No Knead Bread
on Mar 03, 2023, Updated Feb 28, 2026
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I posted this No Knead Bread recipe on TikTok on February 12, 2021, not expecting to wake up to 15 million views 🤯. Little did I know that this humble peasant bread, rooted in a history of strength and resourcefulness, would become a 🌎 global sensation, carrying forward my Bapche’s legacy 👵🏼. If you’ve never baked bread before, this is the perfect place to start — it’s simple, beginner-friendly, and surprisingly easy.
Key Takeaways
- The No Knead Bread recipe gained 15 million views on TikTok and honors my family legacy from Bulgaria.
- This recipe requires no kneading and only 5 minutes of active work, making it beginner-friendly.
- You can customize No Knead Bread with variations like gluten-free or sourdough options.
- Serve No Knead Bread with soups, stews, and cheese boards for a delightful pairing.
- Tips include using the correct water temperature for yeast activation and adjusting the dough’s consistency.
Table of Contents
Origins of No Knead Bread
In the heart of Bulgaria 🇧🇬, where a frugal lifestyle was a necessity, basic ingredients—flour, salt, water, and yeast—had our tummies fed and our pockets happy ☺️. My grandma was one of ten siblings so this rustic bread became a lifeline in a very challenging world. The legacy of this no knead bread, called “Selski Hliab” in Bulgarian, persevered through the harsh years of communism when ingredients were scarce but the warmth of freshly baked bread 🥖 was our lifeline.
This bread has been in my family for generations and represents more than just nourishment; it symbolizes the bond between my family and the strength my grandma passed down to us. Though I lost my grandma, who was my soulmate, on November 13, 2020, her memory lives on through our shared moments of laughter, tears, and the simple pleasure of enjoying this bread together. Every time I close my eyes, I can picture her so I hold on to that feeling.
Why You’ll Love No Knead Bread
🥣 No kneading, no stand mixer required. Just a bowl and a spoon — that’s it.
⏲️ Only 5 minutes of active effort. You won’t even get your hands dirty. Mix, cover, and let time do the work.
🍞 A Dutch oven is ideal — but not necessary. It helps create that beautiful crust, but I’ll show you how to make it without one using a baking dish.
👩🍳 Easy to make, without compromising quality. You’ll get a crisp crust and soft, airy crumb that tastes like it came from a bakery.
Nonna’s Tip 🫧
To activate the yeast, dissolve it in warm (not hot) water and let it sit for 5–10 minutes — it should look foamy and bubbly. If nothing happens, it’s best to start fresh.
Variations and Substitutions for No Knead Bread
- Flour Variations: If you’d like a slightly chewier crumb, you can use bread flour instead. For a heartier loaf, substitute up to 50% whole wheat flour and add 1–2 tablespoons of extra water 💧 since whole wheat absorbs more moisture.
- Gluten-Free Option: For all my gluten-free besties, I developed this Gluten Free No Knead Bread with you in mind. Since bread relies on gluten to develop structure, the GF version won’t rise as high as the original and will have a slightly different taste and more density 🥖.
- Yeast Variations: This recipe uses active dry yeast. However, if you prefer instant yeast, you can substitute it in equal amounts and mix it directly into the flour.
- Sourdough Variation: Replace the yeast with ½ cup active sourdough starter and slightly reduce the flour and water to keep the dough balanced. The rise will take longer, and the flavor will be more complex and tangy.
- Flavor Add-Ins: Stir in rosemary and garlic 🧄 before the first rise, fold in chopped olives 🫒, make it extra cheesy, or add 2–3 tablespoons of seeds to the top before baking for extra texture. You can find all of my No Knead Bread recipes below!
More No Knead Bread Recipes
No Knead Olive Bread
6 hrs 5 mins
No Knead Gluten Free Bread
6 hrs 20 mins
No Knead Cheddar Bread
6 hrs 10 mins
No Knead Garlic Bread
4 hrs 10 mins
No Knead Feta Bread
6 hrs 10 mins
No Knead Chocolate Chip Bread
6 hrs 5 mins
Best Served With
My No Knead Bread pairs wonderfully with a variety of dishes, including soups and stews 🍲, cheese and butter boards 🧀, and more. Some of my favorite soups to enjoy with this bread:
- Pastina Soup
- Greek Lemon Soup
- The Best Lentil Soup
- Hidden Veggie Orzo Soup
- Healthy Cream of Broccoli Soup
- Healthiest Cream of Hidden Veggie Soup
- Hidden Veggie Meatball Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup
Try it With My Favorite Boards
- Viral Butter Board With Goat Cheese
- Holiday Butter Board
- Holiday Charcuterie Board
- Holiday Cheese Board
Most Common Questions
Maintaining this water temperature range is crucial because it ensures that the yeast activates properly. Water that’s too hot or too cold can hinder yeast activation.
In this traditional recipe, I encourage you to add water gradually until you achieve a very thick and sticky dough, following the “na oko” or “by eye” method.
To test your yeast, add it to warm water. If it doesn’t foam up, you’ll need to start with new yeast. Foaming indicates that the yeast is active and is ready to be added to the flour and salt.
You certainly can. Although this recipe specifically calls for active dry yeast you can also try instant yeast as well.
If the dough is too wet, you can sprinkle in a bit more flour to adjust. Conversely, if it’s too dry, add warm water a little at a time until you have a tacky dough.
Yes, any oven-safe baking dish that can accommodate a loaf of bread will work. For example, a Corning Ware Dish or something similar will do the job.
It’s not necessary. A Dutch oven traps steam, which helps create a crisp crust and strong oven spring. However, you can use a casserole dish or a baking stone with a steam tray as an alternative.
Preheat your Dutch oven in a 450°F (230°C) oven with its lid on, shape the dough, place it inside, bake for 30 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Weighing your flour using a kitchen scale is ideal for accuracy. However, scooping and leveling the flour in a measuring cup can also ensure more precise measurements, helping you achieve the right consistency for the dough.
While I have not explicitly tested it, aluminum foil should work as a substitute for a dish lid.
Yes, you can use 1-1 gluten-free flour for this recipe, or you can make my No-Knead Gluten-Free Bread.
The dough should rest for a minimum of 5 hours, but it’s common to leave it overnight and bake it the following morning, typically at room temperature away from drafts.
In hotter climates, the dough may rise much faster, so I would advise placing it in a cooler room or limiting the rise to a maximum of 2 to 3 hours to prevent over-expansion. Once it doubles or triples in size, it should be baked immediately.
The recipe hasn’t been tested at higher altitudes, so adjustments may be necessary.
The dough should have a thick and sticky consistency. If it’s too dry, add a splash of water at a time until the dough is tacky. Too wet? Add a sprinkle of flour at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
No Knead Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting the counter and top of the bread
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon active dry yeast , check the expiration; see notes below
- 1 ¾ cups warm water, between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit (37 to 43 degrees Celsius)
- additional flour for dusting the counter plus the top of the bread , no kneading, dust the top and bottom well, gently shape and transfer
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and yeast. Mix with a whisk, wooden spoon, or with clean hands.
- Add the water and mix with a spatula until you have a sticky dough. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let rest at room temperature for at least 5 hours or overnight. Place the bowl of dough away from drafty areas, such as in the microwave, cupboard, or in a cold oven.
- Note: The water must be between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit (37 to 43 degrees Celsius). If the water is too hot or too cold the yeast will not activate.
- After the dough has tripled in size, uncover it, and flour the counter. Pour the dough out onto the counter and generously sprinkle the top with flour.
- Note: You do NOT need to knead the dough. You can simply move it around until you have a really nice and soft dough that is no longer sticky and is oval in shape. If the loaf sticks to your hands or the counter, sprinkle on a little more flour.
- Place the loaf into any oven-safe dish lined with parchment paper. Place a lid on the dish, and place the dish in a cold oven (an oven that is NOT preheated).
- Turn the oven on to 450F (230C) once the bread is inside. Bake the bread with the lid on the dish for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, carefully remove the hot lid from the dish and bake the bread for another 25 to 30 minutes.
- Baking note: The bake time will depend on your oven, so keep an eye on it. Total bake time will be about 1 hour from the moment you place the bread into the cold oven.
- The bread is done once it’s light and golden all over. Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes and enjoy!
- Storage note: To store leftover bread, let it cool completely, wrap it up in plastic wrap, beeswax wrap, or a clean kitchen towel, and store the bread on the counter. This bread is always best served warm the same day.
Nonna’s Notes
- Flour Variations: If you’d like a slightly chewier crumb, you can use bread flour instead. For a heartier loaf, substitute up to 50% whole wheat flour and add 1–2 tablespoons of extra water 💧 since whole wheat absorbs more moisture.
- Gluten-Free Option: For all my gluten-free besties, I developed this Gluten Free No Knead Bread with you in mind. Since bread relies on gluten to develop structure, the GF version won’t rise as high as the original and will have a slightly different taste and more density 🥖.
- Yeast Variations: This recipe uses active dry yeast. However, if you prefer instant yeast, you can substitute it in equal amounts and mix it directly into the flour.
- Sourdough Variation: Replace the yeast with ½ cup active sourdough starter and slightly reduce the flour and water to keep the dough balanced. The rise will take longer, and the flavor will be more complex and tangy.
- Flavor Add-Ins: Stir in rosemary and garlic 🧄 before the first rise, fold in chopped olives 🫒, make it extra cheesy, or add 2–3 tablespoons of seeds to the top before baking for extra texture. You can find all of my No Knead Bread recipes when you scroll up the post!
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This looks great. Would it work if you made into small rolls instead of a loaf?
Hi there 🙂 I haven’t tried but it should absolutely work if you bake it for less time. I am thinking 15 covered and 10-15 uncovered but I wouldn’t know until I try.
Forgot to rate!
Thanks Katie. No worries at all
This bread is so good and EASY! Thank you for giving me the confidence to jump into bread making!! Sharing this recipe with everyone I know!
Thank you Katie, so happy you loved it
Yeast doughs always scare me, but I had to give this bread a try. I used rapid raise yeast and it came out perfect. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
So glad you loved it Andrea
Can I put this in a loaf pan?
It should work but I haven’t tried yet
Very easy recipe to make. Like the crustiness of the outside will most definitely make again. Also want to try using whole-wheat flour
Soooo happy
Wow wow wow, i am in LOVE witht his bread. I saw this on pinterest while laying in bed last night, and said “oh thats easy that’ll take me like 5 min to prep” woke up this morning, took 10 more minutes to set everything up, and an hour later, i had FRESH AWESOME BREAD. I’ve tried making bread before in the past, and failed miserably, like super bad. This turned out exactly how bread should turn out. I will forever use this.
OMG SOOOO HAPPY
I have always wanted to learn how to make bread. After some unsuccessful tryouts, I found The Modern Nonna in Tiktok and gave this recipe a try. This was A MA ZING. I have done this bread a lot of times and it always end up great and tasty. Then I followed her and now I am such a fan! 😀
So incredibly happy Nora, thank you for leaving feedback ♥️
I doubt the recipe do I have to bake it in two loaves or 1
This recipe is meant for one loaf.
The written recipe shows 1/2 teaspoon of yeast but your video shows or says
1 teaspoon of yeast. What is the correct amount?
Thanks.
video showed 1/2 tsp as well. Its 1/2 teaspoon
This was my first time making bread. I followed the instructions exactly, bought new yeast and new flour and even took the temp off my water. I let it rise in a cold oven overnight but it didn’t seem to rise very much and looked like it had a crust on top, even though I covered it with a towel. I turned it out on flour and added a little on top so I could shape it but it still seemed a little loose. Followed all the cooking directions and it looked good when it came out but the top was very hard, not flaky like in the video and the bottom crust was even harder. And even though the top was nice and golden the bread doesn’t looked completely cooked in the middle. It tasted good but what did I do wrong to make the crusts so hard and how do you tell when it’s done all the way thru. Thanks
Hi Amy,
for a first time that’s amazing! I don’t want you to give up because with each time you WILL get better and better. I would recommend covering it with plastic wrap and then a towel on top because the dough most likely got dry and air came into it if it developed a crust before it was even baked. I think what went wrong was something during the rise process. Next time when you cover it please use a big bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap so that it seals and no additional air comes in. Please try and let me know
I bought a new Pioneer woman cast iron dutch oven. It says not to go over 400. Should I try for 450 or can I cook it at 400?
I would follow the instructions of the pan but just keep an eye on the bread and the baking time
I have never made bread before until I found this recipe. I’ve always felt intimidated making anything that required yeast and flour. Not only was this recipe easy to follow with her spot on instructions but the results are so satisfying knowing you made it yourself from scratch. Crispy golden crust and warm delicious pillowy goodness inside. This has been my go to bread all thru out Covid.
Aw my heart ! Appreciate it more than you know
Hi-so set the first timer for 30min when you turn the overnight on?
Exactly:)
Doesn’t yeast need sugar as good to activate (along with the warm water). No source of sugar in the recipe. Am I missing something here? Thanks. Jay
In this recipe, the yeast only needs warm water to activate.
I make this bread every few days and my husband and I love it! It’s so crunchy and he prefers it over store-bought. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe and easy to follow instructions. ❤️
Wow, what a great compliment. Thanks Esther!
I plan on trying this recipe tonight. It looks delicious. My oven seems to heat up a little on the slow side. Do we start the 30 minute timing from when we put the dough in the cold oven or when the oven reaches 450f? Please advise… many thanks.
Hi Beverley, the 30 minute timer should begin as soon as you place the dough in the cold oven. Since your oven is slow to heat up, you may need to add 5 to 10 minutes to the total bake time.
No it does not, water is all that is needed. The flour will feed it once activated. Ciabatta is made without sugar.
I made this bread once before and we all loved it! This time I got started a little late in the day. If I leave it overnight is that without pitting it in the fridge? Can I leave it in a cold oven overnight?
yes exactlty. Leave at room temp away from drafts