No Knead Herb and Sea Salt Bread

If you’ve ever wanted a bakery-style loaf without any actual kneading, this No Knead Herb and Sea Salt Bread is exactly the kind of recipe that makes bread baking feel almost effortless. A handful of pantry staples, a long slow rise, and a hot Dutch oven do all the real work, turning out a loaf with a crackly, golden crust and a soft, airy crumb studded with fresh rosemary and a flurry of sea salt on top.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• No kneading required — just stir and let time do the work
• Only a handful of ingredients, most of which are pantry staples
• A crusty, bakery-style crust from baking in a hot Dutch oven
• Fresh rosemary and flaky sea salt give it real bakery-style flavor
• Minimal hands-on time — most of it is unattended rising

Because the dough does almost all its work while you’re asleep or busy with other things, this is a good recipe to start the night before you want fresh bread. By the next afternoon, you’re just shaping, baking, and cooling.

What Does It Taste Like?

This bread has a thick, crackly, deeply golden crust with a soft, open, chewy crumb underneath. The long, slow rise gives it a subtle, slightly tangy depth of flavor similar to artisan bakery bread, while the fresh rosemary running through the dough adds a piney, savory note. The flaky sea salt on top gives little bursts of salty crunch in every bite.

Recipe Overview

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Rise Time: 12–18 hours
• Bake Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: About 1 hour of active time, plus the resting period
• Yield: 1 round loaf

Ingredients

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• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1¾ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon active dry yeast (slightly heaping)
• ⅓ cup fresh rosemary, slightly chopped
• 1½ cups water, room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt flakes

Ingredient Notes

All-purpose flour: No need for bread flour here — all-purpose flour is what gives this loaf its classic, everyday texture.

Active dry yeast: Only a small amount is used, since the long rise time gives it plenty of time to work.

Fresh rosemary: Use fresh rather than dried for the best flavor and texture — it’s chopped just slightly so you still get distinct pieces throughout the dough.

Water: Room temperature water is all that’s needed; there’s no need to proof the yeast separately before mixing.

Sea salt flakes: Sprinkled on top before baking, these give a distinct salty crunch that’s different from the salt mixed into the dough itself.

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

• Large mixing bowl
• Plastic wrap
• Dutch oven with a lid
• Parchment paper
• Wire cooling rack

If you don’t own a Dutch oven, a heavy oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid can work in a pinch, since what matters most is that the dough bakes in an enclosed space that traps steam for the first part of baking.

Substitutions and Variations

These are optional ideas, not part of the original recipe:

• Swap the rosemary for another sturdy fresh herb like thyme if you prefer.
• A few cloves of minced garlic can be added alongside the rosemary for a garlic-herb version.
• Serve slices with olive oil and black pepper for dipping, or alongside a cheese board.

How to Make the Recipe

This bread comes together in two stages: a simple stir-together dough that rests for most of a day (or overnight) with no kneading at all, and then a quick shape-and-bake in a very hot, covered Dutch oven, which mimics the steamy environment of a professional bread oven and gives the loaf its crackly crust.

Step-by-Step Instructions

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1. Combine the flour, salt, yeast, and rosemary in a large bowl.
2. Add the water and mix until all the ingredients are incorporated.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest on the counter for 12–18 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 450°F with the Dutch oven inside to heat up.
5. Shape the dough into a ball on a piece of parchment paper dusted with flour; sprinkle the sea salt flakes on top.
6. Carefully place the parchment with the dough into the preheated Dutch oven and cover with the lid.
7. Bake 30 minutes covered, then 15–20 minutes uncovered, until golden brown.
8. Remove from the Dutch oven and cool completely before slicing.

Tips for Success

• Let the dough rest the full 12–18 hours — the long rise is what develops flavor and structure without any kneading.
• Make sure the Dutch oven is fully preheated before the dough goes in, so the crust starts crisping immediately.
• Handle the shaped dough gently when transferring it, so you don’t deflate the air bubbles that built up during the rise.
• Let the loaf cool completely before slicing so the crumb has time to set.

How to Know It’s Done

The bread is done when the crust is deeply golden brown, and it should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. If it’s browning too quickly during the uncovered bake, keep an eye on it near the end of the 15–20 minute window.

What to Serve With It

This bread is wonderful served warm with butter, or alongside soup or a cheese board. For more homemade bread ideas from Poulef, try our Cloud Soft Homemade Bread or our No-Knead Rosemary Cranberry Bread with Olive Oil & Sea Salt.

Storage Instructions

The recipe source didn’t specify an exact storage duration. As general guidance for a crusty artisan-style loaf like this one: store it at room temperature wrapped in a clean kitchen towel or paper bag rather than a sealed plastic bag, since sealing it in plastic tends to soften the crust. It’s best enjoyed within a couple of days of baking.

Freezing Instructions

The recipe source didn’t provide specific freezing instructions. As general guidance: crusty artisan loaves like this typically freeze well whole or sliced; wrap tightly in plastic and then foil, and freeze for up to a few months. Thaw at room temperature, and re-crisp the crust in a hot oven for a few minutes if desired.

Common Mistakes

• Not letting the dough rest long enough, which can leave the bread dense instead of light and airy.
• Skipping the Dutch oven preheat, which means the crust won’t start crisping as soon as the dough goes in.
• Slicing the bread before it has cooled, which can make the crumb gummy.
• Using dried rosemary instead of fresh, which won’t give the same fresh, aromatic flavor throughout the loaf.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to knead this dough?

No — this recipe is specifically designed to skip kneading. The long, slow rise develops the dough’s structure instead.

Can I use dried rosemary instead of fresh?

The recipe calls for fresh rosemary for the best flavor and texture; substituting dried isn’t part of the original recipe and may give a different result.

Do I have to use a Dutch oven?

The recipe relies on baking in a covered Dutch oven to create the steamy environment that gives the bread its crackly crust, so it’s an important part of this method as written.

Why does the dough need to rest for so long?

The 12–18 hour rest lets the small amount of yeast slowly develop the dough’s flavor and airy texture without any kneading.

Can I add other mix-ins to this dough?

The recipe as written keeps it simple with rosemary and sea salt, but the same no-knead method works well as a base for other savory add-ins, like minced garlic or another sturdy fresh herb, folded in at the same point the rosemary is added.

Recipe Background

No-knead bread became popular as a way to get artisan-bakery results at home without special equipment or technique — the long, slow fermentation and a hot, covered Dutch oven do the work that kneading and a professional steam oven would otherwise handle. Adding fresh herbs like rosemary and a finishing touch of flaky sea salt is a simple way to turn the basic no-knead method into a more flavorful, dressed-up loaf.

The method traces back to a shift in home baking toward longer, slower fermentation instead of vigorous kneading — bakers realized that given enough time, a wet, loose dough will develop the same gluten structure on its own that kneading builds more quickly. That trade of active effort for patience is exactly what makes this recipe so approachable: there’s no dough to wrestle with, no stand mixer required, and very little that can go wrong as long as you give it the time it needs.

Conclusion

This No Knead Herb and Sea Salt Bread proves that a genuinely impressive loaf doesn’t require kneading, special skill, or much hands-on time at all — just patience while the dough does its thing. Slice it warm with butter, or serve it alongside dinner, and enjoy the kind of crust you’d expect from a bakery. Happy baking!

More Delicious Recipes You’ll Love

• Cloud Soft Homemade Bread
• Quick No Yeast Bread Recipe
• 16 Irresistible Soft Buttery Dinner Rolls
• Everything Bagel Cottage Cheese Biscuit
• No-Knead Rosemary Cranberry Bread with Olive Oil & Sea Salt

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