Garlic Herb Dutch Oven Bread Recipe
This Garlic Herb Dutch Oven Bread is a rustic, flavorful loaf infused with fresh garlic and herbs, baked to golden perfection in a Dutch oven. It features a simple ingredient list and a long fermentation process for a crusty exterior and soft, aromatic interior, perfect for any meal or snack.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 12 hours 65 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
Wet Ingredients & Flavorings
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (such as rosemary and thyme), chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of instant yeast, stirring thoroughly to distribute the ingredients evenly.
- Add wet ingredients and flavorings: Pour in 1 1/2 cups of warm water, add the minced 4 cloves of garlic and 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary and thyme, then stir everything until you have a homogenous dough.
- Rest the dough: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature to ferment for 12-18 hours. This slow fermentation develops flavor and texture.
- Preheat the Dutch oven: About 30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) and place a clean Dutch oven inside to heat fully.
- Prepare the Dutch oven: Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the bottom to prevent sticking and add flavor.
- Shape the dough: Turn the rested dough onto a floured surface and gently shape it into a round ball, taking care not to deflate it too much to retain air pockets.
- Bake covered: Place the dough ball into the hot Dutch oven, cover with the lid, and bake for 30 minutes. This traps steam to help develop a crispy crust.
- Bake uncovered: Remove the lid after 30 minutes and continue baking for an additional 15-20 minutes until the crust is golden brown and crisp.
- Cool the bread: Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing, allowing the crumb to set.
Notes
- For best flavor, use fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme but you can substitute with any favorite herbs.
- Make sure your water is warm but not hot to avoid killing the yeast.
- The long rest time at room temperature allows for excellent gluten development and flavor.
- Using a preheated Dutch oven creates steam which helps form a crispy, professional-quality crust.
- Let the bread cool completely before slicing to keep the crumb from becoming gummy.
Keywords: Dutch oven bread, garlic herb bread, homemade bread, rustic bread, no-knead bread, fresh herbs, easy bread recipe
