How to Bake Bread without an Oven at Home
How to Bake Bread without an Oven at Home
How to Bake Bread without an Oven at Home (Easy Stove-Top Recipe Nigerians Love)
Bread is one recipe Nigerians don’t joke with! I still remember a time when bakeries in my locality went on strike because of the high price of flour.
You won’t believe how people reacted, it was almost as if bread was the only food they could survive on!
That moment made me realize how much Nigerians truly love bread. From breakfast with bread and tea to enjoying it with akara, mmoi-moi scrambled eggs, or plantain, bread remains a daily staple. In fact, many families buy at least one loaf every single day.
How to Make Bread without an Oven At Home
But here’s the sweetest part: you don’t need an oven to make bread at home!
Yes, you can bake soft, fluffy bread on your stovetop, in a pot, with a skillet, or even an air fryer. In this post, I’ll show you step-by-step how to bake bread without an oven at home.
This is a must-try recipe, and once you try it, you may never want to wait in line at the bakery again.
Why Bake Bread without an Oven?
Not everyone has an oven at home, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying fresh, homemade bread.
In Nigeria, especially, gas stoves and kerosene stoves are more common, so knowing this trick is very useful.
Other reasons to try stove-top bread:
- Saves electricity or gas
- Fun to try new cooking methods
- Works perfectly even if your oven is faulty
- Bread still comes out soft, fluffy, and golden brown
Ingredients to Make Bread Without an Oven
Here’s what you’ll need for this stove-top bread recipe:
- 2 cups (250g) flour
- 1 medium egg
- 50ml melted margarine or butter
- 2 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
- 1 tsp yeast
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
- 120ml lukewarm water
- 60ml lukewarm liquid milk
Preparation Steps
- Mix dry ingredients – Sift flour into a dry bowl, add sugar, salt, and baking powder. Mix well.
- Activate the yeast – Take 30ml from the lukewarm water, dissolve the yeast, and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Prepare wet mixture – Whisk the egg, mix with the milk, and add the dissolved yeast.
- Combine – Make a hole in the flour, pour in the egg mixture, add margarine, then gradually add water. Mix into a dough.
- Knead the dough – Knead until smooth, soft, and stretchy.
- Shape – Divide into portions, roll into your desired loaf shape.
- Grease the pan – Rub margarine inside the baking pan and on the dough.
- Egg wash – Brush the dough with whisked egg for shine.
- Proofing – Cover and leave to rise for 45 minutes until doubled in size.
Stove-Top Baking Procedure
- Place a large pot on the stove with a metal stand inside. Preheat for 5–7 minutes on medium heat.
- Place your greased bread pan with dough inside the pot. Cover tightly with the pot lid.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then brush with more egg wash and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Remove carefully, cool on a wire rack, and enjoy your fresh, soft bread!
Pro tip: The egg wash makes the bread shiny, golden, and extra appetizing.
Other Ways to Bake Bread without an Oven
If you don’t want to use a stove, here are alternative methods:
- Cast Iron Skillet Bread – Cook the dough in a covered skillet over low heat.
- Pressure Cooker Bread – Works just like an oven when covered tightly.
- Air Fryer Bread – Place dough in basket at 200°C for 15 minutes, then bake at 180°C for 25 minutes.
- Microwave Bread – Quick method; use mug bread or steam bread in a microwave-safe dish.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How to make bread without an oven at home
You can make bread without an oven by baking on a stove-top. Simply place your dough in a greased pan, put the pan inside a preheated pot with a lid, and cook on low to medium heat for 35–40 minutes. You can also use a pressure cooker, skillet, or air fryer as oven alternatives.
2. How to make bread without yeast and an oven at home
If you don’t have yeast or an oven, you can make quick bread like soda bread or banana bread. These use baking powder or baking soda instead of yeast. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, milk, and melted butter into a dough or batter, then cook in a covered skillet or pot on the stove until golden and firm.
3. How to bake bread in an oven at home
To bake bread in an oven, preheat your oven to 180–200°C (350–400°F), place your shaped dough in a greased loaf pan, and bake for 25–35 minutes until golden brown. The top should sound hollow when tapped.
4. How to make a bread oven at home
You can improvise a bread oven at home using a large pot or pan with a tight-fitting lid. Place a stand or wire rack inside the pot, preheat it on the stove, and then put your bread pan inside. This creates a mini-oven effect. You can also build a simple clay or brick oven outdoors if you want a traditional setup.
5. How to bake homemade bread without a Dutch oven
If you don’t have a Dutch oven, bake bread in a regular loaf pan, covered pot, skillet, or even an air fryer. The key is to trap heat and moisture, so you can cover your pan with foil or a lid to mimic the Dutch oven effect.
6. Can you make bread without an oven?
Yes! Bread can be made without an oven using a stove, air fryer, slow cooker, or microwave. People have been baking bread for centuries using clay pots, fire pits, and stovetop methods before modern ovens existed.
7. How to make bread without an oven
To make bread without an oven, knead your dough as usual, place it in a greased pan, and bake inside a preheated covered pot on the stove for 35–40 minutes. This will give you soft, fluffy bread just like the bakery.
Final Thoughts
Try this stove-top bread recipe and share it with your family. Don’t forget to leave a comment and share your experience—I’d love to hear how yours turned out!
