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Easy No-Knead Artisan Bread Recipe with Perfect Crispy Crust

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A simple and approachable no-knead artisan bread recipe that yields a perfect crispy crust and soft, airy crumb with minimal effort.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups (355 ml) warm water (about 105°F or 40°C)
  • ½ teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1¼ teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional, for greasing the bowl)
  • Semolina flour or cornmeal (optional, for dusting the baking surface)

Instructions

  1. Mix the dough (5 minutes): In a large bowl, combine 3 cups (375 g) of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon instant yeast, and 1¼ teaspoons salt. Pour in 1½ cups (355 ml) of warm water (about 105°F or 40°C). Stir with a wooden spoon until sticky and shaggy.
  2. Cover and ferment (12-18 hours): Lightly oil the inside of the bowl if desired, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid, and let sit at room temperature (around 70°F/21°C) overnight or for 12-18 hours until doubled and bubbly.
  3. Preheat oven and pot (45 minutes): About 30 minutes before baking, place a Dutch oven with lid into the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C).
  4. Shape the dough (5 minutes): Lightly flour hands and surface, turn dough onto parchment paper, fold over itself a couple of times to form a rough ball, dust top with flour or semolina.
  5. Bake the bread (45 minutes): Remove hot Dutch oven from oven, lower dough and parchment into pot, cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake for another 15 minutes until deep golden brown and crusty.
  6. Cool before slicing (at least 1 hour): Transfer bread to wire rack and cool completely before slicing.

Notes

If dough is too sticky during shaping, sprinkle a bit more flour on hands and surface but avoid overdoing it to keep crumb open. Preheat Dutch oven thoroughly to create steam for crispy crust. Cool bread completely before slicing to avoid gummy crumb. Variations include adding herbs, whole wheat flour, seeds, or gluten-free flour blends.

Nutrition

Keywords: no-knead bread, artisan bread, crispy crust bread, easy bread recipe, homemade bread, Dutch oven bread

Find it online: https://milacook.com/easy-no-knead-artisan-bread-recipe-with-perfect-crispy-crust/