This is a phenomenal bread recipe. The best, EASY yeast bread you will ever make, beginners love how simple it is while bread connoisseurs appreciate the Artisan bread qualities – the thick crispy crust and chewy crumb with big fat holes like sourdough!
No knead, 3 minutes active effort, very forgiving recipe. Make this today, then the Cheese Bread version tomorrow!

Phenomenal EASY yeast bread recipe
This is an extraordinary white bread recipe with outstanding results. While it’s easy and forgiving, making it suitable for beginners, experienced bakers will recognise and appreciate the Artisan bread characteristics – large holes in the crumb like your favourite sourdough bread with that signature chewiness, and a thick, crispy crust.
It’s a gold nugget recipe, and you may never buy bread again after trying this!
Here’s why it’s so easy:
No knead, no stand mixer
3 minutes active effort – you won’t even get your hands dirty
Dutch oven (cast iron pot) ideal but not necessary
Incredibly forgiving dough, with rise times ranging from 2 hours to 3 days (yes, really, you choose what works for you)
Easy but yet no compromise on quality of bread

What you need to make this homemade bread recipe
Here’s what you need to make homemade bread from scratch – yeast, flour, salt and water. Yep, really, that’s it!
No yeast?
Make this famous Irish Soda Bread instead, or this incredible No Yeast Sandwich bread based on the traditional Australian Damper!

Yeast – my base recipe uses Rapid Rise or Instant Yeast which does not need to be dissolved in water. But it works just as well with normal yeast (“Active Dry Yeast” or just “dry yeast”) – you just need to change the order of the steps and dissolve the yeast in water first. The bread comes out exactly the same!
Best flour for homemade bread – use bread flour if you can. Bread flour has more protein in it than normal flour which means more gluten, and this makes the dough more elastic and yields a more fluffy yet chewy texture inside the bread, as well as creating the big holes you see in the photos, like sourdough bread. However, this bread is still spectacular made with normal flour too!
How to make the world’s easiest homemade bread – Artisan style!
Here are process steps with tips, but also see the video below – super handy to see the dough consistency, and how to form the dough.
1. Make wet sticky dough

Mix together the flour, salt and yeast, then add warm water and mix. The “dough” will be very wet and sloppy, not kneadable at all – this is what you want! See video at 17 seconds for consistency.
2. Rise!

Cover with cling wrap then place it in a warm place (25 – 30°C / 77 – 86°F) for 2 hours. The dough will increase in volume by double or more, the surface will become bubbly and the dough will be wobbly, like jelly. See video at 24 seconds for consistency.
OPTIONAL – develop flavour: Once dough has risen, you can bake immediately. OR, for better flavour, refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours, up to 3 days. Time = better flavour development.
Bread in photos and video were baked immediately. I usually make this dough in the morning, refrigerate all day then bake in the evening. Or make the dough in the evening, refrigerate overnight and bake fresh in the morning! (10 – 12 hours in fridge). Beauty of this bread is that you can bake anytime!
No dutch oven? No problem! Just bake it on a tray – see the recipe notes.
3. Preheat oven & pot

30 minutes before dough has risen, or while refrigerated dough is coming to room temperature, place dutch oven (cast iron pot) in the oven to preheat at 230°C/450°F.
Hot oven + hot pot = bread rising boost!
4. Scrape dough out

Scrape dough out of bowl onto floured work surface. It will be wet and sticky and that’s exactly what you want – because we will not be kneading it! In fact, you won’t even touch it with your hand.
PRO TIP: Dough handling and shaping technique devised to minimise addition of flour. Less flour = wetter dough = bigger air pockets, fluffier bread and more moist.
5. Shape the dough very roughly

Use a dough scraper or anything of similar shape (spatula, cake server, or large knife) to fold the sides in so it roughly resembles a round disc.
Don’t get too hung up on the shaping – you’ll deform it in the next step!! This step is mainly to deflate the dough.
6. FLIP dough upside down onto paper

Slide a large piece of baking / parchment paper next to the dough, then flip it upside down onto the paper using the scraper so the seams from the step above are face down, and you have the smooth side up.
Slide/push the dough into the centre, then briefly reshape it into a round or slightly oval shape.
Do not get too hung up on a neat shape – this bread is supposed to be rustic! Besides, scruffier shape = more awesome crispy ridges
7. Prepare to bake!

Remove very hot pot from oven, then use paper to pick up the dough and put it in the pot, and put the lid on.
See recipe notes for no dutch oven method.
8. Bake!

Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on (this creates a steamer effect, allowing the bread to rise while it cooks before crust sets), then 12 minutes with the lid off to brown and crisp up the crust. The surface will crack – and you want this, for extra crispy ridges!! And it looks authentic, just like the Artisan bread you buy at bakeries. 😇
Cool for 10 minutes before slicing. This is important – to let the centre of the bread finish cooking (if you slice too early, it will seem a bit doughy. Patience was never my greatest virtue, so I learnt this first hand!)
Remember – you can make this bread recipe WITHOUT a dutch oven!

Why this bread recipe works – and TIPS!
Loose, sticky dough = easier to rise than firmer dough.
No kneading = rough dough, but because the dough is so soft, it puffs up enough to “smooth out” the roughness.
Super forgiving dough – too stiff, add water. Too wet, add flour. Dough not rising? Move it to a warmer place. Takes 45 minutes to rise or 5 hours? It will still work. As long as your dough is the same consistency as what you see in the video and you let it rise to double the volume, this bread recipe will work as long as the yeast is not past its expiry date!
Why you need a preheated dutch oven for no knead bread recipes – to create a steamy environment to give the bread a rise boost before the crust sets (which stops the bread from rising). Professional bakeries are equipped with steam ovens – the cast iron pot is the home method!
Don’t have a dutch oven? No problem! Recreate the steamy environment by placing hot water in a pan in the oven, and bake the bread on a tray.
Big holes in the crumb – loose dough from less flour, high oven temp and preheated pot allows the yeast to give the bread a great rise boost, creating big air pockets. Also the use of bread flour rather than normal flour helps – you get less large holes using normal flour.
Bake immediately if it’s a bread emergency….
…but you’ll be rewarded with tastier bread if you leave the dough 8+ hours in the fridge! I normally make dough first thing in the morning (it takes 3 minutes!) then bake that night. Or make dough at night and bake in the morning. (~12 hrs in fridge for both scenarios)
Why refrigerating the dough creates a better tasting bread – because the fridge slows down the fermentation of the yeast (ie dough stops rising, if it kept rising it would kill the rising power of the yeast), allowing the enzymes in the yeast to do their work, transforming starch into sugar which creates a more flavourful bread. So we let the dough rise first, then refrigerate it.


All the ways to eat this bread!
Everything you do with bread you buy, you can do with this bread. It truly has the structure of bakery bread, so there are no limits!
Eat it fresh out of the oven, slathered with butter. Make sandwiches, toast it, mop plates clean, dunk it in soups and stews. Make bruschetta, garlic bread, grilled cheese, CHEESY garlic bread or Cheese and Garlic CRACK Bread!
I hope you enjoy this crusty bread recipe as much as I do. This really is one of those gold nugget recipes that you’ll make once and treasure forever! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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World’s Easiest Yeast Bread recipe – Artisan, NO KNEAD
Ingredients
- 3 cups (450g) flour , bread or plain/all purpose (Note 1)
- 2 tsp instant or rapid rise yeast (Note 2 for normal / active dry yeast)
- 2 tsp cooking / kosher salt , NOT 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)
Dough shaping
- 1 1/2 tbsp flour , for dusting
Instructions
- 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.
Recipe Notes:
- Fridge up to 3 days – Rise dough per recipe, then leave in bowl and refrigerate up to 3 days. Flavour gets better with time. Dough will stay bubbly for a day or two, then will deflate – that’s fine. Shape into round and place on paper per recipe, then leave for 45 – 60 minutes to take the chill out of it, then bake per recipe. Cold dough won’t rise as well.
- Bread in photos & video is 2 hr rise, immediate bake.
- Cooked bread – great fresh for 2 days, then after that, better warmed or toasted. Keep in an airtight container or ziplock bag. This stays more fresh than usual homemade bread, especially if you use bread flour.
- Freeze cooked bread for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information:
More bread recipes
Life of Dozer
Just keeping a close eye on it for me….

Good job Dozer. Here’s your treat. Look, I even buttered it for you! (PS He’s in his robe because it’s a rainy day yet I still took him to the beach!!!)

Hi Nagi,
This bread is incredible! I made 3 batches in as many days. Do you think it would work if I added some olives throughout?
Yes definitely Jess! N x
I was excited to make this bread. Followed recipe exactly (including rapid rise yeast and regular all purpose flour). Not sure what I did wrote because it didn’t turn out as expected. Upon mixing the ingredients the dough was very dry so I added a little more warm water to get the right consistency like the video. I let it rise for 2 hours. Dough doubled in size and then I baked in a Dutch Oven. The dough didn’t seem to raise more or stayed raised in the oven. Bread came out round and low and can’t be used for sandwiches or anything like that. Smells very yeasty. Tastes ok in some spots but also as though I didn’t mix it enough or something..like a flour taste. What should I do differently next time?
Hi Lauren – sorry you had issues here – did you weight the ingredients? Sounds like the extra water caused it to become flat unfortunately! N x
Hi Nagi, love the recipe though I think I did something wrong, not sure what. Used Bread flour & Tandaco Dry yeast sachet & pre-disolved, never done that before. Mix was dry & stiff so i added a little water & got right consistency. Huge 3x rise in 2hrs to top of bowl! then into fridge overnight, dropped back a little, warmed before oven & although rose in oven no big bubbles. Should I have only let rise to 2x, not on time, before putting in fridge? Also my Aldi enamel Dutch Oven is max 200deg C so I left cook & brown longer.
Awesome crust but no big bubbles though still rose in oven.
BUT, although cooked smells & tastes a bit like mouldy uncooked dough.
Thinking, just 2x rise then fridge & cook 45min max 200degC plus 15min browning?
Hi Ross, sorry you’re having issues here – this could be because it was baked at a lower temp unfortunately. I’ve never had anyone say this tastes of mouldy uncooked dough, sounds like it could be a problem with the flour or yeast you’re using! N x
Thanks for reply. Fresh flour & yeast. So thinking maybe too wet & needed to cook longer due to lower temp. Inspecting middle it’s not doughy or dense but definitely looks a little undercooked in places, just enough to give that doughy taste/smell. Will try again, so much for my low carb diet 🙂
Can I add sugar to this recipe?
Hi Lorraine, as in to make it a sweet bread? N x
Not necessarily sweet bread. But just to add a bit of sweetness to the bread.
Hi Nagi love your recipes. This one is no exception. I fired up the oz pig with heat beads & followed recipe to the letter. The bread was soooo nice. Crispy on the top and bottom & chewy. Thanks we will be making this again.
How long can you let this rise? I just started one and found out I won’t be able to cook it in 3 hours, might be more like 7, but dont want to put it in the fridge after only 2 hours of rising.
Hi Nagi! I followed your recipe and the dough rose nicely. I popped it in the fridge and took it out the next morning and let it sit on the counter for one hour. The dough shrunk back to its original size and got even smaller when I used a spatula to scrape it out of the bowl, so I decided to leave it in the warm environment I used to proof the dough yesterday and see if it gets back to its enlarged size. What do you think went wrong? Thank you!
Hi Nagi, just wondering what size of dutch oven you’re using? I’ve been shopping for one for awhile and debating different sizes and bread is one of the things I’d like to make in it.
Hi Pamela, I use a 26cm – however it depends on how many people you usually cook for I think 28cm is great for a family of 4. N x
Hi Nagi, do you have a similar recipe (no knead) for sourdough? Thank you.
Hi Jale, not just yet! N x
I love the simplicity of this recipe and the bread is delish! I also like that the dough can be made ahead so you can have fresh bread almost anytime!
And I would totally love a sourdough variation!
Thank you!
hi nagi, can i add squid ink or cuttlefish ink to this bread and brush it on top melted butter with garlic
Hi Ana, I imagine so! I haven’t tried to be honest! N x
Hello Nagi,I made the dough last night and left it at room temperature for about 3 hours. I then left it in the fridge overnight. Took it out in the morning and left it about 4 hours before baking. I followed your instructions exactly. When it had cooled down I sliced it and noticed it looked a little bit wet (not doughy) .Tasted lovely but I wondered what the reason might be. Thank you.
Hi Jale, if it was doughy, it was left to rise for too long – it only needs to be out of the fridge for about 45 minutes. If you leave it too long, the yeast starts to die off. N x
Thank you very much for your reply Nagi. I’ll know for next time
This is the best bread EVER!!! Honestly! We have almost finished the whole loaf and it only came out of the oven 45 mins ago! Not only does it taste great, but it looks great. I’ll definitely be posting on instagram 🙂 Thank you for another awesome recipe x
Hi Nagi, how much water do I use if I only have dry active yeast? Thank you!
Hi Dee, you’re dissolving it in the water that you’re going to use in the bread as per the ingredients 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi! I made this bread a few days ago and it was wonderful. When I made it the first time I baked immediately. I am making a second loaf today, but will need to put it in the fridge after it rises to bake later today. Do I leave to bowl covered when I put it in the fridge?
Hi Kristin, yes leave the bowl covered. N x
Hi Nagi, I made the dough yesterday and then left it in the fridge overnight. I left it out for an hour before putting it into the oven and it was still cold! So I’ve put it back in the fridge to use another day. I live in Singapore and it’s really warm here, so I really thought an hour would be enough, given that you suggested 30-45min. Also, when I first made the dough, it was huge and filled with bubbles. It is now quite deflated. I’m not quite sure how it is going to turn out!!
2nd time making this bread and never made bread in my life before so easy and yum. Thankyou
What a great recipe. Have made this a number of times and shared the recipe far and wide. Wondering how it would go with gluten free flour. Any thoughts? Thank you. P.S love your recipes
I have never baked bread before and always wanted to. I’ll be 70 this month so it was on my “bucket list.” The printed instructions and video were outstanding and easy to follow. I switched table salt for the kosher salt and baked in a pan as I don’t have a Dutch oven. I’m so proud of myself. I’m so glad I found your website! Thanks!
This is the 3rd time I am doing this bread using a pyrex glass pot with a lid and it comes out great every time!
Question: I made double the quantity and want to bake half immediately and leave the rest in the fridge. Inevitably, I will deflate the rising dough when splitting it in two. Would that be an issue for the part that will remain in the fridge?
Oh yikes! I made the dough 2 hours ago, and in 45 minutes it was more than double (have wood fire on so perhaps room a little warm?) so I popped it in the fridge, and now it is nearly overflowing the glass bowl it is in! I’m not looking any more, leaving it in the fridge and will trust it is perfect for baking in the morning! I could only find normal yeast, so mixed it with the warm water before adding flour and salt. Certainly doing its job, 😂. I’m going to bed and keeping fingers crossed. Will send an update when I bake it in the am. Kate xx
Baked the bread this morning, and it’s absolutely delicious, as promised. So easy, will become a regular for sure.
Thanks Nagi! Hugs to Dozer. Kate x