When thinking of vegan breads, two main baking ingredients are already excluded from the recipe: milk and eggs. But, you need to organize a small event and don’t want to rely on supermarket products. Here are delicious tips for all your guests, vegan or not.
Besides the bread recipes, here are four options, followed by two tips for spreads that perfectly harmonize with these vegan recipes.
Rosemary Focaccia bread (serves 4-6 people)
Ingredients:
- 3 cups wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Coarse sea salt to taste
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast.
- Add the warm water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rest for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F).
- Spread the dough in a greased baking tray, poking small holes all over the surface with your fingers.
- Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, spread the rosemary leaves, and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Preparation time: 1 hour and 30 minutes (including resting time)
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Banana and oat buns (makes 8-10 buns)
Ingredients:
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the mashed bananas, oil, and brown sugar.
- In another bowl, mix the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ones, mixing until you get a homogeneous dough.
- If using, add the chopped nuts.
- With a spoon, form small mounds of dough on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15-18 minutes
Tips:
- For focaccia, you can replace rosemary with other fresh herbs like thyme or oregano.
- In the banana buns, you can add vegan chocolate chips for a more indulgent version.
- Both recipes can be prepared in advance and briefly warmed up before serving.
Now, let’s suggest two more bread types focused on herbs and grains, and three options of delicious spreads.
Multi-grain herb bread (serves 10 people)
Ingredients:
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons flax seeds
- 2 teaspoons dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (sage, thyme, and rosemary)
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients, including seeds and herbs.
- Add olive oil and warm water. Mix until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rest for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F).
- Shape the dough into a round loaf and place on a baking sheet.
- Make some incisions on the surface and sprinkle with a little flour.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Preparation time: 1 hour and 20 minutes (including resting time)
Cooking time: 30-35 minutes
Garlic and herb buns (serves approximately 10 people – about 20 buns)
Ingredients:
- 4 cups wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, chives, and basil)
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Instructions:
- Mix flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
- Add olive oil and warm water. Mix until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Add minced garlic and herbs. Knead a bit more to incorporate.
- Let the dough rest, covered, for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (374°F).
- Divide the dough into 20 equal pieces and shape into buns.
- Place the buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Let rest for another 15 minutes.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
Preparation time: 1 hour and 30 minutes (including resting time)
Cooking time: 15-18 minutes
Suggestions for vegan spreads:
1. Beetroot hummus
Ingredients:
- 1 can chickpeas, drained
- 1 medium cooked beetroot
- 2 garlic cloves
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and cumin to taste
Instructions:
- Blend all ingredients in a processor until smooth.
- Adjust the salt and spices to taste.
2. Avocado and herb spread
Ingredients:
- 2 ripe avocados
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Mash the avocados and mix with the other ingredients.
- Adjust the seasonings to taste.
3. Smoked eggplant dip (Babaganoush)
Ingredients:
- 2 medium eggplants
- 2 roasted garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and cumin to taste
- Chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions:
- Roast whole eggplants in the oven until soft.
- Peel and process with the other ingredients until smooth.
- Adjust the seasonings and garnish with parsley.
Final tips:
- Serve the breads warm for a more pleasant experience.
- Prepare the spreads in advance for better flavor development.
- Arrange the spreads in small bowls surrounded by the breads for a beautiful presentation.
- Don’t forget to offer extra virgin olive oil for guests to drizzle over the spreads, if they wish.
Enjoyed the tips? Feel free to comment if we’ve made an error or if you’d like more vegan recipes here on our blog.