This no-knead artisan bread is the easiest bread recipe you’ll ever make! You only need one bowl and 3 simple ingredients. This recipe is perfect for beginners!
Table of Contents
3 Ingredient Bread Recipe
Homemade bread is seriously pure comfort and a staple in my home. The very first recipe I ever made from scratch was my homemade white bread, which my family adores. I’ve made many more over the years, like my homemade bagels, homemade french bread and whole wheat bread.
You seriously won’t find an easier bread recipe than this! It comes together with only 3 ingredients (I don’t count water as an ingredient) and is perfect for beginner bakers along with my delicious dinner rolls. There’s no kneading required and the dough can be made in one bowl. Plus it only takes minutes to prep just like Irish soda bread.
I shaped this bread into a French Boule (circle) similar to a sourdough bread recipe, but you can shape it into a French baguette, rolls, pizza dough, or ciabatta. It’s super versatile and a recipe you’ll want to save for when you just have a few ingredients on hand.
Easy Artisan Bread Ingredients
This is an art form of bread! It is crispy, and crunchy on the outside with a soft inside. Every bite is warm and comforting. These ingredients are pantry staples. Make this easy bread recipe quickly and easily!
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- All-purpose flour: Make sure to sift or use a spoon to add the flour to the measuring cups. This will help the homemade artisan bread raise properly and makes chewier bread. You make need a little more when you knead bread too.
- Kosher salt: This helps slow down the growth of the yeast as well as adds flavor. You will need to let the dough rise longer because there is no sugar in the ingredients to help build the yeast.
- Dry yeast packet: Instant yeast or active dry yeast works great to help the dough rise when mixed with water. Commercial yeast is best, no need for a sourdough starter recipe.
- Warm water: Get your water up to 105°F. This will activate yeast to raise the dough.
How to Make Artisan Bread
Only 3 main pantry ingredients to make this homemade artisan bread. Prepare a work surface to make this bread perfectly. It is beautiful and delicious!
- Make the dough. Add salt and yeast to a large bowl, then pour the warm water on top. Add the flour in all at once, then mix together. I used a dough whisk, but feel free to use a spatula, wooden spoon, or even your hands. The dough will still be sticky once it’s mixed together, but this is what you want.
- Cover and let rise. Cover the bowl with a towel until the dough doubles in size. This will take about 2 to 3 hours, however the longer you allow it to rise the better. You can leave it on the counter to rise for up to 12 hours. Once it rises, you can prepare to bake or cover the bowl with saran wrap and stick it in the refrigerator to bake later. It will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Shape the dough. Dust your hands with flour, then lightly turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into your preferred shape, ensuring not to punch it down or knead it. I like to shape mine into a French boule (round circle). Or shape it into 2 loaves and tuck the ends under. Add a light dust of flour on top, then use a bread knife to make about 1 to 4 lines across the top.
- Let rest again. Line a pizza peel, skillet, or pan with parchment, then lightly sprinkle flour on top. Add the dough and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Bake in the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F. You want the bread to cook on a hot surface, so place a baking stone, pizza stone, or flipped-over iron skillet into the oven. Let it warm in the oven for about 20 minutes while the oven preheats.
Cooking Tips
Get ready to learn all about the tips and ways to make this artisan bread the best. Bake this homemade bread in different ways, measure it perfectly, and patiently wait for the bread to rise before baking. All these great things will add up to the best artisan bread!
- Double it! You can easily double this recipe to make an extra loaf and freeze it for later.
- Baking stone. If you don’t have a baking stone, you can turn a cast iron skillet or baking sheet upside down and place it in to then to heat up.
- Parchment paper. Use parchment paper to easily slide the dough ball onto the hot skillet in the oven. The bread will cook on parchment paper.
- Measure perfectly. Knowing how to measure flour accurately can make a big difference in texture.
- Raise. The longer you let it rise, the chewier the bread will be. You can let it rise on the counter for up to 12-18 hours and up to a week in the refrigerator. I prefer to make it the night before I bake it.
- Small loaves. Split the dough in half if you’d prefer to make 2 smaller loaves. This recipe makes about a 9-inch loaf.
- Crusty crust. If you don’t have a broiler pan, stick a cup of water in a small oven-safe pan or toss in about 5 ice cubes to help keep steam in the oven. This will create a crusty crust.
- Storing. Store in a paper bag so it doesn’t soften.
What to Serve with Artisan Bread?
Artisan bread is perfect on its own with a little bit of butter or jam or warm out of the oven. Cook your favorite soup, mix together a salad or use it as sliced bread for a sandwich. The possibilities are endless!
- This bread tastes impressive alongside a warm bowl of chicken noodles or tomato soup.
- Spread butter, garlic herb butter, or strawberry jam on top.
- Dip into a warm cheese dip or this bread dipping oil recipe.
- Use it to make a grilled caprese sandwich.
- Add mashed guacamole on top to make avocado toast.
Recipe FAQs
Artisan bread is a leaner formulation with low sugar and fat level compared to other types of bread. There is little to no use of dough conditioners and high or low hydration levels. It is known to be good for you compared to other bread recipes.
Artisan bread is known for its shape, texture, and appearance. It has a special flavor and aroma that is comforting with a sweet and savory taste.
If you are making a whole-grain handmade artisan loaf, then yes, it is a bit healthier. It contains a great source of fiber, antioxidants, and other ways to help reduce the risk of diabetes among other health benefits.
5 star review
“This is the best recipe! I couldn’t be happier with the results. My family loved this, and it was so easy to make. I will make this time and time again. There is something so comforting about a warm slice of home made bread.”
-Molly
Ready to make more bread recipes? Try making your own pita bread, fry bread or dutch oven bread!
More Homemade Bread Recipes
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Artisan Bread Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 3 cups (395 grams) all-purpose flour , or bread flour
- ½ Tablespoon Kosher salt
- ¼ ounce instant or active dry yeast packet , or 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 1 ½ cups warm water , 105°F
Instructions
Make dough:
- Place the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Then pour the warm water (about 105°F) over top, making sure it's not too hot. Then you can use a dough whisk, spatula, wooden spoon or your hands to mix together. The dough should still be somewhat wet and sticky, but add more flour if it's too sticky to handle.
- Once the flour is all mixed in, cover with a towel or plastic wrap spayed with nonstick spray for 2-10 hours, or you can leave on the counter overnight. The longer you let it rise, the more it will ferment.
Shape:
- Wet your hands and turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. The dough will be sticky. Do not punch it down, knead it or roll it out. Gently pull the sides up and fold into the middle to make your preferred shape. I typically work it into a French boule (round circle) or 2 loaves and tuck the ends under.
- Place dough on a piece of parchment paper. Lightly dust the top with flour and then use a bread knife to add 1-4 lines across the top. Let it rest about 20-30 minutes.
Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a baking stone, a pizza stone, dutch oven or a iron skillet into the oven.
- Slide the dough with the parchment paper onto the hot stone. To make crustier, place either 1 cup of hot water in a small broiler pan or 5 ice cubes into the bottom of the oven and shut the door to trap the steam. Then bake for 25-30 minutes or until browned.
- Allow to cool on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes. Slice the bread and serve. Store in a paper bag so it doesn't soften.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Love it. I make it camping and bake it in my camping oven. Works beautiful
So glad you enjoyed the artisan bread! Glad to hear it worked well while camping :)
I love this bread. It tastes amazing and the texture is perfect. And it is so easy to whip together. Thank you!!
So glad you enjoyed the artisan bread! Thanks for your review :)
We’re making these with compound butter for kids teacher gifts. Can I triple this recipe and it still turn out well??
I haven’t tried tripling but have had success doubling the recipe. Let me know how it goes!
When you present this to the table the family just could not wait to eat it. I made a garlic butter spread and olive oil ,grated cheese , red pepper flakes and black pepper that is my family’s favorite.
Sounds delicious! Sounds perfect :)
Any tips on using a Dutch oven for baking?
Check out this recipe for our Dutch oven bread :) https://www.iheartnaptime.net/dutch-oven-bread/
I made this today/tonight and it was amazing! This will be my go to bread recipe forever now!💖
Love to hear this! We are so happy it was a success, Heather :)
This is a fabulous recipe my great grandma and my grandmother taught me how to make when I was very young. I’ve been making it for the last 40 years. Glad somebody else uses a recipe as well
Love that it’s been passed down from multiple generations! That’s so special :)
Will the recipe work if I use a bread machine to make the dough?
I don’t have a bread machine, so I’m not sure. It is a much stickier dough (more wet and shaggy than most), so I’m not sure how it would do in a bread machine.
Thank you… Fantastic. Melt in your mouth Fantastic. I was really surprised it was pretty easy and this good. Thank you for sharing.
So glad you loved it! Thanks for your comment and review, Tiffany :)
If you put the parchment paper underneath the bread onto a cookie sheet, do you need to preheat the cookie sheet for 20 minutes?
Yes, I like the bread to cook on top of a hot plate. If you test it out without, let us know how it goes! I think it will cook fine, just may not get the edges as crispy.
Very good recipe and so easy to make. But I did find it a bit salty. Will cut back on the salt next time by about a third, to 2 tps instead of a tbsp.
Fabulous recipe and delicious bread! Thank you for sharing. Amanda
So happy you enjoyed it, Amanda :)
It worked great. I let it rise for a hour both times
So happy to hear that! :)
So, in step one of baking, you say to preheat the skillet for 20 minutes or so in an oven at 450° but then you say to put the parchment paper and the dough on top of the skillet for 20 minutes to rest. Am I resting it in the oven with the oven still on or am I turning the oven off and just resting the dough on the hot pan in the oven for 20 minutes?
Hi Krystle, let the skillet warm in the oven while the dough rests on the counter on a piece of parchment paper (not in the oven). Then after 20 minutes, slide the dough with the parchment paper underneath onto the hot skillet :)
Easy to make and delicious.
So glad you enjoyed it, LeeAnne :)
This bread was phenomenal ! Was first bread I ever made. I was always “afraid” of anything that required such science, like needing to have a certain temperature. It gave me the confidence to continue and try many others.
My only question is can I double the recipe?
So glad it turned out for you! Yes, you can double the recipe, just make sure to divide the dough evenly at the end :)
Absolutely amazing!! I love this recipe and love to add a little rosemary to this recipe!
Yum, rosemary sounds like a delicious addition! :)
Bread is delicious!
The crust comes out a bit too crispy/hard for my kids. Is there a way to make the crust not the hard?
This is a crusty bread so it will be a harder crust. You could wrap it in a damp cloth of right when it comes out and it will soften it. For a softer crust, I’d recommend my french bread recipe here: https://www.iheartnaptime.net/homemade-french-bread/
So I saw someone that, instead of baking it, placed a large pot of water on the stove, placed the dough in a smaller container, covered it and stuck it in the water to steam bake it. Could try that.