Easy Homemade Artisan Bread Recipe

✔ Updated October 19, 2026 · Water and salt corrected (70% hydration), clearer method, new photos

My easy artisan bread recipe makes one large, crusty Dutch oven loaf with a chewy, open crumb, using just bread flour, a little whole wheat flour, water, salt and instant yeast. Baked extra? Here’s whether you can refreeze bread once it has thawed.

The recipe has been corrected after reader feedback: the old card listed only 160 g of water for 750 g of flour (about 21% hydration), which can't form a workable dough. It now uses 525 g of water for about 70% hydration, plus 15 g of salt (2% of the flour), the standard ratios for a rustic loaf. No mixer or kneading is needed; a few stretch-and-folds do the work.

Why You'll Love This Artisan Bread

• Bakery-style crust from a preheated Dutch oven, with no steam trays or special equipment.
• No kneading: three sets of stretch-and-folds build the structure.
• Same-day bread, ready in about 4 hours, or slow it down overnight in the fridge.
• Just five ingredients: flour, whole wheat flour, water, salt and yeast.

The Artisan Bread Ratio: Flour, Water, Salt and Yeast

Artisan bread is built on simple baker's percentages, where every ingredient is measured as a percentage of the total flour weight. Getting these numbers right matters more than any other step.

Ingredient	Amount	Baker's percentage
Bread flour	560 g	75%
Whole wheat flour	190 g	25%
Water	525 g	70% (hydration)
Salt	15 g	2%
Instant yeast	7 g	about 1%

Same-Day Timeline

• 0:00 Mix the dough, rest 20 minutes.
• 0:20 to 1:20 Three sets of stretch-and-folds, 30 minutes apart.
• 1:20 to 2:30 Let the dough rise until about doubled.
• 2:30 Shape, then proof 45 minutes while the Dutch oven heats.
• 3:15 Bake 25 minutes covered and 15 to 20 minutes uncovered.
• 4:00 Cool at least 1 hour before slicing.

Step-by-Step Photos

Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.

Tips for Success

• Weigh, don't scoop. Cups of flour vary a lot. A digital scale is the easiest way to hit 70% hydration: 525 g of water to 750 g of flour. I switched to a scale years ago, and my loaves improved overnight.
• Expect a sticky dough. At 70% hydration the dough is soft and tacky. Wet your hands for folding instead of adding more flour.
• Salt is 2% of the flour. 15 g of salt for 750 g of flour. By volume that's about 2½ teaspoons of fine salt or 1 tablespoon of Morton kosher salt.
• Watch the dough, not the clock. A warm kitchen speeds up the rise and a cool one slows it down. The dough is ready when it has about doubled and looks bubbly.
• Preheat the Dutch oven well. At least 30 to 45 minutes at 475°F. The trapped steam under the lid gives the loaf its rise and crackly crust.
• Let it cool before slicing. The inside keeps setting as it cools. Cutting it hot makes the crumb gummy.

Troubleshooting

• Dough too stiff or dry: the water was probably measured by volume or the flour was packed. Weigh both. See also why bread can taste yeasty.
• Loaf spreads flat: shape it more tightly, and don't let it overproof. Using all bread flour also helps.
• Big tunnels or holes: usually uneven shaping. See the causes of large holes in bread.
• Bottom burning: move the rack up one level or slide a baking sheet under the Dutch oven. More in why bread burns on the bottom.
• Gummy inside: bake until about 205-210°F inside and let it cool fully before slicing.

Artisan Bread vs. Sourdough

This loaf uses commercial yeast, so it's ready the same day and tastes mild and wheaty. Sourdough uses a wild starter, takes a day or more and has a tangy flavor. Read the full artisan vs. sourdough bread comparison, and see how to leave bread dough to rise overnight for a slower, more flavorful schedule.

How to Store Artisan Bread

• Room temperature: store it cut-side down on a board, or in a paper or cloth bag, for 2 to 3 days. Mum kept hers cut-side down on the bread board, and I still do.
• Freezer: slice the cooled loaf, wrap it well and freeze for up to 3 months. Toast slices straight from frozen.
• Refresh the crust: warm the loaf at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Avoid the fridge: it makes bread stale faster. More tips: how to keep bread from molding.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much water do you need for artisan bread?

Use about 70% of the flour weight in water. For this loaf that's 525 g of water for 750 g of flour. Lower hydration (60 to 65%) gives a tighter, easier-to-shape dough, while higher hydration (75% or more) gives a more open crumb but a stickier dough.

How much salt goes in artisan bread?

Use about 2% of the flour weight. For 750 g of flour, that's 15 g of salt, or about 2½ teaspoons of fine sea salt or table salt. With Morton kosher salt, use about 1 tablespoon; Diamond Crystal kosher salt is lighter, so use about 5 teaspoons.

Can I make artisan bread without a Dutch oven?

Yes. Bake the loaf on a preheated baking sheet or pizza stone at 475°F and place a metal pan on the rack below. Pour 1 cup of hot water into the pan as the bread goes in to create steam, then bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Can I let the dough rise overnight?

Yes. After the stretch-and-folds, cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 12 to 18 hours. Shape it straight from the fridge, let it proof for about 1 hour at room temperature, then bake as written. The slow rise adds flavor.

Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?

Yes. Use the same 7 g (one packet), but dissolve it in the lukewarm water and let it stand for 5 minutes until foamy before mixing it into the flour and salt. The rise may take a little longer.