Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: I absolutely adore the fresh, earthy, piney taste of rosemary, especially when combined with salty Parmesan cheese!
Texture: The bread develops a wonderfully crisp, rich crust, while the inside is light and tender.
Ease: Ridiculously easy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: The dough comes together in a matter of minutes and using the cast iron pan means no shaping. Not to mention it creates a beautiful crust!
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Bread really doesn’t need to be intimidating or complicated, which is why I love to share recipes like this super easy No Knead Rosemary Parmesan Skillet Bread!
It’s so simple, and the perfect beginner bread if you’ve never baked your own bread before.
There’s nothing like a loaf of fresh-baked bread, warm from the oven! The smell is absolutely intoxicating. I think I was born to bake bread. It’s one of my very favorite things to do.
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How to Make No-Knead Rosemary Parmesan Skillet Bread
Which Yeast Should I Use for Skillet Bread?
- No Knead Rosemary Parmesan Skillet Bread utilizes a shortcut ingredient: instant yeast, also called rapid rise or quick rise yeast.
- One of the three should be available at most grocery stores or you can buy my all-time favorite yeast on Amazon.
- These types of yeast are specifically formulated to allow you to skip proofing (aka the step where you combine the yeast with warm liquid for 5 minutes). You can add instant yeast directly into the mix with all of the ingredients.
What if I Only Have Active Dry Yeast?
If you don’t have or can’t find instant yeast, you can easily use active dry yeast instead at a 1:1 ratio. Add it right in with the dry ingredients like instant yeast, but just note that the dough will take about 20% longer to rise.
Alternatively, you can speed up that rise time slightly; simply combine it with the warm water and a pinch of the sugar called for in the recipe, and allow it to proof until it becomes bubbly (about 5 minutes) before adding into the bowl with the other ingredients. Learn more about the different types of yeast, and how to substitute yeasts, here.
How to Tell When Dough Has Risen
- After mixing, place the dough in a lightly oiled mixing bowl or directly into the oiled skillet.
- I like to take a picture of the dough before rising, so I can compare to see how much it has risen later.
- Cover the bowl or skillet loosely with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free location.
- The amount of time the dough will take to rise depends on your kitchen environment.
- Ideal rise temperatures are between 80°F and 90°F.
- Lower temperatures will require more rising time; hotter temperatures will require less rising time.
- The dough is done rising when it’s about doubled in volume and puffy.
Can I Mix Up the Toppings?
Absolutely! Feel free to add different herbs and spices, change up the cheese, and experiment with adding other toppings. Crumbled feta or goat cheese, torn fresh mozzarella, olives, cherry tomatoes, or fresh garlic cloves are all delicious touches. Homemade everything bagel seasoning also adds a fun flavor.
How to Serve No Knead Rosemary Parmesan Skillet Bread
- Serve alongside a delicious soup, like my Chicken Pot Pie Soup
- Dip the bread in oil & balsamic
- Slather with butter
- Serve with pasta
- Or any other way your heart desires!
More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Garlic Knot Rolls – soft, fluffy, and drenched in garlic butter!
- Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks
- Red Lobster Homemade Cheesy Garlic Biscuits
- Homemade Hawaiian Rolls
- Ultimate Dinner Rolls
- Focaccia Bread
No Knead Rosemary Parmesan Skillet Bread
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Ingredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) instant yeast
- 2 cups lukewarm water (about 100°F)
- 4 1/2 cups (574 grams) all-purpose flour,
measured correctly - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast and water. Add half the flour in and stir with a wooden spoon. Add the rosemary, salt, and remaining flour and stir until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Or, you can let the dough rise in the skillet (next step).
- Brush 2 tablespoons olive oil over the bottom of a 10 or 12-inch cast iron skillet. Sprinkle the dough and your hands with flour before shaping it into a disk. Dough will be sticky, it doesn’t have to be perfectly shaped. Place in the skillet, cover loosely, let rise until puffy, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Drizzle additional olive oil over the top of the bread. Slash the dough with a sharp knife to create an X shape. Sprinkle with rosemary leaves. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle all over with the Parmesan cheese. Return to oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Recipe Notes
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This post was originally published in 2016 and has been updated with additional baking tips. Photos by Jess Larson.
This has been sitting on my Pinterest “To Try” board for ages and I finally got the courage to give it a shot. SO EASY what took me so long!? If mine turned out a bit dense, what should I change next time? First time bread-baker here, so thanks for any tips you can give!
Be sure to add *just* enough flour to bring the dough together. Also avoid adding too much flour when working with the dough. Lastly, be sure to give it enough time to rise properly. If you’re not sure if it’s correctly risen, perform the ripe test. Here’s a helpful article on it: https://redstaryeast.com/yeast-baking-lessons/baking-steps-guide/rising-ripe-test-first-rise/
Can I use dry active yeast instead of “ instant yeast”? If so how much. Thank you
They can be substituted at a 1:1 ratio so the same amount 🙂
WOW! Easiest bread ever, and looks like I paid a baker $8 per loaf! I used Bob’s Red Mill Organic flour, some rosemary I grew on my from porch, Trader Joe’s Romano instead of parmesan (saved me a trip into town!) and organic extra virgin olive oil from Trader Joe’s. I mixed some granulated garlic with my topping cheese. Wow. So glad to stumble upon this recipe! I plan to try a sun-dried tomato and basil with the same basic recipe (minus the rosemary).
I made this for a lunch with my co-workers. They absolutely loved it and I loved how simple it was. I can’t wait to try it again using different flavors.
I decided I had to give this a try! I had no parm or rosemary, however, I had a wedge of Chipotle cheese from Trader Joe”s, and I noticed that many dishes pair garlic, Chipotle and oregano which I have all fresh. A portion of the shredded cheese was kneaded in lightly after the first rise along with a bit of the finely minced garlic, oregano. On its 30 min wait before entering the oven and no I mixed my olive oil with the remaining herb/garlic mix and rubbed it all over. Will bake 20 mins, remove and pat on remaining cheese….Squee!!!!! I am SO hopeful! Will snap a photo when done.
Thank you for inspiring a wonderful day! It may not yet be in terms oven but my apt smells great!
One reply poster asked what to do if you don’t think your 70F home is warm enough to raise the dough when you proof it.
I place my covered bowl of dough in my oven, completely turned off and with shelf as high as the bowl will allow, then I turn on the oven light. Works great for me here in Massachusetts. Hope it helps.
I made this bread and loved it! Instantly thought of everyone I ever loved or wanted to know to make this bread for. Not kidding! In my family, loving means baking, but I’ve never been good at it. This was so easy, I’ve been blessing every Soup Saturday event and get together with it. I do split the dough though cuz my mom has Rosemary. I put Rosemary in half (cuz I love it) and roasted garlic in the other (cuz who don’t love that) and let them rise separately, and bake them together in same pan. It’s a charmer! Thank you for this!
I made this exactly as the recipe directed, except I heated the oven to 400, turned it off, and let the dough rise in a well greased cast iron skiller in the oven for 3 hours before baking as directed. This was the best loaf of bread I have ever made. It was moist, light, and fluffy on the inside, and deliciously crusty and cheesy on the outside. I made the first loaf with the intention to welcome a newcomer in our neighborhood, but I decided to try it first. I am so glad I did. What a delicious treat. I am on a diet so for tonight had a few pieces for dinner, and am stuffed. I am making another loaf right now, so it can rise all night.
Dying to know the cook time if you halve this recipe!!
For those of you without a cast iron pan you can use a covered Dutch oven just heat the pot for about 30 mins before adding the dough and cook with the top on until last 15 mins uncover and cook until crust is desired crustiness.
Also!!! Those of you with an air fryer!!! You can bake bread in it!
I have and it turns out wonderful.
Place parchment paper on bottom and cook on 350° for about 30 mins or until desired crustiness.
Good luck!!
I have made this bread several times. It always turns out great. I grow fresh herbs in my garden so I put fresh oregano, and some basil in it along with the rosemary. You can add just about anything you want and change the flavors up. I have also made your cinnamon swirl bread. It looks so pretty when its done because of the braiding. All your recipes are great. Thanks
Followed the directions of the recipe, with the exception of adding garlic to the dough. The dough was super sticky and it could not be scored. Also the bread stuck to my cast iron skillet and 20 mins later I still can’t get the bread out. Sigh. Not sure where I went wrong, or what to do. But this is so disappointing to say the least.