Easy French Bread with the help of your Instant Pot–Even if you don’t consider yourself a good baker you can make this french bread. Use your Instant Pot to speed up the proofing process.
Instant Pot French Bread (video)
You know what’s cool? How you can take 5 easy ingredients that you probably have at home and transform them into a what might be my favorite thing in the whole world…a warm loaf of fresh bread. I’ve made this bread two times in the last few days and both times I enjoyed it with honey and butter. Both times I said out loud to no one in particular, “there’s just nothing like fresh bread with butter and honey!”
Today I walk you through how to make french bread step by step. I’m always a little intimidated by recipes that call for yeast. I’ve had my share of failures. But this recipe is easy to follow and I know you can do it! Watch my video below and please subscribe to my YouTube channel.
This easy French Bread recipe makes two large loaves. They can both be cooked at the same time on a cookie sheet. This is great for big families who will most certainly eat both loaves within in a few hours or you can keep one for you and give one away. Leftovers also freeze well.
One thought I had was that this French bread would be amazing as the base for the pizza dip I posted the other day!!!
In the video I mention how much I LOVE my USA Pan*. It was gifted to me by a friend a few years ago and I love how it doesn’t stick at all. You don’t use spray on it (or parchment!). It is amazing. I love baking cookies on this pan because they spread evenly and don’t stick at all.
How to use the Instant Pot to proof bread
If you have a yogurt function on your Instant Pot you can use your Instant Pot to proof dough (raise dough) faster. It works so well. The ideal temperature for proofing bread is 78-90 degrees. And the lowest setting on the Instant Pot yogurt mode (usually used for Jiu Niang) has temps between 86-93.2°F.
How to use the Instant Pot to proof dough: Push the yogurt button. Use the adjust button to cycle through until the light is on the “less.” My pot says 24 hours on the display. Then cover the pot with a glass lid or a plate. DO NOT use the normal Instant Pot lid. If you do the dough might raise so high that it pushes the valve up and indicates to the pot that there is under pressure. You won’t be able to open the pot and the lid will be stuck. Let the dough raise for about 30 minutes, or until it has doubled.
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French Bread
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 2 loaves of bread 1x
Description
Even if you’re not a baker you can make this french bread. Use your Instant Pot to speed up the proofing process.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups warm water (not too hot to drink but hotter than luke warm)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp yeast (instant or active dry yeast)
- 2 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
- 5–6 cups of all purpose flour
Instructions
- Fit your stand mixer with a dough hook (if you don’t have a stand mixer you can just use a large mixing bowl and a wooden spoon). Add in the water, sugar and yeast. If using active dry yeast let the mixture sit for 3 minutes, until foamy. If using instant yeast, no need to wait go on to step 2.
- Add in the salt, oil and 2 cups of the flour and mix on low for 15 seconds. Add in 3-4 more cups of flour a little at a time while the mixer is on low. Stop adding flour once the dough clears the sides and middle of the bowl. Then let the mixer knead the bread for 2-3 minutes on medium speed.
- Spray your Instant Pot liner with non stick cooking spray. Add the dough into the Instant Pot. Turn your Instant Pot to the yogurt setting and click adjust until it select the yogurt button. Use the adjust button to cycle through until the light is on the “less.” My pot says 24 hours on the display. Then cover the pot with a glass lid or a plate (see note). Let the dough double in size, about 30 minutes.
- Spread a little flour on your counter and turn the dough onto the counter. Divide the dough in half. Pat each dough ball into a rectangle a little bigger than the size of a notebook paper. Roll the dough up starting from the long size and press out any air bubbles with the heel of your hand. Pinch the seam. Place the bread seam side down on a cookie sheet sprayed with non stick spray or lined with parchment (see note). Then repeat with the other loaf of bread. Lightly brush some olive oil over the top of the loaves.
- Use a serrated knife to slash four lines (very gently) in the top of your bread.
- Lay a clean kitchen towel over the top of the bread and let it raise for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
- Heat your oven to 375° F. Bake for 12 minutes and then rotate the pan and bake for 12 more minutes until the bread is golden. Slice, eat and enjoy!
Notes
DO NOT use the normal Instant Pot lid. If you do the dough might raise so high that it pushes the valve up and indicates to the pot that there is pressure. You won’t be able to open the pot and the lid will be stuck.
I use this USA cookie sheet.* It is my absolute favorite. Don’t use parchment or non stick cooking spray on it. No need! Nothing sticks. It doesn’t warp either. It’s my favorite for cookie baking 🙂
Recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
- Category: Bread
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
This recipe is WONDERFUL!!! Overall it is very easy to make. I made garlic butter to go with it the first night and made French toast with the leftovers. So good!
★★★★★
You’re just talked me into making this again tomorrow. I need to try that garlic butter!
I adjusted a bit. lol.
Heat 1 cup water to boiling, add a packet of French Onion Soup mix. Let stand for 30 minutes.
Heat additional water.
Continue Recipe as in written.
Brush loaves with softened Butter when removed from oven.
Delicious 😋
★★★★★
Wow! Interesting. I would never think of that.
It was great 😋
I love this recipe, I have made the bread many, many times! I’m wondering if you can make the dough a day ahead? Proof in the instant pot, then store in the fridge and do the second rise and bake the next day?
★★★★★
I bet you could do that. But if in the fridge it will just do the second rise overnight and you can probably just take it out of the fridge and bring to room temp and bake
Anxious to try the French bread. Ordered the USA sheet that you recommend from Amazon, should have it tomorrow.
I really love that pan and hope you do too!
I made your French Bread recipe last night. I did it exactly how your recipe stated. I proofed the bread in my oven (I have a Proof button) for the last hour. The problem was that the bread didn’t come as high as yours did. It was baked, but it came about 1/2 as high as yours in your video or even the pictures. Could you let me know what I did wrong? I used 1/2 all purpose flour and 1/2 whole wheat flour. Or could anyone else give me some ideas. I’ve been baking bread for a long time………………………..
Thank you very much.
I’m guessing because of the whole wheat flour. But I’m note 100% sure!
Maybe I’ll try it with just AP flour next time and see if that makes any difference.
Thank you,
Frances Massa
Your recipe says 2 1/2 tsp. of salt. In your video you said that you used 1 Tblsp. of salt. My bread is baking in the oven right now.
I had to cook it a lot longer than directed maybe closer to a half hour but it was so worth it!! Easily the best bread recipe I’ve ever made
★★★★★
Oh that’s so great to hear! Glad you liked it!
Can’t wait to try this –
On a separate note – what mixer do you have that you are using?
Hi Melissa it is an old bosch mixer from the 80s!
Thank you – I had never seen one like that. I grew up with (and inherited) Kitchen Aid and I love that it addresses some of the issues I have with my kitchen aid.
The recipe was fantastic! My husband and son loved it — I had to substitute homemade cream of chicken because I had NONE in the house 🙂 And I was so worried but it had such an awesome taste.
★★★★★
Sorry – I meant the review for another of your recipes… trying the bread for this weekend.
But it wouldn’t let me edit my review to remove the bottom half.
So, I wasn’t home for dinner last night and this morning my hubby says BTW you know I love your crescent rolls but this bread was better than they are. Wowza! Took 35 years to find him a recipe for French Bread that he likes but shhhhhh, easiest one I ever made🤗🤗🤗
★★★★★
Wow that is great news!
Karen,
I have a 3qt Duo Mini. Would I need to change anything?
Susan
★★★★★
It should work. The dough might take up most of the space. Do not put the lid on top. Just use a glass lid or a plate instead.
Hello Karen, was wondering, because I cannot get yeast here in northern Nevada, can I use sourdough starter instead, will that work. If so that would help as I can make my own, thank you, Allie
Hi Allie, I don’t believe so. I like to order mine online: https://www.amazon.com/Saf-Instant-Yeast-Pound-Pouch/dp/B0001CXUHW/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=yeast&qid=1598916111&sr=8-6
Oh thank you so so much, you’re the best, Allie
This recipe is delish. But it’s slot of bread for just 2. Can I freeze the dough or only when it’s cooked?
★★★★★
I would slice it and freeze it. Then take out one slice at a time from the freezer for toast or let it thaw out.
Dear Karen, a couple discrempenses I found. Please understand I am not criticizing you or upset just FYI. First I read your instructions/recipe and no where does it say you can let the dough rise on the counter. Found that out only in your vid. Second awhile back I asked about using an instant pot with no yogurt function. You wrote back saying if I do this that and other thing it would be similar. Well my instant pot does not have a yogurt function so I tried your way. I dont have the 1 thru 6 heat function under warm all I have is Low Med, and High. So put it on low and the dough inside. After a about thirty minutes went to take it out and it was so hot i could not touch/manage it. It was a very firm, nearly hard on the bottom, so I’ll try these loaves anyway. Learned before putting the dough in the instant pot to turn it on low and when it gets as hot as it’s going to then turn it off and THEN put the dough in should be ok. I cannot rise it on the counter as in the summer we run AC and keep it cool in here as it gets to 98/hundred plus here in Nevada. Just so you know and give a learned thought, Allie
Hi Allie, I don’t remember saying that about the IP. But in the future my recommendation would be to NOT use the IP to proof bread unless you use the yogurt function on LESS. One trick to raise bread quicker is to turn your oven to 200 degrees. Then turn it off once it reaches 200 degrees. Then put the bread dough in there to raise. The warmed up oven will help the process go quicker.
Ok great I’ll try that as soon as I can get yeast. Thank you for the reply, Allie
What if we do not have a yogurt button on the insta pot? What setting do we use? Thank you
★★★★★
You can just raise the bread on the counter. It will take twice as long to raise.
Do you have a Mac and cheese instapot recipe
Yep! https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/instant-pot-3-cheese-macaroni-and-cheese/
I always have trouble with bread. I bought a bread maker to help and had some success but not enough to keep me interested. Oh my. What a great recipe. I’ve wanted to try it since it was first posted. The IP does a great job for the first raise. Then I shaped the loaves, put them on an 11×17 pan. This is where I usually fall short. It seems my home is not warm enough to help the second raise. My solution; boil a cup of water in a 1cup measuring cup in the microwave then place the bread on top of the cup. The microwave is nice and warm and the pour spout on the cup helps with moisture. Make sure your microwave is large enough to accommodate the pan. I took a photo but not sure how to post it, I don’t do Pinterest. Thanks Karen.
★★★★★
I’m glad that you had success with this recipe! Good idea using the cup of water 👏
How do I store the bread? Thank you!
I store it in an old bread bag and use a twist tie on it. It’s best fresh but will be good for 3 days or so on the counter. You can also freeze it in a ziploc bag.
I haven’t made bread in years, decades, actually, and this is so fast and easy! We will certainly be enjoying fresh, warm bread quite often now.
★★★★★
Good! so glad to hear this Peggy 😊
Making this bread today was my first bread-making attempt not using a bread machine 😁 — and it turned out great! I highly recommend it. Thanks for the recipe! I will definitely be making it again and again and again.
👏👏 Good job Sue!!!
Hi Karen,
I have an Instant Pot Duo SV and when I push the yogurt button, the display beeps and says Lid. Any ideas? Thanks for everything-you’re GREAT and I love your new kitchen😁
I had the same issue, I ended up taking leaving it on vent and took the “bobber” thing out all together so it couldn’t seal up. Worked great!
Did you figure a work around Ann??
Did I hear you say almost 1 TBSP of salt? Yet that is not the amount in the recipe. I’m proofing the dough now and used the amount in the recipe, not the amount you mentioned in the video. Love your recipes and can’t wait to see how this turns out. I’ve never been good at making bread, so I’m pretty excited. I’m using the proofing option on my oven as I don’t have the IP with yogurt making function.
Hi Jo, 2 1/2 teaspoons or salt is equal to .83 tablespoons, so you should be good!
Hey Karen, This bread looks amazing. Unfortunately I am gluten free. Do you have any recipes for gluten folks? Love your recipes & look forward to them each week. Thanks!
Hi Debbie, I’m super unfamiliar with gluten free baking. do you have a bread recipe you like that is gluten free I could look at?
What setting would you use if you do not have a “yogurt” on your instant pot? Thanks Cindy
Hi Cindy. I would just keep the dough in your mixer bowl and let it raise for 60 minutes instead of 30. You can cover the bowl with plastic or a towel.
Thanks! Now just have to find some yeast…..
I got mine on amazon!
thanks! I asked the same question.
Do you think you could make this in a loaf pan? If so, any tip on bake time? Thx!!
If you do use a loaf pan I would divide the dough into 4 pieces and make 4 loaves instead of 2. I would use the same baking time, or close to it. Just keep your eye on it!