This no knead artisan bread is the easiest bread recipe you’ll ever make! You only need one bowl and 3 simple ingredients. This recipe is perfect for beginners!
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3 Ingredient Bread Recipe
Homemade bread is seriously pure comfort and a staple in my home. The very first recipe I ever made from scratch was my homemade white bread, which my family adores. I’ve made many more over the years, like my homemade french bread and whole wheat bread.
You seriously won’t find an easier bread recipe than this! It comes together with only 3 ingredients (I don’t count water as an ingredient) and is perfect for beginner bakers. There’s no kneading required and the dough can be made in one bowl. Plus it only takes 5 minutes to prep.
I shaped this bread into a French Boule (circle), but this dough can easily be made into a French baguette, rolls, pizza dough or ciabatta. It’s super versatile and a recipe you’ll want to save for when you just have a few ingredients on hand.
How to Make Artisan Bread
Make the dough. Add salt and yeast to a large bowl, then pour the warm water on top. Add the flour in all at once, then mix together. I used a dough whisk, but feel free to use a spatula, wooden spoon or even your hands. The dough will still be sticky once it’s mixed together, but this is what you want.
Cover and let rise. Cover the bowl with a towel until the dough doubles in size. This will take about 2 to 3 hours, however the longer you let it rise the better. You can leave it on the counter to rise for up to 12 hours. Once it rises, you can either prepare to bake or cover the bowl with saran wrap and stick it in the refrigerator to bake later. It will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Shape the dough. Dust your hands with flour, then lightly turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into your preferred shape, making sure not to punch it down or knead it. I like to shape mine into a French boule (round circle). Or shape into 2 loaves and tuck the ends under. Add a light dust of flour on top, then use a bread knife to make about 1 to 4 lines across the top.
Let rest again. Line a pizza peel, skillet or pan with parchment, then lightly sprinkle flour on top. Add the dough and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
Bake in oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F. You want the bread to cook on a hot surface, so place a baking stone, pizza stone or flipped over iron skillet into the oven. Let it warm in the oven for about 20 minutes while the oven preheats.
Grab a hold of the parchment paper to slide the dough onto the hot stone or skillet. Quickly pour 1 cup hot water into a small broiler pan or 5 ice cubes into the bottom of the oven and close the door to trap the steam. Then bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Cooking Tips
- You can easily double this recipe to make an extra loaf and freeze for later.
- If you don’t have a baking stone, you can turn a cast iron skillet or baking sheet upside down and place in to then to heat up.
- Use parchment paper to easily slide the dough ball onto the hot skillet in the oven. The bread will cook on the parchment paper.
- Knowing how to measure flour accurately can make a big difference in texture.
- The longer you let it rise, the chewier the bread will be. You can let it rise on the counter for up to 12-18 hours and up to a week in the refrigerator. I prefer to make it the night before I’m baking it.
- Split the dough in half if you’d prefer to make 2 smaller loaves. This recipe makes about a 9-inch loaf.
- If you don’t have a broiler pan, stick a cup of water in a small oven-safe pan or toss in about 5 ice cubes to help keep steam in the oven. This will create the crusty crust.
- Store in a paper bag so it doesn’t soften.
What to Serve with Artisan Bread?
- This bread tastes amazing along side of a warm bowl of chicken noodle or tomato soup.
- Simply spread butter, garlic herb butter or jam on top.
- Dip into a warm cheese dip.
- Use it to make a grilled caprese sandwich.
- Add mashed guacamole on top to make avocado toast.
More Homemade Bread Recipes
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Artisan Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups (395 grams) all-purpose flour , or bread flour
- 1/2 Tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 ounce instant or active dry yeast packet , or 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 1 1/2 cups warm water , 105°F
Instructions
Make dough:
- Place the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Then pour the warm water (about 105°F) over top, making sure it's not too hot. Then you can use a dough whisk, spatula, wooden spoon or your hands to mix together. The dough should still be somewhat wet and sticky, but add more flour if it's too sticky to handle.
- Once the flour is all mixed in, cover with a towel or plastic wrap spayed with nonstick spray for 2-8 hours, or you can leave on the counter overnight. The longer you let it rise, the better. You can leave it on the counter to rise for up to 12 hours.
Shape:
- Generously flour your hands and turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. The dough will be sticky. Do not punch it down, knead it or roll it out. Gently work the dough into your preferred shape. I typically work it into a French boule (round circle) or 2 loaves and tuck the ends under.
- Lightly dust the top with flour and then use a bread knife to add 1-4 lines across the top.
Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a baking stone, a pizza stone, dutch oven or a iron skillet into the oven. You'll want the bread to cook on a hot skillet, so let it preheat for about 20 minutes. Place a piece of parchment paper onto a pizza peel or the bottom of a skillet or pan. Lightly flour and then place the dough on top and let it rest about 20-30 minutes.
- Slide the dough with the parchment paper underneath onto the hot stone. Quickly place either 1 cup of hot water in a small broiler pan or 5 ice cubes into the bottom of the oven and shut the door to trap the steam. Then bake for 25 minutes or until browned.
- Allow to cool on a cooling rack and then slice the bread and serve. Store in a paper bag so it doesn't soften.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Will the recipe work if I use a bread machine to make the dough?
I don’t have a bread machine, so I’m not sure. It is a much stickier dough (more wet and shaggy than most), so I’m not sure how it would do in a bread machine.
Thank you… Fantastic. Melt in your mouth Fantastic. I was really surprised it was pretty easy and this good. Thank you for sharing.
So glad you loved it! Thanks for your comment and review, Tiffany :)
If you put the parchment paper underneath the bread onto a cookie sheet, do you need to preheat the cookie sheet for 20 minutes?
Yes, I like the bread to cook on top of a hot plate. If you test it out without, let us know how it goes! I think it will cook fine, just may not get the edges as crispy.
Very good recipe and so easy to make. But I did find it a bit salty. Will cut back on the salt next time by about a third, to 2 tps instead of a tbsp.
Fabulous recipe and delicious bread! Thank you for sharing. Amanda
So happy you enjoyed it, Amanda :)
It worked great. I let it rise for a hour both times
So happy to hear that! :)
So, in step one of baking, you say to preheat the skillet for 20 minutes or so in an oven at 450° but then you say to put the parchment paper and the dough on top of the skillet for 20 minutes to rest. Am I resting it in the oven with the oven still on or am I turning the oven off and just resting the dough on the hot pan in the oven for 20 minutes?
Hi Krystle, let the skillet warm in the oven while the dough rests on the counter on a piece of parchment paper (not in the oven). Then after 20 minutes, slide the dough with the parchment paper underneath onto the hot skillet :)