There’s something deeply satisfying about baking bread from scratch—especially when it only requires four simple ingredients. This homemade bread recipe proves that you don’t need special equipment, long ingredient lists, or years of baking experience to create a loaf with a crisp golden crust and a soft, airy center. It’s rustic, comforting, and wonderfully approachable.
This style of bread is often baked in a covered pot, which traps steam and mimics a professional bread oven, giving you bakery-quality results right at home.
Why This Bread Recipe Works
The beauty of four-ingredient bread lies in simplicity. Flour provides structure, water hydrates the dough, yeast brings it to life, and salt enhances flavor. With time doing most of the work, the dough develops texture and taste naturally—no kneading required.
Steam is the secret weapon here. Baking the bread in a covered pot allows the dough to rise fully before the crust sets, creating that signature crackly exterior.
The Four Ingredients You’ll Need
All-purpose or bread flour
Warm water
Active dry yeast
Salt
That’s it—no sugar, no oil, no additives.