Store-bought bread usually comes in some sort of plastic, whether it’s an actual plastic bag or a waxed paper sleeve with a plastic window. Since going zero waste, I’ve been buying bread at a bakery where I can use a cloth bag. But then winter came and the idea of leaving the house became much less appealing 😄
Here’s a super easy bread recipe that looks and tastes amazing. If you’re intimidated by the idea of making bread, don’t be. This recipe is so easy (and delicious), I’ve already made it four times this week! 😂
What I love about this no-knead recipe is that there’s no need for any special machines or gadgets! All you need is a bowl, four ingredients and an oven-safe container (that can withstand 450F) with high sides and a lid.
Like many things zero waste, making this bread is easy but requires some advance planning. That’s because the dough needs to rest for 8-24 hours. We mix the dough the night before in less than five minutes (my son can do it by himself while I’m making dinner), then it’s ready to bake the next day 😋
No knead bread recipe
Adapted from It’s Always Autumn
Makes one loaf. If you want to make a smaller loaf (for 1-2 people), simply halve the recipe.
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
Directions
1) Combine all ingredients in a bowl using a wooden spoon until everything’s combined (less than a minute). No need to knead. It won’t resemble dough at all, and that’s OK!
2) Cover bowl with a pot lid or plate and leave at room temperature for 8-24 hours. (I put mine in the oven so it’s safe from my cat LOL)
4) At least 90 minutes before you plan on serving the bread, remove the dough from the bowl and turn it onto a well-floured surface. It will be sticky and dotted with bubbles. With floured hands, grab edges of dough and bring them to the top until it forms a ball—do not knead. Flip dough so the seam is on the bottom (and the smoothed side is on top), and let it rest for 30 minutes.
3) While your dough is resting, preheat oven to 450F and place your oven-safe container in the oven to warm up.
4) Once the dough has rested, use a sharp knife to slash an “X” across the top of the dough.
5) Carefully remove your preheated container from the oven. Pick up the dough ball with floured hands and drop it into your container. Cover the dish with the lid and bake covered for 30 minutes. Then bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until top is nicely browned.
6) Remove bread from container and let it cool for at least 15 minutes before you slice it so the crust has a chance to harden. Bon appetit!
Can we use other types of flour, or even ground flaxseed in this recipe?
Using whole wheat flour makes for a much denser bread so I use all-purpose, but I don’t know about other flours. If you do some experimenting, let me know what you find out! 🙂
I regularly sub whole wheat for part of the flour( about a cup).
I also replace up to 1/2 cup of the flour with seeds, ground flax, oats and dried fruit.
My recipe is double Tippi’s size.
2 c water
3.5-4 c flours
1.5 t salt
1/4 t yeast or
1/4 c sourdough starter
The rest is pretty much the same but my covered baker is bigger.
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
hi Rita!
Would your recipe fit in a 6qt enamel Dutch oven?
Hi, Karyn! Yes, this recipe would fit beautifully in a 6-qt Dutch oven 🙂
I’ve made this with bread flour (different from all purpose), white whole wheat flour, half bread/half white whole wheat flour; they all come out good. The more whole wheat flour, the denser, but more flavorful the bread.
Do you have an alternative for beeswax covering?
Yes! You can store the dough in a closed container (like a glass Pyrex bowl with a lid) or drape a moist towel over your bowl. Hope that helps 🙂
I made this bread last night. Was simply delicious! Thanks Tippi 🙂
Yay! So glad you liked it 🙂
I found recipes for loaves of no knead bread at “noknead.com”. These recipes make a larger loaf baked in a 8″ or 9″ loaf pan. Perfect for sandwiches or toast. I have tried the Light Oatmeal and Light Wheat. Both were delicious and easy to make.
Good to know! I need to find a larger container so I can make larger loaves
Thanks for this recipe. It is just what I am looking for. My days of making bread for a family of 8 are over. Now it’s just me, so I need small recipes.
Wonderful! So glad you like it 🙂
Hi! Can I use bread flour for this recipe? Thanks!
Hi! I’ve never tried bread flour, but I think it should work! 🙂 We replace about 1/3 cup of the all-purpose flour with wheat flour, which gives it a nice taste.
Yes! That’s my main go-to flour for no-knead breads.
Hi Tippi, I will try that recipe. Do you oil the pan before cooking?
Nope! I just put the dough directly into my porcelain pot 🙂
If you want to use parchment paper, do NOT use the cheap stuff, like DT (just trust me on this). Buy Reynolds or other name brand. The easiest way to get parchment to lay flat or fit into a loaf pan is to crumble it up into a ball, then un-crumble it. That magically takes the “roll” out of it.
Why the wooden spoon? Would a silicone spoon be ok?
Yes, use whatever you have! I just try to avoid plastic whenever possible 🙂