This No-Knead Easy Jalapeno Bread has a crusty and crispy exterior with a soft and fluffy texture inside. The bread is filled with cheese and jalapeno peppers.
About Jalapeno Cheese Bread
Making this bread is easy, and we get a delicious, crusty, and cheesy loaf. Popularly this type of bread is often made in a Dutch oven. But because I don’t have one, I have baked it in my cast-iron casserole pot. Both the Dutch oven and casserole pot will work the same way to make this bread. So you can bake this bread using either one. Jalapeno Cheese Bread is stunning and delicious and, at the same time, straightforward to make. Simply toast this bread, have it for breakfast, or create a crispy grill sandwich with your favorite fillings. To make it kids friendly, make sure to remove jalapeno seeds, and they will love it.
Ingredients
Step-by-Step Directions
Making The Dough
Take warm water into a measuring cup or in a bowl, add oil, sugar, and yeast. Stir lightly and set aside.
Take flour, chopped jalapeno peppers, salt, and cheese in a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
Add yeast mixture into the flour mixture and mix with a wooden or rubber spatula. Mix until everything is well combined and a soft, sticky dough is formed. The dough should be sticky and pull away from the sides but not wet; add a little more flour if it is wet.
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel, and place it in a warm place for an hour or until the dough is double in size.
After an hour or when the dough is doubled, pull it from the sides and fold it into the center using a spatula. This way, the air will be removed from the dough, and a rough dough ball will be formed. Cover the bowl again and place it in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Baking The Bread
Now preheat the oven to 425° F, and place your cast-iron casserole or Dutch oven with the lid into the oven. Let it preheat for 30 minutes while your dough rises for the second time.
After the second rise, lightly dust the clean surface with flour and transfer the dough onto it.
Flour your hands, pull the sides of the dough into the center, and seal them by pinching them.
Make a rough dough ball and carefully transfer it onto a large piece of parchment paper with seam side down.
Top the dough with shredded cheddar cheese and jalapeno pepper rings.
Using the oven mitts, carefully remove the hot casserole or Dutch oven from the oven. Remove the lid, place the dough with parchment paper into the casserole, and cover it with the lid.
Then return it to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese on the top is golden brown. Remove the Dutch oven or casserole from the oven, and carefully pull out the bread by lifting the parchment paper. If that is not convenient, slightly tilt the casserole or Dutch oven and slide the parchment paper with the bread.
Remove the parchment paper and let the bread cool down completely on the cooling rack. Then, slice the bread and enjoy.
Storing and Serving Suggestions
You can keep the bread at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you still have leftovers, refrigerate for up to 5 days. Jalapeno Cheese Bread tastes very delicious and fresh the same day, and we can enjoy it as it is. For the warm and crispy bread slice, toast it and spread butter on top. Jalapeno Cheese Bread is great for making crispy grill sandwiches. For a change, serve this bread instead of a dinner roll with your main course.
Why Baking The Bread In a Dutch Oven or Casserole?
A Dutch oven or casserole conducts the heat evenly, which bakes the bread consistently and evenly. Also, steam is released from the bread traps inside by closing the lid, making the bread crusty but not tough. But too much steam is not good either, so we remove the lid after 30 minutes and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes more.
Can I Make This Bread Without a Dutch Oven or Casserole?
Yes! We can use the large baking tray for baking this bread. However, we don’t need to preheat the tray. Instead, line the baking tray with parchment paper and transfer the bread dough ball onto this tray. But we still need to create steam to make the bread crusty. We can do that by placing a small baking tray of water underneath the baking tray. So the baking tray with bread dough will go on the middle rack of the oven and the water-filled small tray in the bottom rack. After 30 minutes of baking bread, remove the water-filled pan and continue baking it for 10-15 minutes or until it becomes golden brown.
