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!!!)

Love this recipe!
Was able to find some fresh yeast, any form is hard to come by these days – what would be the measurement conversion for it?
Hi Angie, I haven’t used fresh yeast here but I’m sureI’ve read someone in the comments has used it successfully. N x
I’m trying King Aurthur GF flour – 1 to 1 with my yeast. The dough ball just doesn’t seem to want to rise. Is there something I can do besides setting the bowl over a warm stove? I really want this recipe to work.
Hi Teresa, I’ve found GF flour just doesn’t rise as well as regular flour unfortunately, it’s the gluten the flour which yields an elastic texture making it fluffy!! N x
Nagi this is amazing! I finally got my hands on some yeast and this bread was on the table in under 3 hours (in Oslo even!) My dog Kai also gives this 5 paws. Thanks for a great recipe! Now I’m going through your mom’s recipes too because I just had Japanese style egg salad on this bread for lunch. Mmm.
That’s great to hear Erica! N x
I Love soooo many of your recipes that you have!!! I am NOT a baker, more of a cook. But I saw this and knew I had to try it. It was soooo easy, followed the recipe to the T, and it turned out awesome…😀 Another winner in my book… Thanks soooo much…
Wahoo!!! Thanks so much for letting me know Teresa ❤️
I just made this for the 1st time. I didn’t have a cast iron pan but I followed the recipe exactly with water and a baking pan and it turned out awesome. Hard not eat the entire thing. Thank you so much for all your recipes. They are easy to follow and delicious! Keep them coming!
Thanks so much Linda! N x
This was the very first loaf of bread with yeast I’ve ever made, and it turned out great! Chewy and airy inside, with a terrific, crunchy crust. It was so easy and I couldn’t believe there was no kneading required!
I’m so glad you gave it a go and loved it Sally! N x
I just made this for the 1st time. I didn’t have a cast iron pan but I followed the recipe exactly with water and a baking pan and it turned out awesome. Hard not eat the entire thing. Thank you so much for all your recipes. They are easy to follow and delicious! Keep them coming!
~Linda
After it rises, before you put it in the fridge, do you form it (fold & such) or do you do that when baking the next day?
No Susan, you form it just before baking 🙂 N x
Just remodeled my kitchen & have a new steam oven. Gonna try it in the oven w/o the pot. Will let you know.
I use a lot of your recipes and am so happy with them all. I will say that I was skeptical when I noticed my dough I was a little too loose after rising, but I pushed through and didn’t change a thing and oh my god. Such perfect bread!!!! I am actually making a second one today to send over to my boyfriend’s sister because it was that delicious and he wants his family to taste it too. I’ve sent pictures and the link to the recipe to everyone I know. Thank you!!!
I love the bread and I think the flavor would make an amazing pizza dough. Does anyone know how I could adapt it for that?
Hi Ellin – try this one https://wellness-better.today/pizza-dough-recipe/%3C/a%3E N x
Hi..
Made the bread loved it.
Thanks
Woot! Thanks Julie!
Awesome recipe! As easy as it gets, best consistency I’ve ever had! Love it and will make again. Thank you!
You’re so welcome Heike, I’m soiled you love it! N x
How much water with the yeast
This bread was so good and so quick to make. I let it rise for the 2-3 hours and then put in frig till morning and baked it then. I even added a little spice to it with Italian Seasoning and brushed the top with Olive oil. I can’t stop eating it! LOL
It was so easy to make but the parchment paper burned and crumbled and the bottom is really dark. I followed the directions exactly. It looks good though. What did I do wrong? I also baked it on the bottom rack. Does that matter?
Hi Chris, what setting did you have your oven on & were you definitely using parchment paper and not waxed paper? N x
I had it on bake 450. I used cookie baking parchment sheets but in looking at the back it says up to 425. Maybe that is why.
Hi Nagi,
Is there an option to swap in fresh yeast? Dry yeast is hard to find where I live, but I can get fresh yeast but never used it before. Any suggestions?
Hi Pete, I haven’t tried but people have commented on this recipe and have had success with fresh yeast 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi. Thanks for sharing your recipe. Easy enough for me, which pretty much means anyone can do it. I’ve done this a number of times now, and I am looking at getting to a slightly easier crust to cut. I’ve been using the “No dutch oven method”. Would love a pointer on what you think might help me achieve that? Thank you!
Hi Steve, to soften the crust, simply wrap your warm loaf in a tea towel after you’ve cooked it – the crust will soften and wont stay crunchy. N x
I decided to leave the dough in the fridge after the first rise so that I can bake it tomorrow, but the dough keeps on rising in the fridge! What should I do?
Hi Vivianne, it will slow down – cooling it slows the process of fermentation 🙂 N x
Following the spectacular rise in the fridge, I baked the dough in a Dutch oven as instructed. The bread looks like a round loaf without any cracks on the top and rose very little. Could it be that the dough was too wet? There were a lot of holes in the dough when I tipped it out of the bowl but it kept spreading out instead of staying in shape like in the video prior to baking. Smells great though.
I can not emphasize enough how easy and delicious this bread is! Nagi your recipes are always so easy to follow your site is always my go to when I’m stuck. I was just wondering your recommendations for making a bigger loaf because I have been making two at a time so I don’t mess it up!
I had no success with making bread before and then I tried this recipe, it was fantastic and so easy. Cameout perfect even with a short power cut when it was in the oven. I have recommended your website to all my friends. Thanks Nagi, I can now make bread 😀😀
That’s great Ann! I’m so happy to hear it! N x
Hi Nagi, great recipe 🙂 but when I made it, the bread stuck to the parchment paper 😓 do you have any advice to prevent this for next time i make it? thanks 🙂
Hi Vita, and it was definitely parchment paper and not waxed paper? You can dust with flour/semolina and it should stop it from sticking. N x