No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread {Using Instant Pot}

This no-knead dutch oven bread using the Instant Pot to create is a delicious, crusty artisan loaf. With only a few basic ingredients, this bread is a lovely addition to your meal.

No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread using the Instant Pot

No-knead bread is made without needing to touch and knead the dough. The dough used is quite loose and sticky, which makes it great when you don’t have to touch it.

Unlike other breads, no-knead dough breads don’t need a second rise time either, which makes them less time consuming as well.

Due to a sticky dough and no second rise, this bread will flatten out instead of rising up and it won’t have as many holes in the final product either.

This easy to make no-knead bread is create without the need for touching the sticky dough with your hands! 

Then, it is baked in a dutch oven which creates a perfect crusty crust, while keeping the inside of the bread moist and tasty.

Serving No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread

This bread is great paired with

• Soups
• Sandwiches
• With Dill Pickle Dip
• With Chive Oil
• To make croutons
• To make garlic bread
• With spreads such as Strawberry Jam and Blackberry Jam
• With honey butter
• Spread over vanilla infused honey
• Use your own homemade butter on your bread
• Spread over this delicious Tim Tam Spread

Making the Bread Ahead

After the bread has risen in the Instant Pot, it can be baked or stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, until you are ready to bake it.

To do this, wrap the dough in the baking paper with cling wrap or place in an airtight container.

Just be prepared that the longer you leave it in the fridge, the more ‘sour’ the finished loaf will taste.

Different Types of Flours

I just used plain flour to create this loaf, though you can use bread flour if you wish.

For a whole wheat version, substitute 1 cup of the plain flour with whole wheat flour.

I haven’t tried a gluten-free loaf, or a lot that uses almond or chickpea or other flours, so I cannot recommend any of these. If you do try, let me know how it goes.

Additions to the Bread

Can you add additions to this bread? Absolutely!

Add your mix-ins when mixing the dough together, then follow the rest of the steps as normal. Just make sure that wet ingredients are drained as much as possible before adding.

The loaf could also be topped with grated cheese or brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with herbs and salt before baking as well.

Some additions include:

• Cheese
• Jalapeños
• Herbs such as rosemary and dill
• Salt
• Olives
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Spices such as cinnamon or pumpkin spice
• Dried fruit such as raisins and sultanas or dried apricots

No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread Tips

• Make sure the dutch oven is hot before baking the bread as this will help with a crustier outside.
• In saying that, you don’t have to preheat the dutch oven, though I would bake the bread for an extra 5 to 10 minutes with the lid on as this will help the bread rise better.
• Be very careful when handling the hot dutch oven also, and place it on the centre rack in the oven.
• To ‘shape’ the dough, you can use the baking paper edges and bring them up to the centre or use a spatula to very gently scrape the dough into a loaf. Don’t handle the dough too much – the more you do, the more gasses escape which can lead to less holes in the loaf.
• Use a razor or very sharp knife to cut a few slits in the top of the dough.
• If you don’t have a dutch oven, you can still bake this bread. The crust just won’t be as crusty. To create a humid environment when baking a loaf on a baking tray, place a high-edge tray on a rack under the bread and pour in about 4 cups of water. This will create a steam environment in the oven when baking your loaf.
• The sugar can be eliminated from the recipe if you wish, though it make affect the rise time.
• If you are finding your loaf isn’t rising at all, then it most likely is the yeast. A cold environment can also affect the rising, though if you use the Instant Pot, this should help with this.
• Living at a high altitude can also affect bread. The dough may rise faster and it may be on the dry side also. Try adding about 1 TBSP of extra water to the dough and see how that goes.

Ingredients for making No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread

To make one artisan loaf, you will need:

• 437g (3 ½ Cups) Plain Flour 
• 9g (1 ½ tsp) Fine Salt
• 7g (2 ¼ tsp) Active dry or Instant Yeast
• 5g (1 ¼ tsp ) White Sugar
• 355g (1 ½ Cups) Warm Water
• 60ml (¼ Cup) Olive Oil

Making No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread

Prepare the Instant Pot by lining it with baking paper and spraying the paper with oil or cooking spray.

In a small bowl, which together the plain flour and the salt and then set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the sugar and water.

Sprinkle the yeast on top and give it a little stir. Set aside to allow the yeast to rest for 5 minutes, until it is foamy.

Then, add the flour mixture and the oil to the large bowl and stir until a dough forms.

Transfer the dough to the Instant Pot.

Add the lid and set the valve to sealing. Program using the ‘yoghurt’ function for 4 hours.

When the Instant Pot is done, transfer the dough to a sheet of baking paper that has been sprinkled lightly with additional flour.

Bring the edges of the dough to the middle to form a rough circle. 

Sprinkle the top of the dough very lightly with addition flour and brush away any excess from the paper.Cover and rest for 40 minutes.

Place the dutch oven and lid in a 230˚C / 450˚F oven to preheat.

Carefully remove the dutch oven from the oven, remove the lid and place the baking paper with the bread into the pot. 

Cut a couple of shallow slits in the top of the dough and place the lid on the dutch oven.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes and then remove the lid and bake for a further 10 minutes, or until the top of the bread is brown and crusty.

Carefully remove from the oven and lift the bread out using the baking paper.

Allow to cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Storing Baked No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread

Store at room temperature in an airtight container or bread container for around 2 days.

The loaf can be frozen whole or in slices.

To freeze, once it is completely cooled, place the loaf in an airtight freezer-safe bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. 

Store in the freezer for around 2 to 3 months.