Parmesan-black pepper flavored Dutch Oven Bread has quickly become one of my favorite breads to make for any Italian meal!
The subtle cheese flavors provide the perfect base for any recipe variations you may like to try while the Dutch oven method of baking never fails to produce soft and crusty golden bread - you have to try it!
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- This Dutch oven bread is super simple to make - perfect for any bread-baking beginner!
- The subtle seasoning and addition of cheese provides the perfect balance of flavors - it won’t be overpowering while still providing that special touch to any meal.
- Pair this Dutch oven bread with any Italian main meal or enjoy it plain with a generous slathering of butter - yummy!
This no-knead bread recipe is so easy, you’ll be wondering why you haven’t made more bread in a Dutch oven before!
🛒 Ingredients
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Note: The full list of this recipe ingredients with their amounts and options are listed in the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour
- Water
- Active dry yeast
- Kosher salt
- Coarsely ground black pepper
- Parmigiano-Reggiano grated cheese
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese chunks
- Cornmeal
🗒 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, black pepper, grated cheese and cheese chunks.
- Pour in the water.
- Stir until blended - the dough will be shaggy and very sticky.
- Let the dough rest at warm room temperature until the surface is dotted with bubbles -12 to 18 hours.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle the dough with a little flour.
- Fold the dough over onto itself once or twice.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Shape the dough into a ball and then coat a cotton towel with cornmeal, placing the dough seam side down on the towel and dust with more flour or cornmeal.
- Cover the dough with another cotton towel and let it rise to double its size - about 2.
- At this stage, the dough shouldn't spring back when poked at.
- At least 30 minutes before the dough is ready, put a 2-¾ quart cast-iron pot with the lid in the oven and preheat the oven to 450℉.
- Add the dough to the heated pot, close the lid and bake for 30 minutes, thereafter removing the lid and baking for an additional 15 - 30 minutes.
🔪 Equipment
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You’ll need the following items to make this Dutch oven no-knead bread recipe successfully.
- Stand mixer
- Dutch oven
- Liquid measuring cup
- Dry measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Cotton towel - not terry cloth
🤔 FAQs
These are the questions we are most frequently asked about making our Dutch Oven Bread recipe.
Dutch ovens are great for conducting heat, creating the perfect environment for baking bread that’s soft and fluffy on the inside while golden and crusty on the outside.
I love using a Dutch oven when making bread, especially no-knead bread that requires a steamy environment to bake in. With that said, if you don’t have a cast-iron pot with a lid then you can still bake your bread in a cast-iron skillet or even a sheet pan.
Yes! The bread needs a hot and steamy environment for it to rise well and form that delicious crust. Preheating the Dutch oven before placing the bread dough inside the pot will ensure the best results.
This is usually due to the bread being undercooked or containing excess water, making it harder for the gluten to do its job.
You can test that your bread has been adequately baked by using a food thermometer which should read 180-200F. If you suspect that the bread is gummy and dense from excess water, make sure to properly measure the water added to the dry ingredients or reduce the water.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- I used a 3 quart cast-iron pot which makes a 1-½ pound loaf. You could easily double the ingredients and bake your larger loaf in a 5-6 quart dutch oven if you wish.
- It’s important to continue to bake the loaf for an additional 15-30 minutes without the lid on in order to achieve that beautiful golden color and crispy exterior.
- The cornmeal added to the outer surface of the bread dough helps prevent the bread from sticking to the surface of the pot as well as gives the baked bread added texture - don’t skip it!
- If you decide to freeze this no-knead bread, consider slicing it first for easy toasting later on. You also won’t need to defrost any more than what’s required at any given time.
📚 Variations
While I absolutely love this Dutch oven bread as is, here are 5 great ways that you could adapt this no-knead bread recipe:
- For Plain No-Knead Bread: Omit the cheese and the black pepper.
- For Rosemary and Lemon No-Knead Bread: Add 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh rosemary and 2 teaspoons of chopped lemon zest and omit the cheese and black pepper.
- For Walnut No-Knead Bread: Add 1 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts and omit the cheese and black pepper. You could also use different nuts too!
- For Olive No-Knead Bread: Add ⅓ cup pitted niçoise olives, ⅓ cup pitted dry-cure olives and ⅓ cup pitted picholine olives, all coarsely chopped, and omit the cheese and black pepper.
- For Pizza No-Knead Bread: Add 2.5 oz of salami in addition to the cheese and black pepper.
🥫 Storage
Prior to storage, make sure that this Dutch oven bread is completely cool. You can then store your bread in a sealed container for up to 3 days at room temperature. If you intend to keep the bread for an extended amount of time, consider wrapping it and freezing it instead.
📗 Related Recipes
Homemade bread doesn’t have to be complicated and laborious to make - this Dutch oven bread is a great example of that! If you’re in the mood to add to your list of no-fuss, no-knead bread recipes then consider this scrumptious Parmesan-Herb Pizza Bread.
For more rustic types of bread, this classic Ciabatta Bread or Pugliese Bread are hands-down winners!
And we simply love making our 4-hour Crusty French Baguettes recipe. The long loaves rival the best from the French bakeries. Truly delicious!
🍽 Serve with
This simple Dutch oven bread pairs beautifully with any Italian meal of your choosing, whether that’s Chicken Parmigiana, Italian Pot Roast, or Ziti Al Forno. In fact, just a slice slathered with butter is divine!
Leftover slices of this Dutch oven bread can be enjoyed with your favorite bowl of soup such as Beer Cheese Soup or used to make meaty sandwiches - the options are endless!
📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
If you’ve never baked bread in a Dutch oven before then you’re in for a real treat! Not many know that this clever invention was born in 1891 by a Dutch manufacturer of cookware.
Nowadays, we’re absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to thick cast iron cookware that’ll have your bread coming out of the oven soft and fluffy on the inside while golden and irresistibly crusty on the outside.
Now that you know and have a fantastic no-knead bread recipe at your disposal, there’s really no excuse to not make this mouth-watering bread for your home-cooked meals!
What's new? Check out my All Our Way Store on Amazon. We'll be adding more items we love and use or wish we had to make cooking fun and easy.
📝 Recipe Card
This Dutch oven bread is a great option for anyone starting out with making their own bread from scratch. The dough can easily be mixed by hand and most of the prep time is simply allowing the bread to rise prior to baking.
Even better is the fact that there are so many ways you can adapt this no-knead bread with simple ingredient swaps or additions!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
📖 Recipe
Dutch Oven Parmesan-Black Pepper Bread With Variations
Equipment Needed
- Kitchen-Aid Stand Mixer May also make this by hand.
- Dutch Oven (2-¾ quarts) I used a 3 quart
- Tea towels Like a flour sack dish towel
Ingredients
- 15 ounces All-purpose flour 3 cups
- 13 ounces Warm water (at room temperature) 1-½ cups + 2 Tablespoons
- ¼ teaspoon Active dry yeast May also use instant
- 1-¾ teaspoons Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
- 1-¾ ounces Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese ½ cup
- 1-¾ ounces Cubed ¼-inch Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese ½ cup
- Cornmeal as needed
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, black pepper, grated cheese and cheese chunks.
- Add the water and stir until blended; the dough will be shaggy and very sticky.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at warm room temperature (about 70℉) until the surface is dotted with bubbles, 12 to 18 hours.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle the dough with a little flour and fold the dough over onto itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or your fingers, gently and quickly shape the dough into a ball.
- Generously coat a cotton towel, preferably a flour sack towel (not terry cloth), with cornmeal. Put the dough, seam side down, on the towel and dust with more flour or cornmeal.
- Cover with another cotton towel and let rise until the dough is more than double in size and does not readily sprink back when poked with a finger, about 2 hours.
- At least 30 minutes before the dough is ready, put a 2-¾ quart cast-iron pot with the lid in the oven and preheat the oven to 450℉.
- Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Remove the lid and set it aside. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over, seam side up, into the pot. It may look like a mess, that that's OK.
- Shake the pan once or twice if the dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and continue baking until the loaf is browned, 15 to 30 minutes more.
- Transfer the pot to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Using oven mitts, turn the pot on its side and gently turn the bread; it will release easily.
- Makes one 1-½ pound loaf.
Notes
Nutrition
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