Instant Pot Bread

By: Leigh Anne WilkesPosted: 3/21/23Updated: 10/07/24

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This Instant Pot bread only needs 4 ingredients and may very quickly become your go to bread recipe. Using your Instant Pot to proof your bread creates the perfect environment for your rising bread.

Can You Make Bread in an Instant Pot?

I never thought of using my Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker for making bread until a friend asked if I had an Instant Pot bread recipe! Figuring out how to use the Instant Pot to make bread went to the top of my to do list.

One of my favorite breads and the easiest to make is this No-Knead Bread. The only problem is it takes 12-18 hours of rising time.

You can create the same loaf of Artisan bread with it’s beautiful crispy crust and is soft and chewy texture inside in 1/3 of the time with the Instant Pot. After tasting the Instant Pot Bread my husband actually declared it the BEST bread he had ever eaten!

4 Ingredients Needed

Flour. All purpose flour
Yeast. Rapid Rise Yeast
Salt
Water

Rapid Rise Yeast vs Active Dry Yeast

This Instant Pot Bread uses Rapid Rise Yeast. Rapid Rise Yeast does not need to be proofed in warm water like Active Dry Yeast. You add the yeast right in with the flour and other dry ingredients and then add in your water.

If all you have is Active Dry Yeast, you can still make this bread. Add your yeast to 1/4 cup of your warm water and allow it to sit and proof for 10 minutes, it will get bubbly. Then add the water and yeast mixture into your dry ingredients and add remaining cup of warm water.

How To Make Instant Pot Bread

Place flour, yeast and salt into a bowl. Pour warm water (105-110 degrees F) over dry ingredients.
Stir to combine. The dough will be shaggy and dry looking, you do not need to knead the dough.

Spray or grease the inside of Instant Pot with cooking spray.
Place bread dough into the liner of the Instant Pot.
Put the lid on the Instant Pot and turn on using the Yogurt setting. Set the timer to 4 hours. And be sure valve is turned to venting.

Remove the lid. The dough will have spread out, doubled in side and have little bubbles over the top of the surface.

Instant Pot Yogurt Setting

Using the Yogurt button on the Instant Pot provides a low consistent heat inside an enclosed area that traps steam and provides a perfect environment for proofing dough.

Baking Instructions

Remove dough from the Instant Pot and place on a floured surface. Turn the dough a few times to form into a loaf shape. Cover with a towel.
Allow the loaf to sit while you preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Place a heavy dutch oven with it’s lid into the oven while it preheats
Brush the top of the loaf with olive oil (an optional 5th ingredient) and sprinkle with coarse salt.

Remove the dutch oven from the oven and place a piece of parchment paper into the pan, be careful, the pan is hot.
Gently lift the dough and place into the hot dutch oven. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 30 minutes with the lid on.
After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the bread is beautifully golden brown.

After the bread has cooled, slice and enjoy with some butter or jam.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I don’t have a dutch oven?

You just need a heavy oven safe pan that has a lid. I have a dutch oven similar to this one.

My Instant Pot doesn’t have a yogurt setting?

If you don’t have a yogurt setting you can turn on the Keep Warm setting for a couple of minutes to warm. up the pot, then turn it off. Add the dough and close the lid, allowing the residual heat to rise the dough.

Do you actually bake the bread in the Instant Pot?

No, you are only proofing or letting the dough proof or rise in the Instant Pot. The bread is baked in the oven.

This is the Instant Pot I use.

Check out these other Instant Pot recipes:

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