Homemade vegan bread is totally worth the effort—crusty on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, and full of rich, wholesome flavor. Plus, it’s way easier to make than you'd think!
I know. Yes, you can buy vegan bread at the store. But it's SO MUCH BETTER when you make it at home. I am a bread lover, and most of the time I buy my bread. But when I'm really craving a killer hummus and veggie sandwich or slice of toast, maybe topped with some avocado or vegan Nutella, homemade bread is the way to go. It's not that hard either. Let me show you how!
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Homemade vegan bread is incredibly soft, with amazing flavor that you just can't get from grocery store bread. Plus, it makes your house smell amazing and feel all cozy while it's baking. It does take some time, but most of that time is hands off, while you're letting the dough rise and then baking your loaf.
This stuff is so worth it. Give it a try just once and your life will be changed forever.
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Water.
- Sugar. Use organic sugar. Conventional sugar may have been processed using animal bone char, so it may not be vegan.
- Instant yeast. Using instant yeast will cut back a bit on the time required to make your bread.
- Vegan butter. Most stores sell this in the refrigerated section, next to the regular butter. Earth Balance, Miyoko's, and Melt are some brands you'll probably see.
- Salt.
- Flour. Use all-purpose wheat flour, also known as white flour.
- Vegetable oil. You can substitute more vegan butter for this, if you'd like.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Start by whisking warm water, sugar, and yeast together in a large mixing bowl. Let this mixture sit for a few minutes, until it becomes frothy.
Step 2: Whisk some melted butter and salt into the mixture. Make sure the butter has cooled before adding it. You don't want to kill your yeast.
Step 3: Start stirring in the flour, just a bit at a time. Once all the flour has been added, you'll end up with a loose, shaggy dough.
Step 4: Time to knead the dough! Turn it onto a floured work surface, and have at it. Get all of your frustrations out! The dough is ready when it is smooth and elastic.
Step 5: First rise! Place the dough in an oiled mixing bowl, cover it, and set it in a warm spot.
Step 6: After one to two hours, the dough should have doubled in size. It's ready to be shaped!
Tip: Your dough will rise faster in a warm location. Some ovens have a bread proofing setting. If yours does, use it! If not, try placing the bowl in the oven (while it's off) with the light on.
Step 7: Lightly oil the inside of an 8 x 4 inch bread pan.
Steps 8 & 9: Punch down the dough and roll it to fit in your bread pan. Place it in the pan and let it rise again, this time just until it becomes puffy.
Steps 10 & 11: Preheat the oven to 350°F, then place the pan into the oven and bake the bread until the crust is golden brown.
Step 12: Place the pan on a cooling rack and let the bread cool for ten minutes before removing the bread from the pan. Place the loaf directly on the rack to finish cooling.
Step 13: Your homemade vegan bread is ready to slice and serve!
Shelf-Life & Storage
Your bread will keep in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for three to four days. It may keep for a bit longer if it's not sliced, so only slice the amount you plan to eat at a given time. You can also freeze the bread in an airtight container or bag. It'll keep for about three months in the freezer.
Frequently Asked Questions
I wouldn't recommend it. Yeast breads are too fussy for major substitutions like gluten-free flour.
Unfortunately, this means your yeast is dead, and your bread won't rise if you proceed with the recipe from here. You'll need to start over with a new packet of yeast (and be sure to check the expiration date before you begin).
You can, but you'll need to give the dough some extra time to rise.
I don't recommend it. Yeast feeds on sugar, so without it your bread may not rise sufficiently.
You can, but the loaf will be quite a bit shorter.
More Vegan Yeast Breads
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📖 Recipe
Soft & Simple Homemade Vegan Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup water, heated to 100° to 110°F (38 to 43C)
- 2 tablespoons organic granulated sugar
- 1 (7 gram/2.25 teaspoon) packet instant yeast
- 3 tablespoons vegan butter, melted and cooled
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus up to ½ cup for kneading
- Vegetable oil or additional butter
Instructions
- Place the water into a large mixing bowl, then whisk in the sugar and yeast. Let the mixture sit for five minutes while you gather your other ingredients, until it becomes frothy.
- Whisk in the butter and salt.
- Begin stirring in the flour, ½ cup at a time. You can start working in the flour with your hands when the mixture gets too thick to stir. Once you've added all 2 ½ cups of flour, the mixture should have turned into a shaggy dough.
- Lightly sprinkle a work surface with flour. Turn the dough onto the surface, then knead it for 5 to 8 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- Lightly coat the inside of a large mixing bowl with vegetable oil or vegan butter. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl. Cover it with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap, and place the bowl in a warm location.
- Let the dough rise until it has doubled in size, which should take 1 to 2 hours, depending on the temperature (Note 1).
- Lightly oil or butter the inside of an 8 x 4 inch bread pan.
- Punch the dough down, then place it on a lightly floured work surface. Gently roll the dough into a log, shaping it to fit inside of your bread pan. Place the dough into the pan, seam side down.
- Cover the pan with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap, then place it in a warm spot. Let the dough rise a second time, until it has gotten puffy but not quite doubled in size, about 45 minutes to an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the pan into the oven and bake the bread until the top is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack and let the bread cool for ten minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and transfer the loaf to the cooling rack. Let it cool completely.
- Slice the bread, then serve.
Notes
- The dough will rise faster in warmer temperatures, and more slowly in cooler temperatures.
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This recipe was easy to follow & the bread turned out amazing! Thank you for sharing this recipe for all the vegans in our family!
Making it for Christmas as well.
Can’t wait to try the dinner rolls.