About This No-Knead Bread

This famous no-knead bread comes from Jim Lahey’s cookbook My Bread — a method that changed home baking forever, and was my first experience with making bread and pizza dough. With just flour, water, yeast, and time, you get an artisan-style loaf with a crackly crust, open crumb, and deep flavor thanks to its long, slow fermentation. I’ve been making this dough for almost over two decades (and used to use it as pizza dough before My Pizza came out!) and it truly never fails.

Why You’ll Love This No-Knead Bread

Only 4 ingredients
No kneading or mixer required
Deep flavor from long fermentation
Crispy, bakery-style crust
Perfect for soups, sandwiches, or toasting
Beginner-friendly

Ingredients You’ll Need

Bread flour or all-purpose flour
Instant or active dry yeast
Salt
Water
Cornmeal or wheat bran (optional, for dusting)

How to Make Jim Lahey’s No-Knead Bread

Mix a sticky dough of flour, yeast, salt, and water. Let it ferment 12–18 hours until bubbly and doubled. Shape gently into a ball and let rise again. Preheat a heavy Dutch oven until blazing hot, then bake the dough covered (for steam) and uncovered (for browning) until deep, chestnut-colored. Cool fully before slicing for the best texture.

Full step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.

Tips for Success

The dough should be very sticky — add a splash more water if needed
Allow the full 12–18 hour rise for flavor
Don’t skip the second rise — it creates the loaf’s structure
Preheat the Dutch oven for max oven spring
Wait an hour before slicing so the crumb sets

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use all-purpose flour?
Yes — it works beautifully.

Can I speed up the rise?
Not recommended. The flavor comes from the long fermentation.

Can I bake it without a Dutch oven?
Yes — use a heavy pot with a lid, or place the dough on a baking sheet with a metal bowl flipped over it for steam.

Can I add mix-ins?
Yes — try olives, rosemary, roasted garlic, or everything seasoning.

What to Serve With This Bread

Butter + flaky salt
Soup or chili
Sandwiches
Olive oil + balsamic
Anything saucy!

More Recipes You’ll Love

Jim Lahey’s No Knead Bread Recipe

Ingredients

3 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
1/4 teaspoon instant or other active dry yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons table salt
1 1/3 cups water (I usually use a little more than that- 1 1/2)
Cornmeal or wheat bran, as needed (I don’t use)

Instructions

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add water and mix together with a wooden spoon until the dough is wet and sticky. Make sure that it’s sticky to the touch, you’ll have to keep mixing to get this texture- you can add another tablespoon or two to get this consistency if you can’t get it with 1 1/3 cups. Cover bowl with some plastic wrap and/or a tea towel and set in a warmer draft-free area (at least 72°F) for 12-18 hours until the dough is doubled in size and the surface is dotted with bubbles. The long fermentation period is what gives the bread its amazing flavor.

When your dough is looking like its first rise is complete, generously flour a clean work surface. Scrape the dough onto the work surface in one piece. When you remove the dough from the bowl it will cling in long, thin strands and will be very sticky- this is the developed gluten. Flour your hands and lift the edges of the dough in towards the center. Flip it over and form the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel or just a tea towel (not terrycloth) and let it rise for another 2 hours until the dough has doubled in size again. If you poke the dough with your finger, it should hold the impression- if it doesn’t, let it rise for another 15 minutes.

About a half hour before the second rise is complete, preheat the oven to 475°F with a rack in the lower third position, and place a covered 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 quart heavy pot in the oven.

When the dough is finished rising, carefully remove the hot pot out of the oven and remove the lid. Gently place the dough into the pot, seam-side up and cover and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the lid and bake for another 15-30 minutes, until the bread is a deep chestnut color but not burnt. Using a spatula or potholders, lift the bread out of the pot and place on a rack to cool completely- do not cut the bread open until it is cooled which usually takes at least an hour.