• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Lynn's Way of Life
  • CCPA Notice
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Meet Lynn
  • Privacy Policy
  • Recipe Index
  • Recipes
  • Seasonal Recipes for the Whole Family
  • Spring Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Summer Recipes
  • Supplemental Privacy Policy for Nevada Residents
  • Web Stories
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Summer
  • Recipes
  • Meet Lynn
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Summer
  • Recipes
  • Meet Lynn
  • Subscribe
×

Home » Recipes » Instant Pot Recipes » Instant Pot Bread (No Knead!)

Instant Pot Bread (No Knead!)

Published: Oct 12, 2022 · Modified: Mar 17, 2023 by Lynn Polito · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

Sharing is caring!

676 shares
  • Facebook85
  • Twitter
Jump to Recipe

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.

A loaf of bread is on a cutting board.
The crust will be golden brown when fully baked.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. However this is at no cost to you. Read my affiliate links full disclosure policy here.

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.
An overhead shot of the Instant Pot bread sliced.
The crumb of the bread is light and perfect for sandwiches!

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.

Two slices of Instant pot bread are in front of a half of a loaf of bread.
Serve this bread with soup, jam, or by itself!

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

  • Stand Mixer
  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Liquid Measuring Cup
  • Instant Pot
  • Dutch Oven

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.

The water and yeast are in a liquid measuring cup.
Allow the yeast to bloom.
The flour and salt are added to the bowl of the stand mixer.
Add the dry ingredients to the mixer.
Pour in the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients.
Mix all the ingredients together.

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.

The dough is added to the Instant Pot.
Make sure to grease the bowl of the Instant Pot before adding the dough.
The dough has doubled in size.
The dough should be light and bubbly when it is ready to bake.

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!

A half of instant pot bread is leaning against another half of the bread.
Allow the bread to cool slightly before serving.

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

My Instant Pot doesn't have the yogurt setting, can I still use it to proof the dough?

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.

I don't have a stand mixer, how can I mix the dough?

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.

Can I make this bread in loaf pans?

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.

Did you love this recipe? If you did, please leave a 5 ⭐️ rating below! Follow along on Instagram and Facebook!

📖 Recipe

A loaf of bread is on a cutting board.

Instant Pot Bread (No Knead)

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.
4.64 from 11 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Servings: 12 Servings
Calories: 157kcal
Author: Lynn Polito

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer
  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Liquid Measuring Cups
  • Instant Pot
  • Dutch Oven

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 391mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @LynnsWayofLife or tag #lynnswayoflife!
« Authentic Pasta Fagioli
Applesauce Coffee Cake With Streusel Topping »

Sharing is caring!

676 shares
  • Facebook85
  • Twitter

Subscribe

for your weekly recipe fix.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rose Lafosse

    October 17, 2022 at 6:57 pm

    5 stars
    Can't wait to make it!

    Reply
    • lynnswayoflife

      October 18, 2022 at 6:25 am

      I hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Deb

    October 17, 2022 at 5:18 am

    What if you don’t have a yoghurt setting on the instant pot please?

    Reply
    • lynnswayoflife

      October 17, 2022 at 5:35 am

      HI! Turn your instant pot of "warm" for 5 minutes and then turn it off. That will increase the temperature in the instant pot just enough to start the rising process.

      Reply
  3. Elly

    October 14, 2022 at 9:48 pm

    Can I use small Dutch oven?

    Reply
    • lynnswayoflife

      October 15, 2022 at 8:34 am

      It would depend how small. You can see if the dough on the parchment fits into the Dutch oven and then go from there. It will expand a little during baking, so make sure there is enough room.

      Reply
  4. Ana

    October 14, 2022 at 10:29 am

    Can you make it with sour dough?

    Reply
    • lynnswayoflife

      October 14, 2022 at 10:38 am

      Yes! I have a recipe for Instant Pot Sourdough Bread too!

      Reply
  5. Molly Pisula

    October 13, 2022 at 2:23 pm

    5 stars
    I had no idea you could do this! Great recipe, thank you!

    Reply
  6. Lynda

    October 13, 2022 at 10:52 am

    Hi! Thank you for your recipe. I have one question: can I use the glass lid to cover the Instant Pot while proofing?

    Reply
    • lynnswayoflife

      October 13, 2022 at 11:18 am

      Hi! Yes definitely!

      Reply
      • Carol

        November 04, 2022 at 3:25 pm

        5 stars
        I love how simple and delicious this recipe is! Thank you! I made it plain twice, exactly as written. The third time I added about two cups of rustic cut sharp cheddar cheese to the dough. Yum! Today I, at my husband's request, added a cup each of dried cranberries and walnuts. I'm anticipating success. Thank you again.

      • lynnswayoflife

        November 05, 2022 at 6:29 am

        Fantastic! I am so happy to hear you are enjoying the bread! Thanks so much for making my recipe!

  7. Toni

    October 13, 2022 at 9:28 am

    5 stars
    Oh, I love how easy it is!! Perfect to make with my instant pot!

    Reply
  8. Jess

    October 13, 2022 at 9:25 am

    5 stars
    Ok I have always wanted to try this but have never been brave enough to try it. Your recipe has given me all the info I need to try it without being nervous about it.

    Reply
  9. Beth

    October 13, 2022 at 9:05 am

    5 stars
    I love how simple this bread recipe is, and another use for my instant pot!

    Reply
  10. Janessa

    October 13, 2022 at 8:30 am

    5 stars
    Bread in the Instant Pot? Amazing! I would have never thought this was even possible. Thank you for this quick homemade bread recipe- now we can even have fresh bread with dinner on a week day.

    Reply
  11. PJ

    October 12, 2022 at 11:59 pm

    Question -- does the Dutch oven need to be preheated and if so -- how long? Thanks!!!!

    Reply
    • lynnswayoflife

      October 13, 2022 at 5:55 am

      No! You do not have to preheat the Dutch oven before cooking.

      Reply
  12. Melissa

    October 12, 2022 at 10:30 pm

    What can you use if you don’t have a Dutch oven to bake in?

    Reply
    • lynnswayoflife

      October 13, 2022 at 5:56 am

      You can use any oven safe pot. If you don't have any oven safe pot you can bake it right on a baking sheet, but add some water to a pan to create steam since you are baking the bread open in the oven.

      Reply
  13. Pam

    October 12, 2022 at 9:54 pm

    What sized dutch oven did you use? Thanks!

    Reply
    • lynnswayoflife

      October 13, 2022 at 5:57 am

      A 5.5 qt Dutch oven works!

      Reply
  14. Shelby

    October 12, 2022 at 5:48 pm

    5 stars
    You had me at four ingredients! This is the best bread ever.

    Reply
  15. Glenda

    October 12, 2022 at 5:40 pm

    5 stars
    Never in a million years would I have dreamed of proofing bread in my Instant Pot. But, it worked perfectly! Thanks for this great tip!

    Reply
Newer Comments »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hey there! I'm Lynn and I'm based just outside of Boston. I'm a wife and mom of two with a passion for cooking and creating homemade food for my family.

Whether it's creating new recipes, or exploring tried and true classics, I am constantly trying to show that homemade doesn't have to be hard

More about me →

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Pinterest

People are Loving!

  • A piece of the stack of pancakes with self-rising flour is on a fork.
    Fluffy Pancakes (With Self-Rising Flour!)
  • The banana bread with self rising flour is cut into slices and is on a cutting board.
    Banana Bread Recipe with Self-Rising Flour
  • An overhead shot of the Instant Pot Shrimp Scamp in a bowl
    Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi Recipe
  • A fork and knife are cutting into the waffle.
    Waffles With Self Rising Flour
  • The sourdough pretzel bites are on a tray with mustard
    Sourdough Pretzel Bites
  • An overhead shot of the muffins in a muffin tin.
    Easy Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Summer Favs!

  • A group of banana blueberry muffins are on a cutting board with leaves and blueberries around them.
    The Best Banana Blueberry Muffins (So Moist!)
  • An overhead shot of the linguine pasta salad.
    Cold Linguine Pasta Salad
  • A bowl of the Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad is on a cutting board and surrounded by tomatoes and basil.
    Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad (With Homemade Dressing!)
  • A plate of Instant Pot German Potato Salad is on a cutting board.
    Instant Pot German Potato Salad
  • A spoon is holding some of the bowtie pasta salad with Italian dressing
    Simple Bowtie Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
  • The 3 ingredient lemon cookies are laid out on a cutting board with a cut lemon in the background.
    3 Ingredient Lemon Crinkle Cookies (with Cake Mix!)

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • What is Lynn's Way of Life

Let's Connect!

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook

Contact

  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Cookie Policy

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 Lynn's Way of Life