This sun-dried tomato bread is truly the best! It's crusty, soft, and has more flavor than any other bread I’ve tried. Plus, you don't even need to knead the dough, which is an added bonus.
Looking for an easy and tasty bread recipe? This no-knead sun-dried tomato bread is just what you need! You simply mix the ingredients with a spoon, let the dough rise, then roughly shape it into a ball before baking it in a covered Dutch oven.
For more no-knead bread ideas, try the amazing Spelt Bread - it only takes 5 minutes to get it oven-ready! Or give the Buckwheat Bread a go; it’s just as simple and tasty.
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Recipe ingredients and substitutions
Flour: I used all-purpose flour this time, but you can also bake the sun-dried tomato bread with white spelt flour; I did that several times.
Instant yeast: You will need 1 packet, which contains 2 ¼ teaspoons or 0.25 oz/ 7 g.
Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil for extra flavor and moisture. Use up that jar of tomatoes by making Zucchini with Pesto, Cream Cheese Pork Tenderloin, or Asparagus and Egg Breakfast.
Pine nuts: They really shine through, adding a bit of crunch and so much flavor. Although they are the best fit for this recipe, you can replace them with sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts. Another great replacement is chopped black olives.
Yeast replacements
Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved first. Stir it into the lukewarm water with honey and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy, then proceed with the recipe.
Fresh yeast: You'll need 0.75 oz/ 21 grams. Crumble it into the lukewarm water with honey, stir to dissolve, and let it sit for a few minutes before continuing with the recipe.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make sun-dried tomato bread?
Step #1: Stir yeast, honey, and lukewarm water in a large bowl.
Step #2: Add flour, salt, and vinegar and stir well with a spoon.
Step #3: Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts and stir well to distribute them evenly into the dough.
Step #4: Cover the bowl with cling film and let the dough rise for 2 hours. The dough will be quite soft.
Tip: The rising time may vary depending on your kitchen's temperature. If it's warm, check the dough a little earlier; if it's cooler, let it rise a bit longer. The dough should roughly double in size.
Step #5: Pour the dough on a well-floured working surface.
Step #6: Flour your hands and shape the dough into a ball.
Step #7: Place the dough seam-side down in the prepared pot and place the lid on top.
Step #8: Place the Dutch oven in the COLD oven, set the temperature to 400°F/ 200°C, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 30-35 minutes.
Tip: Let the sun-dried tomato bread cool on a wire rack to prevent moisture from building up on the bottom, which could make it soggy.
The Dutch oven
The bread should be baked in a Dutch oven because it holds heat and moisture, creating a steamy environment that helps the bread rise and form a crisp, golden crust. Using a Dutch oven gives the best results. Use the Dutch oven to make this Flaxseed Bread, too.
If you don’t have a Dutch oven, use a covered casserole dish or an oven-safe pot with a lid. Make sure it's large enough to hold the dough and has a tight-fitting lid to trap steam while baking.
Storage
Store the bread in a cool, dry place, wrapped in a clean kitchen towel, or placed in a paper bag to keep the crust crisp.
Freeze it by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and then placing it in a freezer bag. Thaw it at room temperature.
Sun-Dried Tomato Bread
Equipment
- Large bowl Note 1
- Cling film
- Round Dutch oven Note 2
Ingredients
- 1 packet instant yeast 2 ¼ teaspoons/ 7 g/ 0.25 oz, Notes 3, 4
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ cups lukewarm water
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or another vinegar
- 7 halves sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, from a jar, roughly 2 oz/ 60 g, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup pine nuts 50 g
- 1 teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon rosemary
Instructions
- Combine ingredients: Stir the yeast with the honey and water in a large bowl. Add the flour, salt, and vinegar. Mix everything with a spoon. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, basil, and rosemary, and mix well to distribute them evenly into the dough.1 packet instant yeast + 1 ½ tablespoons honey + 1 ½ cups lukewarm water + 4 cups all-purpose flour + 2 teaspoons fine sea salt + 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar + 7 halves sun-dried tomatoes + ⅓ cup pine nuts + 1 teaspoon basil + ½ teaspoon rosemary
- Let dough rise: Cover the bowl with cling film and let the dough rise for 2 hours at room temperature. The dough will be quite soft.
- Prepare the Dutch oven: Lightly grease it with butter and dust it with a bit of flour.
- Shape the dough: Generously flour your work surface and pour the dough onto it. Don’t knead it. Flour your hands and gently shape the dough into a ball by folding it from the outside in. Place the dough ball seam-side down in the prepared pot.
- Bake: Cover with the lid and place the pot in the cold oven. Set the oven temperature to 400°F/200°C and bake the bread with the lid on for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and bake for another 30–35 minutes until the crust is nice and crisp. The bread should release easily from the pot when fully baked. If it doesn’t, bake for another 5 minutes.
- Cool: Remove the sun-dried tomato bread from the pot and let it cool on a wire rack.
Notes
- Measurements: For best results, I recommend using a digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) to measure the ingredients.
- Pot: The Dutch oven is the best choice for baking this sun-dried tomato bread, as it helps the bread rise and form a crisp, golden crust. If you don’t have one, you can use a covered casserole dish or oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid to trap steam.
- To replace instant yeast with active dry yeast, use the same amount - 7 grams or 2 ¼ teaspoons. However, active dry yeast needs to be dissolved first. Stir it into the lukewarm water with the honey from the recipe and let it sit for about 5–10 minutes until it becomes foamy. Once it's activated, continue with the rest of the recipe.
- If you're using fresh yeast, you'll need 0.75 oz/ 21 grams. Crumble the fresh yeast into the lukewarm water with the honey, stir until it dissolves, and let it sit for a few minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
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