There are all sorts of creative ways to make bread without yeast. You might ask, “Why would I want to know how to make bread without yeast?” Maybe for the sake of preparedness – simply knowing how to make due without yeast…
This is very basic ‘bread’, but it works, and it’s edible.
Here’s how to make it:
The final product is pictured above. I have previously posted the recipe in an article titled, “How To Make Basic Bread From Dough Without Yeast”, however I thought I would add more pictures in this post, along with more details, as well as a request for you to share your own creations and recipes for bread (with no yeast).
This is an edible bread from basic ingredients that have a good shelf life without the requirement for refrigeration or without yeast. The results are not going to be the traditional fluffy bread you’re used to, but it’s not too bad… Surprisingly (given the ingredients) the bread has a consistency crossing between actual traditional bread and a biscuit. Certainly not a light and fluffy bread, but it’s not a brick either.
Bread Ingredients & Shelf Life
Flour. Unopened bags of white flour will generally stay fresh up to one year. As the flour gets older it will eventually develop a bad taste, and then go rancid. For a shelf life up to ‘decades’, store ‘wheat berries’ (not having been milled yet). When it’s time to make bread, you will need to mill the wheat into flour – with a flour mill.
Baking Powder. First of all, I prefer ‘aluminum free’ baking powder for health safety (aluminum is thought to contribute to Alzheimer’s). The shelf life of unopened baking powder is generally indefinite, depending on the storage environment (which needs to be dry so moisture won’t penetrate its packaging over time). Once you open a container of baking powder its potency starts to diminish (from moisture in the air). So if you keep your ‘working’ baking powder in a sealed dry container, its effectiveness ‘should’ last for quite a long time. It’s the opening and closing and then reopening and closing that allows more and more moisture to be absorbed into the baking powder over time which eventually reduces its effectiveness. With that said, their ‘best-by’ dates are generally one year within its original hard-pressed cardboard packaging.
Oil. The recipe calls for extra-virgin olive oil. Pretty much all oils have a general shelf life of about one year – although cool and dark storage conditions will extend that. Eventually, oil will go rancid. You keep store oil in a freezer for longer shelf life.
Water. You either have it, or you don’t…
Bread Recipe (no yeast)
1. Add to a bowl 3 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt.
2. Begin to mix while adding 1/3 cup of oil (extra virgin olive oil).
3. Continue to mix while adding 3/4 cup of warm water. I start with a wooden spoon and finish working the dough with my hands. If necessary, continue to add more water a little at a time until the mixture holds together and will roll into a ball while barely sticky. If it becomes too soupy, just add a bit more flour. Etc..
(You can be creative and add pretty much anything to the dough for an enhanced bread – maybe some herbs, nuts, whatever floats your boat)
4. Grease an oven-proof dish (8″ x 4″ bread loaf pan, for example) and flatten the dough into the dish. Then flip the dough to get oil/grease on both sides of bread.
5. If you have foil, cover tightly (holds in the moisture). Bake at 375 F for 20 minutes. Then check it. I like to sprinkle some sea-salt on top at this point. You will likely need to continue cooking for another 10 to 20 minutes – just check for a golden top, and it should spring back when touched. I uncover the foil after 30 minutes to assist baking a golden top. Your times may vary depending on your oven and its temperature calibration.
That’s it! Simple. Next time you might add two or three tablespoons of sugar for sweetness…
Note: The bread dough appears to double in size throughout the baking process.
Note: Approximately 2,000 total calories (1,365 flour, 635 oil)
If you’re looking for Sourdough, here’s an article on that:
Sourdough Starter Recipe Without Yeast From Scratch
Classic Sourdoughs: A Home Baker’s Handbook
FAQs
Soda Bread
This sturdy breakfast bread comes together and relies on baking soda as a leavener.
What happens if you don't put enough yeast in bread? ›
Just remember: the less yeast, the longer the rising time (and/or the warmer the rising temperature). Start by cutting the yeast in your recipe by 50 percent and if the results are reasonable, lower the amount even more next time.
How to make bread rise without yeast? ›
Instead of using yeast to make the bread rise, quick breads rely on other leavening agents like baking soda and baking powder to get height. "Quick breads, like banana bread, zucchini bread, and cornbread are delicious and easy alternatives to yeast-based bread and can satisfy cravings in a pinch," says Tyler Lee.
What to use instead of yeast in bread? ›
You can substitute yeast with equal parts lemon juice and baking soda. So if a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of yeast, you can use half a teaspoon of lemon juice and half a teaspoon of baking soda. Keep in mind that the bread will not need the typical proofing time and the dough will begin rising right away.
Does all sourdough bread have yeast? ›
Other natural ingredients can be added but genuine sourdough bread making does not involve the use of baker's yeast, chemical raising agents, so-called processing aids or other additives. Sourdough is often used as shorthand for that starter cuture, and of bread etc. made by the sourdough process.
Does sourdough bread not have yeast? ›
In this process there are only natural yeasts and healthy bacteria, which are both naturally present on all grains and proliferate as the dough cultures. However, it is NOT unleavened bread.
Is it better to have less yeast or more yeast? ›
The amount of yeast you use in your bread dough has a significant bearing on how quickly it'll rise, and thus on your own schedule. By reducing the yeast, you ensure a long, slow rise, one more likely to produce a strong dough able to withstand the rigors of baking.
How much yeast for 3 cups of flour? ›
If it is of any help, a typical bread recipe calling for 3 or 4 cups of flour usually recommends 7 grams of dry yeast. You can use less, of course, and the bread will be just fine; you will note that it takes the dough longer to rise when less yeast is used.
How much yeast for 2 cups of flour? ›
For each cup of flour (125 g), that is 1.5 g of instant yeast, or 1/2 teaspoon. For salt, I add 2% of the flour weight or 2.5 g per cup or about 0.4 teaspoons of table salt if all else is unsalted.
Which is better, baking soda or baking powder? ›
When to use which one. Baking soda is used in recipes that also include an acidic ingredient, such as cream of tartar, buttermilk, or citrus juice. Conversely, baking powder is typically used when the recipe doesn't feature an acidic ingredient, as the powder already includes the acid needed to produce carbon dioxide.
You can easily make fluffy, flavorful dough that relies on chemical reactions between baking soda, baking powder, or vinegar. Mix up a quick no-yeast pizza dough or soda bread.
Can you make your own yeast? ›
Combine flour and spring water in a medium bowl; stir well. Cover loosely with a cloth and let sit on a kitchen counter for 2 to 3 days, or until bubbly. To use and feed your starter; take out the amount needed for your recipe and then replace that amount with equal parts flour and spring water.
Is cream of tartar a substitute for yeast? ›
Cream of Tartar
Mix half a teaspoon of cream of tartar and half a teaspoon of baking soda to use as a dry yeast substitute. This replaces a teaspoon of yeast in your recipe. A cream of tartar mixture is a good option for batters and quick breads, but won't work for kneaded bread.
Will bread rise without yeast? ›
Baking powder is an excellent substitute for yeast. Made from baking soda and cream of tartar (an acid), it will help reduce the carbon dioxide reaction your bread needs to rise. While regular baking powder will do, double-acting baking powder will yield the best results.
Can self-rising flour replace yeast? ›
As a general rule, don't use self raising flour if there is another leavening agent called for in the recipe such as yeast or baking soda. The leavening in the self raising flour is usually enough. More, don't substitute self raising flour in your recipe without paying close attention to the rest of the recipe.
Are there yeast free breads? ›
The alternative to most sugar producing breads is yeast free bread. There are many delicious yeast free breads that are specially manufactured to meet the needs of those following a Candida diet. Because there is no yeast, you avoid the sugar issues.
What is naturally unleavened bread? ›
Jun 27, 2022Sourdough Supplies. We can broadly categorize bread into two types: leavened and unleavened. Leavened breads contain a small amount of yeast or another leavening agent, while unleavened breads do not. This results in leavened breads being slightly puffier and less dense than unleavened breads.
Does rye bread have yeast? ›
The simplest form is made with rye flour, water, salt, and naturally occurring yeast.
Does all white bread have yeast? ›
White bread and whole grain breads, including whole wheat bread, are made with flour, water, and yeast, but minimal fermentation.
