This No Knead Dill Bread is moist and dense and perfect for fresh dill season!
It uses ricotta cheese so it stays moist. You don’t notice the taste of the cheese – just the dill!
I served it with this delicious Smoky Scallop Chowder.
I also slathered a wedge with my Egg Salad and it was r e a l l y g o o d !
The bread will keep well on the counter for a couple of days but then I would freeze the rest, if it lasts that long, just to be safe.
You bake this in an 8″ cake pan with a 1 1/2″ rim. So it comes out perfect to be cut into wedges. It is so dense and moist it will never rise to a regular loaf shape.
No knead… doesn’t get any easier than that. I would say this is pretty much foolproof as long as your yeast is active. As long as you have a frothy, bubbly, beige foam on your proofing water you are good to go!

Ingredients
- 1/4 cup warm water 105-115 degrees
- 2 1/4 tsps dry yeast
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (or farmer's cottage cheese)
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tbsp butter melted
- 1/2 cup +1 Tbsp water
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh dill fronds only minced
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
Instructions
- Pour warm water into a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over and stir it. Allow to sit about 10 minutes. You should have a bubbly, foamy surface at the end of the 10 minutes.
- Stir in the ricotta cheese, dill, egg, butter, remaining water, salt and sugar. Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until a semi-stiff dough forms.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm area until doubled. (About 1 hour).
- Butter an 8" cake pan with 1 1/2" sides. Punch down dough, transfer to the cake pan. Shape into a 6" round.
- Let dough rise uncovered another 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake bread on center rack about 40-45 minutes. Dough should be golden and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and transfer to a rack to cool immediately.
- Can be made ahead. When completely cool wrap in foil and then plastic and store at room temperature for 1 day. Otherwise freeze for up to 2 weeks.
- Cut into wedges to serve.
Notes
Nutrition

Have you tried regular curd cottage cheese? Will it work instead of the farmers cheese?
Hi Brenda. I have not tried regular curd cottage cheese. My concern would be the texture and the fact that some of the moisture from the cheese replaces liquid in the recipe and it might not distribute evenly if in curd form. In a pinch, if you try it I would mash the curds or pulse them in a food process to approach the consistency of farmer’s cheese. You would have to be careful not to overprocess it to be too liquid-y. If you try it please give us an update on how it worked.
Very good. Will make again. Thank you
I am glad you liked it! My pleasure to share!
When do you add the 1/2 cup plus 1 tbls of water?
Hi Patti. Sorry for the confusion. You mix it with the ricotta and other wet ingredients. I have updated the recipe! Thanks for asking!