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

    cheddar cheeseflouryeast

    No Knead Bread Recipe (2024)

    FAQs

    How do you know if no-knead bread has risen enough? ›

    Physically test your dough with the poke test

    “When ready, it should feel a bit elastic and have some bounce to it, but it shouldn't feel dense or stiff in any way.” What bakers call the “poke test” is the best way to tell if dough is ready to bake after its second rise.

    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.

    Does no-knead bread really work? ›

    No-Knead bread is justifiably popular due to its ease and good results. In side-by-side tests, we discovered that 90 seconds of extra work, plus a few tweaks to the ingredients, takes no-knead bread from good to great.

    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.

    How do you know when kneading is sufficient? ›

    After kneading the dough for several minutes, press it with your finger. If the indentation stays, the dough still needs more work. If it springs back to its original shape, your dough is ready to rest.

    Why is my bread still doughy in the middle? ›

    It is pretty simple to salvage an undercooked bread and create a decent loaf. Heat the oven to 350 F, return the bread to the oven, and bake for another 10 to 20 minutes. This will work even if the loaf has cooled, which is similar to par-baking bread.

    Does no-knead bread need a second rise? ›

    In the classic no-knead bread recipe, it calls for letting the dough rise once for 12-18 hours, then folding it on a work surface and letting it rise again for two hours.

    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.

    Should you fold no-knead dough? ›

    Better Structure

    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.

    Why doesn't no-knead dough rise? ›

    Your no knead bread will not rise if: You add no yeast or starter containing wild yeast. You yeast is dead or your wild yeast starter is not sufficiently viable. You add waaaaay too much salt to your dough.

    Why does no-knead bread rise? ›

    Finally, the folds stimulate fermentation by encouraging the yeast to produce more gas, which stretches the dough further, developing more gluten. This improved structure made the dough easier to shape and allowed the final loaf to rise higher in the oven.

    Why is my no-knead bread so 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.

    Why is my no-knead dough so sticky? ›

    Your dough can become sticky when you add too much water or the flour isn't suitable for the type of dough you are making. Over proofing or fermenting the dough can also result in the gluten structure weakening causing sticky dough.

    How do you keep no-knead bread from sticking? ›

    Oil or flour your tin or baking tray

    You can use olive or vegetable oil, lard or butter to grease your tine and prevent your loaf from sticking. If I am using a baking tray for a free form loaf then I will dust it with flour, rice flour or semolina to prevent any sticky bits of dough cementing themselves to the tray.

    How do you know if your bread is rising? ›

    Lightly flour your index finger and press it gently into the dough, about to the bed of your fingernail. If the indentation remains and doesn't spring back/fill in, then the bread is well risen and ready for the oven. Have no fear, the "belly button" will rise and bake out just fine in the oven.

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