• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
CincyShopper
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipe Index
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Cincy Shopper / Recipes / Bread

    No Knead Dutch Oven Bread

    April 15, 2020 by Jen Cincyshopper 5 Comments

    917 shares
    • Facebook
    Jump to Recipe Leave a Review
    5 from 2 votes
    Dutch oven bread is a simple way to enjoy homemade yeast bread with no kneading required. You can make this basic bread recipe with just 4 ingredients!
    Basic No Knead Bread in a Dutch Oven
    This is a very basic bread recipe that is perfect for beginners because of how easy it is to make.
    You only need about 5 minutes of total hands-on prep – the rest of the time, it’s either proofing or baking. Allow it to rise overnight, then bake and enjoy it for breakfast in the morning!
    The flavor is similar to sourdough, but a little less sour. It’s both fluffy and dense on the inside with a gorgeous golden-brown crust.

    When you’re done making this bread, you’ll have a gorgeous loaf that looks like it came from a fancy bakery.

    Looking for a basic Sandwich Bread recipe? If so, see my recipe for Homemade Bread.

    Easy Bread in a Dutch Oven

    What is Dutch oven bread?

    It’s just like what it sounds like – bread made in a Dutch oven!
    Closeup of crusty homemade bread
    Using a Dutch oven to make homemade bread has several benefits:
    • It creates steam inside the pot, which is what gives the bread a nice, crispy crust while keeping the inside of the loaf fluffy and moist.
    • The slow rise during cooking gives the bread its delicious flavor.
    • Great for new bakers who are intimidated by homemade bread recipes. Just drop the bread dough in the pot when it’s ready and bake.
    Slice of No Knead Bread
    Don’t you have to knead homemade bread?
    Science lesson time!
    The purpose of kneading bread is to form gluten, which is what gives bread its structure. Gluten is created when water combines with specific proteins in wheat flours.
    Kneading your dough allows the water to get to the proteins and for the different proteins to connect with each other.
    But there’s another way to form gluten. If you have a very wet dough, and no-knead doughs are very wet, then the proteins will float around and connect on their own during the time that the dough rests.
    Another benefit of making a no-knead bread, like Dutch oven bread, is that the flavor tends to be better. More flavor can develop by letting the wheat sit in wet dough overnight.
    Kneading also introduces a lot of air to the dough, which adds oxygen. Oxygen changes the molecular bonds in the dough, which can affect the flavor.
    Text on image 4 Ingredient Homemade Bread
    One way isn’t necessarily better than the other – it just depends on the type of bread you are making. But kneading the dough isn’t a necessary step, especially in a basic bread recipe like this one.
    Loaf of Homemade Bread sliced
    Now let’s get started!

    How to make Dutch oven bread

    Ingredients

    • Flour – all-purpose is all you need for this basic bread recipe
    • Salt – helps with the structure of the loaf
    • Yeast – use active dry yeast instead of instant because you want a long and slow rise for more flavor
    • Water – make sure it’s at room temperature and not hot
    Ingredients to make Dutch Oven Bread

    Step-by-step process

    First, combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together until well blended.
    Add the water to the dry ingredients and mix everything together with a wooden spoon or spatula. The dough will be very sticky and there should be no more flour streaks.
    NOTE: It’s VERY important that you use room temperature water. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast and your bread won’t rise properly.
    Dry bread ingredients in a bowl
    Now it’s time to leave the dough alone to rise and proof. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap so no air can get into the dough. Let it sit on the counter overnight for at least 12 hours.
    When you’re ready to bake, put the Dutch oven inside your oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. The Dutch oven needs to be warm when you place the dough inside, and this is the easiest way to do that.
    Once the oven is done heating, carefully remove the pot from the oven and take off the lid. Use oven mitts or a thick towel with the pot and lid so you don’t burn your hands.
    Lightly coat the bottom of the Dutch oven with flour. Then, uncover the dough and add flour to your hands.
    Sprinkle flour over the dough and gently lift it from the bowl. Carefully form a ball with the dough and then gently drop it in the center of the pot.
    Floured dough in a bowl
    Wash the flour off of your hand and put your oven mitts back on. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and set it back inside the preheated oven.
    Bake for 45-50 minutes total, removing the lid for the last 15-20 minutes.
    When it’s done baking, carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool.
    Crusty Homemade Dutch Oven Bread in pan

    Recipe notes

    What if I don’t have a Dutch oven?
    Using a Dutch oven is the easiest way to make this basic bread recipe because it already comes with a lid and is oven safe.
    If you don’t have one, you can use any oven-safe pot and make a lid with a metal sheet pan. The most important thing is that the pot is completely sealed so that steam will be created inside.
    It’s best to use a 5 or 6-quart pot or saucepan so there’s room for the bread to rise.
    If your pot is stainless steel, skip the step where you preheat your pot. Stainless steel heats up faster than a Dutch oven and doesn’t distribute heat as evenly. This means that if you preheat it, the bottom of your loaf will burn.
    When you’re ready to bake, drop the dough into the cold pot, put it in the oven, and immediately cover with an upside-down sheet pan (the edges should go over the sides of the pot).
    Then continue the recipe as normal and remove the sheet pan when it says to remove the lid.

    Homemade Bread loaf sliced

    RECIPE
    Print Pin Rate

    Dutch Oven Bread

    Dutch oven bread is a simple and easy way to enjoy the taste of homemade bread, with no kneading required!
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Keyword bread
    Prep Time 18 hours hours
    Cook Time 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time 18 hours hours 45 minutes minutes
    Servings 1 loaf
    Calories 1372kcal
    Author Jen CIncyshopper

    Ingredients

    • 3 cup Flour
    • 1 1/4 tsp Salt
    • 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast
    • 1 1/2 cup Water room temperature

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl combine flour, salt and yeast.
    • Mix until blended.
    • Add water to bowl and mix it until incorporated (use spatula or wooden spoon).
    • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to sit on counter for 12-18 hours.
    • Preheat oven to 450.
    • Place dutch oven in oven and allow to preheat as well.
    • Carefully remove pot from oven using oven mitts.
    • Using mitts, remove lid.
    • Sprinkle a little flour into bottom of dutch oven.
    • Remove wrap from top of dough.
    • Dust/sprinkle dough with flour and flour your hands.
    • Lift dough, roughly forming into ball and drop in center of dutch oven.
    • Using mitts, place lid back on dutch oven and return to oven.
    • Bake for 30 minutes.
    • Remove lid and bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
    • Remove bread from the pot.
    • Let cool completely before slicing.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1372kcal | Carbohydrates: 287g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2933mg | Potassium: 401mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 17mg
    Have you made this recipe?Snap a pic and show us on Instagram or Facebook.Tag me @Cincyshopper or #cincyshopper.

    Text on image of Simple Dutch Oven Bread

    Long pin image with text Sliced Dutch Oven Bread

    Long Pin image with text 4 Ingredient Basic Bread

    More Bread

    • Starbucks Lemon Loaf
    • Irish Soda Bread
    • Carrot Bread
    • Chocolate Banana Bread
    917 shares
    • Facebook

    Filed Under: Bread

    About Jen Cincyshopper

    Learn about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nicolle

      January 11, 2023 at 12:56 pm

      5 stars
      This is my favorite way to make homemade bread! I am happy to be featuring your recipe in my weekly link party this week! https://www.ourtinynest.com/2023/01/11/weekly-link-party-330/

      Thanks for sharing Jen!

      Reply
    2. Patricia

      January 29, 2021 at 4:14 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for sharing, it was so easy and turned out delicious.

      Reply
    3. Denise

      May 31, 2020 at 6:45 am

      Can this be made with self-rising flour?

      Reply
    4. Sharon

      April 30, 2020 at 2:16 pm

      Can I use a sourdough starter with this recipe? If so, what would I add?

      Reply
    5. Neva

      April 15, 2020 at 12:09 pm

      I’ve made this bread numerous times. It’s delicious and so easy. It turns out perfect every time. You’ll love it.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm JEN! A lover of food and frugal living. A wife to a wonderful hubby, momma to 5 fun kiddos. Welcome to my blog. You will find REAL TASTY RECIPES. Be sure to subscribe to my email list and follow me on social media, to never miss a recipe.

    More about me →

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter

    Latest Recipes

    • Simple Salad Dressing
    • Strawberry Topping
    • 7 Layer Salad
    • Starbucks Pink Drink

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer Policy
    • Disclosure Policy

    Newsletter

    Contact

    • About
    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 CincyShopper