Don’t have the energy or ability to commit to sourdough? Need a solution for the days you can’t make five pounds of challah? You can still have fresh bread in a minimal amount of time.
This is the recipe you need when you want to have freshly baked bread/challah for Shabbos, but don’t want the work (or the mess!). It’s one bowl, no knead, no braiding, no babysitting a starter and totally delicious!
If you are away for the summer and don’t have a bread mixer – this is also for you.
It’s technically only 3 ingredients: flour, yeast, and salt. No sugar, no oil, no eggs!
In the summer, I take 5 minutes on Thursdays to mix it together.
I do like to ‘complicate’ mine by adding in seeds and changing up the grains.
But technically, this recipe works with any flour–white, whole wheat, or multigrain flour (sorry I never tried spelt) and doesn’t ‘need’ the add-ins. Though I do highly recommend them!
The add-ins, amount of time to let it rise, and flour types are all very forgiving… so just throw it all together and don’t think too much about it.
I take my dough out on Friday morning and leave it out most of the day.
Then, I separate it into two loaves.
Form them into two balls, tucking in the bottoms. Use flour to help with the stickiness.
Score the tops.
Add a baking sheet with water to the bottom rack. The steam helps the bread form a crispy crust.
Then quickly throw the bread in the oven for 30 minutes in the afternoon. My family is big on sweet ‘crumby’ challah, but finally getting them to try this one after a few protests, they all somehow now devour it (pickiest ones included)!
It’s delicious with all your savory dips and confits. Now, I won’t pretend this has the depth of sourdough, but it’s a pretty good alternative for half the time and emotional energy (am I the only one who feels that way?).
The instructions look lengthier than the effort that this bread actually takes to make – so I beseech you not to nix this recipe because it looks too complicated.
Note: It’s highly recommended to eat this warm/reheat if not eating fresh.
The 5 Minute No Knead Artisanal Bread
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp yeast
- 3 cups warm water
- 5 ½ cups any combo of flour I use: 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour 2 ½ cups bread flour ½ cup oats
- 1 ½ tbsp kosher salt
Add-ins [Any Combo:]
- ¼ cup millet
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup flax seeds
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
Optional Add-Ins #2:
- ¼ cup chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 heads roasted garlic [Note: This one is delicious with all white flour]
Instructions
- Proof yeast in water (I add a tsp of sugar just to make sure it blooms, but you don’t need to).
- Mix remaining ingredients just until combined (no need to knead!), it will be very sticky. Let rise 1-2 hours.
- Place in the fridge overnight (this helps with stickiness).
- Remove from fridge and let come to room temp for a few hours. **The dough MUST have time to rise at room temp or it will be too dense and not airy**
- Using enough flour so it’s not sticky, separate dough into 2 round balls, tucking in the bottom. Place on a floured parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Dust the tops with flour. Let rise for at least an additional 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450°F.
- Score the tops of the loaves with an X or 4-5 straight lines across.
- Fill a sheet pan with water and place on the bottom rack of oven (the steam makes the outside extra crispy).
- Bake for 30 minutes.
I’ve done this IN a DUTCH OVEN so it really has the extra yum factor of crunchy exterior of sourdough bread.
Looks delicious!! When should I add the roasted garlic? It will get mashed in when mixed….
Have you tried this with GF flour?
Add the flour, do a soft mix and then add in the garlic and rosemary and gently mix just until all incorporated. Yes, the garlic will get a bit smooshed in… but because you aren’t kneading this bread, it works just fine.
Have not tried this with GF. If you do let us know how it comes out!
Can I still bake it today if I put it in freezer instead of the fridge?
Can I skip the part where the dough is refrigerated overnight? I’d love to make the recipe to break the fast on tonight.
Jinks
The main reason to refrigerate is because it’s a super sticky dough… I’ve never baked it directly from the first rise, but if you load up enough flour to get it to come together in a ball, it will probably taste ok- it may just be a flatter bread.
An overnight rise also helps it develop a more complex flavor.
I made the recipe without putting the dough in the refrigerator and it came out delicious! It was salty though, so I’d cut down on the salt the next time I make it. Thanks Natalie!
Would try with sautéed onions instead of the garlic
IS this healthy like sourdough bread?
No, sourdough bread is fermented grains (through the sourdough starter and the fermentation/ rise of the dough). Fermentating the dough makes grains easier to digest (by “predigesting” the gluten) and makes the nutrients more bioavailable. This is a fun way to get similar results as sourdough bread but the health reasons are why I pretty much only make sourdough bread
thank you for the reply!
Can the baked breads be frozen?
Yes! Great frozen and reheated in oven.
What kind of issues do you use?
Oats. I meant what kind of oats do you use?
Can use any! When I add in oats- I use old fashioned.
I have been making a version of this for a while now.
However, my recipe calls for beer (natural yeast) and I make it in a dutch oven.
Rises for 8 to 18 hours. Delicious!!!
Called no knead artisinal bread from America’s test kitchen.
No knead challah is the best! We make it every week and now my kids complain if we have “sweet” challah because they love this one so much. We use this recipe https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/no-knead-crusty-white-bread-recipe. Enjoy! Amaaaazing with dips!
What kind of yeast does this recipe need? Fresh or dry?
Dry
Does it taste like sourdough style bread?
It won’t have the depth/ tang/ fermenty taste of sourdough bread
Correct! As noted in the post. BUT if you are looking for a tangier taste… you can let the dough sit in the fridge for up to a week. The longer you leave it 4-5 days, the more the yeast will ferment and taste more similar to sourdough.
Is it’s oatmeal in recipe or oat flour ?
are the ratios correct?
after the process the dough was almost a batter
didnt hold the shape of a ball at all
thanks!
Yes – these are the amounts I use weekly and that were used for the bread you see in the photos. Bread dough can vary depending on the moisture in the air and the types of flour using– if you find it to sticky/watery – add half a cup of flour until it looks more like a shaggy dough. BUT it is meant to be much stickier than challah dough and that’s why the refrigeration.
Made it and it came out divine! So delicious! Thank you Natalie!!
Do you use quick or old fashioned oats? Or oat flour
Looks amazing!
If you add in Rosemary, are the pieces sharp or after cooking they are soft?
Also, have you tried the garlic in whole wheat or multigrain?
Last question – have you tried fresh oregano or basil or any other herb add in or combo?
Thanks!
No they end up soft– and they should be loosely chopped. Yes, I enjoy the garlic in the multigrain as well. I haven;t tried other herbs-but they are probably all delicious.
Great insights! Appreciate the detailed information in this article.
So you proof the yeast in some water. Do you then add 3 cups of water or less bc you already used some for the yeast?
I proof the yeast directly in the 3 cups of water 🙂
What type of oats do you use?
Can’t wait to try it!
Also, would golden flax work? What’s the difference between the two types of flax seeds.
Can this be make in a bread machine?
can you scale the recipe for us to be able to make challah with a brocha?
Thank you
Hi, if you skip the add ins, do you replace the volume with flour or oats? Or just skip it?
this was so good! my husband and my 6 year old even loved it! made it with all-purpose flour and whole spelt.
It came out really similar to sourdough in texture and taste.
only thing is that it was very very sticky so you have to make sure to use a nice amount of flour when shaping it.
is is 2 Tablespoons of yeast or teaspoons?