Description
This quick 20-minute homemade bread recipe yields a soft, golden loaf made from simple pantry ingredients. Perfect for when you want fresh bread fast, it uses instant yeast and a brief bake time for a delicious result without hours of waiting.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 0.75 cup warm water (about 110°F)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: Combine warm water, sugar, and instant yeast in a mixing bowl. Let the mixture sit undisturbed for 5 minutes until it becomes foamy, indicating that the yeast is active and ready for baking.
- Mix Dough: Add the all-purpose flour, salt, and olive oil or melted butter to the yeast mixture. Stir thoroughly until a soft dough forms, ensuring all ingredients are well combined.
- Shape Dough: Shape the dough into a loaf form and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Rest and Preheat Oven: Let the shaped dough rest for 5 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). This short rest helps the dough relax before baking.
- Brush and Bake: Lightly brush the top of the dough with olive oil or melted butter to promote a beautiful golden crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the bread is golden brown.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the bread to cool slightly on a wire rack before slicing. This helps the bread finish setting and prevents it from becoming gummy.
Notes
- For best results, use water that is warm but not hot to the touch (about 110°F) to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
- You can substitute olive oil with melted butter for richer flavor.
- This bread is best consumed the same day but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Feel free to add herbs or garlic powder to the dough for added flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: quick homemade bread, easy bread recipe, 20-minute bread, no-yeast-rise bread, instant yeast bread
