Artisan Dutch Oven Bread

This delicious, crusty Artisan Dutch Oven Bread loaf comes together with only about 5 minutes of prep time! I make this bread almost weekly. It is a “No knead” bread, and only requires 4 ingredients: Flour, yeast, salt, and water. It is delicious paired with wine and cheese, or served with a warm soup on a cool fall day. We had it with my Best of Both Worlds Broccoli Cheese soup this weekend.

You can’t beat the crunchy crust and chewy bread combination. This Artisan Dutch Oven Bread reminds me of a French baguette. I can’t help but slice it up and slather it with butter!

Stir together 3 cups flour, 1.5 teaspoon kosher salt, and yeast packet contents (see notes for Instant vs. Active Dry yeast). My youngest daughter is a great helper, seen here adding 1.5 cups of warm water to the dry ingredients:

Then stir them together, with the handle of a wooden spoon, until a wet dough ball is formed.

Our dough should look wet, and a little too soupy to knead. It’s OK if you need to add a little warm water to get a more wet consistency. Just be careful, and add by teaspoon increments.

Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours.

I used an instant yeast, and had my oven going, so my dough rose just before 2 hours had passed.

Preheat Oven to 450 degrees

Place cast iron dutch oven (with lid) into oven, while it preheats

The dough should be bubbly, and wobbly. Transfer on to a floured counter-top with spatula.

Using my scraper tool (not sure if there’s a better name for this gadget, haha), I folded the bread over on the floured counter a couple of times until a smooth ball was formed.

When oven is finished preheating, carefully remove your preheated dutch oven.

Transfer dough onto parchment paper, and carefully place into the preheated, cast iron dutch-oven.

Bake covered, at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.

Remove lid from dutch oven, and bake for 14 more minutes.

This bread is a triumph! It is a forgiving recipe, and provides the best crusty texture for dipping into warm Fall soups. This bread also toasts well for making garlic bread, or pairing with Bruschetta.

Artisan Dutch Oven Bread

Crusty, chewy bread, similar to a baguette

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

2-3 hours rise time 44 minutes mins

Total Time 49 minutes mins

Servings 6

Equipment

• Cast Iron Dutch Oven Pot & Lid

Ingredients

  

• 3 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1.5 cups Warm Water
• 1 packet Instant or Active Dry Yeast (*see notes)
• 1.5 tsp Kosher Salt

Instructions

 

• This delicious, crusty bread loaf comes together with only about 5 minutes of prep time! I make this bread almost weekly. It is a "No knead" bread, and only requires 4 ingredients: Flour, yeast, salt, and water.
• Stir together 3 cups flour, 1.5 teaspoon kosher salt, and yeast packet contents (*see notes for Instant vs. Active Dry yeast).
• Stir in 1.5 cups warm water with the handle of a wooden spoon, until a wet dough ball forms.
• The dough will look soupy, a little too wet to knead. If yours doesn't look like this, then add a little more water 1 teaspoon at a time, being careful not to add too much.
• Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours.
• Preheat Oven to 450 degrees.
• Place cast iron dutch oven (with lid) into oven, while it preheats.
• The dough should be bubbly, and wobbly. Transfer on to a floured counter-top with spatula.
• Using a scraper tool, fold the bread over on the floured counter a couple of times until a smooth ball forms.
• When your oven is finished preheating, carefully remove your preheated dutch oven.
• Transfer dough onto parchment paper, and carefully place into the preheated, cast iron dutch-oven.
• Bake covered, at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.
• Remove lid from dutch oven, and bake for 14 more minutes.
• Let cool on a cutting board, and serve warm with soup.

Notes

* I cannot advise on making this bread using anything other than a dutch oven, this is the only method I have tried, and it turns out phenomenally every time.

*You can use active dry yeast instead of instant, but be sure to stir the yeast into your warm water prior to adding it to the flour. If you are using an instant yeast variety, this step is not necessary.

*One packet of yeast is equivalent to 2 1/4 teaspoon

Keyword Artisan bread, Crusty bread, Easy homemade bread, homemade bread