Simple No-Knead Bread (No Dutch Oven Needed!)

All you need are four basic ingredients to make this easy, hands-off loaf of bread. A few minutes of mixing + a long rise make this recipe foolproof. This recipe for no-knead bread needs no stand mixer, no special tools, and is shockingly easy. If you have a bowl and a spoon, you can do this.

sliced loaf showing interior crumb.

The secret to this easy loaf of bread is the long rise at room temperature. Mix up the dough in the morning and let it sit all day before shaping and rising for one hour more. This wet dough and the long rise combine to develop proteins and gluten without kneading.

To be honest, the science of it all isn’t terribly important. All you need to know is how to make it. Let’s get started.

Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need

I highly recommend buying a one-pound block of instant yeast and storing it in a mason jar in your freezer. It will last a long time and is easier to measure out.

overhead view of ingredients.
  • 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons water (add more by the teaspoon if dough is too dry)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon instant or active dry yeast

If you’d like to double or triple this recipe, or use metric measurements, you can make adjustments in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How to Make Basic No-Knead Bread

This no-knead bread uses an easy steam method, pouring water onto a hot baking sheet, to mimic a Dutch oven. If you have a Dutch oven, by all means use that!

Mix the dough

Start by stirring together the flour, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Add the water and use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix until a shaggy, rough dough forms. It should look messy and sticky, but it should come together into one ball. If it feels too dry or there’s flour that won’t mix in, add a teaspoon or two of water and stir again.

Dry ingredients and water in a bowl with a wooden spoon.
I added about 1 teaspoon of water because of the dry spots in the dough

No need to knead, just make sure everything is incorporated and the dough is holding together.

Let it rise overnight

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature for about 10 to 12 hours. Overnight is perfect.

Puffed-up dough in a bowl after overnight rise.

When it’s ready, the dough will be puffed up, jiggly, and full of bubbles. If you poke it gently, your finger will leave an indentation that slowly fills in. If your kitchen is chilly, give it a little more time. This slow rise is doing all the work for you.

Shape the dough

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it well with cooking spray. Gently turn the dough out onto the counter or scoop it directly from the bowl. Tuck the edges under to shape it into a rough ball, no need to overthink it.

Dough being shaped by hand into a ball.

Try not to deflate it too much while shaping. Just aim for a smooth-ish top and a round shape that holds together.

Let it proof again and prep the oven

Place the covered dough in a warm, draft-free spot for about 45 minutes. A turned-off oven with the light on or a bowl of hot water inside works well. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap that’s been sprayed with nonstick spray so it doesn’t stick to the surface as it rises.

The dough should look puffier and feel soft to the touch, though it doesn’t need to double in size.

Dough on a baking sheet covered loosely with plastic wrap.

While the dough is proofing, place an empty baking sheet on the bottom rack of your oven. This will be your steam tray, and it needs to be hot before baking.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. (Not with the dough inside!)

Dust with. flour and score

Use a very sharp knife or bread lame to slash an X on top, about ¼ inch deep.

Shaped dough with flour and score marks on parchment paper.

You can try a heart, zig-zag, or initial if you’re feeling creative.

Bake with steam

Carefully pour about 1 cup of hot water into the hot baking sheet in the oven. This creates steam that helps the bread rise quickly and develop a crusty exterior, similar to what you’d get using a Dutch oven. Quickly put the loaf in and shut the door.

Water being poured into a hot pan in the oven.

The finished loaf should be a deep golden brown, and if you tap it, it should sound hollow. If you have a thermometer, you’re looking for an internal temperature of about 200°F. If the crust starts browning too fast, you can tent it loosely with foil toward the end.

Let it cool

Transfer the baked loaf to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. This helps the inside finish setting and keeps the crumb from getting gummy.

finished sliced no knead loaf.

Storage Instructions

Let the bread cool completely, then store at room temperature in a paper bag or wrapped in a clean towel for up to 2 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze in a zip-top bag.

Printable Recipe

Basic No-Knead Bread (No Dutch Oven!)

If you’re new to bread baking, this no-knead loaf is the perfect place to start. It has a beautifully chewy texture, a golden crust, and takes just minutes of hands-on time to pull together.
Print Recipe
sliced oval loaf.
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:40 minutes
Rising Time:12 hours
Total Time:13 hours 10 minutes

Equipment

  • 1 Mixing bowl
  • 1 Rubber spatula
  • 1 Baking Sheet
  • 1 Parchment paper or cooking spray
  • 1 Plastic Wrap

Ingredients

  • 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup + 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon instant or active dry yeast

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Instructions

  • Mix. Mix flour, salt, yeast, and water in a large bowl until a shaggy dough forms. Add more water if needed to bring it together.
  • First Rise. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature for 10–12 hours, until puffy and doubled.
  • Shape. Line a baking sheet or spray it with cooking spray. Gently shape the dough into a ball and place it on the sheet. Slash the top with a sharp knife.
  • Second Rise. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes, until puffy.
  • Bake. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake the loaf for 25-35 minutes, until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200°F.
  • Cool. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

You can experiment with different slashing patterns—try a zig-zag, initial, or heart design.
Nutrition info is for ⅒th of the loaf.
Try adding a handful of shredded cheese, chopped fresh herbs, or a teaspoon of minced garlic when mixing. Just keep add-ins under 1 cup total so the dough structure stays intact.

Nutrition

Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.05g | Sodium: 350mg | Potassium: 47mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 2mg
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 149kcal
Author: Katie
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By Katie Shaw

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Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.

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6 Comments

  1. how do you shape the dough?
    after 10 hours, the dough was incredibly sticky and hard to get out of the bowl

  2. 5 stars
    Thanks for the recipe, I was looking for something simple to try and I like that this doesn’t require a dutch oven like a lot of no knead recipes seem to. I think I added slightly more water than I needed to because it was fairly sticky when I went to shape it and didn’t turn out as pretty, but it still baked beautifully and made a great loaf of bread.

    1. I’m so glad Laura! Often the stickier loaves have a great texture when they’re done, even if they’re hard to work with.

  3. 5 stars
    Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!

4.79 from 14 votes (12 ratings without comment)

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