Vegan Garlic Herb Bread

Published: Jun 24, 2020 · Modified: Oct 13, 2022 by Tajda Ferko This post may contain affiliate links

My vegan garlic herb bread is a showstopper like no other. It's gorgeous, but so easy to make you practically can't go wrong. Bursting with flavour and beginner friendly.

A load of herb bread laying flat on a baking paper.

Why this recipe works

The crunch of this bread is like no other.
A real showstopper!
A lot easier to make than it looks.
So much better than store-bought garlic bread!
Easily to customise (simply use any herbs you want)

You'll find full instructions including US and EU measurements below. But first, let's see what you'll need.

The Ingredients

To make your delicious vegan garlic herb bread you'll need:

All ingredients needed to make a load of vegan garlic and herb bread.

A Few Ingredient Notes

Basil: I used fresh basil.

Coriander (cilantro in the US): I used fresh coriander.

Parsley and thyme: I used both of these dried.

Oil: I suggest using a light vegetable oil such as olive or sunflower oil.

Yeast: I used instant yeast (sometimes called quick-rise yeast or fast-acting yeast).

Step-by-step Instructions

This is a quick & foolproof visual guide through the recipe.

*A detailed (including measurements) recipe card that you can print is waiting for you at the bottom of this post.

A collage of four image showing the first four steps in making bread dough.

1. Combine the warm water and yeast in a large bowl. Add oil, then the flour, and lastly salt (on top of the flour).

2. Stir the mixture until it comes together to form a dough. Turn the dough and knead for 5-10 minutes until it springs back when touched.

3. Shape into a ball, cover and leave to rise for an hour (or until doubled in size). In the meantime, make your filling by mixing all the filling ingredients.

4. Once risen use your fists to knock the air out of the dough.

A collage of four images showing how to roll out and fill the dough.

5. Use your hands to shape the dough into a rough rectangle. Then roll it out into a thin rectangle.

6. Divide the filling equally over the dough.

7. You want a thick and short roll so start rolling the dough on one of the short sides.

8. To twist your dough, cut a slit down the middle of the roll, leaving the top part uncut.

A collage of four images showing to create a twisted bread shape.

9. Turn the filling to the outside, revealing the herb paste dressing.

10. Fold one part of the roll over the other, keeping the filling exposed.

11. Repeat until you've reached all the way to the bottom.

12. Finish by pinching the two halves together and tucking the pinched part under the loaf.

A collage of two images showing twisted garlic bread before and after rising.

13. Cover with cling film (use glasses to hold up the cling film to prevent from touching the dough) for a final proof of 45 minutes.

14. Once the loaf has proofed (doubled in size) brush your loaf with almond milk and bake for 30-35 minutes at 190°C / 374°F (fan oven setting) until golden brown.

My Top Tips

Two slices of vegan garlic bread placed on a round plate.

1. Use bread flour

I can't stress the importance of this enough. This recipe simply won't work unless you use bread flour.

Wondering why? Bread flour is higher in protein and has better gluten development. This results in a fluffy, crunchy, well-shaped bread.

Plain flour, on the other hand, builds up less stretch in the dough and causes the dough to tear when baked.

2. Separate your yeast and salt

Salt will kill your yeast and inhibit the rise. This is why it's important to keep the yeast and salt separated until you form your dough.

3. Don’t use hot water

Another yeast destroyer is hot water! Make sure to use lukewarm (not hot) water. The water should be warm to the touch, but not burning hot or cold.

Find out why hot water can kill yeast here.

4. Knead until the dough springs back

Another friendly tip from someone that's baked this exact bread a dozen times.

Make sure that you knead your dough for long enough. If your dough is under-kneaded, it will lose its distinct shape when baked.

To get that gorgeous twist, make sure to knead until the dough springs back when you press your fingers into it.

5. Pinch the end

The key to creating a lovely twist shape? The pinch and fold! By pinching and folding your dough at the bottom you will prevent it from unravelling in the oven.

FAQs

Why has my dough not risen?

There are a few things that can prevent the dough from rising.

It usually means the yeast has been deactivated. High temperature can deactivate your yeast and inhibit the rise of the bread, so when you add your water make sure it's warm to the touch but not hot. If in doubt, always go for a bit colder rather than warmer.

Salt can also kill your yeast so make sure that your salt doesn't touch the yeast until you stir your mixture to form a dough.

A great way to ensure this is to first add the flour on top of the yeast. Then make a small well in the flour and pour the salt into that well.

Why has my bread lost its twist shape and definition?

The loaf can lose its twisty shape if the dough is too wet. This won't affect the flavour at all, but try adding a bit less water next time if you want a well-defined twist shape.

If you’ve added the exact amount of water and flour then your dough might be under-kneaded. This means the gluten in the bread is not strong enough to hold the twist shape.

Make sure to knead for longer next time. Knead until the dough springs back when you lightly press your finger against it.

Why is my bread dense?

This means your bread hasn't risen properly. A bad rise can happen when some or all of the yeast has been deactivated.

If your dough doubled in size after the first rise then your yeast was doing its job well. It might be the case the second rise wasn’t long enough or might have been in a cold place.

Additionally, you might have over kneaded the dough the second time (when shaping your twist) which caused it to be too tense and prevented it from rising properly.

How do I store my bread?

Store your loaf in an airtight container or bread tin for up to 4 days. Please do mind that this bread is by far the most delicious when eaten fresh, preferably on the first day.

Can I freeze my bread?

Yes. Freeze after baking and save for up to a month. To serve simply take out of the freezer the night before and leave to thaw at room temperature.

Possible Ingredient Substitutions

A load of twist bread on a table with two slice cut off and placed on a plate.

Here are a few ways you could substitute the ingredients in this bread.

Oil – Any light vegetable oil will work but use a good quality oil as you will get the flavour coming through.

Almond milk – any plant milk will work for brushing so don’t worry if you haven’t got almond milk at hand. Tip: do make sure you're using unsweetened plant milk and avoid coconut milk due to it's strong taste.

Basil and other herbs - not a fan of some of the herbs in this recipe? No problem. Don't feel obliged to use exactly the same herbs as the ones listed in the recipe. You can experiment with various other ones such as oregano and chives.

If you liked my vegan garlic herb bread, make sure to check out my other favourite bread recipes. Some of the most popular ones are the orange cardamom bun, blueberry knot buns and dinner rolls. Or you can check out my entire recipes section here.

Thanks for sticking with me until the end! Happy bread-making!

🍴Recipe