this Whipped Cranberry Butter {HERE}.

I also think this bread is wonderful for sandwiches. It’s not Sourdough Bread so the holes won’t be big and see-through. It’s a nice, full and firm bread that can sandwich some delicious deli meat or even be toasted for a panini or grilled cheese!

Thank you so much for visiting today, friends! If you would like to see other bread recipes from the farm, click {HERE}. If you are interested in Sourdough Bread, you can find the recipe I follow {HERE} and tips for making a Sourdough Starter {HERE}.

We hope to see you again soon!

P.S. Does anyone miss seeing house things? I swear we will get back to those projects soon. And maybe the basement renovation will be completed sometime this year…maybe…

Dutch Oven No Knead Bread

This Dutch Oven No Knead Bread is a delicious recipe that can be made in less than a day and pairs well with any meal, makes a great sandwich or is the perfect snack!

5 from 17 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, bread, brunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Dutch oven bread, Dutch oven no knead bread, homemade bread, no knead bread

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 1 large loaf

Author: Rachel

Equipment

• Stand mixer
• Dutch oven
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 cups bread flour
• 1/2 Tbsp. sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups hot water
• 1 packet of Active Dry Yeast This is equivalent to 2 1/2 teaspoons.

Instructions

• Mix together the water, salt and yeast in the mixing bowl and mix with a whisk until the yeast and salt are dissolved.
• Add the flour to the mixing bowl and mix together using the dough hook on the mixer. use a silicon spatula to scrape the side if needed. It will take just a few minutes to combine everything.
• Cover the bowl with cheese cloth or a tea towel and place in a warm spot that is not in direct sun. I like to use both cheese cloth with a rubber band and a tea towel.
• Let the dough rise 2-3 hours. If you decide to not make it after 3 hours you can put it in the refrigerator for a day or two. If you refrigerate, you need to let the dough come back to room temperature before baking it.
• About 30 minutes before the rising is completed, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with the Dutch Oven inside on the middle rack.
• When the rise time is over, lay out a piece of parchment paper and flour the service. Flour the top of the dough too and then roll the dough onto the parchment paper.
• Flour your hands and lightly shape the dough. You DO NOT need to knead the dough. Just shape it very lightly so you don't impact the rise too much.
• Score the dough anyway you like and get a cookie sheet ready plus 1 cup of water.
• Using the oven mitts, remove the Dutch Oven from the oven and remove the top. Pick up the edges of the parchment paper and stick the paper and the dough in the Dutch Oven. Cover with the lid and then place it back in the oven.
• Put the cookie sheet below the Dutch Oven and pour the cup of water onto the cookie sheet. Close the oven.
• Bake for 35 minutes.
• After 35 minutes, put on an oven mitt and remove the lid to the Dutch Oven. Bake for another 10 minutes.
• Using the oven mitts, remove the pot from the oven and take the bread out of the Dutch Oven with the parchment paper and put it on a cooling rack.
• Let it cool 1 hour and then enjoy!