How should I portion this loaf?

Cut the cooled loaf into the eight slices specified in your recipe. This will make serving the bread easier. A serrated bread knife will help you make clean cuts without tearing the loaf. Serve larger slices of bread with soup and smaller slices with butter, olive oil, or balsamic vinegar. Let the loaf cool completely before cutting to prevent tearing.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, you should make a double batch of dough to yield two loaves rather than one. One Dutch oven will not hold a double batch, and both loaves benefit from the steam produced in a Dutch oven during baking. If you intend to bake the two loaves separately, you can split your dough in half before shaping it. Using parchment under each loaf is the recommended method for transferring dough to a hot Dutch oven.

Can I make the dough ahead?

The recipe suggests a 60-minute first rise and another rise while the oven is preheating. Other rises, such as overnight or refrigerator rises, are not described. Tips for following this recipe include weighing dry ingredients and prepping rosemary and garlic before beginning. As you prepare to make the recipe, add warm water and quick yeast. Rise the dough according to the recipe instructions.

Do I need a Dutch oven?

The recipe to which you referred uses a 5.5- or 6-quart Dutch oven. Other types of pans are not recommended. The enclosed Dutch oven provides steam during the first 30 minutes of baking to contribute to loaf texture and shape. Other types of pans are unlikely to produce similar results. Preheat the Dutch oven without the lid. Add scored dough to the preheated Dutch oven and replace the lid.

Why is my dough so sticky?

Sticky, clumpy dough is expected immediately after combining ingredients. The recipe says that clumpy dough is expected and does not suggest adding flour or other ingredients to fix the problem. Additional flour should be used only to dust parchment paper, as directed in the recipe. Folding the ends of the parchment paper over the dough may help form the dough into a ball, despite initial clumpiness.

Dutch Oven Garlic Rosemary Bread with a Crusty Golden Crust

By Emma CollinsSep 28, 2026

Prep

65 min

Cook

40 min

Total

135 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Bake an eight-slice loaf over the weekend. Eat the bread during the week as part of other meals and snacks. Mix and rise the dough now. Bake bread in a Dutch oven with chopped garlic and rosemary mixed into the dough.

Dutch Oven Garlic Rosemary Bread with a Crusty Golden Crust

Ingredients needed for this bread recipe are all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, quick yeast, water that has been warmed, rosemary, and chopped garlic. Dough is prepared by hand rather than kneaded until soft and sticky. Dough is formed into a ball, placed on parchment paper dusted with flour, and then baked in a Dutch oven. The parchment paper lifts the dough into the Dutch oven. Baking the dough covered in a Dutch oven produces steam, giving the bread a rustic appearance.

The dough mixture should not be clean before baking. This is what you want. Baking a covered loaf for 30 minutes will not result in a brown loaf, but baking it uncovered a second time will. Mistakes to avoid include taking the loaf out too soon after the initial covered baking. The loaf won't brown. Cut the top of the loaf before baking to help steam escape.

Let the loaf rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Possible serving suggestions include sea salt and butter or olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or alongside soup. Tips for meal planning and limiting portion sizes include slicing only the portion of bread you intend to consume and keeping the remaining loaf unsliced for as long as possible to preserve the crust.

Why this recipe works

One eight-slice loaf is enough bread for planned meals and snacks. The sturdy crust of the loaf is great for serving individual slices with soup.
The no-knead recipe is more convenient for making bread in advance because there is only one mixing bowl for the initial fermentation to hold all the ingredients for the dough.
Cooling the bread before slicing and serving can make dividing the bread easier to do by improving the structure of the crumb for slicing and serving future portions of the bread.
Baked in a Dutch oven, the bread has a crunchy crust because of the steam in the Dutch oven. This bread is a good freezer meal addition because it brings a fresh-bread texture to make-ahead menus.
Rosemary and minced garlic are mixed into the bread dough to season the entire loaf. They are not used as a topping.
Parchment acts as a guide and transfer medium for the dough so you handle it less while moving it to a hot Dutch oven.

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir together.

Cover the sticky, shaggy dough with a towel and let it rise for 60 minutes in a warm place.

Lay out a piece of parchment paper and dust it with flour.

Transfer the dough to the parchment and shape it by stretching each side, folding it over, and working around until it forms a ball.

Flip the dough so the smooth side faces up.

Cover with the towel and let rise for roughly 20 minutes, or until the Dutch oven is ready.

Place the Dutch oven without its lid in the oven.

Preheat the oven to 450°F and let the Dutch oven come to temperature while the bread rises.

Using oven mitts, remove the Dutch oven from the oven and place it on the stovetop.

Lift the bread with the parchment paper and transfer it to the Dutch oven.

Score the bread to let steam escape while it bakes.

Cover with the lid and transfer the Dutch oven to the oven.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the lid and bake for another 10 minutes, or until golden brown to your liking.

Remove from the oven and lift the bread out of the Dutch oven using the parchment paper.

Let cool for at least 30 minutes.

FAQ

Yes, freeze the loaf only after it cools completely. Pre-slicing the loaf will make it easier to serve individual slices from the thawed loaf. Tips for avoiding dried-out slices include proper wrapping. Serving thawed slices in an oven rather than a microwave can help maintain their texture.

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