My Mother’s Peasant Bread: The Best Easiest Bread You Will Ever Make
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This is the no-knead bread recipe my mother has been baking for 45 years. Start to finish, it can be ready in three hours. It bakes in well-buttered Pyrex bowls — no need to preheat a baking vessel for this recipe — and it emerges golden and crisp with a soft, tender crumb. 🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞
When I tell you that, if forced, I had to pick one and only one recipe to share with you that this — my mother’s peasant bread — would be it, I am serious. I would almost in fact be OK ending the blog after this very post, retiring altogether from the wonderful world of food blogging, resting assured that you all had this knowledge at hand. This bread might just change your life.
The reason I say this is simple. I whole-heartedly believe that if you know how to make bread you can throw one hell of a dinner party. And the reason for this is because people go insane over homemade bread. Not once have I served this bread to company without being asked, “Did you really make this?” And questioned: “You mean with a bread machine?” But always praised: “Is there anything more special than homemade bread?”
And upon tasting homemade bread, people act as if you’re some sort of culinary magician. I would even go so far as to say that with homemade bread on the table along with a few nice cheeses and a really good salad, the main course almost becomes superfluous. If you nail it, fantastic. If you don’t, you have more than enough treats to keep people happy all night long.
The Magic of the Peasant Bread
So what, you probably are wondering, makes this bread so special when there are so many wonderful homemade bread recipes out there? Again, the answer is simple. For one, it’s a no-knead bread. I know, I know. There are two wildly popular no-knead bread recipes out there.
But unlike the others, this is a no-knead bread that can be started at 4:00 pm and turned out onto the dinner table at 7:00 pm. It bakes in well-buttered Pyrex bowls — there is no pre-heating of the baking vessels in this recipe — and it emerges golden and crisp without any steam pans or water spritzes. This is not artisan bread, nor is it trying to be. It is peasant bread, spongy and moist with a most delectable buttery crust.
Genuinely, I would be proud to serve this bread at a dinner party attended by Jim Lahey, Mark Bittman, Peter Reinhart, Chad Robertson, Jeff Hertzberg, and Zoe Francois. It is a bread I hope you will all give a go, too, and then proudly serve at your next dinner party to guests who might ask where you’ve stashed away your bread machine. And when this happens, I hope you will all just smile and say, “Don’t be silly. This is just a simple peasant bread. Easy as pie. I’ll show you how to make it some day.”
Peasant Bread Variations
Once you master the peasant bread, you can make any bread your heart desires — this simple no-knead bread recipe is the foundation of many of the other bread recipes on this site, namely this hugely popular overnight refrigerator focaccia and this simple homemade pizza dough. It’s even the inspiration behind this simple pita bread recipe and these no-knead dinner rolls.
The below post is organized as follows:
- How to Make Peasant Bread, Step by Step
- The Best Way to Store Bread
- Peasant Bread Dinner Rolls
- Peasant Bread Sandwich Bread
- How to Add Seeds and Nuts to Bread Dough
- How to Make Gluten-Free Peasant Bread
- How to Coat the Loaves in Seeds
- How to use Whole Wheat Flour
- How to Bake the Peasant Bread in a Dutch Oven
Many more variations on the peasant bread can be found in my cookbook, Bread Toast Crumbs:
Bread Toast Crumbs
Love the peasant bread? There’s now a book filled with 40 simple bread recipes plus 70 recipes to use up every crumb of every loaf you bake.
How to Make Peasant Bread, Step by Step
First: You need yeast.
This is the yeast I buy exclusively: SAF Instant Yeast. Instant yeast can be whisked into the flour directly without any blooming or proofing. If you want to stick to active-dry yeast, there are instructions in the recipe notes on how to do so. Red Star yeast is great.
Whisk together flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. Add lukewarm water.
Mix until you have a sticky dough ball. Let it rise for 1.5 to 2 hours…
… or until it looks like this:
Punch down the dough using two forks.
Then split the dough down the middle again using the two forks.
Because this is a very wet dough, it must be baked in an oven-proof bowl. I am partial to the Pyrex 1L 322 size, but any similarly sized oven-proof bowl will work.
Butter the bowls well; then transfer half of the dough to each prepared bow.
Let the dough rise again until it crowns the rim of the bowl, about 30 minutes.
Transfer the bowls to the oven to bake:
This bread is irresistible when it’s freshly baked, but it also makes wonderful toast on subsequent mornings as well as the best grilled cheese and sandwiches of all kinds.
The Best Way to Store Bread
If you want to store the bread at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, I think the best method is in a ziplock bag. I’ve tried other eco-friendly options, but nothing seems to keep bread freshest — the crumb the softest — better than a ziplock bag. You can re-use the bags again and again.
If you intend to keep the bread for longer, I would freeze it. I often slice bread as soon as it cools completely, transfer the slices to a ziplock bag, then freeze. This way, I know the bread was frozen at its freshest.
A ziplock bag will not prevent the crust of bread from turning soft, which is why I suggest always reheating day-old bread. I use a toaster at breakfast for slices of bread, and I reheat half or quarter loaves in the oven at 350ºF for 15 to 20 minutes when serving for dinner.
Bread revives so beautifully in the oven or toaster.
No-Knead Dinner Rolls
To use the peasant bread dough to make rolls, simply divide the dough into smaller portions and place in a buttered muffin tin as in these No-Knead Thyme Dinner Rolls (pictured below). This recipe for no-knead buttermilk pull-apart rolls is also based on the peasant bread recipe.
No-Knead Sandwich Bread
To make sandwich bread, multiply the recipe below by 1.5 and bake the bread in two buttered 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pans. Made with half all-purpose flour and half King Arthur Sprouted Wheat Flour (no longer available unfortunately), these seed-coated sandwich loaves (pictured below) have a soft and light crumb.
How to Add Nuts and Seeds to Bread Dough
To add seeds and nuts (or dried fruit and cheese), simply stir them into the dry ingredients. This recipe for Quinoa-and-Flax Toasting Bread will offer guidance on how much to add.
How to Make a Gluten-Free Peasant Bread
Making gluten-free peasant bread (pictured below) isn’t as simple as swapping in gluten-free flour for wheat flour. But the process is still relatively simple — in fact, because there’s only one rise, many people find the gluten-free peasant bread recipe to be even simpler than the original. Find the recipe here: Gluten-Free Peasant Bread
How to Coat the Loaves in Seeds
To coat the peasant bread in seeds, as pictured below, simply coat the bowls with everything bagel seasoning or with dukkah or sesame seeds or whatever seed mix you wish. The seed-coated loaves look so beautiful, and it’s amazing how much the flavor of the coating permeates the loaves. Find the recipe here: Everything Bagel Seasoning Peasant Bread
How to Use Whole Wheat Flour
To use whole wheat flour in the peasant bread, simply replace as much as 50% of the all-purpose flour with your favorite whole wheat flour: I’ve been loving the Cairnsprings Mill Trailblazer stone-milled flour. With the Trailblazer, I can use up to 75% of it in the peasant bread, and it yields a beautiful, chewy texture as well as a lovely flavor and aroma.
When using whole wheat flour, you may have to use more or less water — there is no rule as to how much more or less, and it will take some trial and error to get right because all flours absorb water differently. When I use the Trailblazer flour, for example, I reduce the water by at least 50 grams.
If you’d like to learn more about whole wheat flour and stone-milled flours, read this: Easy Sourdough Bread (Whole Wheat-ish)
How to Bake the Peasant Bread in a Dutch Oven
If you’re looking for more of a crackling crusted boule (characteristic of a loaf of sourdough bread) as opposed to the buttery crispness of the peasant bread, you can bake the peasant bread dough in a preheated Dutch oven.
There are detailed instructions below the recipe in the notes section, but one thing to keep in mind before you begin is dough hydration. The peasant bread is a very high-hydration dough, meaning there is a lot of water relative to flour. Because baking the peasant bread in a Dutch oven will require some handling of the dough — to shape it into a round and to create some tension — you may want to reduce the water from the start. Consider holding back 20-30 grams of water to make the process more manageable for you.
My Mother’s Peasant Bread: The Best Easiest Bread You Will Ever Make
- Total Time: 2 hours 27 minutes
- Yield: 2 loaves
Description
Notes:
The bread:
This is a sticky, no-knead dough, so, some sort of baking vessel, such as pyrex bowls (you need two 1-qt bowls) or ramekins for mini loaves is required to bake this bread. See notes below the recipe for sources. You can use a bowl that is about 2 qt or 2 L in size to bake off the whole batch of dough (versus splitting the dough in half) but do not use this size for baking half of the dough — it is too big.
Peasant Bread Fans! There is a book: Bread Toast Crumbs, a loaf-to-crumb bread-baking book, filled with tips and tricks and answers to the many questions that have been asked over the years. In the book you will find 40 variations of the master peasant bread recipe + 70 recipes for using up the many loaves you will bake. Learn more about the book here or buy it here.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (512 g) unbleached all-purpose or bread flour
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) kosher salt
- 2 cups (454 g) lukewarm water (made by mixing 1.5 cups cold water with 0.5 cup boiling water)
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) sugar
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) instant yeast, I love SAF Instant Yeast, see notes below
- room temperature butter, about 2 tablespoons
Instructions
- Mixing the dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast (I love SAF Instant Yeast). Add the water. Mix until the flour is absorbed. (If you are using active dry yeast, see notes below.)
- Let it rise. Cover bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for at least an hour. (In the winter or if you are letting the bread rise in a cool place, it might take as long as two hours to rise.) This is how to create a slightly warm spot for your bread to rise in: Turn the oven on at any temperature (350ºF or so) for one minute, then turn it off. Note: Do not allow the oven to get up to 300ºF, for example, and then heat at that setting for 1 minute — this will be too hot. Just let the oven preheat for a total of 1 minute — it likely won’t get above 100ºF. The goal is to just create a slightly warm environment for the bread.
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Grease two 1-qt or 1.5-qt oven-safe bowls (see notes below) with about a tablespoon of butter each. Using two forks, punch down your dough, scraping it from the sides of the bowl, which it will be clinging to. As you scrape it down try to pull the dough toward the center (see video below for guidance). You want to loosen the dough entirely from the sides of the bowl, and you want to make sure you’ve punched it down. Then, take your two forks and divide the dough into two equal portions — eye the center of the mass of dough, and starting from the center and working out, pull the dough apart with the two forks. Then scoop up each half and place into your prepared bowls. This part can be a little messy — the dough is very wet and will slip all over the place. Using small forks or forks with short tines makes this easier — my small salad forks work best; my dinner forks make it harder. It’s best to scoop it up fast and plop it in the bowl in one fell swoop. Some people like to use flexible, plastic dough scrapers for this step.
- Let the dough rise again for about 20 to 30 minutes on the countertop near the oven (or near a warm spot) or until it has risen to just below or above (depending on what size bowl you are using) the top of the bowls. (Note: Do not do the warm-oven trick for the second rise, and do not cover your bowls for the second rise. Simply set your bowls on top of your oven, so that they are in a warm spot. Twenty minutes in this spot usually is enough for my loaves.)
- Bake it. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375º and bake for 15 to 17 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and turn the loaves onto cooling racks. If you’ve greased the bowls well, the loaves should fall right out onto the cooling racks. If the loaves look a little pale and soft when you’ve turned them out onto your cooling racks, place the loaves into the oven (outside of their bowls) and let them bake for about 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.
Notes
- The bowls: The cheapest, most widely available 1-qt bowl is the Pyrex 322. Update: These bowls are becoming harder to find and more expensive. As a result, I’m suggesting this cheaper option: the Pyrex 3-piece set. You can split the dough in half as always (see recipe) and bake half in the 1-quart bowl and half in the 1.5 quart bowl. The loaves will not be the same shape, but they will be delicious nonetheless.
- Yeast: I buy SAF Instant Yeast in bulk from Amazon I store it in my fridge or freezer, and it lasts forever. If you are using the packets of yeast (the kind that come in the 3-fold packets), just go ahead and use a whole packet — It’s 2.25 teaspoons. I have made the bread with active dry, rapid rise, and instant yeast, and all varieties work. The beauty of instant yeast is that there is no need to “proof” it — you can add the yeast directly to the flour. I never use active-dry yeast anymore.
- If you have active-dry yeast on hand and want to use it, here’s how: In a small mixing bowl, dissolve the sugar into the water. Sprinkle the yeast over top. There is no need to stir it up. Let it stand for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the mixture is foamy and/or bubbling just a bit — this step will ensure that the yeast is active. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. When the yeast-water-sugar mixture is foamy, stir it up, and add it to the flour bowl. Mix until the flour is absorbed.
- Troubleshooting: You can find step-by-step video instruction here.
- Several commenters have had trouble with the second rise, and this seems to be caused by the shape of the bowl they are letting the dough rise in the second time around. Two hours for the second rise is too long. If you don’t have a 1-qt bowl, bake 3/4 of the dough in a loaf pan and bake the rest off in muffin tins or a popover pan. The second rise should take no more than 30 minutes.
- Also, you can use as many as 3 cups of whole wheat flour, but the texture changes considerably. I suggest trying with all all-purpose or bread flour to start and once you get the hang of it, start trying various combinations of whole wheat flour and/or other flours.
- The single most important step you can take to make this bread truly foolproof is to invest in a digital scale. This onecosts under $10. If you are not measuring by weight, do this: scoop flour into the measuring cup using a separate spoon or measuring cup; level off with a knife. The flour should be below the rim of the measuring cup.
- Here’s a printable version of this recipes that’s less wordy: Peasant Bread Recipe, Simplified
- How to Bake the Peasant Bread in a Dutch Oven: Preheat a Dutch Oven for 45 minutes at 450ºF. Dust a clean work surface with flour. After the first rise, turn the dough out onto the floured surface and shape it into a ball: I like to fold it envelope style from top to bottom, then side to side; then I flip it over and use the pinkie edges of my hands to pinch the dough underneath and create some tension. Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper. Let rest for 20 minutes. If you feel your dough is spreading too much you can lift up the sheet of parchment paper, dough and all, and place it in a bowl of a similar size. After the 20 minutes, transfer the dough, parchment paper and all to the Dutch oven. Carefully cover it. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover. Bake 15 minutes more.
- To bake the peasant bread in a loaf pan: If you are using an 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan or a 9×5-inch loaf pan, you can bake 3/4 of the dough in it; bake off the rest of the dough in ramekins or other small vessels … the mini loaves are so cute. You can also make 1.5x the recipe, and bake the bread in 2 loaf pans. If you have a large loaf pan, such as a 10×6-inch loaf pan, you can bake off the entire batch of dough in it. For loaf pans, bake at 375ºF for 45 minutes.
- How to Bake at Hight Altitude:
- First try the original recipe as written (preferably with a scale). You may not need to make any adjustments. One commenter, who lives at 9200 ft finds the original recipe to work just fine as is.
- If the original recipe doesn’t work, try adding a little bit more water because it rises fast and it is so dry: about a quarter cup for every 512 g of flour.
- Try decreasing the yeast to 1.5 teaspoons.
- If your dough is especially gooey, try decreasing the water by 1/4 cup. But, if you aren’t using a scale, my first suggestion would be to buy a scale and weigh the flour, and make the bread once as directed with the 2 cups water and 512 grams flour, etc.
- Punch the dough down twice before transferring it to the buttered Pyrex bowls. In other words, let it rise for 1-1.5 hours, punch it down, let it rise again for about an hour, punch it down, then transfer it to the buttered bowls.
- Variations:
- #1. Cornmeal. Substitute 1 cup of the flour with 1 cup of cornmeal. Proceed with the recipe as directed.
- #2. Faux focaccia. Instead of spreading butter in two Pyrex bowls in preparation for baking, butter one 9×9-inch glass baking dish and one Pyrex bowl or just butter one large 9×13-inch Pyrex baking dish. If using two vessels, divide the dough in half and place each half in prepared baking pan. If using only one large baking dish, place all of the dough in the dish. Drizzle dough with 1 tablespoon of olive oil (if using the small square pan) and 2 tablespoons of olive oil (if using the large one). Using your fingers, gently spread the dough out so that it fits the shape of the pan. Use your fingers to create dimples in the surface of the dough. Sprinkle surface with chopped rosemary and sea salt. Let rise for 20 to 30 minutes. Bake for 15 minutes at 425ºF and 17 minutes (or longer) at 375ºF. Remove from pan and let cool on cooling rack.
- #3. Thyme Dinner Rolls
- #4 Gluten-free
- #5. Everything Bagel Seasoning Bread. Simply coat the buttered bowls with Everything Bagel Seasoning.
- #6: Whole Wheat Peasant Bread. Use as much as 50% whole wheat flour.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 32 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
6,585 Comments on “My Mother’s Peasant Bread: The Best Easiest Bread You Will Ever Make”
It keeps falling a little bit when I put it in the oven and doesn’t come back up I’d say I’ll lose maybe as much as a half inch
Hi! How long are you letting the second rise go? And how high is the dough rising? My first thought is that you might be overproofing it. If you put it in the oven when the dough is slightly lower than what you have been doing, it might spring better and hold its spring better.
Also, are you using bread flour or all purpose flour?
Hello. This is the first time I am trying your recipe. We love upstate New York peasant bread and it’s very hard to find a good one here in central NJ. I am trying the Dutch oven technique but wanted to clarify that the oven temp still is at 450? Also any other Dutch oven specific instructions for when the bread is done baking? Can you still use butter when using a Dutch oven?
Thank you and and can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Hi Loren!
Are you doing the preheated DO method? I’m only asking bc some people don’t preheat their DOs but instead butter them; then let the dough make its second rise in the DO; then bake.
If you want to preheat your DO, follow these instructions (which you can find below the recipe for future reference).
How to Bake the Peasant Bread in a Dutch Oven: Preheat a Dutch Oven for 45 minutes at 450ºF. Dust a clean work surface with flour. After the first rise, turn the dough out onto the floured surface and shape it into a ball: I like to fold it envelope style from top to bottom, then side to side; then I flip it over and use the pinkie edges of my hands to pinch the dough underneath and create some tension. Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper. Let rest for 20 minutes. If you feel your dough is spreading too much you can lift up the sheet of parchment paper, dough and all, and place it in a bowl of a similar size. After the 20 minutes, transfer the dough, parchment paper and all to the Dutch oven. Carefully cover it. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover. Bake 15 minutes more.
Thank you for the reply. Yes I preheated and baked at 450 degrees as instructed and I must say after years of baking bread(in oven and also in a bread maker) I smiled l(with joy and RELIEF!!) so big when I took the lid off and saw the bread baking. Not to mention it tasted amazing, husband and kid approved! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!! Thank you for the new staple recipe that you provided to me and my family!
Oh yay! Wonderful to hear this, Loren! Thanks so much for reporting back on your results. Happy Happy Baking 🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞
I just got your cookbook and am SO excited!
Can I bake Your Mom’s Peasant Bread in a 3wt Pyrex? If so, how long? TIA
Hi Dee! Yes, absolutely. Do this: 15 minutes at 425ºF and 30 minutes at 375ºF.
I love this peasant bread recipe.
The video plus the recipe is so helpful to make it easy the first couple of times.
What would you suggest for an egg replacement ?
I tried flax plus water and it was a pretty good result.
Thank you.
Great to hear Nancy! Thanks so much for writing. Question: can you clarify the egg question? There are no eggs in this recipe.
I do NOT bake my own bread, but between the skyrocketing price of food and how easy this recipe looked, I wanted to give it a try. So simple, and sooo good!! Excellent directions and tips, I used the preheated oven trick for the first rise. Turned out delicious on my very first try, my daughter and I had to stop ourselves from eating it all at once, lol! Very little effort for wonderful, fresh bread. I made a 3/4 recipe into one loaf as I already had a 1.5 L (qt) Pyrex bowl, which turned out to be the perfect size for us. I will be making my own fresh bread every week from now on. Thank you so much!
So nice to hear this, Deanna! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes — so helpful for others. And I hear you re prices 😩😩😩😩 I love knowing I can make a loaf of bread for about 54 cents of ingredients 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Easiest and quickest bread recipe for sure! It got me to try making bread, even though I thought it would be too difficult, etc. Came out exactly as promised and it is delicious! I’m going to try some variations next.
Great to hear Elaine! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
This recipe is so easy and the result is fantastic! Definitely will make again.
I especially appreciated the video, and also the tips along the way of, “You might think of doing X, but don’t. That won’t work.”
Great to hear all of this, Bonnie! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
I wonder if you can make this in a bread machine?
Never tried as I don’t own one … worth a shot!
I just made this bread today. I served it with dinner. It is so delicious. It is the perfect consistency. The buttery crust is heavenly! I will make this again and again! Thank you!
Great to hear, Victoria! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
The best bread I have ever try! It is delicious. I will make it for ever and ever😊
Wonderful to hear this, Thais 🙂 🙂 🙂
I made this at home and it was delicious! Super easy to make and my kids loved checking back and watching the dough rise.
Great to hear this, Megan 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing 💕💕💕💕
Oh My Gosh I can agree as to how this was your mother’s go to recipe. It is becoming mine also. We travel full-time in our RV so my convection microwave and also my air fryer are my ovens. I have used them both and my loves come out perfect using my two small Pyrex bowls. We love, love, love your recipe. Thank you and your mother for this fantastic recipe. I think I just have to have your recipe book.
Sorry but I see my t star rating was left off my comment.
Awww 🙂 🙂 🙂 So nice to hear this, Nancy! Love that you are able to bake this bread in both your convection microwave and air fryer — that’s brilliant! Thanks so much for returning to rate the recipe as well 💕💕💕💕
After great success with the focaccia, I bought your book and now want to try the bread. Is ther a guideline for ratio to container? Since I don’t have pyrex blows, I’m shopping on my shelvesI have two flat bottomed 1 qt pyrex storage containers that are oven proof, so I figure I could use them. The sides are lower, so the bottom is flatter, seems like it would work. Also, a four-quart cast iron enameled cocotte. Whole recipe in that, or 1.5? I am such a bread beginner! Thanks for a lovely book.
So nice to hear this, Mary Lou! Try the two flat bottomed 1 qt pyrex storage containers — they’ll be perfect. I actually love the shape of the flat-bottomed loaves. You can also use the 4-qt cocotte, and you can bake the whole batch in that vessel, but try the Pyrex first. Grease well with butter so the loaves release without trouble — the butter also makes the crust especially tasty. Happy Baking! 🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞
Thanks, the flat bottomed pyrex worked perfectly. And toast from this bread is da bomb!
Yay!! So great to hear. I love this toast, too 🙂 🙂 🙂
Making this recipe in 1 loaf. Would the cooking times be the same
Thank you
If you are baking the whole batch of dough in one loaf pan, I would add some cooking time: 15 minutes at 425; 30 minutes at 375. Enjoy!
Delicious. Followed your recipe and it turned out Perfect! My family loved it! Will definitely make it again! Thanks so much!!
Great to hear, Jemma! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
I made this bread and it was amazing! Turned out two beautifully browned, crispy on the outside, soft and pillowy on the inside loaves. I purchased two 1.5 quart sized bowls just for this recipe and I will definitely be making this again and again!
So great to hear this, Barbara! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes on the bowls. Happy happy baking! 🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞
Hi Alexandra the bread turned out great I think this is the first time I’ve ever done a recipe and all went according to plan it looks just like your pictures it’s a very filling bread delicious!
So wonderful to hear this, Sonya! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hello! It’s so exciting to find a bread recipe that’s so simple and easy to make. I have one question- can I use the oil instead of butter for the bowls? I want it to be dairy-free friendly for anyone who’s lactose intolerant. Thanks!
Hi Samantha! Oil unfortunately will not provide the same non-stick barrier as butter. You can use vegan buttery sticks, which my vegan friends find works really well. Hope that helps!
Thank you so much! I was able to use vegan butter with a huge success! It was so delicious. Thank you for sharing your recipes with us!
So great to hear this, Samantha! Thanks for reporting back 🙂
Hello, Thanks for sharing this recipe! It’s very easy making, I tried it today with overnight fridge proof. The bread looks just fine however it has a strong yeast smell, which has never happened in my previous bread baking. Do you know why this is happening and how can I avoid it? I also don’t understand why this recipe use more yeast, I use to add 1% yeast only but this one requires more.
Thanks! Hope to hear from you soon.
Lexi
Hi Lexi! What kind of yeast are you using?
Thanks for your reply. I used SAF instant.
Hi! I found your recipe for peasant bread on an IG reel and decided to make it myself so I came here to get the recipe. this is the first time ive ever made bread. And wow, did it turn out INCREDIBLE!!! I have never tried making bread before but oh my God this was absolutely delicious, with a beautiful golden crispy crust and soft, fluffy inside. Your recipe is incredible thank you so much for sharing it. Even my mom, whos a seasoned cook, was absolutely blown away by my bread. THANK YOU!!!!
So nice to hear about your success Vlora! And so great to hear your mother approved, too 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to write. Happy Baking!
Hi Ali,
Can you save one of the loaves to bake at a later date. In the fridge, for a couple of days? At what point should you save it? After the first or second rise?
I’m making this recipe for the first time. It’s proving away on the dough proving setting and rising like a dream. I’ve turned it off after an hour as it’s doubled in size. Can’t wait!
Hi Kath! Apologies for the delay here. You can do a few things if you want to save the dough for a future date. You can mix the dough and immediately transfer it to the fridge. Or you can let it make one rise; then divide it; then store the divided dough in the fridge. Be sure the dough is in a somewhat airtight container otherwise, the dough will form a crust. The dough can stay in the fridge for up to 3 days. Hope it turned out well!
Not in my own house, and only have active dry yeast here. Do I use the same amount of AD yeast as of instant? I imagine there might be an answer somewhere in the 5K+ comments but yikes..
Same amount! You can use a whole packet if that’s what you have (2.25 teaspoons is what they typically are). And sprinkle it over the lukewarm water with the sugar; let stand for 10-20 minutes or until foamy; then proceed. Good luck!
Thanks! you are the BEST!
I now have this kitchen habit in winter. Make soup-make bread. The prep timing is perfect and the meal tremendous. Hand in hand, tyou!
That makes so much sense Hillary! Love this idea so much. That’s a rhythm I could really really get into 🙂 🙂 🙂
Alexandra,
I followed the instructions exactly, including measuring each ingredient by weight, and the dough was SO dry! I had to moisten my hands several times to bring it together. The dough did rise and I baked it according to the instructions. It was delicious but very dense! Any suggestions?
Lori
So interesting! What type of flour are you using and where do you live? (Roughly… as in a dry climate, etc.)
This recipe is a gem! The bread is delicious and so easy to make. 💖
Great to hear, Robin! Thanks for writing 🙂
When using the preheated dutch oven technique, should the dutch oven be removed from the 450 F degree oven after 45 minutes and be allowed to sit at room temperature for the rest of the rise time? Or should I keep the dutch oven in the 450 F degree oven for longer than 45 minutes, for the whole rise time?
Thank you!
Hi! Great question — the DO should be kept in the oven. The goal is for it to be very hot, so it can be in the oven for longer than 45 minutes if necessary. Place the DO in the oven and heat it after the first rise. The second rise shouldn’t take much more than 45 minutes.
Just made this for the first time. I did 1.5x for two loaf pans and followed those cooking instructions. It is perfect. Thanks for sharing such a great bread.
Wonderful to hear, Katie! Thanks so much for writing. So glad the loaf pans worked out well.
I have made your recipe for peasant bread several times it is the BEST bread I have made! Thank you for sharing your recipes! Now I want to try some wheat breads!
Thank you,
Maureen
So nice to hear this, Maureen! If you want to make some wheat breads, this is a great recipe to try next: Sprouted Wheat Sandwich Bread with Seeds
Since I saw your tiktok making this bread, I have made it weekly, sometimes twice a week since. I’m normally a sourdough bread baker, but sometimes I just want something simple. It’s great used as sandwich bread or just for toast.
So nice to hear this, Lindsay 🙂 🙂 🙂 I think that is the beauty of the peasant bread recipe… so fast and no fuss. I love my sourdough breads and bread baking rituals, but sometimes there just isn’t time. Thanks for writing!
This bread looks so good!! My husband is always saying he wants bread bowls for chili. Do you think this would work? If not that’s ok. I’m still going to make this. I love homemade bread!
Yes, it will! Keep in mind these bowls are on the large size. I would suggest dividing the dough into thirds. If you don’t have enough baking vessels, you can bake off two of the portions; then remove the bowls, let them cool, and use one of them again for the final portion.
Made the peasant bread tonight first time . Came out amazing.
Great to hear, Mark! Thanks for writing!