Everyday Artisan-Style Crusty Loaf (No-Knead)

This no-knead Artisan-Style Crusty Loaf bakes up with a crisp exterior and a soft, chewy texture. It's one of our everyday favourites -- slice it up and use it for sandwiches or avocado toast, or enjoy warm with a slab of butter.

Why you'll love this recipe

This easy country loaf recipe uses commercial active dry yeast, which is different than Sourdough Bread, which requires a sourdough starter/leaven.

There's no active kneading involved, and you won't need to use a stand mixer.

A high ratio of water to flour yields lots of air bubbles in the crumb.

Unlike many recipes that utilize an overnight resting period, you can make this bread within the same day.

Best of all, you'll only need a few ingredients to make this artisan-style country loaf.

Ingredients you'll need

• warm water: lukewarm water to activate the yeast, about 100°F/37°C
• active dry yeast: you can also use instant yeast and just add it to the bowl with the ingredients
• bread flour: or all-purpose flour; bread flour has higher protein content and develops more gluten, which gives bread its light, chewy texture
• sea salt: for flavor

Equipment you'll need

• Dutch oven/French oven: a heavy-bottomed pot with lid; can be cast iron; needs to be oven-safe to a temperature of 500F; this type of vessel will trap the steam in the loaf and give it its crusty exterior
  • for this recipe, I used a 4.5 qt/4.2 L pot.
• dough/bench scraper: helps with scraping and shaping the tacky dough

How to make it

Make the dough

Combine warm water and yeast in a very large mixing bowl.

Add in the flour and sea salt.

Stir the mixture with a silicone spatula -- it should be slightly tacky.

Cover with a lid or a kitchen towel and leave at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk (this is the bulk fermentation process).

Note: If not baking right away, place into the fridge to slow down the fermentation. Store for up to 3-4 days -- the longer it's stored, the more tangier the dough will be.

During the 2 hours, every 30 minutes, stretch and fold over the dough. (Use a spatula to help pick up the dough and fold it from north-south, turn the bowl 45 degrees, and repeat, until it's been done 4 times).

Shape the dough

Place a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven (or cast iron pot with lid) in the oven and preheat to 500F.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.

Gather the dough onto itself, being careful not to pop any air bubbles and pinch to seal a seam.

Flip the dough seam-side down.

Using a dough scraper, push the edge of one side of the dough to create a bit of tension. Repeat with the opposite edge (eg. North to South, South to North) and then then East to West and West to East.

Bake the dough

Place the shaped dough onto a large piece of parchment paper.

Cover and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Score the top of the dough at a 45° with a sharp knife (this gives the bread a weak point for the steam to escape).

Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven pot from the oven (use gloves) and place the dough into the pot along with the parchment paper. Cover with the lid.

Place into the oven and bake at 500°F for 20 minutes.

Reduce the temperature to 400°F and bake for another 30 minutes.

Let completely cool on a wire rack before slicing. (Cool for at least 3-4 hours).

Other flavour variations

For a whole wheat version, replace 100g of the bread flour/all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.

For a nuttier taste, try adding rye flour.

Try adding jalapeno and cheese, walnuts and cranberries, herbs, or any flavour combination that you like.

Note: you can add the variations to the dough, but keep in mind it may take longer for the dough to rise.

Another note: adding cinnamon will inhibit yeast activity, so be careful how much cinnamon you add.

Ways to use the crusty loaf

Slice up the bread and use it in:

• grilled cheese
• sandwiches
• avocado toast
• French toast

You can cube up the loaf and use it in:

• bread pudding
• croutons
• stuffing

Or hollow out the top and make it into a "bread bowl," perfect as a vessel for wild mushroom soup.

Expert tips & troubleshooting

Do I need a banneton/proofing basket?

If you have one that is large enough -- at least 8" in diameter, you can use that to shape the dough.

But it is not entirely necessary.

My dough is not crusty enough.

At the last 10-15 minutes of the baking time, carefully remove the lid of the Dutch oven/pot.

That crust will develop a deeper golden brown colour.

Prior to baking, give the dough a spray with water, similar to making Banh Mi Baguette.

The bread feels gummy inside.

This happens when you cut into the loaf while it is hot.

Let the bread cool completely before slicing.

This may take 3-4 hours.

Tips

You can tell the dough is ready to shape when it is elastic and very long strands have formed.

Use a very sharp lame or knife to make the cuts on the surface of the loaf.

Using a dull knife may tear and deflate the loaf.

Be gentle when shaping the dough -- you don't want to knock all the air out of the dough (which gives it its bubbles).

If you have a dough scraper/bench scraper, that is a useful tool to help shape the dough.

You can use bread flour or rice flour for flouring your work surface (I like using rice flour).

Other bread recipes you may like

Be sure to check out these recipes:

Sourdough Bread

Homemade Banh Mi Baguette

Cheese Breadsticks (Grocery Store Bakery Copycat)

Airy Baguette

Matcha Shokupan (Japanese Milk Bread)

Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!

Print Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Everyday Artisan-Style Crusty Bread (No-Knead)

This no-knead Artisan-Style Crusty Loaf bakes up with a crisp exterior and a soft, chewy texture. It's one of our everyday favourites -- slice it up and use it for sandwiches or avocado toast, or enjoy warm with a slab of butter.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Resting Time2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course: Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8

Calories: 208kcal

Author: Michelle

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For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.

Ingredients

• 400 ml warm water
• 7 g active dry yeast
• 450 g all-purpose flour or bread flour
• 9 g sea salt

Instructions

Make the dough:

• Combine warm water and yeast in a very large mixing bowl.
• Add in the flour and sea salt.
• Stir the mixture with a silicone spatula -- it should be slightly tacky.
• Cover with a lid and leave at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk. If not baking right away, place into the fridge to slow down the fermentation. Store for up to 3-4 days -- the longer it's stored, the more tangier the dough will be.
• During the 2 hours, every 30 minutes, stretch and fold over the dough. (Use a spatula to help pick up the dough and fold it from north-south, turn the bowl 45 degrees, and repeat, until it's been done 4 times).

Shape the dough:

• Place a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven (or cast iron pot with lid) in the oven and preheat to 500°F/260°C.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.
• Gather the dough, being careful not to pop any air bubbles and pinch to seal a seam.
• Flip the dough seam-side down.
• Using a dough scraper, push the edge of one side of the dough to create a bit of tension. Repeat with the opposite edge (eg. North to South, South to North) and then then East to West and West to East.

Bake the dough:

• Place the shaped dough onto a large piece of parchment paper.
• Cover and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Score the top of the dough at a 45° with a sharp knife or bread lame (this gives the bread a weak point for the steam to escape).
• Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven pot from the oven (use gloves) and place the dough into the pot along with the parchment paper. Cover with the lid.
• Place into the oven and bake at 500°F/260°C for 20 minutes.
• Reduce the temperature to 400°F/204°C and bake for another 30 minutes.
• Let completely cool on a wire rack before slicing. (Cool for at least 3-4 hours).

Nutrition

Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 440mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 3mg

The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.

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