Easy Artisan Bread Recipe

This post is all about making an Easy Artisan Bread Recipe.

I love a good sourdough loaf just as much as the next girl, but let’s be honest… sometimes life is busy, dinner is right around the corner, and you just don’t have time for all that.

That’s where this easy artisan bread recipe with instant yeast comes in.

This bread looks like it came straight from a bakery, but it’s so simple you can whip it up in an afternoon without babysitting dough for hours on end.

No overnight proofing, just a few pantry staples and a little hands-off rise time.

Why You Need to Try This Recipe

• Quick and easy – no long ferment, just mix, rest, and bake.
• Minimal ingredients – flour, yeast, salt, and water. That’s it.
• Rustic bakery-style crust – you’ll get that crunchy outside and soft, airy inside.
• Perfect for busy nights – goes from mixing bowl to dinner table in about 2 hours.

Ingredients

• 3 3/4 cups AP flour
• 1 packet Quick Rise/Active Yeast
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 ½ cups warm water

Instructions

1. Mix the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, instant yeast, and salt. Pour in the warm water and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until everything comes together. Dough can be shaggy, but no dry clumps.

2. Let it Rest

Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for about 1 hour in a warm spot. It should double in size and look bubbly.

3. Shape It

After one hour, wet your hands and turn 10-20 stretch and folds. Shape your loaf on a lightly floured surface then place on parchment paper and let sit for 20 more minutes. Score your dough.

4. Bake

Place load into dutch oven and bake at 475 for 30 minutes covered. Then remove lid and bake another 10 minutes.

6. Cool & Enjoy

Transfer to a wire rack and let bread rest for at least an hour before slicing to prevent gumminess.

Tips

• If you don’t have a Dutch oven, place a baking dish of water in the oven to create steam and bake your loaf on a baking sheet.
• This bread is best the same day, but you can store leftovers wrapped in a towel or paper bag to keep the crust crisp.

There you have it, a beautiful, rustic artisan loaf with hardly any effort.

Whenever I make this, it disappears almost instantly—no one ever believes it’s a “cheater” recipe. It looks fancy, tastes amazing, and takes hardly any time at all.

So next time you’re craving fresh bread but don’t have the patience for sourdough or kneading, try this recipe. You’ll be pulling bakery-style bread out of your oven in no time.