Easy Crusty Bread - Real Life Dinner

A no-knead bread with a soft and chewy texture and a thick, crispy crust, this Easy Crusty Bread is perfect for beginners learning how to bake with yeast. It is hard to believe this bread can yield such a yummy, chewy, airy center using a minimal amount of yeast. After eating this crusty bread, you will think you purchased it from an Artisan bakery–it is that gooood! Serve it with a bowl of homemade soup, and you will be in comfort food heaven.

With a rise time of 12-18 hours, this recipe is easy to mix up early in the morning or before bed and forget about it until you’re ready to bake. No mixer or kneading is involved, and it takes less than five minutes to prepare the dough. This is a recipe you will memorize in no time because you will make it over and over again. It is so delicious you will end up making a loaf for yourself and one for your family. 😉

This crusty bread is perfect for dipping in a sauce or gravy, cut into cubes for appetizers with oils, or enjoyed with a meal. I also think it would make fantastic croutons. In addition, it’s one you can make while camping because it’s baked in a Dutch oven.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced baker, you will love this easy-to-make homemade bread.

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Step-by-Step Photos for How to Make Easy Crusty Bread

Frequently Asked Questions about How to Make Easy Crusty Bread

Why is the bread baked in a Dutch oven?

The key to making crusty bread is baking it in a pot with a lid at a high temperature. When you put the wet dough in the Dutch oven and place the lid on it, the steam gets trapped inside, which creates a delicious crispy crust.

I don’t have a Dutch oven. What type of pan/dish do you recommend I use?

If you have a pot with a lid that is oven-safe up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, you can use that in place of a Dutch oven. Others have used the stoneware pot from their slow cooker and tightly covered it with aluminum foil, and the bread turned out good. Another way you could bake the bread and get similar results is the method used in my Artisan Bread Recipe. You bake it on a cookie sheet and put 3-4 ice cubes on the bottom of the oven right after you place the bread on the oven rack.

Do I need to put the dough in the refrigerator while it is rising?

No, there’s no need. Just place it on the counter for 12-18 hours to let it rise. It may seem like a long time, but letting the dough ferment for that period is what gives it a unique and delicious flavor.

Can I use whole wheat flour?

I do not recommend using all whole wheat flour because the bread would turn out dense. However, if you want to use part whole wheat flour, I recommend using 1 cup whole wheat flour and 2 cups all-purpose flour.

The dough is wet and sticky. Is that okay?

Yes, that’s okay. The dough will be wet and sticky after you mix it up and after rising. You want the dough to be sticky.

I don’t have parchment paper. Can I bake the bread without it?

If you have an enameled Dutch oven, you do not need to use parchment paper, and there’s no need to grease the pan. If you’re using a regular cast iron pot or a different type of pot/pan, I recommend using parchment paper to prevent the dough from sticking.

Baker’s Tools:

Easy Crusty Bread

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

50 mins

A no-knead bread with a soft and chewy texture and a thick, crispy crust. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced baker, you will love this easy-to-make homemade bread.

Author: Terri; a friend of my friend, Ronica

Recipe type: Yeast Bread

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1¾ tsp salt
½ tsp active dry yeast
1½ cups room temperature water

Instructions

Mix flour, salt, and yeast in a big mixing bowl with a lid. Pour the water into the bowl and using a spatula mix it until it's all incorporated. The dough will be wet and sticky--that's okay.
Cover the bowl with the lid and let it sit on your counter for 12-18 hours.
Place the Dutch oven (cast iron pot) with the lid on it in the oven, and preheat it and the oven to 450 degrees.
Meanwhile, flour your work surface, your hands, and spatula. Using your hands or spatula, gently remove the dough from the bowl and roughly shape it into a ball. Since it is a sticky dough, use a nice amount flour on your hands when shaping it into a ball.
Place the shaped dough onto a large piece of parchment paper (large enough to fit in the pot and safe under high heat).
Next, open the oven, remove the Dutch oven, and then remove the lid.
Quickly and carefully, lift the ball of dough by the parchment paper, placing it all--dough and parchment paper--inside the pot. Cover the pot with the lid and place it back into the oven.
Bake for 27-30 minutes with the lid on. Then remove the lid and continue baking for another 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
Remove the bread from the pot and place it on a cooling rack to cool.
Let cool for 10-20 minutes before slicing.
Store the bread covered at room temperature for up to a week.
Enjoy!