Easy and Delicious Rustic Bread from Dutch Oven

People will think you are an Expert Baker

I cook.  I am not a baker.  But in the spirit of expanding my horizons, I guess this only makes sense that I venture outside my comfort zone and try my hand at baking.  I may be a one trick pony, but this Easy and Delicious Rustic Bread from Dutch Oven is fabulous!  Four ingredients (no kneading), a Dutch Oven, and 19 hours and you have an amazing loaf of bread!  BTW…don’t worry, 18 of the 19 hours you are just letting the yeast do its thing.

It is actually easier than I described.  But the key is to actually follow the measurements.  Someone told me once that cooking is art and baking is science.  This made sense to me because science was not my thing, so I stayed away from baking.  Cooking, I can adjust along the way.  Not true with baking.  Once in the oven, say a prayer and wish for the best.  I have tried different ratios than the recipe here with varying results.  Do not tempt fate.  Stick to these measurements.

Simple Ingredients

I am trying to stay away from white flour, rather choosing whole wheat flour for health reasons. You can make this recipe with white bleached all-purpose or bread flour. I have and it turned out great. The measurements are the same as for the whole wheat bread recipe.

The recipe is simple. It is 3 ½ cups of whole wheat flour, 2 teaspoons of yeast (do not use fast rising yeast), 1 1/2 teaspoons of table salt, and 2 cups of water at room temperature.  That is it! This variation yields a dense, hearty bread that when served with soup or salad, makes a wonderful meal!

If you like a lighter, more airy bread, I found a simple modification to the recipe makes the perfect loaf. All ingredients remain the same, except substitute 2 cups of whole wheat bread flour for 2 cups of whole wheat flour. So the ingredients are 2 cups of whole wheat bread flour, 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour, 2 teaspoons of yeast, 1 1/2 teaspoons of table salt, and 2 cups of water at room temperature. This will yield a bread more suitable for sandwiches. If your local store does not carry whole wheat bread flour, you can get it here.

Give the yeast at least 18 hours to get to know its other ingredients and 55 minutes in the Dutch Oven to get baking and you will have a loaf of heaven!  Please note, I have allowed the dough up to 24 hours to rise before baking.

Variations

I am sure there are a million possible variations for things you can add to the loaf, but two variations I recommend are as follows.  The first variation is to add sliced Kalamata olives (dry the liquid off the olives before using).  The second is to add minced garlic and Rosemary.  I have tried adding these ingredients after mixing the dry ingredients with the water and allowing 18 hours for the yeast to interact.  The result was an extremely dense bread.  For the proper bread density, add the ingredients at the end before placing in the oven. If you try to add different ingredients to the dough, leave a comment below and let me know how it came out.

If you are using white all-purpose or bread flour, adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar with the dry ingredients will yield a bread more similar to the bread your children may be used to. It’s actually quite good.

The Incredible Dutch Oven

The Dutch Oven is key for the equal distribution of heat during the baking process.  Next to my Instant Pot, and recently my Air Fryer, the Dutch Oven is the most used cookware in my kitchen.  That said, you don’t have to go overboard and buy a $300 Dutch Oven.  My Dutch Oven was less than $75 and other than a little discoloration over the years, it works as good as it did the first day I bought it. Here is a link to an affordable 5-quart Dutch Oven.

Seriously, this Easy Rustic Whole Wheat Bread is so delicious and attractive to the eye and palate, you will be proud to gift the bread (just tie a satin ribbon around it and put in a simple gift bag).  Bring this Easy Rustic Whole Wheat Bread and a bottle of Merlot to a holiday party and take in the praise!

Consider serving with my Grapefruit and Shaved Fennel Salad for a light, yet satisfying meal! Alternatively, on a cold evening, pair with my Creamy Roasted Asparagus Soup.

Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Easy and Delicious Rustic Bread from Dutch Oven

(85 votes, average: 3.15 out of 5)

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Breads – Breads

By Stephen R. MacNeil – Serves: 8 to 10

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 55 minutes – Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Rustic Whole Wheat Bread made with four simple ingredients requiring no kneading and bakes perfectly in a Dutch Oven.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 Cups of Whole Wheat Flour (or 2 Cups Whole Wheat Bread Flour and 1 1/2 Cups of Whole Wheat Flour for a less dense, more airy loaf)
• 2 Tsp of Yeast
• 1 1/2 Tsp of Table Salt
• 2 Cups Water at Room Temperature

Instructions

1

In a large bowl, add the flour, yeast, and salt.

2

With a whisk, combine and mix the dry ingredients.

3

Slowly add the water and mix. Make sure to stir until there is no remaining dry flour.

4

Cover with plastic wrap (or lid) and let it rest at room temperature for 18 hours.

5

After the 18 hours, the dough should have risen and will be moist.

Baking Instructions

6

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

7

Line the Dutch Oven with Parchment paper. This prevents the bread from sticking to the Dutch Oven. It's helpful, but not necessary.

8

Place the Dutch Oven with the lid on in the oven for 10 minutes to heat. This is an important step.

9

Dust the countertop or sheet pan with whole wheat flour.

10

Remove the dough from the bowl onto the flour dusted surface.

11

Roll the dough over the flour and form a ball.

12

Score the top of the dough ball with an X using a serrated knife.

13

Remove the Dutch Oven from the oven.

14

Place the dough ball in the Dutch Oven and return the Dutch Oven with the lid to the oven.

15

Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on.

16

Remove the lid after 30 minutes and bake without a lid for 25 minutes.

17

After the 25 minute, remove the Dutch Oven from the oven.

18

Transfer the bread from the Dutch Oven onto a baking rack.

19

Let it cool for 10 minutes and it is ready to eat!

Notes

After the bread is at room temperature, it can be stored in a paper bag or aluminum foil.