This is the EASIEST method for making Whole Wheat Bread! This recipe for No-Knead bread is made without special equipment, only a few minutes of prep and produces the most delicious hearty, rustic bread.
Not only is this Dutch Oven Bread incredibly easy to make, but it is also one of my favorite bread recipes. It toasts up perfectly but is divine when served with a smear of butter next to homemade Potato Corn Chowder or Lasagna Soup.
I am a bit of a bread snob. I want hearty, rich, and crusty bread that is full of flavor and texture and worthy of every calorie consumed.
And friends, this No-Knead Dutch Oven bread not only meets my high standards for bread, but it is also the EASIEST bread recipe to make.
- One Bowl
- 4 Ingredients
- No-Kneading!!
This no-knead dutch oven bread is just perfection!!
Crusty on the outside and tender on the inside. It reminds me of a fresh loaf of bread that I would pick up from an expensive bakery. Instead, it is something I made with a few simple staples and hardly any effort at all--FOR PENNIES!
How to Make No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, salt, and water until just combined.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set on the counter to rest overnight.
- After the dough has risen, place the dutch oven in the oven and turn the oven to 450 degrees. You must preheat your dutch oven for this bread to turn out perfectly.
- Dump onto a floured cutting board and shape into a circle.
- Carefully remove dutch oven from oven and then place the rounded dough into the pan. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove cover and bake for an additional for 20 minutes.
- Let cool and enjoy!
Important Notes on this Recipe
- You will know your bread is done cooking when it reaches a temperature on an instant-read thermometer of 207-209 degrees.
- I use whole wheat flour for this recipe, but you can use half whole wheat and half all-purpose or whole white wheat flour as well.
- Be sure to use a spoon/scoop to add flour to your measuring cup--if you just scoop from canister using the measuring cup, you will end up with significantly more flour than this recipe calls for.
- Use regular active dry yeast, not rapid rise or instant yeast.
- Do NOT forget the step to preheat your dutch oven in the oven while the oven preheats, that is crucial to achieving the right texture.
More Bread Recipes
- Easy Whole Wheat Cranberry Walnut Bread
- Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread
- Homemade Italian Bread
- Honey Whole Wheat Bread
This is a great starter recipe for homemade bread. It is simple, easy, and delicious! I hope you give a try and enjoy!
No-Knead Whole Wheat Dutch Oven Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water between 100-115 degrees Fahrenheit
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dry active yeast
- 3 ¾ cups whole wheat flour or 480 grams
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Slowly mix in the water using a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let sit out overnight at room temperature--or for at least 8 hours.
- After the dough has risen, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and with floured hand, shape it into a circle. Let the dough rest while the oven preheats.
- Place a dutch oven pan, fitted with a lid, into the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, with the pan in the oven.
- Once the oven is preheated, carefully remove the pan from the oven and drop the shaped bread into the heated pan.
- Bake the bread covered for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the lid and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
- Remove bread from dutch oven and let cool on wire rack for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Equipment Needed
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2017 but has been updated in 2020 with new tips.
Kim
My hubby is the baker in the family and usually makes a multigrain bread with chia seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. I'm trying to surprise him because he won't have time this week to make his usual. Do you think this would do well with the added seeds and flax meal, etc?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Kim! What a sweet surprise! As for adding seeds and flax, I would add no more than 1/2 cup in total when mixing the dough and proof and bake as directed. Enjoy
Donna M Hawkins
I am accustomed to placing the dough on parchment paper and then into the Dutch oven. I'm curious if this will alter the final bread for this recipe.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Donna! Lower the oven temperature to 425 degrees if using parchment paper (450 degrees is often too hot for parchment paper.) I have been experimenting with this temperature and it works great!
Courtney
Hi! I've tried making this bread several times now with slight variations, but the problem is it never cooks through fully. I'm using whole wheat flour, and last time replaced some with vital wheat gluten. I let it sit 7 hours, 3 hours, and 30 hours (oops! But not in a warm spot). IStill no luck. Any other suggestions? I'm near sea level, tried baking longer at a lower temp, and tried it just as you suggested. I regularly come back to several of your recipes, so hoping I can make this one work too.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Courtney! Step two states to let the bread rise for at least 8 hours. Without letting the bread fully rise, it will be dense and not cook fully.
Lynda Willett
This recipe doesn't need to rise again before putting it in the Dutch oven?
Kristen Chidsey
That is correct! There is just one long rise.
Ashley
This did not turn out for me. I followed directions exactly. After letting rise for 8 hours the top layer of the dough was dry and I did have it covered. It also stuck to the bottom of my Dutch oven. It was very crispy and hard on top and very dense in the middle. The taste wasn’t good. Very doughy and floury tasting. We couldn’t even eat it. I don’t know if I did something wrong but I wanted to live this and I had to throw it away.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Ashley. I am sorry you had issues with this recipe. It sounds like you may have used too much flour. Is it possible you scooped your flour or used a heavy hand when measuring? It is best to spoon the flour into the measuring cup to ensure that you don't use too much flour.
Ashley
I spooned it into the measuring cup ensuring I didn’t use too much flour.
Kristen Chidsey
Hmm..I am sorry you were disappointed. This is not an issue that is common, and it may simply be that your house was too cold and the bread didn't rise right or an issue in elevation.
Ashley
I am in Albuquerque so we are at a high altitude. Any advice on baking bread for higher elevations?? Thank you! I’m new to baking bread so trying to figure it out!
Donna
I can’t wait to try this. I have been making regular no knead bread and found out a couple of months ago I have onset diabetes.
Now only whole wheat so thus will be great to make.
Douglas Clarke
Look forward to making this bread…sounds so simple after make sourdough bread for the last three years. Should the active yeast be “activated” ie) with water and sugar or just mixed in dry as with instant yeast?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Douglas! This bread is incredibly simple. No need to activate the yeast. Enjoy!
Douglas Clarke
After making sourdough bread for the last three years, I wanted to make a simple 100% whole wheat bread. The results of this recipe was everything I wanted it to be (except for using commercial yeast). The plus side was I used only organic whole wheat flour The dough rose well at 23 F and after 8 hours baked perfectly in the Dutch oven. Thanks for the recipe.
Kristen Chidsey
You are so welcome! I am happy to hear you enjoyed this easy recipe.
ReneeMarie Long
I do not have a dutch oven per se . I DO have a casserole dish with a lid. Will that work?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi ReneeMarie! For this recipe to work, you need a pan that can be heated to extreme temperatures and that has thick sides. Most casserole dishes will not work. If you give me the exact model, I can look it up for you.
Amy Anderson
This was so incredibly easy to make and delicious! My family and I were standing around the kitchen eating warm bread with butter…so, so good!
Kristen Chidsey
Wonderful! I love hearing you enjoyed so much, Amy!
Jan
I want to try that his bread but you only call for 1 teaspoon of yeast. All other recipes I’ve tried call for the 2 1/4 pkg yeast. Just want to make sure that’s right?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Jan! Yes, for this recipe, you only need 1 teaspoon.
Holly’s
I have a Dutch over that is metal vs cast iron. Will that affect the baking times?
Kristen Chidsey
A metal dutch oven will work just as well!
Claudia
I would love to try your recipe! I have white unbleached flour and also have whole wheat flour. I want to use only the whole wheat flour which produces brown bread. Will it not rise as much as the white ? Will it be heavy in texture? Thank you
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Claudia! This recipe uses whole wheat flour. While it does not rise quite and has a heavier texture than white bread, it is delicious. If you would like a lighter result, try whole white wheat flour OR use half whole wheat flour and half unbleached flour.
Susan Hicks
I made this bread today. It has a great taste but I should have watched it because it was a little overdone on the outside. Mine stuck to the bottom of the dutch oven. Was I supposed to add parchment paper?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Susan. Some dutch ovens aren't as nonstick as others. This can vary based on the quality of the pan and how well people clean it, etc. In the future, you can use parchment paper if it is safe for temperatures up to 450 degrees F---that can be hard to find. If not, you can lightly brush with oil AFTER preheating the pan. I hope that helps.
Kristina
I made this recipe and it turned out great! After I made it, I realized it was recommended to not use an Instant yeast. I did use it, and let the dough sit for 8 hours. After placing it in the over and removing the lid, I noticed it did get a decent rise. After letting it cook another 20 minutes and removing it, I let it sit. The outer crust was nice and crunchy and the inside was so soft! This recipe turned out great! Very happy with it. 😀
Marcia
Can the ingredients be mixed and rice in a bread machine, and then placed into the preheated Dutch oven?
Kristen Chidsey
Unfortunately, for this recipe that will not work. You don't want the bread to be kneaded at all. It is simply gently mixed together.
peter johnson
Can I double this recipe in order to make two loafs? Thank you.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Peter! You certainly can double if you have two dutch ovens available for baking. I do find that it is easier to mix the dough in two separate bowls, as that helps ensure the baking time and rising time are correct.
Debbie
I just purchased some whole wheat kamut flour would the flour measurements be the same?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Debbie! Kamut flour has a higher protein content, and therefore, without experimenting, I am unsure if this would work. I would start by using 7/8 cup of kamut for 1 cup of wheat flour.