Name: Easy No-Knead Artisan Bread
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 155 min
Ingredients: 2 3/4 cups lukewarm water; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1 Tb. yeast; 1 Tb. sugar; 1 Tb. salt; 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

You can easily bake this fresh artisan bread at a moment’s notice, and it’s never been simpler than this no-knead recipe.

closeup picture of no-knead artisan bread

Think you don’t have time to make fresh artisan bread?

Enter the cookbook that convinced me otherwise: “The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.”

the new artisan bread in five minutes a day book lying on a table

This cookbook is like my breadbaking bible. Our family generally sticks to one or two bread recipes in it, but it has everything from the master recipe to bagels to gluten-free. You’ll never get bored, I promise. Check it out here.

How you can make this easy no-knead artisan bread in 5 minutes a day:

The whole idea is to spend a few minutes making the dough and storing it in the fridge where it waits for you until you’re ready to bake that bad boy. That’s it! Simple, right? You’re really going to want to get this book for all its carb-loaded goodness, but to give you a taste, I’m sharing our family’s go-to recipe from it with you.

woman measuring flour — Make sure you level those flour measurements.

Tools you need to make this no-knead artisan bread:

stand mixer (optional) or bowl and dough whisk
6 quart plastic container with lid to store dough like this
baking sheet
parchment paper or silicone liner
non-glass baking dish for ice

Tips for success:

Although the stand mixer is totally optional, if you’ve got one, use it. Bread dough can be tough to mix by hand. If you aren’t working out your upper body a few times a week, you may be taking breaks like I would.
When it comes to storing your dough, I’d opt for one that’s cylinder in shape rather than square. Since you’ll be storing it in the fridge and using it over and over you don’t want dough getting stuck in the corners. It’s a pain in the rear to clean. Trust me on this one, cylinder is much easier to scrape out and keep clear of any old dough.
A Dutch oven is a great option for baking this dough! If you’d rather use it than a baking sheet and ice pan, I say go for it! Just be sure to cover it with the lid so it gets nice and steamy. And let it finish for the last 5-10 minutes without the lid to get that nice nutty, crunchy crust.
Parchment paper (or a reusable silicone liner) is your best friend for this bread recipe, especially if you end up baking it daily like we do most winter days. Less cleaning, less opportunity for a burnt bottom, easier to transfer to a cooling rack or cutting board – work smarter, not harder, am I right?
Speaking of cooling rack… it’s handy if you’re short on time. Waiting on a loaf to cool enough to slice can be tough, especially when that smell hits your kids in the face and they’re begging for a bite. Even just a few extra minutes on that rack can be the difference between sweet children hanging out in the kitchen with you and the impending meltdown of a hangry child.

bread ingredients on counter — Everything you need is likely already in your pantry!

Ingredients for no-knead artisan bread:

2 3/4 cups lukewarm water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tb. yeast
1 Tb. sugar
1 Tb. salt
6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in your mixer or bowl and stir until thoroughly combined and dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl – usually just a couple of minutes in the electric mixer. Move the dough to your storage container and place the lid on top. Leave it on the kitchen counter for at least 2 hours. It should’ve doubled in size in that amount of time.

bread ingredients in stand mixer — I love recipes that can just be dumped in a bowl.

After it’s risen and doubled in size you can take what you need and get ready to bake right away. This recipe will make 4 one-pound loaves. Whatever you don’t use, throw in the fridge; it’ll keep for up to 2 weeks, just waiting for your next itch to bake another beautiful loaf.

rising dough in a plastic 6 quart container

When it’s time to bake, preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Flour your hands liberally so the dough doesn’t stick as you prep it – it’s a super wet dough so it’ll be sticky. Prepare for messy hands! Sprinkle your parchement paper with a little flour as well.

woman taking bread dough out to shape and bake

Shape the dough in a rough ball. Remember, part of the beauty of this artisan bread is that it’s rustic, so don’t be particular about it! Once you’ve got it shaped, place it on the baking sheet and dust it with a little more flour, making sure it’s blanketed lightly. Let it rest for 10-20 minutes (I usually just let it rest for the amount of time it takes for the oven to preheat).

Get your ice pan ready! I have an old roasting pan I use specifically for this. This is to ensure your bread has nice steam to bake thoroughly, so don’t open that oven door during the baking process. If you want to check on it use that oven light instead.

metal baking dish with a layer of ice in it

If you’re feeling ambitious you can make a couple shallow cuts in the top of your loaf right before baking. I’m no artist, but even a few little notches make for a super pretty artisan bread!

rested bread dough ball with knife cutting slits on top

A one-pound loaf of bread needs to bake for about 20-30 minutes. Our family can usually tear through a two-pound loaf in one meal, so I usually bake that for about an hour.

Let it cool enough to handle, snap a few pictures of what you just made, and slice it up! We sometimes slather it in butter, and other times we dip it in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

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