3-Ingredient Bread Without Yeast

I make practically all the bread I eat at home. In fact, I don’t understand why everyone doesn’t do it like me. The bread tastes better, it’s always fresh, and it’s quite inexpensive to make. Okay, I get it, it takes a while to make, and some of us have to work, right? It’s true, but you can still make a larger batch and freeze it!

The magic of this 3-ingredient, yeast-free bread is this! It’s excellent for make-ahead baking, can be frozen, and can be enjoyed for months! Plus, it’s one of the simplest recipes you’ll find.

I know exactly what you’re thinking… A 3-ingredient bread won’t turn out well! Well, you’re very wrong! This homemade bread is very soft, with a smooth texture and a slightly harder crust, which makes it simply fantastic!

Plus, it keeps much better than store-bought bread. You know that moment when you buy bread in the morning, and it’s hard and dry the same night? This yeast-free bread isn’t like that. It keeps perfectly well for two days. Still unsure whether you should make this recipe?

Let’s get started! Trust me, you won’t regret it.

What you will need for this 3-ingredient bread

I’ll be honest with you, I used two more ingredients (which are optional) in this recipe. You can omit them to keep the recipe simpler, but the bread won’t be as tasty! I’ll explain in the ingredients list…

• 4 cups all-purpose flour (500 g) – I recommend all-purpose flour because it worked best for me. I tested this recipe with 3 different types of flour, and all-purpose gave the best result. With all-purpose flour, the bread isn’t too dense or too airy.
• 2 teaspoons baking powder (8 g) – We need to use baking powder to replace yeast. The advantage is that baking powder doesn’t need to ferment, meaning there’s no waiting time like with yeast. It’s perfect for this recipe!
• 1 1/3 cups water (310 ml) -It’s very important not to add more than the recommended quantity. Furthermore, you should add it slowly until the dough comes together soft but not sticky.
• ½ teaspoon fine salt (3 g, optional) – Many people don’t add salt to their bread because they think it just adds flavor and makes the bread salty, but that’s not true. Salt also strengthens the dough structure, making the bread firmer and with a better consistency.
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (40 ml, optional) – Even though it’s optional, I recommend adding it. Olive oil is essential for keeping the bread moist inside, while also adding a subtle Mediterranean flavor.

I know… The tips may seem simple and it may even seem like you can go ahead or not read them, but believe me, these little tips will guarantee the success of your recipe!

How to make

First of all, you need to preheat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC), because it will only take about 10 minutes to have the bread dough ready to go in the oven! Also, prepare the loaf pan by lining it with parchment paper or lightly dusting it with flour.

Now, in a large bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder and salt, as you can see in the image below.

Add 2 tablespoons of oil and the water, then stir with a spoon and finish mixing with your hands until you get a soft, uniform dough. There’s no need to knead it for long, just bring it together.

That’s why I love this recipe, there’s practically no kneading required, it’s simple and quick! Make sure your dough looks like the one in the image below (on the right side).

Shape the dough into a loaf and place it in the prepared pan.

Score a line across the top with a sharp knife to make sure the bread bakes evenly, and then brush the surface with the remaining tablespoon of oil to make sure the bread is moist on the inside and a little crispy on the outside.

Now it’s the best part!

Since we already have the oven preheated, we only need to bake the bread for about 40 to 45 minutes, until the crust is golden and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Once baked, let it cool slightly on a wire rack. Slice and enjoy warm with a drizzle of oil, a spread of dairy-free butter, or use it to make your favorite sandwiches!

Don’t make the same mistakes I did!

I made a few mistakes while making this recipe that resulted in me ending up with a… Disastrous loaf! To prevent you from having to repeat the recipe, just as I did over and over again until I got it right, I’ll give you some golden tips!

• Adding too much water – Please don’t add all the water at once! I know it’s tempting, I’ve done it myself, but you’ll end up with a very sticky dough that’s too hard to handle. Add the water gradually and stop as soon as the dough comes together.
• Skipping optional ingredients – I know, I know… It’s no longer an easy 3-ingredient bread recipe… Well, let’s not exaggerate, it’s still super easy! Add salt, it’s something quick that you’re sure to have at home, it will strengthen the dough structure. Extra virgin olive oil is also essential. The bread recipes I’ve made without extra virgin olive oil haven’t turned out the same.
• That cut in the middle is important – That cut in the middle of the bread doesn’t just make it look pretty, it’s essential for it to bake evenly. It’s something I don’t ignore in all my bread recipes.

These simple tips ensure my bread is still easy to make and always turns out delicious!

You’ll love these variations!

I will be honest with you, I’ve tested this recipe a few times, so I’ve tried some variations, but not many. I actually wanted to keep this bread simple, since the main goal was just to avoid yeast.

Something simple you can do without complicating the recipe is to add dried herbs to the dough, such as rosemary, thyme, or oregano. They’ll give it a distinctive, Mediterranean flavor you’ll love!

Before baking, you can also add some sesame, poppy, or sunflower seeds. It’s simple, but it will give our delicious homemade bread a lot of personality and a crispier texture!

Finally, if you want a more aromatic bread, you can also add ½ tsp garlic or onion powder. I do this in some of my recipes, but be careful; the flavor might be too strong for your taste. Try it on a smaller batch of dough before adding it to a large loaf.

With these tips, I’m sure you’ll end up making the best bread of your life!

I hope you loved my recipe! If you did, please rate it below and leave a comment to encourage me to try and publish more recipes like these!

Before you go, I wanted to invite you to check out my other baking recipes, such as these delicious 3-ingredient bagels and this homemade margherita pizza.