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Ultimate Easy No-Knead Artisan Bread: Bakery Quality Crust with 4 Ingredients (Dutch Oven Method)

A close-up of a freshly baked artisan bread loaf, sliced to show the open, airy crumb and dark, blistered crust.
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Bake bakery-style artisan bread at home using only four basic ingredients. This no-knead method requires minimal hands-on time and uses a Dutch oven to achieve a perfectly crusty exterior and a soft, airy interior.

Ingredients

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  • 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Instant Yeast
  • 1 1/2 cups Cool Water

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast.
  2. Pour in the cool water and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. Make sure no dry flour remains.
  3. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours. The dough will become bubbly and increase in volume.
  4. After the long rise, lightly flour a work surface. Gently scrape the dough out of the bowl onto the flour.
  5. Fold the dough over itself a few times to form a rough ball. Do not knead; just shape it gently.
  6. Place the dough ball on a sheet of parchment paper. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let it rest for a second proof for 30 minutes.
  7. About 20 minutes before the second proof ends, place your empty Dutch oven (with the lid on) into your oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 degrees Celsius).
  8. Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven using oven mitts. Lift the dough by the parchment paper handles and gently lower it into the hot Dutch oven.
  9. Cover the Dutch oven with the lid and place it back into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
  10. Remove the lid from the Dutch oven. Continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown.
  11. Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. This cooling time develops the final texture.

Notes

  • This recipe relies on a long, slow fermentation for flavor development, so plan your mixing time ahead.
  • For the best crust, do not skip preheating the Dutch oven with the oven.
  • If you do not have a Dutch oven, you can bake the bread on a baking stone or sheet pan, but you must create steam in the oven for the first half of the bake to mimic the Dutch oven environment.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastethisplate.com/easy-artisan-bread-recipe-4-ingredients/