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no-knead artisan bread in dutch oven, hand with oven mit taking off lid

No-Knead Overnight Artisan Bread (Crispy Crust, Chewy Center)

This easy no-knead artisan bread bakes up with a golden, crackly crust and a soft, chewy center — no stand mixer or special tools required. Just stir, rest overnight, and bake in your Dutch oven for bakery-quality results at home.
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Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Rise Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 55 minutes
CourseBread
CuisineItalian
Servings8 slices
Calories130 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl
  • 1 Whisk or spoon
  • 1 Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel
  • 1 Dutch oven with lid (cast iron or similar, 5-6 quart size)
  • 1 Parchment paper

Ingredients
  

  • 3 1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour bread flour yields a chewier bread but either works!
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt if you have it, use Kosher salt for a more prominent flavor
  • 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 1/2 cups (or 355 ml) warm water about 105-110°F / 40-43°C

Instructions
 

Bloom the yeast:

  • In a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup, heat 1 1/2 cups of water until it’s warm but not hot (about 105-110°F). This typically takes 30-45 seconds in the microwave.
  • Stir in the active dry yeast and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast is dissolved and foamy. This means the yeast is activated and ready to use.
    hand stirring in yeast to a mason jar full of warm water

Prepare the dry ingredients:

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour and salt. Whisk or stir well to evenly distribute the salt.
    hand whisking salt into bread flour to evenly distribute

Mix the dough:

  • Pour the bloomed yeast and water mixture into the flour and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon, spatula, or your hands until a shaggy dough forms. It will look sticky and uneven, and that’s perfect!
    hand mixing bread dough in a white bowl with a black silicone spatula

Let it rest:

  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 12-18 hours, or until it has doubled in size and looks bubbly.
    Bowl of bread dough covered with towel to rise

Shape the dough:

  • Flour your hands and a clean surface. Turn the dough out onto the surface and gently shape it into a ball by pulling up each side and pinching the dough at its seams.
    two hands shaping bread dough into a boule on a floured table with a candle lit to the side
  • Flip the dough a ball over and carefully drag the ball with both hands on the floured surface to create tension in the dough. Place it on a piece of parchment paper for easy transfer. Cover it with a clean towel and let it rest for 30 minutes while preheating the oven.
    Two hands shaping bread dough boule by dragging it carefully on floured surface.

Preheat the oven:

  • Place your Dutch oven (with the lid) in the oven and preheat it to 450°F (230°C). This takes about 30 minutes and ensures your Dutch oven is hot and ready for baking.

Score the dough:

  • Once the oven is preheated, score the bread with a bread lame (razor) or a sharp non-serrated knife. Create a long crescent moon shape along the side. This give the bread somewhere to go rise as it bakes. Add other decorative scoring if you'd like.
    a ball of bread dough on parchment showing a bread lame scoring the dough

Bake the bread:

  • Carefully take the lid off of the Dutch oven (to remember that it's HOT, I place the lid on the top rack inside my oven for the moment). Use the parchment paper to lift the dough and transfer it into the Dutch oven (parchment and all). Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes.
  • After 30 minutes, remove the lid (again, place on top rack to avoid accidently touching it without a mit later) and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and crusty.
    hand with oven mit on removing lid from a red dutch oven to allow a loaf of bread to brown on top

Cool and enjoy:

  • Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing.
    A round bread boule fresh from the oven and golden on top

Notes

  • Water Temperature: Ensure the water is warm to the touch, not hot, as overly hot water can kill the yeast.
  • Dutch Oven Alternatives: If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can use a heavy oven-safe pot with a lid or an oven-safe dish covered tightly with foil.
  • Resting Time Flexibility: While the dough should rest for at least 8-12 hours, it can be left for up to 18 hours if needed. A longer rest time enhances flavor.
  • Add-ins: For extra flavor, you can add chopped herbs, shredded cheese, or roasted garlic to the dough before mixing.

Storage

  • Store leftover bread in a closed zip-lock bag at room temperature for a week, or freeze slices in a freezer zip-lock bag for longer storage. Take a slice out when needed a pop it into the toaster to defrost.
Keywordartisan loaf, bread, easy homemade bread, italian loaf of bread, no knead bread, overnight bread, yeast bread