No Knead Bread is a European artisan style round loaf of rustic bread that requires no kneading. The dough comes together in minutes and then rises overnight before being baked.
"No Knead Bread" originally appeared in the New York Times and is the most popular recipe ever published by them. The recipe came from baker Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery. After the success of the article, he even published a cookbook featuring the bread.
His method for making a European-style artisan bread loaf with minimal effort is based on slow-rise fermentation and depends on a very high hydration dough (high amount of water to flour ratio) and an overnight autolysis period that allows the flour to hydrate and rest.
In 2006, the NYT updated the recipe to increase the amount of flour from 3 cups to 3 ⅓ cups after reviewing feedback from readers. Of the many versions of this recipe I have seen, it seems like the ratio of flour to water varies. I attribute some of this variation in whether the amounts are reported in grams or cups.
The original recipe only calls for flour, yeast, salt and water.
There is a version of this bread in my America's Test Kitchen cookbook that replaces some of the water with lager and vinegar to give the bread more flavor. While I'm sure this version is delicious, I prefer using less ingredients, and ingredients I always have on hand, to keep the recipe simpler.
In 2021, the Times published modifications to the recipe from Kenji Lopez-Alt, one of which was increasing the amount of yeast and adding a small amount of acid (white vinegar or lemon juice) to the water. I've included this as an option in the recipe.
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Weighing Ingredients
As a scientist, I prefer to weigh my ingredients, although in many recipes it's not necessary. This is not the case here. This recipe really works best if you weigh the flour.
I have found a large variability in the amount of flour per cup depending on how the flour is measured: whether you dip and scoop the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, or use another method.
Because this recipe has so few ingredients, the substantial ones being just flour and water, any variation in the amount of flour will change the consistency of the dough and, ultimately, the outcome of the bread.
If you do not own a kitchen scale, you may use the cup measurements I have provided, but just be aware that the resulting dough may be different than if you had weighed the flour.
Mix the Dough and Let Rise
Stir together the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl.
In a glass measuring cup, measure out the water and mix with the white vinegar, if using.
Pour the water mixture over the dry ingredients, and stir together until a ball of dough forms. The dough will be a very wet, sticky dough.
Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and allow it to rise at room temperature overnight, for at least 12 hours but preferably closer to 18 hours.
After the dough has risen, it should have spread to the edges of the bowl and have small bubbles on the surface.
Prepare the Dutch Oven
Once the dough has risen 12 to 18 hours, preheat the oven to 450°F.
Place a large Dutch oven, 5.5 quart size or larger, with a lid into the oven. Preheat the pan for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the dough for baking.
Shape and Rest the Dough
The easiest way to proceed with the dough is to use parchment paper. You want your piece of parchment to be larger than the loaf of bread because you are going to use it to lift the loaf in and out of the Dutch oven during the baking process.
Spread a thin layer of flour on the parchment. Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto the paper. It will be very sticky at this point.
Sprinkle flour on top of the dough, and coat your hands in flour to prevent sticking. Lift up on the edges and fold them over the top to form the dough into a ball.
The dough will look rustic, especially on top, which is what gives the finished loaf the artisan look.
Cover the dough with a piece of plastic wrap or a thin pattern-less kitchen towel and allow it to rest until the Dutch oven has finished preheating.
Optional Rise Step
The original New York Times recipe calls for allowing the dough to rise at this step for 2 hours. Foodtasia skips right to baking the bread, which is what I have been doing.
I plan to test the 2 hour rise to compare it, possibly side by side, and will report back with my findings!
Bake the Bread
Once the Dutch oven is preheated, take it out of the oven and remove the lid. Lift the parchment paper with the dough in the center and carefully place it into the pan, being careful not to touch the hot pan with your hands. I recommend oven mitts for this step.
Use a wooden spoon to press the edges of the parchment paper into the sides of the pan so it's not touching the dough.
Place the lid on top, and put the pan into the oven. Bake the dough for 30 minutes.
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Take the lid off the pan. The bread should be a pale color at this point.
Place the pan back into the oven without the lid. Continue to bake it for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
Remove the pan from the oven. Lift the loaf out of the pan using the edges of the parchment.
Let the loaf cool on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing the bread. To cool completely, let the loaf sit for 2 hours.
Serving Suggestions
This bread is great by itself or on the side of your favorite pasta or Italian dish.
I have used this bread for fondue. Just dice the bread into cubes, and it's ready to go.
It could be made into croutons and would also be perfect for the tomato bread salad Panzanella, which is one of my all time favorite recipes.
Gluten Free Option
I have not tried it myself with this recipe, but King Arthur makes a Gluten Free Bread Flour that might work for this bread.
📖 Recipe
No Knead Bread
Equipment
- 5.5 quart or larger Dutch oven with lid
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 430 grams bread flour (3⅓ cups, see note)
- ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1½ teaspoons table salt)
- 340 grams water (1½ cups)
- ⅛ teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
Make the Dough and Let Rise:
- Stir together the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl.430 grams bread flour, ½ teaspoons instant yeast, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- In a glass measuring cup, measure out the water and mix with the white vinegar, if using.340 grams water, ⅛ teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice
- Pour the water mixture over the dry ingredients, and stir together until a ball of dough forms. The dough will be a very wet, sticky dough.
- Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and allow it to rise at room temperature overnight, for at least 12 hours but preferably closer to 18 hours. After the dough has risen, it should have spread to the edges of the bowl and have small bubbles on the surface.
Prepare the Dutch Oven:
- Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Place a large Dutch oven with a lid into the oven. Preheat the pan for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the dough for baking.
Shape and Rest the Dough:
- Place a piece of parchment paper measuring approximately 12- by 18-inches on a work surface. Sprinkle the parchment with flour. Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto the paper. It will be very sticky at this point.
- Sprinkle flour on top of the dough, and coat your hands in flour to prevent sticking. Lift up on the edges and fold them over the top to form the dough into a ball. The dough will look rustic, especially on top, which is what gives the finished loaf the artisan look.
- Cover the dough with a piece of plastic wrap or a thin pattern-less kitchen towel and allow it to rest until the Dutch oven has finished preheating.
Optional Rise Step:
- Allow the dough to rise for 2 hours on the parchment paper before proceeding. This step is optional and can be eliminated if you are short on time.
Bake the Bread:
- Once the Dutch oven is preheated, take it out of the oven and remove the lid. Lift the parchment paper with the dough in the center and carefully place it into the pan, being careful not to touch the hot pan with your hands.
- Use a wooden spoon to press the edges of the parchment paper into the sides of the pan so it's not touching the dough.
- Place the lid on top, and put the pan into the oven. Bake the dough for 30 minutes.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Take the lid off the pan. The bread should be a pale color at this point.
- Place the pan back into the oven without the lid. Continue to bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the crust is golden brown and internal temperature of the bread reaches 210°F.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Carefully lift the loaf out of the pan using the edges of the parchment.
- Let the loaf cool on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing the bread. To cool completely, let the loaf sit for 2 hours.
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