No Knead Bread Recipe (2024)

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Making warm and crusty homemade bread is easier than you’d imagine with this No Knead Skillet Cheese Bread. Perfect for dunking in warm soup, the cheese and parsley add extra yummy goodness!

No Knead Bread Recipe (1)

    Why I Love No Knead Bread

    • Easy. If you’ve ever felt intimidated by the idea of making your own artisan bread, this is the bread to try. You don’t need a fancy bread maker or any tools other than a mixing bowl, wooden spoon, and a skillet.
    • Cheesy. If you are a cheese lover, you will completely fall in love with this homemade bread. It’s cheesy, savory, and 100% satisfying.
    • The crust. This cheese bread has the perfect consistency, including a golden and crisp crust with a tender interior.
    • Fresh. There’s something special about homemade bread just out of the oven. It’s fresh and fills your entire house with that delicious bakery smell.

    What is No Knead Bread?

    No knead bread is a simple bread-making method that requires no kneading. The dough is mixed and allowed to rise slowly, relying on time rather than kneading to develop gluten. This results in bread with a hearty crust and soft interior, and it’s perfect for those who want homemade bread with minimal effort.

    Recipe Ingredients

    • Luke Warm Water: Activates the yeast.
    • Active Dry Yeast: Causes the dough to rise.
    • Salt: Enhances flavor.
    • All-Purpose Flour: For this recipe, I use a little over 4 cups of flour.
    • Garlic Powder: Adds a savory, garlicky flavor.
    • Onion Powder: Provides a subtle onion taste.
    • Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Adds a rich, cheesy flavor and texture. Other melting cheeses like mozzarella or gouda can be substituted.
    • Olive Oil: Used to coat the skillet and the dough, adding flavor and a crispy crust.
    • Coarse Salt: Sprinkled on top for extra flavor and texture. Flaky sea salt is a good substitute.
    • Dried Parsley: Used as a topping for additional flavor and visual appeal. Other herbs can also be used.

    How to Make No Knead Bread

    No Knead Bread Recipe (2)
    No Knead Bread Recipe (3)
    • Make the dough. Combine your water and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Add a cup of flour and salt and stir it all together. Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, and cheese. Gradually add the remaining flour and stir everything until it is all well combined.
    • Rise. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let your dough rise for 1 hour.
    • Prepare. Grab a cast iron skillet and coat the bottom and sides with olive oil. Lightly flour your hands and transfer the dough to the skillet. Shape the dough into a round disk, cover it with a towel, and let it stand for 30 minutes.
    • Preheat. While the dough rests, preheat your oven to 400˚F.
    • Bake. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top of the dough and sprinkle it with salt and parsley. Score the top of the loaf with a knife in a criss-cross pattern. Bake it for 30 minutes or until the top is a golden brown.
    • Cool and Serve. Remove the cheese bread from the oven and immediately turn it out onto a cooling rack. Let it completely cool. Then, cut it and serve.

    Recipe Tips

    • Cool it on a wire rack. To keep your bread from getting soggy, remove it from the skillet as soon as you pull it out of the oven and transfer it to a wire rack.
    • Skillet options. You do not need a skillet to make this bread. I know, it’s in the recipe title – but trust me, here. If you do not have a cast iron skillet, simply use a round stoneware baking dish instead!
    • Use good cheddar. For better flavor, opt for a better quality cheddar cheese. You can even shred the cheese yourself.
    • Double the recipe. You can double this recipe but don’t forget you’ll also need a bigger skillet. I recommend a 12-inch skillet for a double batch.
    No Knead Bread Recipe (4)

    Serving Suggestions

    Obviously, this bread goes great with a bowl of our creamy ravioli soup and a side of a salmon blt salad. It’s also great with hearty beef Guinness stew and pot roast. But don’t count it out on the side of a pasta dish, either. This chicken bacon ranch pasta or my creamy seafood pasta is fantastic. Basically, anything that is saucy is a perfect match for this bread.

    How to Store Leftovers

    The bread can be stored in a zip-top bag in a cool, dry place for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen for about 3 months.

    More Homemade Bread Recipes

    • Challah Bread
    • Cornbread
    • Flatbread
    • Star Bread
    • Monkey Bread

    No Knead Skillet Cheese Bread

    Preparing warm, crusty homemade bread is simpler than you think with this No Knead Skillet Cheese Bread. Ideal for dipping in your favorite warm soup, the added cheese and parsley kick up the flavor!

    Prep Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

    Cook Time30 minutes mins

    Cooling Time1 hour hr

    Total Time3 hours hrs

    Course: Bread

    Cuisine: American

    Keyword: artisan bread, cheese bread, homemade bread, homemade bread recipes, no knead bread recipe

    Servings: 10 slices

    Calories: 278kcal

    Author: Katerina | Easy Weeknight Recipes

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups luke warm water
    • teaspoons active dry yeast
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 4⅓ cups all purpose flour
    • teaspoons garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
    • course salt
    • dried parsley

    Instructions

    • Combine water and yeast in a large mixing bowl.

    • Add 1 cup flour and ½ teaspoon salt to the yeast mixture; stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, and cheese.

    • Add remaining flour, one cup at a time, stirring until well combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1 hour.

    • In the meantime, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to an 8-inch cast iron skillet and coat the bottom and sides of the skillet with the oil.

    • Lightly flour your hands and transfer the dough to the skillet. Shape the dough into a round disk; cover with a towel and let it stand for 30 minutes.

    • Preheat the oven to 400˚F.

    • Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the top of the dough and sprinkle it with salt and parsley. Then, score the top of the loaf with a knife.

    • Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

    • Remove the bread from the oven and immediately turn it out onto a cooling rack.

    • Let it completely cool before cutting into it.

    Notes

    • To freeze the dough: Make the dough as instructed and let it rise for 1 hour, per the recipe. Once risen, form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and then place it in a freezer-friendly container and keep it frozen for up to a month. When ready, thaw the frozen dough on the kitchen counter, let it rise, and bake as directed.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slice | Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 189mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 113IU | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 3mg

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    No Knead Bread Recipe (2024)

    FAQs

    Why is my homemade no-knead bread so dense? ›

    Why is my bread dense: Usually bread will be too dense when there is too much flour. Keep in mind this dough will be pretty sticky, do not add more flour than specified. Other factors that come into play are humidity and age of flour. Little yeast, long rise, sticky dough are keys to a good, light loaf.

    How do you know when no-knead bread is done? ›

    You can be extra-sure that the bread is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the top or side registers 210°F. Cool and slice the bread. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and use the parchment paper to transfer the bread to a wire rack. Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing the bread.

    Why does no-knead bread use so little yeast? ›

    No-knead bread uses a very small amount of yeast to extend the rising time to many hours. Not only does gluten develop over that long time, but enzymes in the flour activate and convert some of the wheat starches into sugar, which feeds the yeast and adds to the flavour of the bread.

    What happens if I don't knead my bread dough enough? ›

    The bread won't develop enough gluten to hold it up. You'll get a low, maybe flat bread. Unless of course you just put your dough in the fridge for a few days using a non-knead recipe. You don't need to knead if you let time do its work.

    Should you stretch and fold no-knead bread? ›

    If the dough isn't mixed or kneaded to full development (e.g., full windowpane), adding in sets of stretch and folds during bulk fermentation will help continue its progress toward a firmer, more cohesive dough that's able to trap gas and hold its shape all the way to bake time.

    How can I make my bread fluffier instead of dense? ›

    Add Sugar

    Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

    Why isn't my homemade bread light and fluffy? ›

    Dough Doesn't Rise

    It's likely due to the yeast. Your yeast could be expired, and it's time to buy fresh. Or, it's possible that your warm milk/water/liquid was too hot and it killed your yeast. Yeast is a living organism, after all.

    What makes bread dough soft and fluffy? ›

    Milk powder.

    Instant milk powder makes bread dough super soft and fluffy and also helps to give it a good rise.

    Why is my bread still doughy inside? ›

    Doughy Texture
    1. Bread is underbaked. SOLUTION. ...
    2. Steam causes soggy dough that can appear underbaked. Air circulating around the loaf allows the steam built up inside the bread to evaporate. ...
    3. Oven thermostat incorrect; bread is underbaked.

    What are the pros and cons of no-knead bread? ›

    Pros: Develops dough without adding additional flour (as with traditional kneading). Effective method, especially with slack doughs such as baguettes. Cons: Takes time and repetitions to master. Less effective with doughs that are either stiff or high hydration — best with medium-soft doughs.

    What is the best temperature to bake bread? ›

    It's a great idea to check what temperature your domestic oven actually reaches, you might be surprised. An oven thermometer is a useful tool for example Amazon. If you have the option, turn off the fan, it will work better without and add steam (see below). If you can, aim to bake your bread at 230°C (450°F).

    What is the best hydration for no knead bread? ›

    No-Knead bread, especially when using the No-Touch technique is very forgiving as long as you stay between 70 and 90 percent!

    Is instant yeast better than active dry yeast for no knead bread? ›

    ACTIVE DRY YEAST is best for artisan or no knead doughs that proof in the refrigerator for extended periods of time. Don't skip the “proof” step. INSTANT YEAST is best for quick rising breads.

    What is the best yeast for bread making? ›

    When it comes to baking bread at home, most recipes call for active dry yeast. This type of yeast comes out of the package looking like small, tan granules roughly the size of poppy seeds. In this state, the yeast has a long shelf life so long as it's kept in a cool, dry place.

    How do you know if bread is over risen? ›

    What to look for in an over proofed loaf. Similar to the signs of over proofed dough, an over proofed loaf will be very flat, without much rise or retention of shaping. Over proofing destroys the structural integrity of the bread, so loaves that have gone over are unable to hold their shape in the oven.

    Why doesn't no-knead dough rise? ›

    No knead dough doesn't rise like standard yeast breads, it only puffs up and gets bubbly. It will be a little bigger after the resting time but don't look for a much larger volume. Your yeast may not be fresh and should not be used past the expiration date.

    Can you knead dough again if it doesn't rise? ›

    Another option if your dough is flat and sticky to the touch is to knead in more flour. Keep kneading in flour until the dough is smooth and doesn't stick to your hands, then let it rise somewhere warm and moist.

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