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Make soft homemade bread without any kneading! This easy peasant bread recipe only uses 6 ingredients to make two perfect loaves of bread. Fluffy on the inside with a buttery golden crust on the outside.
There’s nothing like warm homemade bread from the oven! You will love how easy and soft this peasant bread is. For more delicious bread recipes, you should try my Grandma’s homemade bread, this cheesy garlic bread, or my classic sourdough bread.
What is Peasant Bread?
Peasant bread is artisan bread made EASY! All thanks to European peasants who first started this method. It’s an everyday bread recipe that your whole family will devour. With minimal and simple ingredients, you can have warm bread any day of the week. Simply combine the wet and dry ingredients, allow the dough to rise, and easily bake in glass bowls. This fun way of making peasant bread will be your new favorite method!
No-knead bread is the best way to make bread! That’s why I love this peasant bread recipe. For another great no-knead bread recipe, you have to try this miracle bread next! Then make this homemade honey butter and strawberry jam to enjoy with your bread. SO YUMMY!
Peasant Bread Ingredients
This peasant bread recipe only uses 6 ingredients! Simple ingredients that you most likely already have on hand. You’ll love how easy it is to make this homemade bread. Follow the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Warm Water: Lukewarm water is key in helping the yeast to activate.
- Honey: The slight sweetness to this bread is so tasty!
- All-Purpose Flour: I use all-purpose flour in this recipe, but see my tips below for using whole wheat flour.
- Instant Yeast: Instant yeast helps the dough to rise faster!
- Salt: Salt helps flavor the dough.
- Softened Butter: Use softened butter to grease the bowls and the top of the loaf.
Peasant Bread Recipe
Peasant bread is the easiest bread to make because it doesn’t require any kneading! Follow the recipe card and tips below for everything you need to know before making this recipe.
- Grease the Bowls: Grease 2, 1-quart oven-safe bowls with the softened butter on the bottom and sides of the bowl then set aside. I used my Pyrex bowls!
- Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix the water and honey. In a separate large bowl whisk together the flour, yeast, and salt.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the water and honey mixture into the dry ingredients and mix by hand using a wooden or silicone spoon or spatula. Mix until all the wet ingredients have been absorbed and a loose shaggy dough has formed.
- Rise the Dough: Cover and let the dough rest for 45 minutes to an hour, until the dough has doubled in size.
- Preheat Oven: While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Divide and Proof the Dough: Once the dough has doubled in size, fold the dough in on itself and split it in half. Place both halves in each prepared bowl. Cover the bowls with a tea towel. Allow the dough to proof until it reaches the rim of the bowl. About 20-30 minutes.
- Bake: Brush the tops of the bread dough with butter. Place the bowls with the proofed loaves right into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for another 15- 20 minutes.
- Cool and Slice: Remove the loaves from the oven and turn them over out of the bowls onto a cooling rack. Allow the loaves to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing into them.
Peasant Bread Tips and Variations
Whether you are a bread-making pro or this is your first time making peasant bread, I have some tips that will help everyone! These helpful tips and variations will make your peasant bread a success!
- Whole Wheat Flour: You can use whole wheat flour in this recipe, replace half of the all-purpose flour with wheat flour and keep an eye on the texture of the dough while you’re mixing it, you may need to use less or more water than normal so start by adding ⅔ of the water from the original recipe and add more as you mix.
- Sweetener: I like to use honey in my bread but you can use 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar instead.
- No-Knead Tips: The key to this bread is not handling it the way you would with other breads. You want to handle it as little as possible. When folding the dough after its initial rise, don’t need to form a tight ball. Simply fold it in on all sides then split it in half.
- Check For Doneness: The loaves should be golden brown. Once the temperature of the inside of the bread reaches 190 degrees Fahrenheit then it’s ready!
Storing Leftovers
Leftover peasant bread stays fresh in a sealed ziplock bag on the counter. Enjoy it stored at room temperature, or extend the freshness by storing it in in the refrigerator or freezer!
- At Room Temperature: Store the cooled bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- In the Refrigerator: Place the bread in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week!
- In the Freezer: You can freeze the baked bread! I like to slice it first, then place it in a freezer bag and freeze it for up to 2 months.
Try Making Delicious Rolls
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Grease 2, 1-quart oven-safe bowls with the softened butter on the bottom and sides of the bowl and set aside.
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In a medium bowl, mix the water and honey. In a separate large bowl whisk together the flour, yeast, and salt.
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Pour the water and honey mixture into the dry ingredients and mix by hand using a wooden or silicone spoon or spatula. Mix until all the wet ingredients have been absorbed and a loose shaggy dough has formed.
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Cover and let the dough rest for 45 minutes to an hour, until the dough has doubled in size.
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While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Once the dough has doubled in size, fold the dough in on itself and split it in half. Place both halves in each buttered bowl. Cover the bowls and let the dough proof until they reach the rim of the bowls. About 20-30 minutes.
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Brush the tops of the loaves with butter then place the bowls with the proofed loaves right into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for another 15- 20 minutes. The loaves should be golden brown. Once the temperature of the inside of the bread reaches 190 degrees Fahrenheit then it’s ready!
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Remove the loaves from the oven and turn them over out of the bowls onto a cooling rack. Allow the loaves to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing into them.
Calories: 975kcalCarbohydrates: 208gProtein: 26gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 2343mgPotassium: 284mgFiber: 7gSugar: 18gVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 12mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This story originally appeared on TheRecipeCritic
