Another few days of digging through the drafts and editing pictures.. It seems like my props and camera will be unpacked after everything else:).
We hardly ever eat any White bread. Hubbs and me both like hearty whole grain breads. The closest we come to one is a sourdough. I had not posted a vegan White bread recipe yet, so decided to add one. The bread can be used as a base recipe and changed up to include other flours or cracked grains or seeds.
This Sandwich bread is easy, soft and delicious. It doesn’t contain any eggs or milk powder or preservatives or dough conditioners(derived from bird feathers) etc like the usual White Breads found in stores. The almond milk and oil are enough to add the moist softness to the bread.
The key to a nicely formed dome and airy crumb is kneading. If you can, knead the dough for 8-10 minutes. The bread will bake great without that much kneading too, but the kneading helps with good gluten formation which helps hold the bread with all that air in it.
The bread keeps well on the counter for a few days. For longer life, refrigerate it in a zip-lock/air tight container for upto 7 days. You can eat it as is, toast it, make sandwiches, use it wherever you want, savory or sweet. For a whole wheat sandwich bread, see here.
Make this Vegan White Sandwich Bread!
Makes amazing Grilled Sandwiches. like this Buffalo Millet Sandwich. Millet cooked in Buffalo sauce, peppers and creamy ranch, grilled up between 2 slices.
You can also make burger buns with the dough. Make 6-8 balls of the dough. Shape, spray water on top, let rise for 20-30 minutes, then bake for 25-30 minutes. Perfect for any grilled up burgers to serve this summer.
For more Loafs see the Bread collection here.
Did I mention that as kids we used to love to eat the crumb and leave out the crust.(nope, bread wasnt available at homeeveryday. We would get one loaf a week.). To get us to finish our bread, mom made up a theory that all the good nutrients of the bread are actually in the crust, just like an apple . 😉
It is getting warm finally in Seattle and that means some amazing fruits showing up in the market. Fresh and room temperature fruits are something I miss the most from back home. India being a tropical country has an abundant supply of local fruits all year round. And not just a few, there are several families of fruits that are available. Snacking between meals would be grabbing a couple of fruits. Things come full circle dont they. Eating more fresh fruits and veggies again now, after all the meaty and processed snack diet we had settled into after moving to the US.
In other news.
Elephants continue to be exploited on the streets of India where they are forced to beg on the streets, in temples and perform in marriages or circuses. Bijlee, the elephant, who hasd been worked for 50 years, who collapsed on the road recently, was left to die on the street. Even with efforts from rescue orgs, she passed away and her plight is now drawing national and international attention to the unfortunate lives of abuse, limited unhealthy food, no rest days of begging elephants in India. I hope, this movement keeps going just like the movement that was ignited by the beating video of Anne, the circus elephant, that led to a ban of the use of wild animals in circuses in the UK.
You can read more about elephants use in India here. and sign the petition here.
Steps:
Proof the yeast. Add dry ingredients and knead into a soft non sticky dough.
Spray water on top and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
Punch down and shape in to a loaf. Spray water on top, cover lightly with a towel and let rise until doubled.
Bake in pre-heated 370 degrees F for 35 minutes or until the top sounds hollow.
Recipe Card
Vegan White Sandwich Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125 g) warm water
- 1 Tablespoon sugar or maple/agave
- 2.5 teaspoons (1 Tablespoon) active yeast
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) warm almond milk or other non dairy milk
- 2 Tablespoons oil
- 3 cups (375 g) organic bread flour or all purpose flour or unbleached white flour (See notes section for 100% whole wheat bread)
- 1 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 teaspoon) salt
Instructions
- In a bowl, proof the yeast by mixing warm water, sugar and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes or until frothy.
- In another bowl, add the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Add the yeast mixture, oil and warm almond milk to the dry flour and mix well. Knead for 5-8 minutes into a soft smooth non sticky dough. If using a stand mixer, you might need to add a few tablespoons more flour.
- Use more water or flour if needed and knead until somewhat smooth. Spray water on top.
- Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 1.5 hours or until doubled. I usually keep it in a warmed oven (warm the oven to 130-150 degF)
- Take the dough out, punch it down. If it is too sticky, and an tbsp or so flour to knead and shape. Shape into a loaf, by flattening the dough then rolling into a jelly roll.
- Place in a greased or parchment lined bread pan. Spray water on top and sprinkle seeds or oats. .
- Cover lightly with a towel and let rise until doubled. 30-40 minutes.
- Bake in pre-heated 370 degrees F / 190ºc for 35-40 minutes. Cover the top in the last 10 minutes with parchment to reduce browning.
- Remove the bread from the pan. Cover with a towel to cool. This will help soften the crust. Cool completely before slicing.Store: Store refrigerated in a closed container for upto a week.
Notes
Spray oil on top or dust enough flour to keep from sticking. - Brush melted vegan butter after baking for softening the crust. Nutritional values based on one serving
Nutrition
Robert VanEss
I love this recipe. Easy. Don’t change a thing. When I make a double batch is usually doubles in size within 45 mins. So good. I am going to use this recipe when I teach a bread baking and breaking Christian Bible study. Thank you for posting this.
Richa
awesome!
Christy
Excellent, simple recipe! Bread turned out great. This may become my go to bread recipe.
Amber Perez
This recipe is wonderful! 😊 I’ve made numerous loaves and buns and they turn out beautiful every time. It’s my 8 year old son’s favorite bread with my homemade cranberry apple jam. Thank you for sharing!
Charlotte
This recipe was as easy it looks and the bread is tasty! Followed recipe as written and sprinkled almond flour on top with a smidge of vegan butter at the end. I could see it having potential for endless add-ins. Thank you for a great recipe!
Angel S
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I made a loaf last night but I subbed silk soy vanilla creamer for the almond milk and it resulted in the best loaf I’ve ever baked! I’m new to bread making and have tried several other vegan recipes with disappointing results but everybody in the house loved this bread and I now have to make two more loaves! I think I’ll be making this bread every other day by popular demand. The essential ingredient is fat I think. None of the other recipes I tried had any added fat, just flour, sugar, salt, yeast and water.
Richa
awesome! yes some fat adds good moisture and softness to the bread.
Dulce
Amazing recipe!! It disappears the day it’s made! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Richa
awesome!
Jan
I wanted to rate this as someone who actually used the recipe.
It turned out well. Wouldn’t change a thing. The options I chose were to bake it for 35 minutes and cover it with parchment paper the last 5 minutes per the recipe. It is PERFECT.
Erica zyskowski
Thank you! Was reading through and everyone’s giving opinions without trying. Making mine now.
Doris
This bread is soooo good! My husband and I just ate half of the loaf…his opinion „Its nearly like cake!“…and still perfect also for savory fillings!
Richa
AWesome!!
Morgan Currie
This has become my goto white bread recipe for the last 2 years, so I just wanted to say thanks 🙂
Richa
Awesome!
Anupama
I tried this recipe using whole wheat flour. Is there a multi grain bread recipe in your blog? If not please let me know the proportion and what grains i can use. I do not want to use the all purpose flour. Thanks in advance.
Richa
there is a 100% whole wheat bread repie on the blog. With whole gran flour the method is different to allow it more moisture and airyness, else the bread ends up being dense. See http://www.veganricha.com/2015/07/100-whole-wheat-bread-recipe.html
You can add upto a third of the flour as different whole grains in the wheat bread, or add some seeds etc. There is a search box and bread category for various other breads on the blog too.
Tara
Hello, do you think it would work if I used this bread recipe to make vegan cinnamon rolls? (I’m going to use olive oil instead of butter for the filling).
Thanks,
Tara
Richa
Yes it will work. Or you an make these https://www.veganricha.com/2016/04/1-hour-cinnamon-rolls.html
Teri W
I’ve made this several times and each time it raises well in the bowl but not so much in the pan. It raises but only maybe an inch or 1.5 inches above the pan. A couple times it even started to deflate. Any ideas? Thank you.
Richa
Thats odd, maybe it needs some more kneading or has a lot more moisture. The deflating usually happens because of extra moisture or not well formed gluten.
Amanda Wright
I love home made bread, but i wanted something that rose a bit more and made for a bigger slice: found this recipe, and altered it to include spelt, buckwheat and some plain organic flour: it turned out delicious and although it didn’t rise as much as the loaf in the pic on here (probably due to me only kneading it for about four minutes) it still makes for a loaf i can make sarnies with! 🙂
Richa
Yes, it would not rise as much with the other flours. Buckwheat doesnt have gluten and spelt has less gluten. The bread rises well when there is enough gluten formation to hold the air in the structure. So when using mixed flours, you want to knead even longer. 🙂
Mora
Hey! I love the recipe, I would like to know if I can use self rising flour instead of the other ones? Do I still need the yeast if I use it? Also, is this in metric units or us units
Richa
This is a yeasted sandwich bread recipe. It will not work with self rising flour. self rising flour will make it into a quickbread or cake and will need very different amounts of water and other things.
Kristine
I baked the bread in a glass bread pan and I had to extend the baking time about 30 minutes.
Richa
30 mins is quite long. Normally I would add 10 mins with a glass pan and check the bread by tapping on the top. How did you know to extend that long?
Kristine
This is the third time I have made this it is my go to bread recipe. I use coconut milk and maple syrup. I am the only vegan in m y household and my whole family and co workers ask me to make this more often. Thank you for posting.
Richa
thats Awesome!
rebekah
Do you have any suggestions on making it gluten free?
Richa
I have many gluten-free bread recipes on the blog here -> https://www.veganricha.com/category/gluten-free-bread
Sandra
This turned out so good whenever I took it out of the oven it tastes like bread!
I also put almonds in the dough and right before I put the bread in the oven I sprinkled on almonds and it added a little extra crunch
Richa
awesome! so glad you loved it!
Chris
Made this bread. It came out awesome! For everyone wondering. The bread has a hard crust when just out of the oven, but it softens up as it cools.
Tammy
So do you think I could do this in my bread machine?
Richa
yes, use a 2 lb bread machine.
Subir
Hi Richa,
Will it come out nice if i use wholewheat (chakki ka atta) ?
Richa
use half wheat flour and half all purpose.
Divya
Hi Richa,
My dough never rose.
What should I be doing?
Is there a specific brand of active/dry yeast that I should use?
Richa
did the yeast get frothy/bubbly at step 1?
if it didn’t then the yeast was probably old or bad or the water was too hot.
if it did get frothy, then it died because of something like adding salt directly to the yeast mixture.
I usually use red start active yeast.
Divya
Yes, it did. But I am not sure how much it should froth.
I left it after mixing with warm water and sugar for 10-15 mins inside my oven with the oven lights ON. The oven was not heated.
I will try the brand you mentioned.
Thanks.
Richa
it should visibly get bubbly and start smelling of yeast, somewhat like beer. If the bread doesnt rise, then the only reason is that the yeast isn’t doing its job. definitely try a different brand of yeast.
you can use the dough to make thin crust pizzas, if you havent thrown it away yet.
Divya
HI Richa,
I finally tried again with a new pck of yeast. It raised well. I baked it as you mentioned for 35-40 mins, but i didn’t see a brown crust so i continued baking incrementally for 10 mins. The crust still didn’t become brown. but then I stopped and cooled it. The outside is super hard, but the bread itself is soft. It could still be a little softer though. Do you think, it is due to extra baking time? Should I still stop at 40 mins even if the top is not brown?
Thanks for the awesome recipe. It is super easy.
Richa
Great! yes probably because of extra baking. i am not sure why the top isnt browning. maybe the oven isnt heating the top as well. bake it at the middle rack of the oven. and in the end, start the broil for 2 to 3 minutes so it browns up.
the crust will also softer in a few hours.
another tip for a soft crust is covering the bread with a foil after the 35 minutes, bake for another 5 , remove the bread and foil and let it cool.
hope this helps!
Divya
Hi Richa,
I made couple of batches of bread. It turned out awesome.
But I couldn’t keep it for too long.
I had dried white patches within 2 days.
What can I do to make it little more moist and last for a few days?
Like make on Sunday and use it until Friday.
Richa
How did you store the bread? Let it cool completely the store in a bread container or airtight container that is atleast double the size of the bread. I usually keep my bread refrigerated in a ziplock or airtight container since i never finish in 2 days. I toast the slices a bit and use.
anonymous
Would a gluten free all purpose flour work as a substitute for regular all purpose flour? I saw that you have an oat bread recipe that is GF but I am oat intolerant. Thanks!
Richa
it wont work. gf baking and measurements are very different. try this recipe with a gf flour blend. https://www.forkandbeans.com/2014/01/01/gluten-free-vegan-bread/
Adelina
I love bread and would love to make this one according to your recipe. I do have a sourdough starter and would like to use it – do you have any feedback on how I can use the starter in place of the commercial active yest for this recipe?
Your bread looks wonderful! Thanks for posting!
Richa
Hi Adelina, the measurements change completely with a sourdough starter and it would still need some active yeast.
Anonymous
This bread was so easy to make and I am not a very good baker. Getting ready to make it again would love to add some herbs. Any suggestions and how much?
Richa
Great!! a teaspoon of italian herb blend would work beautifully.
Anonymous
I made this bread and it came out perfect. Was so happy. Very easy to follow instructions which are a must for me :). Thank you so much.
Anonymous
I’ve made this twice and it comes out too hard. I tried baking it for seven minutes less and it occurred again. What should I do?
Richa
can you be more specifc about too hard? the crust is supposed be a bit hard to hold the shape well. But when you slice it, the inside is pillowy soft. Maybe your oven is heating up too much? Add another Tablespoon oil and substitute the almond milk with non dairy yogurt and the bread will be even more softer.
Christina
I’ve made this recipe and it was perfect. Well, almost, I seem to be needing to add more flour. So next time I’ll make it with less water.
But It’s normal for bread to be hard straight out the the oven. The trick is to let it cool, then it gets nice and soft as the moisture trapped inside has had time to evaporate throughout he bread.
Richa
Awesome! yes the bread softens as it sits because of the moisture.
Hmm not sure about the flour. Maybe the non dairy milk used it too watery? A few Tbsps of flour here and there are ok.
Anonymous
This bread is perfect for my daughter’s sandwiches for school! I’m making the buns right now. Yummy. 🙂
Maren
I am wondering if I could make this gluten free. Do you have any input on this?
Richa
Hi Maren, you can try this White Oat bread recipe for a gf white bread. https://www.veganricha.com/2012/02/white-oat-bread-loaf-gluten-free-vegan.html
Anonymous
I came here to read, and admire about your White bread baking skill, but honestly, I was more touch to know that you took the time to mention about the problem of “begging elephants”. It continue to break my heart knowing animals are being exploited, abused everywhere despite the fact that we think we are highly intelligent beings. Thanks for taking the time to pay attention to issues like this and continue to spread the knowledge.
Leah
I just made this bread, it turned out great! I used home-made cashew cream instead of almond milk, as it was for my husband who is on an iodine-free diet and most almond milk has salt added. It looks beautiful, and is moist and delicious! Thank you for this recipe.
Anonymous
Richa, can I cut the almond milk completely and just add more water? Thanks. -Chris
Richa
Yes, you can cut out the almond milk. You might need a Tablespoon or so more flour.
Anonymous
This bread is so awesome and tasty.
Richa
Thanks , so glad you like it!
Kristy
You breads always look so good!
My mom always used to tell me all the nutrition was in the crusts too. I still wouldn’t eat them. 😉
Jennifer Arteaga
Can I use coconut milk instead of almond milk? We have nut allergies at our house.
Richa
Yes you can. you will need about 2-3 Tablespoons more water since coconut milk is thicker than almond milk.
Hannah
I daresay I’ve never seen such a beautiful loaf of white bread. It really has gotten a bad rap in recent years, but there is really nothing like good, homemade, fresh white bread. I would wolf down every last slice in a heartbeat!
Rachel Matteson
Good to know that it has a long shelf life. I’m interested in trying this bread out with different sandwiches and see if it really is that good. 🙂
– KatzGlutenFree.com
Annie
My mom said the same thing about bread crust! Every once in a while you just kind of want a lighter loaf and this looks perfect!
Richa
there are only so many reasons moms can think of for finicky kids 😉
Kelsey M
Yummy!
Sowmya D.S.L
Perfectly Baked Bread !! first time here . Glad to follow you.. loved all ur vegan burger recipes..
Richa
Thank you Sowmya!
dassana
perfectly done bread.
Anu Shoj
wow perfectly done bread….awesome….luv the sandwich as well…..
Anu’s Healthy Kitchen – Broken Wheat, Oats, Almonds and Coconut Ladoo
Divya Shivaraman
That bread is so perfectly baked…loved it
Caitlin
that is one beautiful white bread! when i was little, i actually loved the crust. my grandmother told me that eating the crust will give you curly hair 😉 and guess what, i have curly hair!
Richa
man. i have straight hair. and i finished all my crusts. 😉
Veena Theagarajan
bread looks so yum and soft
anusha praveen
This sandwich bread looks hearty and comforting Richa. I ve tried many sandwich recipes and am yet to find one that makes me happy. Shall try your version soon
Richa
You should def make this one. it is easy!
Roxanne Mawson
I know it’s almost 4 years… but did you try this one?
Richa
Roxanne, see below int he comments, many people have already made it
Erica
Was curious about your thoughts since you’ve tried many other recipes before?