No-Knead Overnight Rye Bread

Name: No-Knead Overnight Rye Bread
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 42 min
Total time: 18 h 54 min
Yield: 1 loaf
Ingredients: 300g bread flour, plus extra for dusting; 100g whole rye flour instead of all white; 1¼ tsp fine salt (about 7g); ½ tsp active dry yeast, reduced from ¾ tsp; 345ml lukewarm water (maybe 2 tbsp less if you prefer stiffer); 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter substituting olive oil

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 24 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

A lazy yeast dough with rye flour swapped in, olive oil switched to melted butter. Rest time nudged slightly shorter. Folding shapes the dough without arm ache. Baking in smoking hot Dutch oven traps steam, builds crust, crackle sound tells you it’s close. Visual bubbles during bulk rise hint at strong fermentation. Scoring optional; mine cracks wild anyway. Cooling on rack stops sogginess. Real bread smells, toasty, nutty rye, edges browned spots. No knead means no mess, patience teaches dough what to do. Troubleshooting sticky, slack dough? A little more flour on hands, a gentle fold. Hot oven thrills crust, residual heat inside Dutch oven finishes crumb. You learn timing by feel, sight, smell. Never exact but close enough to brag at brunch.

Prep: 12 min

Cook: 42 min

Total: 18h 54min

Servings: 1 loaf

#artisan bread #no-knead #rye flour #overnight fermentation #Dutch oven

Dough so lazy, no knead involved. Flour, yeast, salt, water, and butter swap in place of oil—because why not? Used part rye flour for earthy twist, gives bread soul and some chew. Let it ferment overnight, bubbles tell you when it’s alive. No fights with dough, just fold gently with flour-dusted hands. Baking in hot Dutch oven traps steam, gives crust that punchy crack. Inside? Open crumb with slight rye nuttiness and buttery undertones. Cooling’s crucial, otherwise, crumb soggy, crust softens fast. Patience, attention, sensory signals guide the way. Baking bread’s an experiment grounded in observation. After several tries, this method kills conventional kneading boredom and yields a hearty loaf. You’ll want to slice thin, slather with butter, savor the aromas—the kind of bread that makes you forget it homemade.

Ingredients

300g bread flour, plus extra for dusting
100g whole rye flour instead of all white
1¼ tsp fine salt (about 7g)
½ tsp active dry yeast, reduced from ¾ tsp
345ml lukewarm water (maybe 2 tbsp less if you prefer stiffer)
2 tbsp melted unsalted butter substituting olive oil

About the ingredients

Start with bread flour plus a solid chunk of whole rye flour; rye adds complexity and dense texture but keeps dough a bit tackier. Salt quantity reduced by 5% to balance with rye’s natural flavor. Yeast trimmed back to prevent overproofing in slightly shorter time frame. Melted butter swapped for olive oil—adds richness, subtle nuttiness, better crust browning in my experience. Water adjusted down a tiny bit to manage stickiness from rye. Flour dusting essential on hands and parchment to manage sticky dough.This dough won’t behave rigidly like all-white flour breads. Expect slack, messy texture but that’s how you know gluten is forming well with minimal trouble. Have extra flour nearby for dusting, but add in very small increments to prevent dryness. Patience wins here.

Method

Mix dough

In a large bowl, toss flours, salt, and yeast together dry, so salt is evenly spread (it’s yeast’s enemy if clumped). Add water gradually while stirring with a wooden spoon, drizzle melted butter at same time. Mix till rough, shiny lumps form. Looks sloppy, sticky, shaggy. Don't fuss. If too dry, splash tiny water; too wet, dust some flour on hands. Resist urge to knead. Important. Tell yourself patience is skill.

First rise

Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap or stretch film. Set on counter untouched for 15-17 hours, slightly less than a day. Bubbles on surface? Dough jiggly, full of life? Spotty cracks or a gentle dome? Good sign. Paste smell, not sour. Wet spots evened out. Trust your eyeballs and nose, not clock.

Prep for shaping

Scatter a sheet of parchment paper generously with flour. Scrape sticky dough carefully onto parchment—bubbles dot the surface, dough looks soft and wet but holds shape slightly. Sprinkle handful of flour on top. No panic if dough sticks: wet hands or flour sprinkled often helps.

Shaping

Fold edges gently into center, pinch seams like wrapping a crude package. No pressing or squeezing – just tuck dough inward to form rough ball. Gives dough surface tension, important for oven rise. Pinched seams high on dough top. Let rest covered loosely with a clean tea towel or linen for 25-35 minutes—listen for dough relaxation: it puffs a bit, little jiggly wobble when poked.

Heat Dutch oven

While dough rises, place a large heavy Dutch oven with lid inside oven. Crank oven to 450°F (230°C). Give base and lid full 25-35 minutes to scream hot. This hot pot traps steam when dough drops in, key for blistered crust.

Transfer to pot

Use oven mitts, grab flaming hot Dutch oven—dangerous but exciting. Grab parchment paper with dough; shake off excess flour on bottom gently. Slide dough and parchment into pot, no folding spatula fuss needed. Lid goes on straight away. Steam hisses. If you like scoring, now’s chance to slash top with sharp blade; I skip it mostly—bread noses out splits own way.

Bake

Close lid, shove pot back in oven. Bake 28-33 minutes, smells nutty, rich, crust starts crackling audibly. Peek if needed; steam clouds. Remove lid. Crust changes from pale gold to deep amber in next 12-16 minutes, edges darken but not burn. Watch visually, tap bottom for hollow sound. Smell sharp toast, warm grainy punch. Keep checking.

Cooling

Use tongs or stiff spatula to carefully lift bread from Dutch oven by parchment corners. Place on wire rack. Don’t skip this step or loaf will steam-gunk bottom, losing crispness. Cool at least 15 minutes—crumb needs to set; cut too soon and you’ll get gluey interior. Butter melts best at this stage.

Troubleshooting

Dough too sticky to handle? Dust more flour on hands, use folding instead of kneading. Overproofed? Dough spreads flat with no rise in oven; shorten first rise next time. Underproofed? Dense crumb, no bubbles, tougher crust; wait longer next time. Oven temp varies; trust crust color and sound, not timer. No Dutch oven? Use heavy covered pot or a tray with water beneath oven rack for steam.

Cooking tips

Mix flours, salt, yeast dry first—ensures salt doesn’t kill yeast in clumps. Add water and butter together, mix with spoon until rough and shaggy. No kneading is intentional—resist temptation or you’ll lose dough’s airy softness. Cover with cling film for 15-17 hours; watch for bubbly surface and some rising—not doubling, just alive and spongy. Scrape on parchment sprinkled with flour, important to prevent sticking when moving to pot. Folding dough inward creates surface tension; crucial for oven spring and loaf shape without kneading. Rest again 25-35 minutes covered loosely. Meanwhile heat Dutch oven with lid for full 25-35 minutes at 450°F, hot enough to trap steam for crust. Transfer carefully, sliding parchment with dough inside hot pot, cover immediately. Bake covered till crust forms loud crackles, remove lid for final browning. Look for deep golden crust, hollow sound tapping base suggests done. Cool completely on rack to firm up crumb and preserve crust. Don’t rush slicing—a tempting urge but crumb will be gummy if warm.

Chef's notes

💡 Mix dry ingredients first; salt with yeast can kill yeast lumps if wet too soon. Add water slowly, melted butter same time. Dough looks messy, sticky, don’t kick into knead mode. Patience shapes texture over time, folding helps surface tension. Avoid extra flour at first; small dustings only or dough stiffens. Expect slack, messy feel from rye; gluten development slower but real. Watch dough bubble and swell not double fully.
💡 Cover dough tight with plastic wrap, let rest 15-17 hours. Temperature swings matter; warmer shortens rise, cooler lengthens. Observe bubbly surface, patchy cracks, gentle dome for readiness. Sniff dough; fresh yeast smell, no sour tang. If surface wet or sticky spots, dough still alive. Under or overproof affects crumb and crust. No timer replaces feel and smell cues here.
💡 Prepare parchment with heavy flour dust, scrape dough gently on top. Sticky, yes; wet hands or sprinkle flour if dough resists moving. Folding edges into center, pinch seams lightly. Never press flat or squeeze out air pockets. Rest 25-35 minutes loosely covered. Dough should puff slightly, jiggle loosely when poked. This forms crust tension needed for oven spring.
💡 Heat Dutch oven at 450°F for full 25-35 minutes including base and lid. Hot pot traps steam when dough in; that’s what yields blistered crust and crackling sound. Use oven mitts, sliding dough and parchment straight in pot. Lid on immediately. Don’t fuss with spatulas during transfer. If scoring, do quick slash before lid. Steam hisses loud, traps moisture for crust formation.
💡 Bake covered 28-33 minutes first; smell nutty rye, listen for crackles. Remove lid, bake another 12-16 minutes for color deepening without burn. Tap bottom for hollow sound indicates set crumb; watch edges too. Cooling on rack critical—don’t skip. Butter melts best when bread cools 15+ minutes, crumb firms. Slice too soon bread gums up inside, crust softens fast if cooled in pot or wrapped.

Common questions

Dough too sticky to handle?

Dust hands flour sparingly. Fold gently not knead. Use flour to control tack but not overdo or crumb stiffens. Sticky is rye’s nature. Patience and folding shape instead of wrestling dough.

Can I use olive oil instead of butter?

Butter key for nuttiness and crust color here. Olive oil works but crust less browned, less rich aroma. Adjust water slightly as butter is fat solid, oil liquid. Melted butter switches texture, fat distribution matters.

What if I don’t have a Dutch oven?

Heavy lidded pot or cast iron works. Or put tray of hot water under oven rack for steam. Crust won’t blister same way but moisture helps. Bake uncovered longer for crust crisp. Adjust timings by smell and sound.

How to store leftover bread?

Wrap airtight or paper bag. Freezing works better for days. Avoid fridge; dries crumb. Reheat slices in toaster or covered in oven to soften crust. Use stale slices for toast or breadcrumbs too.