Garlic Herb Pull-Apart Bread (Vegan)

Like most people, we’re suckers for the combination of garlic and herbs. I mean, it doesn’t really get much better than that! Add in a little buttery deliciousness and slather it on some freshly baked bread and you’re left with basically the perfect food. Similar to garlic bread, this vegan pull-apart bread hits all of those notes and then some.

A perfect dish for sharing with friends and family, this vegan take on savory garlic herb pull-apart bread is sure to impress. And the best part is that it’s not actually that hard to make (but don’t tell anyone that part)! All you need is a little bit of patience (typical of bread recipes) and you’ll be enjoying some vegan pull-apart bread.

Love bread as much as I do? Try my Garlic Milk Bread Rolls or Vegan Dinner Rolls for the holiday table. And if you’re after the softest, fluffiest bread possible, my Vegan Milk Bread and Vegan Challah are two of my all-time favorite loaves.

Ingredients for Garlic Herb Pull-Apart Bread

For the dough

• Bread flour. This type of flour has a higher protein content (gluten) than all-purpose flour, giving your baked goods more structure and a chewier texture. It’s no surprise that it’s perfect for breads!
• Active dry yeast. For rising your pull-apart bread.
• Unsweetened soy milk. A little bit of protein-rich non-dairy milk will add structure and richness to the bread.
• Extra-virgin olive oil. To add moisture to the dough so your bread doesn’t come out dry.
• Sugar. A little bit of sweetness adds balance to this savory recipe.
• Garlic powder and dried herbs. These are going to add a base layer of flavor to the dough.

For the filling

• Vegan butter. This is the base of the filling, providing the buttery goodness that makes the bread so delicious. (More info on the best vegan butter can be found here.)
• Rosemary and parsley. Herbs are in the name of the recipe for a reason! These provide that fresh, savory flavor we all love.
• Garlic. Either fresh or roasted garlic works in this recipe.
• Vegan parmesan or mozzarella. Optional, but a little dairy-free cheese kicks this pull-apart bread into overdrive. We love Follow Your Heart and Violife.

How to Make Vegan Pull-Apart Bread

1. Add lukewarm milk and water to a large mixing bowl. Whisk in 2 teaspoons active dry yeast and 1 scant tablespoon sugar. Allow to “proof” for about 5 minutes, or until foamy.
2. Add in olive oil, garlic powder, and dried rosemary and whisk to combine.
3. Add in bread flour and salt and use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to mix into a shaggy dough.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should spring back when gently poked. If the dough seems too wet and is sticking excessively to your hands or the work surface, gradually work in extra flour about 2 tablespoons at a time, until the correct consistency is achieved.
5. When the dough is nice and elastic, shape it into a ball. Drizzle the inside of the mixing bowl with olive oil and place the dough inside, turning to coat with oil.
6. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a slightly damp kitchen towel and place it in a warm area in your kitchen. Let the dough rise for about 1 hour, or until roughly doubled in size. (If your kitchen is very chilly, it may take a little extra time. On a very warm day, it can take less time. Judge by size rather than time.)

7. Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a roughly 12×16″ rectangle.
8. Spread the garlic-herb butter evenly across the dough and then cut into 12 roughly even pieces. (Each piece should be about 4×3″.)
9. Stack the pieces of dough and transfer them into a greased loaf tin.

10. Lightly cover the loaf with the same plastic wrap or damp kitchen towel used previously. Let this loaf rise for about 45-60 minutes. It should rise and become slightly puffy, cresting slightly over the top of the loaf tin. In this time, preheat your oven to 350°F and place the rack in the lower middle position.
11. Once the loaf looks slightly puffy, with the dough risen to just about the height of the loaf tin, place it in the preheated oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes. Because the dough is quite rich, it tends to brown quickly. If it seems like it’s getting too dark, loosely tent it with aluminum foil.
12. Carefully remove the loaf from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack. Let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing it to serve. Vegan pull-apart bread is best enjoyed warm!

Alternate Shaping Method

The original version of this recipe had a different (and slightly more difficult) shaping process. If you want to try this method out, I’ll detail how to do it below. (Note: you can either divide the dough into 6 balls to get 12 slices of bread or 12 balls to get 24 slices of bread. We prefer 6 balls/12 slices because it allows each piece to be fluffier.)

This alternate method picks up at Step 7 of the recipe:

• Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With a knife or bench scraper, divide the dough into 12 roughly even-sized pieces. Shape each piece into a ball by tucking the edges underneath. Place them seam-side down on your work surface and let them rest for about 10 minutes while you prepare the garlic herb butter. (This will allow the gluten to relax.)
• In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter with the chopped rosemary, parsley, minced garlic, salt, and (optional) shredded cheese to form a paste. Set aside.
• Using a rolling pin, roll each of the dough balls out to a circle, roughly 1/4” thick and 6” in diameter. It’s okay if the circles are slightly irregular in shape.
• Divide the garlic herb butter evenly between the 12 discs of dough. Spread the butter across each piece of dough to cover it.
• Cut each dough circle in half, forming half-moon shapes. Stack 6 half-moons on top of each other. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces, creating 4 stacks, each with 6 half-moon pieces of dough. (This isn’t strictly necessary; it’s just to make the transfer to the pan easier and more uniform.)
• Transfer your stacks of dough into a greased loaf tin.

Now you can pick the recipe back up at Step 10.

Recipe FAQ for Vegan Pull-Apart Bread

Troubleshooting

My dough isn’t rising

Make sure that you allow your yeast to proof properly. The yeast mixture should be foamy before you move on to the next step. If it doesn’t appear to be bubbly and active after a few minutes, it might be dead. This can happen if your yeast is very old/expired, stored improperly, or if you added it to soy milk that’s too hot. The liquid should be lukewarm to the touch.

My dough is overly sticky or too dry

You may have used too much (or too little) flour because of improper measuring. See my recipe tips above on how to properly and accurately measure flour. Different brands of flour also vary slightly in terms of gluten content. The ambient humidity in your kitchen is another factor. If the dough is too sticky, you can gradually work in extra flour, a few tablespoons at a time, while kneading the dough. If the dough is too firm or dry, it’s harder to work in water but it can be done. While kneading the dough, occasionally sprinkle extra water over it (very little at a time) and continue to knead until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat until the right texture is achieved.

Storing Your Garlic Herb Pull-Apart Bread

Vegan pull-apart bread is best enjoyed freshly baked. But if you manage to not eat the entire loaf in one day, you can leave it covered on the counter for a day or two. You can also store it in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days. If freezing, just place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.

To reheat, pop in a 300°F oven until warmed through (usually 10 minutes or so). If frozen, let defrost on the counter until soft first.

Again, this recipe is made to be eaten fresh, so just keep that in mind when eating leftovers!

More Vegan Bread Recipes

• Vegan Burger Buns
• Beginner Sourdough Loaf
• Vegan Challah (Eggless Challah Bread)