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A cheesy, herb-scented loaf with crispy crust and pillowy interior this rosemary parmesan bread will blow your mind. Especially because guess what? YA DON’T HAVE TO KNEAD IT. Five ingredients, one bowl, a Dutch oven and some patience and you’ll have the most delicious, low-maintenance bread ever. Serve a big hunk with a bowl of soup or leafy green salad or enjoy straight up with butter. There are no rules.

Chunk of bread torn from a loaf with melted butter on it
Jump to:
  1. 1 Erica’s ramblings on the recipe:
  2. 2 What you’ll need to make rosemary parmesan bread:
  3. 3 How to make no-knead rosemary parmesan bread:
  4. 4 Equipment needed:
  5. 5 Variation ideas:
  6. 6 Expert tips:
  7. 7 FAQs
  8. 8 If you love this easy no-knead bread, check out some of my other baking recipes!
  9. 9 Watch how to make rosemary parmesan bread:
  10. 10 Absolutely Incredible No-Knead Rosemary Parmesan Bread
    1. 10.1 Description
    2. 10.2 Ingredients
    3. 10.3 Instructions
    4. 10.4 Notes
    5. 10.5 Nutrition
    6. 10.6 Did you make this recipe?

Erica’s ramblings on the recipe:

So if you have any inclination towards baking or bread-making, than you’ve probably heard of the infamous ‘no-knead bread’ recipe. Most of the credit goes to Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery for his “revolutionary approach” which requires mixing flour, water, salt and yeast, letting the dough rise overnight and then baking the bread the next day in a Dutch oven. However, this no-knead method may have been around a lot longer than that and who knows who ultimately came up with this simple, hands-off way to make bread. I love the idea of homemade bread but as a busy mom the idea of all that kneading sometimes deters me from making a loaf. No-knead is the way to go! It’s my favorite way to bake bread.

Since its popularization, there have been hundreds (thousands?) of recreations online. Slight tweaks to the recipe, different flavor combinations, and all sorts of variations abound on the internet.

And here I am with mine! I’ve made this bread a lot of times. The base recipe is a blank canvas and there are seemingly endless ways to add variety. I particularly love this rosemary parmesan version because it reminds me of this Italian herb bread my mom used to make in her very 90s bread maker.

The bread has beautiful flavor from the rosemary, saltiness and cheesiness from the parmesan and a lovely texture thanks to the long proof time and Dutch oven cooking method. The Dutch oven works like “an oven within an oven”. The high heat evaporates the water from the dough and the lid of the Dutch oven traps the steam creating a moist environment that creates a crispy crust and soft interior. It really is a glorious thing my friends, cannot wait for you to try!

What you’ll need to make rosemary parmesan bread:

picture of ingredients needed to make rosemary parmesan bread

All-purpose flour: chances are you already have this in your pantry! You can also use bread flour.

Salt: this provides a baseline overall flavor for the bread. I recommend kosher salt or another coarse salt.

Instant yeast: you can find instant yeast in the baking aisle of the grocery store. I like to buy the yeast packets because I never get through an entire container of yeast before it’s old/expired.

Parmesan cheese: I recommend buying a block of parmesan and grating it using a microplane or the smallest holes on a box grater. The flavor is so much better than the pre-grated stuff!

Rosemary: fresh, finely chopped rosemary gives a powerful, herbaceous flavor that is so good. Find fresh rosemary in the refrigerated section of the produce section in most grocery stores.

Water: I use warm water, about 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

How to make no-knead rosemary parmesan bread:

dry ingredients being stirred together in a large blue bowl

In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, salt, yeast, 1 1/2 tablespoons of rosemary and 1 cup freshly grated parmesan. Pour in the water and use a spatula or wooden spoon to stir everything together until a shaggy dough forms. It should be a very sticky ball of dough.

mixed up dough covered with plastic wrap

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then over the plastic wrap lay a clean towel. Place in a draft-free area and let it sit at room temperature for 12-18 hours. An overnight rise is ideal. But you could also feasibly prep this at 6am and then make it for dinner at 6pm.

bread dough after it has proofed and risen

When you are ready to bake preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a Dutch oven in the oven to preheat for 20-30 minutes.

floured cutting board with rosemary parmesan bread dough in a ball + dutch oven with dough ball inside

Sprinkle a little flour on a clean surface and flour your hands. Transfer dough to the floured surface. Shape it into a ball. It’ll be sticky so make sure you have well-floured hands or it will be impossible to handle. Place the dough ball on a sheet of parchment paper and place it in the hot Dutch oven. Sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese. Cover with the tight-fitting lid and place it on the center rack of your oven.

side by side of unbaked and baked rosemary parmesan bread

Bake bread for thirty minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 10-15 minutes until the top is golden brown. The bake time may vary slightly based on your oven so check after ten minutes. (mine took the full 15!)

round loaf of bread topped with golden brown parmesan cheese

Remove the round loaf from the Dutch oven and let it cool for about ten minutes (impossible I know). Tear off a piece or slice with a bread knife. Grab that hunk of crusty bread and lather it with butter. A soft yet crispy chunk of parmesan rosemary bread with melted butter OMGGGG. #winning

Equipment needed:

Dutch oven or oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid (this is very important!)

Medium bowl

Cutting board

No stand mixer, paddle attachment or dough hook is needed because of course, this is no-knead bread!

You could try baking this loaf in a loaf pan or on a baking stone or pizza stone but I cannot promise equal results.

two hands holding a loaf of rosemary parmesan bread

Variation ideas:

  • Jalapeño cheddar: add 1 cup grated cheddar cheese and 1 minced jalapeño when mixing ingredients. Spicy cheese bread, yes please.
  • Olive and sun-dried tomato: add ¼ cup each finely chopped olives and sun-dried tomatoes.
  • Everything bagel: add ¼ cup everything bagel seasoning when mixing the dough and top with a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning.
  • Cranberry orange: fold in ½ cup dried cranberries and 2 tablespoons orange zest when mixing together the ingredients.
  • Caramelized onion and gruyere: add ½ cup deeply caramelized onions and 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese while mixing the dough. Top with more Gruyere cheese.
hunk of bread with butter dish and sprig of rosemary

Expert tips:

  • Baking this bread in a Dutch oven is very important. The Dutch oven creates a controlled environment for the bread to bake, trapping steam and ensuring a crispy crust and soft, airy interior. Any oven-safe pan with a tight-fitting lid will work, but you’ll want to make sure the pan is safe to be heated to 450 degrees.
  • Fresh yeast is best. Who else is guilty of buying a container of yeast, making bread or cinnamon rolls once and then letting it sit in your fridge for months and months? Fresh yeast will ensure perfect results every time. I like to buy the packets instead of the larger container.
  • Simply running your tap water for a few seconds on hot will get you to the perfect temperature, no microwaving or boiling needed.
  • Be sure to add any flavor-boosting add-ins (like the rosemary and parmesan) when mixing the ingredients to avoid having to knead them in after proofing.
  • Use well-floured hands and a well-floured surface to form the dough into a ball, it will be sticky!
two bowls of chicken soup and cutting board with loaf of bread

FAQs

Can I use active dry yeast?

Yes, but you’ll want to ‘activate’ it per the package instructions before mixing the ingredients.

Can I make this with gluten-free flour?

Yes. The result will be denser and a little tougher, but I have had readers make this and report back that it works with a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour.

Can I make this bread with whole wheat flour?

I have not tested this recipe with whole wheat flour. But based on my previous baking experience the loaf will turn out slightly more dense, with the signature whole wheat flavor and texture of any whole grain loaf.

Can I let this proof longer than 18 hours?

The sweet spot is 12-18 hours my friends. You don’t want the rise time to be much longer than that.

Can I freeze this rosemary parm bread?

Yes, I recommend wrapping tightly in plastic wrap and then sealing in a gallon Ziploc bag to maintain freshness.

My bread didn’t rise, what happened?

Make sure you are using fresh instant yeast. Expired or yeast that has been sitting a long time will not be effective in helping your bread rise.

If you love this easy no-knead bread, check out some of my other baking recipes!

Wholesome morning glory muffins

Protein-boosted banana bread

Double chocolate zucchini muffins

Peanut butter baked oatmeal

Maple-roasted almond butter

Homemade granola

hunk of rosemary parmesan bread spread with butter, bowl of soup and cutting board with loaf in the background

Watch how to make rosemary parmesan bread:

If you’re looking for an easy bread recipe, you’ve found it!

If you try and like this recipe please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! If you love more lifestyle, behind the scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content come find me over on Instagram, @itsaflavorfullife, I love connecting with you all there!

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two hands holiding a loaf of rosemary parmesan bread

Absolutely Incredible No-Knead Rosemary Parmesan Bread

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Erica
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 12 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

No one will know how embarrassingly little effort this fresh bread took you to make. My rosemary bread recipe utilizes the no-knead method and the result is a beautiful, cheesy, herbaceous loaf of bread.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3 cups + 2 tablespoons (390g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt* (see note)
  • 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese (125g), finely grated + more for topping
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely minced
  • 1 1/2 cup (360ml) warm water (90-95 degrees F)

Instructions

Mix it: In a large bowl stir together the first five ingredients. Pour in the water and use a spatula or wooden spoon to stir everything together until it comes together in a sticky ball of dough.

Let it rise: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then over the plastic wrap lay a clean towel. Place in a draft-free area and let it sit at room temperature for 12-18 hours. An overnight rise is ideal. But you could also feasibly prep this at 6am and then make it for dinner at 6pm.

Preheat: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a Dutch oven in the oven to preheat for 20-30 minutes.

Shape it: Sprinkle a little flour on a clean surface and flour your hands. Scoop the bread dough out of the bowl onto the floured surface. Shape it into a ball. It’ll be sticky so make sure you have well-floured hands or it will be impossible to handle. Place the dough ball on a piece of parchment paper and place it in the preheated Dutch oven. Sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese. Cover with the tight-fitting lid and place it on the center rack of your oven.

Bake it: Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 10-15 minutes until the top is golden brown. The bake time may vary slightly based on your oven so check after ten minutes.

ENJOY: Remove bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool for about ten minutes (impossible I know). Tear off a hunk or slice with a bread knife and lather with butter. Cry happy bread tears, this is a good day.

Notes

You may think two teaspoons seems like a lot of salt. I did test this recipe with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and found the flavor lacking. If you are concerned you can reduce the salt to 1 1/2 teaspoons but I personally think it has the best flavor with the full 2 teaspoons. Serving this with salted butter can also affect the flavor so if that is your plan you may want to reduce the salt to 1 1/2 teaspoons.

Serve this bread with nourishing chicken soup! (pictured)

See above blog post for expert tips, variation ideas and answers to frequently asked questions.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/8 recipe
  • Calories: 213
  • Sugar: 0.2 g
  • Sodium: 325.7 mg
  • Fat: 3.2 g
  • Trans Fat:
  • Carbohydrates: 36.2 g
  • Fiber: 1.3 g
  • Protein: 8.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 7.2 mg

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