30-Minute Artisan Bread Recipe

Introduction

This artisan bread recipe delivers a crusty, flavorful loaf with minimal effort and simple ingredients. In just about 30 minutes of active time and a few hours of rising, you can enjoy homemade bread that rivals your favorite bakery’s.

Ingredients

• 3 cups (395 grams) all-purpose flour (or bread flour)
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/4 ounce instant or active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (approximately 105°F)

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and yeast. Pour the warm water over the dry ingredients, making sure it’s not too hot to avoid killing the yeast.
2. Step 2: Mix the ingredients using a dough whisk, spatula, wooden spoon, or your hands until a wet, sticky dough forms. Add a little more flour if it’s too sticky to handle.
3. Step 3: Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap sprayed with nonstick spray. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 2 to 10 hours, or leave it overnight for deeper fermentation.
4. Step 4: Wet your hands and turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Without punching down or kneading, gently fold the edges toward the center to shape the dough into a round boule or divide it into two loaves, tucking the ends underneath.
5. Step 5: Place the shaped dough on parchment paper and dust the top lightly with flour. Use a bread knife to score 1 to 4 lines across the surface. Let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes.
6. Step 6: Preheat your oven to 450°F and place a baking stone, pizza stone, Dutch oven, or cast iron skillet inside to heat.
7. Step 7: Slide the dough (with the parchment paper) onto the hot stone or into your Dutch oven. To create a crispier crust, add 1 cup of hot water to a small broiler pan or place 5 ice cubes on the bottom of the oven and quickly close the door to trap steam.
8. Step 8: Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
9. Step 9: Let the bread cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Tips & Variations

• For extra flavor, add herbs like rosemary or thyme to the dough before rising.
• Use bread flour for a chewier texture or all-purpose flour for a lighter crumb.
• Experiment with adding whole wheat flour up to 25% of the total flour for a heartier bread.
• If time is short, a shorter rise of 2 hours yields good results, but overnight rising enhances flavor.

Storage

Store the bread in a paper bag at room temperature to keep the crust crisp for up to 2 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze the bread in an airtight bag. Reheat slices in a toaster or oven to revive the crust.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?

Yes, active dry yeast works well. If using it, dissolve the yeast in warm water first and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy before mixing with the flour and salt.

How do I know when the bread is fully baked?

The bread should be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. An internal temperature of about 200°F indicates it is done baking.

30-Minute Artisan Bread Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 111 reviews

This artisan bread recipe yields a crusty, flavorful loaf with a chewy crumb, perfect for sandwiches or enjoying fresh with butter. Made with simple ingredients and requiring minimal hands-on time, it relies on a long fermentation to develop rich flavor and texture. The dough is mixed, left to rise slowly, shaped gently without kneading, and baked on a hot stone or pan with steam to create its signature crust.

• Author: Ria
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
• Yield: 12 servings 1x
• Category: Bread
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Artisan

Ingredients

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Dry Ingredients

• 3 cups (395 grams) all-purpose flour or bread flour
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/4 ounce instant or active dry yeast (approximately 2 1/4 teaspoons)

Wet Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 105°F)

Instructions

1. Make Dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, kosher salt, and yeast. Pour the warm water over the dry ingredients, ensuring the water is about 105°F to activate the yeast without killing it. Use a dough whisk, spatula, wooden spoon, or your hands to mix everything together until a wet, sticky dough forms. If the dough feels too sticky to handle, you may sprinkle a little more flour gradually.
2. Rise: Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap sprayed lightly with nonstick spray to prevent sticking. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 to 10 hours, or leave it out overnight to ferment more deeply. The longer rising time improves the bread’s flavor and texture.
3. Shape: Lightly flour a work surface. Wet your hands and gently turn the sticky dough out onto the surface. Avoid punching down, kneading, or rolling the dough. Instead, gently pull the sides towards the center to form your desired shape—typically a round French boule or two smaller loaves. Tuck the ends of the dough under to create tension.
4. Dust and Rest: Place the shaped dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Lightly dust the top with flour. Using a bread knife, score 1 to 4 shallow lines across the top of the dough to enable controlled expansion during baking. Allow the dough to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Preheat Oven and Bake Setup: Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Place a baking stone, pizza stone, Dutch oven, or heavy iron skillet inside to heat thoroughly.
6. Bake: Slide the dough on the parchment paper onto the preheated hot stone or pan. For a crustier loaf, add steam by placing 1 cup of hot water in a small broiler pan or adding 5 ice cubes to the bottom of the oven immediately after placing the dough inside. Close the door quickly to trap the steam. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the bread is deeply browned and crusty.
7. Cool and Serve: Remove the bread from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing—this resting period completes the cooking process inside and prevents gummy texture. Store leftover bread in a paper bag to maintain the crust’s crispness without softening.

Notes

• Longer fermentation times improve the bread’s flavor and texture by allowing natural yeast activity.
• Do not punch down or knead the dough after the initial mix to preserve air bubbles for a better crumb.
• Scoring the dough prevents uncontrolled cracking in the oven and adds a decorative touch.
• Using steam in the oven during baking helps develop a crisp and glossy crust.
• Cool the bread completely before slicing to avoid a gummy interior.
• Store bread in a paper bag instead of plastic to keep crust crispy while preventing molding.

Keywords: artisan bread, crusty bread, homemade bread, no-knead bread, easy bread recipe, bread baking, sourdough alternative, French boule