No-Knead Dill Gouda Bread (Printable)

Crusty artisan loaf featuring fresh dill and creamy Gouda, prepared effortlessly with minimal hands-on time.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 3 1/4 cups bread flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast

→ Flavorings

04 - 1 cup Gouda cheese, diced or coarsely grated
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

# Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour, salt, and instant yeast until thoroughly blended.
02 - Stir in the diced Gouda cheese and chopped fresh dill until evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture.
03 - Pour in the lukewarm water and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. The dough will look rough and uneven—this is normal.
04 - Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 8–12 hours, or overnight, until it has doubled in size and shows bubbles on the surface.
05 - Lightly flour a work surface. Scrape out the dough and, with floured hands, gently shape it into a round loaf. Do not knead; simply fold the edges toward the center a few times to create tension.
06 - Place the dough, seam side down, on a piece of parchment paper. Cover loosely with a clean towel and let rise for 45–60 minutes until slightly puffy.
07 - Place a Dutch oven with its lid in the oven and preheat to 450°F for at least 30 minutes. The pot must be thoroughly hot for optimal crust development.
08 - Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Using the parchment paper as a sling, lift the dough and place it, parchment and all, into the preheated pot.
09 - Cover with the hot lid and bake for 30 minutes. The trapped steam creates a crispy, artisan-style crust.
10 - Remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the loaf is deeply golden brown and the crust sounds hollow when tapped.
11 - Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing—this prevents the crumb from becoming gummy.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crust develops this incredible crunch while the inside stays tender and filled with pockets of melted cheese
  • You literally stir everything together in one bowl and walk away for hours
  • The way the dill and Gouda perfume your kitchen while baking makes it impossible to wait for slicing
02 -
  • The dough will look impossibly shaggy and messy at first, but that's exactly how it should look
  • Preheating the Dutch oven is non-negotiable for that professional bakery crust
  • Cooling completely feels impossible but cutting too soon makes the texture gummy inside
03 -
  • If your dough seems too wet to handle, use wet hands instead of adding more flour
  • The parchment paper is your friend for transferring the dough safely into the screaming hot Dutch oven

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