Xanthan Gum Free Classic No-Knead Bread

Total time16 hr

Prep time10 min

Cook time50 min

There is something deeply satisfying about pulling a crackling, mahogany-crusted loaf out of a Dutch oven, especially when it only took four ingredients and almost no effort to make. Many store-bought and even artisan breads sneak in additives and stabilizers that can be a real problem for anyone avoiding xanthan gum, so baking your own is genuinely the cleanest solution. This recipe keeps things beautifully simple — just flour, instant yeast, kosher salt, and water — so you know exactly what is going into every slice. The long, slow rise does all the heavy lifting, developing a complex, slightly tangy flavor and an open, chewy crumb that rivals anything from a fancy bakery. Baking it covered in a preheated Dutch oven traps steam and gives you that blistered, shattering crust without any special equipment or techniques. The hardest part is honestly waiting the full hour before you slice into it, but that patience pays off in a loaf that holds together perfectly and tastes incredible with just a smear of good butter.

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Ingredients

8 servings

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
King Arthur Baking Company Unbleached All-Purpose Flour Gold Medal Flour All-Purpose Unbleached - 5 Lb Bob's Red Mill Organic All Purpose Unbleached White Flour - 5 Lb Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Unbleached White Flour - 5 Lb Pillsbury Best Flour All Purpose - 5 Lb
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¼ tsp instant yeast
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
1 ½ cups water, room temperature

Instructions

1
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, and kosher salt. Add the water and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until no dry flour remains and a shaggy, sticky dough forms — about 1 minute. The dough will look rough and wet; that is correct.
2
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours, until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough has roughly doubled in size.

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