World's Easiest Yeast Bread recipe - Artisan, NO KNEAD
Recipe video above. This super crusty homemade bread recipe is going to blow your mind! The world’s easiest yeast bread that’s just like the very best artisan bread you pay top dollar for, with an incredible crispy, chewy crust, and big fat holes like sourdough. Recipe is forgiving so don’t fret if things don’t go perfectly, it will be salvageable. SEE NOTES for options like no dutch oven, different yeast, MAKE AHEAD up to 3 days! And tomorrow, make the Cheese Bread version!
Prep time: PT5M
Cook time: PT40M
Rating
4.96 stars (2155 reviews)
Keywords
artisan bread, crusty bread, easy homemade bread, no knead bread, No yeast bread
2 tsp instant or rapid rise yeast ((Note 2 for normal / active dry yeast))
1 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (, HALVE if using table salt (Note 3))
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) very warm tap water (, NOT boiling or super hot (ie up to 55°C/130°F) (Note 4))
1 1/2 tbsp flour (, for dusting)
Categories
Bread
Sides
Cuisine
Western
Steps
Mix Dough: Mix flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add water, then use the handle of a wooden spoon to mix until all the flour is incorporated. Dough will be wet and sloppy – not kneadable, but not runny like cake batter. Adjust with more water or flour if needed for right consistency (see video at 17 sec, Note 5).
Rise: Cover with cling wrap or plate, leave on counter for 2 - 3 hours until it doubles in volume, it’s wobbly like jelly and the top is bubbly (see video at 24 seconds). If after 1 hour it doesn’t seem to be rising, move it somewhere warmer (Note 6).
Optional – refrigerate for flavour development (Note 9): At this stage, you can either bake immediately (move onto Step 5) or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Take chill out of refrigerated dough – if you refrigerated dough per above, leave the bowl on the counter for 45 - 60 minutes while the oven is preheating. Cold dough does not rise as well.
Preheat oven (Note 7) - Put dutch oven in oven with lid on (26cm/10" or larger). Preheat to 230°C/450°F (220° fan) 30 minutes prior to baking. (Note 8 for no dutch oven)
Shape dough: Sprinkle work surface with 1 tbsp flour, scrape dough out of bowl. Sprinkle top with 1/2 tbsp flour.
Using a dough scraper or anything of similar shape (cake server, large knife, spatula), fold the sides inwards (about 6 folds) to roughly form a roundish shape. Don’t be too meticulous here – you’re about to deform it, it’s more about deflating the bubbles in the dough and forming a shape you can move.
Transfer to paper: Slide a large piece of parchment/baking paper (not wax paper) next to the dough, then flip the dough upside down onto the paper (ie seam side down, smooth side up). Slide/push it towards the middle, then reshape it into a round(ish) shape. Don't get too hung up about shape. In fact, lopsided = more ridges = more crunchy bits!
Dough in pot: Remove piping hot dutch oven from oven. Use paper to place dough into pot, place lid on.
Bake 30 minutes covered, then 12 minutes uncovered or until deep golden and crispy.
Cool on rack for 10 minutes before slicing.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 155 kcal
Carbohydrates: 32 g
Protein: 5 g
Fat: 1 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Sodium: 469 mg
Sugar: 1 g
Reviews
Kirby on 2026-09-26 (5 stars): This is the best and easiest bread recipe ever! I have been making it at least once a week for months now. It stays fresh for ages and also freezes really well. Thank you so much for the recipe, Nagi. 😋
Jenna on 2026-09-14 (5 stars): I make this bread at at least once a week and it is incredible and so easy! Could I double the recipe for two loaves ?
Christal on 2026-09-12 (5 stars): First time making bread. I'm a southern cook at heart. Can make really anything. This was my first bread recipe and it turned out perfect. I will be making again in few days. Thank you so much for the recipe and directions. It was absolutely wonderful and so tasty 😋
Wendy Morrison on 2026-09-11 (5 stars): Yes, absolutely. I use my Baccarat oval Dutch Oven all the time as it is slightly lower in height than my other one, and fits into my Ninja grill. I often bake with smoke which gives the bread a slightly wood-fired taste. But, make sure you leave the grill to smoke for about 20 minutes after igniting to get rid of any acrid white smoke otherwise, your bread or anything else, will taste like an ashtray! Oh, and the smoke does discolour the Dutch Oven too. Small price to pay, though!
Margaret on 2026-09-11 (5 stars): Amazing! Mine cooked in the cast iron pan with a lower pan full of water at 30 minutes in florida! It was delicious!
Yasmeen C on 2026-09-11 (5 stars): I dreamt I was making bread so I decided to make bread this morning. This was the first recipe I found online and I am very happy with it. The instructions were SUPER clear and easy to understand and the recipe is great. I followed the extra notes for when my dough was too dry. Made two batches and they were gone by the evening. 10/10 would definitely recommend and VERY beginner friendly
Jayna Baronian Smith on 2026-09-09 (5 stars): Love this bread, made it a bunch of times. Now I want to add some herbs, any suggestions?
Sherreden Kearns on 2026-09-08 (5 stars): Ive been trying out many different bread reciepies and this IS THE BEST. I dont have a dutch oven so I used the inside bit of a slow cooker with a sheet pan on top and it still turned out perfectly. My 3 kids ate the whole thing after school, the first time I made it.
Emily on 2026-09-08 (5 stars): Fantastic directions and WOW on the result. My whole family thanks you.
Linda Carter on 2026-09-06 (5 stars): This bread was so easy! I love the crusty crust and the soft interior. I tried the cheesy version and my granddaughter said she can't live without it now. LOL It actually is delicious! The cheesy bread will definitely be a staple at my house now.
Lucia Genuardi on 2026-09-06 (5 stars): Easiest bread I have ever made!
Laarni on 2026-09-03 (5 stars): I love this recipe! It’s so easy and tastes delicious every time I’ve made it! Question: can this recipe be doubled to make a bigger loaf?
Sandy Middleton on 2026-09-02 (5 stars): I've made this recipe twice now - once baking after a 3 hour proof, the second baking after an almost 5 hour prove. Both have turned out delicious - the second time I added a wee bit more water but apart from that I've followed the recipe precisely (can't see the video, but the pictures are very helpful) and had great results
Maddi on 2026-09-02 (5 stars): I often struggle to get bread to proof and rise well. This recipe makes it so easy! Truly foolproof. I live in a dry climate and added some extra water to get good hydration.
Lynda on 2026-08-30 (5 stars): Recipe was amazing and so easy
So so sorry for your loss 😢
Jennifer Taylor on 2026-08-28 (5 stars): Nagi, thank you for creating this forgiving doesn't-have-2b-perfect yeast bread recipe. I'm grateful for your notes - substitutions & how to fix mistakes. Because you give us permission to not be perfect, I had fun with it. It doesn't look the best, but it sure tastes the best.
Barb Larson on 2026-08-26 (5 stars): I've made this 4 or 5 times, using various options (baked immediately, left over night, left 2 nights, every time it's wonderful. Plus, when she says it's easy, wow, is it! Just mix it and wait a while for a rise.
