No Knead Cheddar Bread
on Oct 23, 2023
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Roses are red violets are blue, this cheesy goodness has me in a chokehold and I know you’ll feel the same way too! The recipe for this easy cheesy loaf was inspired by my beloved grandma’s simple No Knead Peasant Bread. If you’ve been searching for the perfect bread recipe to dip into any soup, then look no further as The Modern Nonna has got you covered!
One of my favorite things to do in the kitchen is to take the recipes that my Bapche (grandma) shared with me and add my own twist. It makes me feel connected to her even though she’s no longer with me in person. I hope you enjoy this small piece of history and family tradition just as much as I do.
Why You’ll Love No Knead Cheddar Bread
- Taste and Texture: Adding 🧀 cheddar to my classic no knead bread creates an amazing cheesy version that you’ll want to make every day. The crispy outside and soft inside is to die for.
- Endless Options: Customize your loaf with various 🌿 herbs, spices, and seeds.
- Easy Prep: The no knead method makes this 🥖 bread a great option for anyone who is new to bread-making or short on time.
- Gluten-Free and Sourdough Options: Feel free to experiment with different techniques, such as using a sourdough starter or using 🌾 gluten-free flour.
How To Prepare No Knead Cheddar Bread
✨ Mix Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, then, add the active dry yeast and warm water, and stir until the dough comes together.
🧀 Fold in the Cheese: Add in some freshly grated cheddar (or other cheese of choice) and gently fold it into the dough.
🕐 Cover and Rest: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for a minimum of 5 hours at room temperature. During this time, the dough will rise and develop flavor.
🥖 Shape the Dough: Shape the dough (don’t knead it!) into a round loaf on a floured surface.
🍽️ Bake: Carefully place the dough into an oven-safe dish lined with parchment paper. Cover it with the lid, place it in a ❄️ cold oven, turn the oven on to 450°F (230°C), and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until the bread is golden brown.
🌡️ Cool and Enjoy: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool (a bit) on a wire rack (or dig into it hot).
Nonna’s Tip
Make sure the yeast is not expired. You can always add the yeast to warm water and let it foam up. When it foams up, it’s active and ready to be used. If it doesn’t foam up, start this step again.
Substitutions and Variations
This Bulgarian No Knead Cheddar Bread,” known as “Selski Hliab,” has deep-rooted traditions. But with a bit of creativity, you can make it your own.
- Flour Options: You can use whole wheat flour or a mixture of whole wheat and all-purpose flour for a heartier loaf.
- Add Herbs and Spices: You can add herbs 🌿 like rosemary, thyme, or spices such as garlic powder or onion powder to the dough.
- Seeds and Nuts: Sprinkle sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or chopped nuts (like walnuts or sunflower seeds) on top of the bread before baking for added texture and flavor.
- Shape Variations: Experiment with different shapes – you could make rolls, 🥖 baguettes, or even stuffed bread with your favorite fillings.
- Gluten-Free Option: Use a gluten-free flour 🌾 blend and ensure your yeast is gluten-free if you follow a gluten-free diet.
- Use Sourdough Starter: Use one cup of sourdough starter instead of the yeast. Be sure to let it rest and ferment for at least 6 hours.
Best Served With
My No Knead Cheddar 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
Other No Knead Recipes
If you like this no knead bread, try some of my others:
- No-Knead Gluten-Free Bread
- My Viral No-Knead Peasant Bread
- Grandma’s No-Knead Olive Bread
- No-Knead Foccacia
| Product Image | Product Name / Primary Rating / Price | Primary Button | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
My Measuring Set
|
|
|
|
|
Bread Knife
|
|
|
|
|
Top Kitchen Item
|
|
|
|
|
My Favorite Parchment Paper
|
|
|
|
|
Nonna's Bread Dish
|
|
|
|
|
Top Gluten-Free Flour Brand
|
|
|
|
|
Favorite Salt
|
|
|
This is my favorite set. I have had mine for 10 years and need a new one. Highly recommend!
A great bread knife is essential. It's perfect for my Focaccia or my No-Knead recipes!
I use these bowls for everything in my kitchen. I use them to prep my ingredients, to mix batter or dough in them and so much more!
This is the parchment paper that I use for all my recipes!
This is the exact dish that I use to bake all of my no-knead bread recipes in. Feel free to use a Dutch oven as well if you have one.
I use Caputo's gluten-free flour for this recipe, but have heard that this one is just as good.
This is the salt that I have used for years in all my cooking!
Common Questions
The Corning Ware dish I use in this recipe can be found HERE. Feel free to use any oven-safe baking dish that you have on hand as long as the bread fits in it.
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 the yeast’s activity, 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.
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.
Yes, due to the material you will have to preheat the 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.
You certainly can. Although this recipe specifically calls for active dry yeast you can also try instant yeast as well.
This method ensures 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 definitely use whole-wheat flour.
Yes, you can use a 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. Let the dough rest at room temperature and 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 not be watery or dry; it should have a thick and sticky consistency.
No Knead Cheddar 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)
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese , grated; you could also use manchego, parmesan, or other cheese of choice
- additional flour for dusting the counter plus the top of the bread , no kneading, just dust well, lightly shape and transfer into baking dish
Instructions
- In a large 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. Fold in the grated cheese.
- 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.
- Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel (or plastic wrap) 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.
- 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.
- 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. 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 dig in! Enjoy.
- To store leftover bread, let the bread 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.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So easy and delicious! I will be adding this to my Sunday dinner rotation!
Making this right now and i hafta ask…does the first 30 mins start as soon as the dough goes into the cold oven OR does the first 30 mins start when the oven reaches 450 degrees?? It took my oven 8 mins to get to 450 degrees.
Great question! The timer starts once the bread is in the oven and you select 450F on your stove. Hope it came out well! 💗
Sooooo good and yet so easy!
Thanks V! 💕
Delicious and fullproof method.
Yay, I’m so glad this recipe is a winner for you Sandra ❤️
Omg!! No need to be stressing over feeding the starter. This is so easy and such a hit with my family!! Make it at least once a week. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Lupe, this makes me SO happy! Cheddar bread for the fam…what a beautiful weekly tradition.
Awesome! All your recipes turn out great, I thoroughly enjoy them.
Thank you, Samina! I’m so glad you enjoy them! ❤️
I am new to your site & so far every easy recipe has turned out so great & with such little effort! In recent years my health has restricted how much time I can dedicate to cooking & baking. With the recipes you have shared I can see a rebound eagerness to get back to baking without the stress so I wanted to thank you. Your recipes are easy for me to translate into diabetic friendly via simple change outs using KETO friendly products like almond flour, unsweetened coconut, sugars & oils, etc. I also am interested in any cookbook publications you might have written as I would definitely order/purchase them. Again, thanks for making our meals more enjoyable without any stress or much work.
HI Diane, this is such a beautiful review. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! So happy you love the recipes 💗