How to make Soft No-Knead Bread? (Just in 5 minutes)

• Recipe: No-Knead Bread
• Writer: Nicolas Wilson
• Content-Type: Food Blog

Any newbie baker will seem like a master with this no-knead bread recipe! After only 5 minutes of work, you’ll have a crusty, golden loaf with a tender center.

If you’re interested in learning how to make bread, no-knead bread is a great place to start. Jim Lahey, the owner of Sullivan Street Bakery in New York, made this practice famous.

It’s a huge hit, and for good cause. It doesn’t require any special equipment (apart from a Dutch oven) or picky ingredients, and it just takes a few minutes of hands-on prep time.

Despite this, the bread always comes out beautifully, with a gorgeous golden-brown crust and chewy middle, thanks to a lengthy, leisurely rise.

I make a few changes to Jim’s recipe, substituting bread flour for all-purpose and adding lemon zest and rosemary to boost the flavor.

It’s bright, aromatic, and delicate, making it the ideal complement to a steaming bowl of soup or a delectable snack on its own. When you’re craving bakery-quality bread, instead of going to the shop, make this bread at home.

It’ll be more enjoyable, less costly, and just as wonderful (if not better). This is a recipe you don’t want to miss, believe me.

Ingredients for No-Knead Bread

To prepare a mind-blowing loaf of no-knead bread, you only need six basic ingredients:

• Flour — Jim Lahey’s original recipe asks for all-purpose flour, which will work in this recipe if that’s what you have on hand. Jack and I, on the other hand, prefer to make this recipe with bread flour. We can’t get enough of the bread since it’s somewhat less dense and has a lighter, chewier texture.
• This no-knead bread wouldn’t rise without active dry yeast!
• Lemon zest — When I cook, I usually grate lemon zest, but for this recipe, I cut it into small squares for a stronger lemon flavor. Although the entire loaf tastes lemony, the bites with zest are especially vibrant and crisp.
• Fresh rosemary — This bread is soothing and homey because of its cozy flavor. Fresh thyme might also work great here.
• Sea salt brings out the lemon and rosemary’s vibrant, aromatic flavors.

You only need to add water and you’re ready to go!

How to make No-Knead Bread?

There isn’t any easier or more dependable bread recipe than this one. This is how you do it:

In a large mixing basin, add the flour, yeast, salt, lemon zest, and rosemary. Then add the water and stir until a sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm location for 12 to 24 hours, or until bubbles appear on the surface.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface once it has risen. Sprinkle a little flour on the dough and fold it over itself once or twice. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes after loosely covering it.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work area and roll it into a ball as fast as possible.

Then, on a flour sack kitchen towel, sprinkle cornmeal and arrange the dough, seam side down, on the towel. More cornmeal should be sprinkled over the top of the dough.

Allow it to rise for another 2 hours, or until the dough has more than doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450°F 30 minutes before the dough is done, then set a 4-quart covered Dutch oven in the oven as it heats.

Carefully remove the pot from the oven once the dough has completed rising (it will be hot!). In the pot, flip the dough over so that the seam side is up. It’s fine if it appears sloppy.

Cut three shallow slits in the dough using a sharp knife. After that, cover it and bake it for 30 minutes in the oven. Remove the lid and bake the bread until the top is golden brown.

Before putting out the bread, let it cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Slice it up and enjoy it!

Recipe Tips for No-Knead Bread

• Allow the dough to rise in a warm place. Because yeast thrives in warm environments, letting your dough rise in one will provide the best results. Ours looks great on a sunny windowsill!
• Depending on your schedule, time the initially rise. After an initial rise of anything from 12 to 24 hours, this bread turns out beautifully. That’s quite a spread! The final loaf may alter slightly depending on how long it rises (it will puff up more the longer it rises), but this range is mainly simply to offer you options. Allow the dough to rise for as long as it is convenient for you when you move on to the following step, as long as it is dotted with bubbles.
• Be gentle. When no-knead bread is done correctly, it has a light, delicate texture and is speckled with air bubbles. To achieve this, work with the dough gently. After the dough has risen, carefully turn it out of the bowl, preserving as much volume as possible while working with it. Don’t ever!
• Do you have any doubts about whether or not your dough is ready to bake? Make a poke at it! Poke your dough with your finger to see if it’s ready to bake after its 2-hour rise. Allow it to rise a little longer if it springs back right away. When it slowly bounces back, it’s ready to bake.
  No-knead sliced bread

Suggestions for Serving

This no-knead bread is crusty and savory on its own, with a dollop of butter or a drizzle of olive oil. It’s great as a snack or a light breakfast, and it goes well with any soup, salad, or pasta dish.

On the first day, we prefer to eat it with whatever we’re eating for dinner. Then I slice and freeze the remainder. Later, I cook the frozen slices in the toaster to make avocado toast or to accompany a larger meal.

If you don’t want to freeze your bread, keep it at room temperature for up to two days in an airtight container.

No-Knead Bread

Any newbie baker will seem like a master with this quick no-knead bread recipe! It features a soft, chewy interior and a lovely golden brown exterior.

Ingredients

• 3 cups bread flour
• 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• A tablespoon of diced lemon peel
• 1 tablespoon minced rosemary
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup Cornmeal

Instructions

1. Combine the flour, yeast, salt, lemon, and rosemary in a large mixing basin. Stir in the water until everything is well combined. It’ll be quite sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm location (75° is optimal) for 12 to 24 hours, or until bubbles appear on the surface.
2. Place the dough on a lightly floured board and dust with a little extra flour. Once or again, turn the dough over itself. It’s fine if the dough is wet and sticky; simply don’t knead it. Allow for 15 minutes of resting time after covering lightly.
3. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll it out. Without kneading the dough, lightly flour your hands and gently shape it into a ball. Place the dough, seam side down, on a flour sack-type kitchen towel sprinkled with cornmeal. More cornmeal should be sprinkled over the top of the dough. Allow it to rise for another 2 hours, or until the dough has more than doubled in size.
4. Preheat the oven to 450°F 30 minutes before the dough is done, then set a 4-quart covered Dutch oven in the oven as it heats.
5. Carefully remove the pot from the oven using oven mitts. Turn the dough over in the saucepan so that the seam side is facing up. Shake the pan a little to distribute the dough evenly if necessary. Cut three shallow slits in the dough using a sharp knife. Bake for 30 minutes covered, then uncover and bake for another 15 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
6. Before removing from the pot, cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.