Easy Dutch Oven Bread Recipe

I’m sharing a bread recipe in a Dutch oven that uses just four ingredients and five minutes of prep to yield a loaf with a golden crust and a soft, tender crumb you can prep in the morning and bake the same day.

I didn’t expect that something made from just all purpose flour and fine sea salt would change how I bake, but it did. Five minutes prep, minimal fuss, and the loaf surprises me every time with a soft tender crumb and a crackling golden crust.

I often find myself staring at the split top thinking, how did so much flavor sneak into such a simple thing? It’s the kind of recipe that makes you rethink what beginner friendly really means.

This is my little experiment in Bread No Knead Dutch Oven and I still mess up and learn something new each time.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: mostly carbohydrates with some protein, adds structure and mild nutty flavor.
• Water: zero calories, hydrates dough, controls crumb and helps produce a crisp crust.
• Yeast: tiny living fungus, ferments sugars into CO2, makes bread rise and taste slightly tangy.
• Salt: enhances flavor, tightens gluten, slows yeast activity, adds sodium so use thoughtfully.

Ingredient Quantities

• 3 cups all purpose flour (360 g)
• 1 1/2 cups water (360 ml)
• 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast or active dry yeast (about 1 g)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt or table salt (about 7 g)

How to Make this

1. In a large bowl whisk together 3 cups (360 g) flour, 1/4 tsp (about 1 g) yeast and 1 1/4 tsp (about 7 g) salt so everything is evenly mixed.

2. Pour in 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) room temp water and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy, sticky dough forms, no need to knead; it will look rough and kind of messy, thats normal.

3. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let it sit at room temperature until doubled and bubbly; depending on how warm your kitchen is this can take 6 to 12 hours (longer if your kitchen is cool).

4. When it looks puffed and full of bubbles, flour your hands and a work surface lightly and scrape the dough out; fold it over itself a few times to form a loose ball, dont press hard.

5. Place the dough seam-side down on a piece of parchment, dust the top with a little flour, cover with a bowl or towel and let it rest 30 to 60 minutes until slightly puffy again.

6. Meanwhile place a 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven with its lid in the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C) for at least 30 minutes so the pot is smoking hot when you use it.

7. When ready, use a sharp knife or lame to score the top of the dough once or twice (this helps it expand), then carefully lift the parchment with the dough and lower it into the hot Dutch oven.

8. Cover the pot and bake 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake another 10 to 20 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

9. Use oven mitts to lift the loaf out onto a cooling rack, peel off the parchment, and let the bread cool at least 45 minutes to an hour before slicing so the crumb sets.

10. Quick tips: if dough seems too dry add a tablespoon of water while mixing, if too sticky dust a bit more flour; scoring can be just a single long slash, and the lid traps steam which makes a nice crust so dont skip it.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl (big enough for 3 cups flour)
2. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
3. Kitchen scale (optional but handy for grams)
4. Whisk
5. Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula
6. Plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel
7. Parchment paper
8. 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven with lid
9. Sharp knife or lame, plus oven mitts and a cooling rack

FAQ

Easy Dutch Oven Bread Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Flour (3 cups all purpose): bread flour 1:1 for a chewier crumb, or swap up to 50% with whole wheat but add about 1 to 2 tbsp more water, or use a 1:1 gluten free blend and add 1 tsp xanthan gum per cup if the blend has none.
• Water (1 1/2 cups): use warm milk or buttermilk for a richer, softer loaf, or use beer for a malty flavor; if you use dairy you might need a tad less water.
• Yeast (1/4 tsp instant or active dry): replace with about 1 cup active sourdough starter (expect much longer rise times), or if using active dry yeast instead of instant proof it in warm water first.
• Salt (1 1/4 tsp fine): kosher salt use about 1 1/2 tsp because of larger flakes, or reduce to 1 tsp fine salt for lower sodium, or use flavored finishing salt sprinkled on the crust after baking.

Pro Tips

– If your kitchen’s cool, give the dough a warm spot to hang out in so it wakes up faster. I usually put the bowl on top of the fridge or inside the oven with just the light on for a few hours. Dont crank the heat though, too hot will kill the yeast.

– Use wet hands and a bench scraper when you handle the dough instead of shoving extra flour on it. Wet hands stop sticking, and adding flour makes the loaf denser. A few gentle folds are all you need, dont manhandle it.

– No Dutch oven? No problem. Use a deep roasting pan, cover it tightly with foil or put a metal tray of hot water under the loaf to trap steam. Preheat whatever vessel you use so it really transfers heat fast when the dough goes in.

– Score clean and quick, not long awkward slashes. Angle the blade a bit and make confident cuts so the loaf opens where you want it. Dusting the top with a little flour helps the blade slide and gives a nicer contrast on the crust.