These vegan dinner rolls are impossibly soft, fragrant with roasted garlic and Italian herbs, and finished with a glossy roasted garlic butter that makes them absolutely irresistible. The tender crumb rivals any bakery roll, while the plant-based ingredients keep them accessible for everyone at the table. Perfect for holidays, dinner parties, or whenever you want to elevate a simple weeknight meal.
The Roll That Converts Even the Skeptics.
I have to confess something: I used to be intimidated by bread making. All that kneading, rising, and timing felt overwhelming until I discovered that good bread is really just about patience and technique, not magic.
These rolls changed everything for me. The dough is forgiving and soft to work with, the roasted garlic adds incredible depth without being overpowering, and that final brush of garlic butter makes them look and taste like something from a fancy restaurant. I’ve served these at Thanksgiving dinners where nobody realized they were vegan until I mentioned it.
Key Ingredients
- All-purpose flour and potato flour – the combo creates incredibly soft texture; substitute more AP flour if needed
- Active dry yeast – make sure it’s fresh for best rise; instant yeast works too
- Roasted garlic cloves – roasted in a skillet for concentrated, sweet flavor
- Italian herb blend – dried herbs add aromatic complexity throughout
- Nutritional yeast – provides subtle cheesy flavor and helps with browning
- Olive oil – keeps crumb tender and adds richness
- Almond milk – any plant milk works; creates soft texture when warmed
How to Make It (Step-by-Step)
Roast the Garlic
- Start with the garlic: Place whole garlic cloves (skins on) in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook about 15 minutes, turning occasionally until blackened in spots all over.
- Cool and prep: Let garlic cool completely, then slip off skins. Mash with a fork until smooth. You’ll use some in the dough, some for the butter.
Make the Dough
- Combine dry ingredients: In your mixer bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, yeast, salt, herbs, and nutritional yeast.
- Add wet ingredients: Pour in olive oil, lukewarm water, warmed almond milk, and mashed roasted garlic. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead to perfection: Attach dough hook and knead on medium-low speed for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Dough should be soft but not sticky.
First Rise and Shaping
- First rise: Shape dough into a ball, place in oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap. Rise in warm spot about 1 hour until doubled.
- Shape your choice: For rolls, divide into 8 portions and shape into balls. For knots, roll dough into rectangle and cut into strips, then tie into knots.
- Final rise: Place shaped rolls on baking sheet, cover, and rise until very puffy, about 1 hour.
Bake and Finish
- Bake to golden: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 17 minutes until golden brown on top.
- Finish with garlic butter: Brush warm rolls with mixture of melted vegan butter and remaining roasted garlic. Serve immediately.
My Favorite Ways to Serve Them:
- Warm from the oven with soup or stew
- Alongside roasted vegetables for Sunday dinner
- Shaped into knots for special occasions
- Split and toasted for breakfast with jam
Vegan Roasted Garlic & Herb Dinner Rolls FAQs
Absolutely! Mix ingredients in a large bowl, then knead by hand on a floured surface for 12-15 minutes until smooth and elastic. It’s more work but totally doable.
gently poke the dough with your finger. If the indent stays, it’s ready. If it springs back quickly, give it more time.
Yes! Use the same amount but mix it directly with the flour instead of dissolving first. The rise times may be slightly shorter.
Try brushing with plant milk before baking for better browning, or increase oven temperature by 25°F for the last few minutes.
Vegan Roasted Garlic & Herb Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
For the rolls
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 12 3/4 oz
- 4 Tbsp potato flour or replace with AP flour
- 1 Tbsp white sugar
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp dried Italian herbs
- 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast adds cheesy flavor
- 2 Tbsp olive oil 7/8 oz
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water 4 oz
- 1/2 cup almond milk 4 oz, warmed
- 3 cloves roasted garlic mashed
For the roasted garlic butter
- 2 cloves roasted garlic mashed
- 2 Tbsp butter vegan or regular, melted
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Roast all garlic cloves in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until blackened in spots and softened (about 15 minutes). Cool, peel, and mash.
- In a mixer bowl, combine flour, potato flour, sugar, yeast, salt, herbs, and nutritional yeast. Add olive oil, water, almond milk, and 3 mashed garlic cloves. Mix to form a shaggy dough.
- Knead with dough hook (10 minutes) or by hand (12–15 minutes) until smooth. Shape into a ball, place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour until doubled.
- Turn dough onto an oiled board. Roll into a 13×10 rectangle. Cut into 1-inch strips. Roll into ropes and tie into knots, or shape into rolls. Place on baking sheet 2 inches apart, cover, and rise until very puffy (about 1 hour).
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake knots or rolls for 17–20 minutes, until golden brown.
- While baking, mash 2 roasted garlic cloves and mix with melted butter. Brush over hot rolls and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve immediately.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook (optional)
- Rolling Pin
- Baking sheet
- Skillet
- Pastry brush
