Fast and Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (2024)

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ByRosemary

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A No Knead Bread that is fast, easy and delicious. No 18 hour rising time, just 2 hours and baked to perfection. Fresh Homemade Bread just in time for dinner.

Fast and Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (1)

Sometimes you just want fresh bread out of the oven especially on the weekend. And yup that was me this past weekend. And I wanted the least amount of work possible and as quick as possible.

I found quite a few of these amazing no knead bread recipes, but I wanted it for lunch and not ready the next day.

So you know that NYT’s No Knead Breadthat takes 12-16 to rest and then you bake it? Well this isn’t it! This is better.

Table of Contents

How to Make the Best No Knead Bread:

  1. In a small bowl let the yeast, 1/4 cup of the lukewarm water and honey sit for 5 minutes.
  2. In a big bowl add the flour and make a well in the middle.
  3. Add the yeast mixture, remaining lukewarm water and salt.
  4. Stir it all together, then cover the mixture with a tablespoon of flour.
  5. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 2 hours.
  6. Move the mixture to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, divide into 3 loaves and bake.
  7. And there you have Easy No Knead Homemade Bread.
Fast and Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (2)

Looking further I found an Italian Food Blogger, Misya, who made a No Knead Bread Recipe with the resting time of 1 1/2 hours! I knew I had to try it. And try it I did, 3x already!

I have been reading up on this no knead bread for awhile now and I always thought it was interesting and worth trying. Every time I went shopping I kept thinking I had to buy a dutch oven.

But I never did. For this No Knead Bread Recipe you don’t even need one, a plain ordinary cookie sheet is all you need!

Why does this Bread have a short rising time?

I will be honest and say I am not sure why it works could be the high temperature or the extra yeast, but it does work, and it is so good. This recipe makes 3 small loaves and let me tell you nothing like Homemade Bread warm from the oven.

The first time I made this recipe I made two loaves, but to be honest, three loaves baked better. This recipe can also be doubled if you want.

And look at that crust!

Fast and Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (3)

How to tell if your Yeast is Active:

How to test yeast to make sure it is fresh, in a small bowl add 1/4 cup of warm water then add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 2-1/4 teaspoons of yeast. Wait 10 minutes. If the mixture bubbles, then the yeast is still good.

Can I substitute active dry yeast with instant yeast?

Yes you can, for every teaspoon of active dry yeast substitute with 3/4 teaspoon of instant. The yeast does not need to be activated in warm water and sugar, add the yeast directly to the flour in the mixing bowl and then add the lukewarm water, salt and sugar, and continue with the recipe.

Can the dough be refrigerated to Bake later?

Yes you can refrigerate the dough to rise, but it’s best to use it within 48 hours. Another option would be to freeze the dough but be sure to use it within 2 weeks. Just thaw it overnight in the fridge.

How to Store Baked Bread:

If the Baked bread is a crusty loaf then it should be stored unwrapped at room temperature. But once the bread has been sliced be sure to place the bread in closed paper bags. If the bread has a soft crust then it should be stored in an airtight plastic bag or container and stored at room temperature.

Fast and Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (4)

How to Freeze Homemade Baked Bread:

  • Be sure to let the loaves cool completely before freezing.
  • Wrap the loaves individually in plastic wrap (be sure to wrap tightly).
  • Then wrap either in foil or place in air tight freezer bags.
  • Bread will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How to Thaw Frozen Bread:

Remove the bread from the bag and wrapping and let it thaw overnight in the fridge. The loaf can be warmed up in the oven at 350F (180C) for about 3-5 minutes.

More Delicious Yeast Breads you may enjoy!

  • Homemade Bagels Montreal Style
  • No Knead Pizza Dough – Pizza Margherita
  • Best Pizza Dough

So if you do try it, you have to let me know how it turns out. I am dying to know that it turned out for you too. Enjoy!

Fast and Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (5)

Fast and Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (6)

Fast and Easy No Knead Bread

Rosemary Molloy

A No Knead Bread that is fast, easy and delicious. No 18 hour rising time, just 2 hours and baked to perfection. Fresh Homemade Bread just in time for dinner.

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Resting Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Course antipasto, Appetizer, Bread and Pizza

Cuisine Italian

Servings 3 loaves

Calories 522 kcal

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (450 grams total, if you double or triple the recipe double or triple this amount)
  • cups + 3 tablespoons lukewarm water / divided (396 grams total, if you double or triple the recipe double or triple this amount)
  • teaspoons active dry yeast
  • teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon honey or sugar

Instructions

  • In a small bowl add 1/4 cup (60 grams) of lukewarm water, 1 teaspoon of honey (I mixed these together then added the yeast) and yeast. Let sit 5 minutes then mix to combine.

  • In a large bowl add the flour, make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture and remaining water (1 1/4 cups + 3 tablespoons / 340 grams), start to combine with a wooden spoon, then add the salt and combine well. Sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon of flour.

  • Cover the bowl and place in a warm draft free area and let rest for 2 hours.

  • After 1¾ hours has passed pre-heat oven to 420° F (220°C). And line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper, sprinkled with flour.

  • With the help of a spatula transfer the dough (floured side up) onto the prepared sheet. Divide the dough into 2-3 parts, shape into logs approximately 2 inches apart. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes. (Bread is done when tapped on the bottom and there is a hollow sound). Enjoy!

Notes

Transferring the dough to the cookie sheet can be a bit tricky, so if you have trouble with this you can just lightly sprinkle the cookie sheet with flour, flip the dough onto the cookie sheet and lightly sprinkle the top with flour and bake.

If you substitute with instant yeast use 1 1/4 teaspoons.

Nutrition

Calories: 522kcal | Carbohydrates: 108g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1169mg | Potassium: 211mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 6.4mg

Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!

Updated from February 20, 2018.

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Fast and Easy No Knead Bread Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

Should you stretch and fold no-knead bread? ›

Folding the dough during its long rise improves the dough's structure dramatically. No longer a sticky, shaggy mess, it becomes smoother, easier to handle, and most importantly, better able to contain the gasses produced by fermentation.

What is one thing that makes quick breads special? ›

Quick breads use the chemical leavening agents of baking powder and/or baking soda. Baking powder and baking soda do not require time for rising, so the batter for quick bread is cooked immediately after mixing. The best thing about quick breads is that the options are limitless when it comes to ingredients.

How to get more open crumb in no-knead bread? ›

A High Hydration Dough

No-knead doughs are often very high hydration recipes. J. Kenji Lopez-Alt of Serious Eats and The Food Lab prefers a lower hydration 70% dough but gives his a long (3-day!) rise in the fridge to develop a more open crumb.

What happens if you don't knead bread long enough? ›

Dough that has not been kneaded, or hasn't been kneaded long enough, appears lumpy, doesn't stretch very well, and tears easily. If your dough is like this, it needs more kneading. Keep kneading it until it's smooth, stretchy, and more pliable.

Why is my no-knead bread so chewy? ›

Usually your bread will be chewy when there isn't enough gluten formation or you're using a low-protein flour. Make sure you let your bread dough rest for at least 12 hours to give it enough time for gluten formation.

What are the 7 basic ingredients for quick bread? ›

  • Flour. Gives baked goods- Structure.
  • Liquids/Milk. Gives baked goods-Moisture & helps combine ingredients.
  • Chemical Leavening Agents (baking soda, powder) Make quick breads quick- Produces carbon dioxide, leavens baked product.
  • Fat. Gives baked goods-Flavor, tenderness.
  • Eggs. ...
  • Salt. ...
  • Sugar. ...
  • Shortening.

What happens if you leave an egg out of bread? ›

Bread with no egg looked as normal as any other white loaf. It had puffed up evenly and had a nice crust colour and a soft texture. The interior was soft but quite tight. This could be made lighter by skipping the pre-shaping or folding steps making the dough looser.

What are two tips to successfully making quick breads? ›

6 Tips for Successful Quick Bread
  1. Tip 1: Follow the Recipe Closely. ...
  2. Tip 2: Don't Overmix the Batter. ...
  3. Tip 3: Use Room Temperature Ingredients. ...
  4. Tip 4: Preheat Your Oven. ...
  5. Tip 5: Don't overbake the bread. ...
  6. Tip 6: Let the bread cool before slicing.
Feb 20, 2024

How do you make big holes in no-knead bread? ›

How do I get holes in my bread?
  1. You need a wet dough to get holes. ...
  2. You need to do the stretch and fold throughout the first rise of the dough. ...
  3. You need to do the final shape of your dough gently so that you don't squish out all the wonderful air holes that have been forming.

What is fool's crumb? ›

However, as soon as I cut into it, I saw the big holes, and I knew something was not right. What you're seeing is called fool's crumb. This is when the gluten is underdeveloped, and it creates little balls, a flour in your dough, which causes really large holes and pockets. in your bread.

Can I let dough rise overnight on the counter? ›

If a recipe calls for proofing bread dough overnight in the refrigerator, it can be proofed on the counter at a warmer temperature for a shorter period. Rather than placing the dough in the refrigerator overnight, leave it covered on the counter for 1 to 4 hours until it's ready to bake.

What is Italians favorite bread? ›

Ciabatta

Perhaps the most well-known and popular Italian bread, ciabatta is a slipper-shaped bread.

What is the best Italian flour for bread? ›

Like type 1, type 2 Italian flour doesn't have an exact match in American flour classification, but bread flour comes the closest again. Type 2 flour is best used for savory dishes, like bread, pizza crust, or rustic pasta.

What is the name of Italian bread with olive oil? ›

Focaccia is a flat Italian bread flavoured with olive oil.

Can you stretch and fold instead of kneading? ›

The benefits of stretch and fold

The dough develops gluten just as well using the stretch and fold method as it does kneading the dough for 10-15 minutes. Some flours will benefit from the stretch and fold method.

Why is my no-knead bread flat? ›

Editor: Shani, it sounds that your yeast may be too old and expired, or perhaps you're not letting the dough rest adequately after shaping and before baking. Take a look at our no-knead bread step-by-step (with pictures!) and compare your process; you may find a way to tweak it.

How many times should you stretch and fold bread? ›

Most recipes recommend 4 or 6 sets of stretch and folds with 30 minutes intervals.

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

No-knead (Passive): In this mix-to-combine, long-fermented method, time is used to maximum effect for developing both flavor and strength. Pros: Dough develops flavor during extended fermentation. Easy. Cons: Uncontrolled fermentation may cause variable impacts to crumb structure and flavor.

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