With only 4 ingredients, and ready in 2 hours, this Rustic Bread is proofed in the Instant Pot and so easy to make! You won't believe how soft the crumb, yet how crunchy the crust is.
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This Instant Pot Bread recipe is a staple in my house! There is nothing better than the smell of homemade bread baking in the oven. Even if you are not a professional bread maker, this recipe is easy enough for the new baker to make!
Not only can you proof this bread in the Instant pot, you can use the Instant Pot to proof sourdough bread or even pizza dough! It's such a handy tool to have in the kitchen and is so versatile!
Why This Recipe is Amazing!
- It only requires 4 ingredients! With just four simple ingredients, you can make the most delicious artisan bread. These four ingredients are things that you likely already have in your house or pantry. If you don't they can easily be found in your local grocery store.
- You don't need much equipment for this recipe. For this recipe, you'll need some bowls, measuring cups, a stand mixer, and your Instant Pot. No need to use a bread maker with this recipe.
- This is a quick bread! You can make this easy bread recipe from start to finish in just 2 hours.
How It Works
The Instant Pot is going to assist in the rise of the dough. Instead of waiting 2 or 3 hours for the dough to rise, the dough will rise in a fraction of the time in the Instant Pot.
The "yogurt function" on your Instant Pot will heat the Instant pot to a low temperature, which is enough to warm the Instant Pot up. That will wake up the yeast and make them rise.
The Instant Pot is also a controlled temperature. If you are going to proof dough in your kitchen, there might be a breeze or change in temperature over the time that the dough is resting. The Instant Pot keeps the temperature the same the entire time.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Flour. All purpose flour or bread flour is best.
- Kosher salt. Do not use table salt. Kosher salt is preferred.
- Lukewarm water. Not too hot or you will kill the yeast, and too cold will take too long for the dough to rise.
- Active Dry Yeast. One package or two teaspoons.
Active Dry Yeast vs Instant Yeast
In this recipe, we are using Active Dry Yeast. That means it needs to be "bloomed" or woken up. All you have to do is sprinkle the yeast over some lukewarm liquid and allow it to get foamy. When it does, you are ready to use the yeast!
If it doesn't get foamy, throw out the yeast and start again. That means the yeast is old or expired and won't allow the dough to rise properly.
If you only have instant yeast, you can use that too. No need to "bloom the yeast. Just add it to the liquid along with the flour, water, and salt.
The Best Type of Flour To Use
The best type of flour to use for bread is bread flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content, and high protein means more gluten in your bread loaf.
If you don't have bread flour handy, all purpose flour can be substituted. You won't build up as much gluten as you would with bread flour, but the difference won't be very noticeable.
Whole wheat flour can be used in bread as well, but you don't want to use all whole wheat flour. That can turn the bread very tough and it would not have a great flavor. I like to use 50% bread flour and 50% whole wheat flour.
Equipment You'll Need
How To Make Instant Pot Bread
In a liquid measuring cup, add 1 ¾ cups of water. The cup of water should be room temperature. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and let it sit for 3-4 minutes or until it is foamy.
Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment or a large mixing bowl.
Pour the yeast mixture onto the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer on low speed and mix for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture forms a dough ball and comes away from the sides of the bowl.
Grease the inner pot of the Instant Pot with olive oil. Put the dough ball into the Instant Pot. Close the lid and press the yogurt button. Set the cooking time to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
After one hour, remove the dough from the Instant Pot and place it on a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough onto itself so it forms a tight ball.
Lynn's Tip! A lot can go into how sticky the dough is. If it's an especially rainy day the humidity can make the dough sticky. Add more flour to the counter if the dough is too sticky. When the dough is shaped and ready to bake, it should not stick to your hands.
Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper. Place the dough and parchment paper into a large Dutch oven. Make a slice in dough ball.
Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the cover from the Dutch oven and bake for another 35 minutes. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and allow it to cool before serving.
Tips and Tricks
- To check if the bread is cooked completely, carefully tap on the bottom of the bread. It should sound hollow when you tap it. It should also have a delicious golden-brown crust.
- Even though it might be tempting, try to allow the bread to cool. That will set the structure in the bread.
- A slice on the top of the bread will make sure that when the bread bakes in the oven, it doesn't explode out any sides. It will bake and open from the top.
- You do not have to bake the bread in a hot Dutch oven. It will heat as the bread bakes.
Storage Tips
Once the bread has cooled to room temperature, place it in a large gallon Ziploc bag. It will stay fresh on the counter for 3-4 days.
Pro Tip! Do not place fresh bread in the refrigerator. It will go stale very quickly and grow mold. The counter is the best place for fresh bread.
To freeze this bread, allow the bread to cool completely. Then wrap the bread in plastic wrap and place it in a large Ziploc bag. Freeze the bread up to 3 months. To defrost the bread, keep it on the counter for 24 hours.
If you have some leftover bread, make sure to make it into a Blueberry French Toast Casserole for a special breakfast!
How To Serve Instant Pot Bread
- With chicken stew
- Alongside broccoli cheddar soup
- Dipped in lasagna soup
- With cauliflower soup
- Alongside Zuppa Toscana
- Spread with apple butter, pear butter, peach jam, or mixed berry jam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! When you place the bread dough in the Instant Pot and close the lid, press the "warm" button, then immediately turn it off. This will increase the temperature in the Instant Pot and help make the dough rise.
Use some elbow grease! If you don't have a stand mixer you can still easily make this recipe. Use a wooden spoon and a large bowl and mix everything together until it forms a ball. Then add it to your Instant Pot.
Yes! You will need to cut the dough in half and use two loaf pans. You can also cut the dough in half and bake the dough on a baking sheet to make loaves like Italian bread.
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Instant Pot Bread (No Knead)
Ingredients
- 4 cups Bread Flour or All Purpose Flour
- 1 ¾ cups Lukewarm Water
- 2 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast 1 .25 package
- 2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
- In a liquid measuring cup, add 1 ¾ cups of water. The cup of water should be room temperature. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and let it sit for 3-4 minutes or until it is foamy.
- Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment or a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the yeast mixture onto the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer on low speed and mix for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture forms a dough ball and comes away from the sides of the bowl.
- Grease the inner pot of the Instant Pot with olive oil. Put the dough ball into the Instant Pot. Close the lid and press the yogurt button. Set the cooking time to 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- After one hour, remove the dough from the Instant Pot and place it on a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough onto itself so it forms a tight ball. If the dough is especially sticky, sprinkle in more flour so the dough is workable and can be formed into a ball.
- Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper. Place the dough and parchment paper into a large Dutch oven. Make a slice on the top of the dough ball.
- Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the cover from the Dutch oven and bake for another 35 minutes. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and allow it to cool before serving.
Notes
- A lot can go into how sticky the dough is. If it's an especially rainy day the humidity can make the dough sticky. Do not be afraid to add more flour to the counter when you are shaping your dough if the dough is too sticky. When the dough is shaped and ready to bake, it should not stick to your hands.
- The bread is done when the outside crust is golden brown. When you tap on the bread it should sound hollow.
- You do not have to preheat the Dutch oven before cooking. It will heat as the bread cooks.
Angel
My InstaPot does not have a yogurt button:( Can I still use it or should I stick to the Dutch Oven?
lynnswayoflife
You only use the Instant Pot to proof the dough. You would still use the Dutch oven to bake the bread.
Pat DeJesu
I tried the bread recipe today and it was a complete disaster. I went by the directions and after putting it in the instant pot as you directed for an hour on the yogurt setting, it turned out a sticky mess. I was not able to fold it into a ball to bake. I made pictures of it but don't know how to attach them to this post . So I ended up having to throw it all away and wasted four cups of flour in doing so. I guess I'm not a bread maker.
lynnswayoflife
I'm sorry it didn't work out for you! Did you flour the counter before you too the dough out of the Instant Pot? You can always add more flour before throwing it away!