Easy Vegan Dinner Rolls

Make the ULTIMATE vegan dinner rolls. They’re soft, fluffy, ‘buttery’, and surprisingly easy to make with simple step-by-step instructions and top tips!

Soft and Fluffy Vegan Dinner Rolls

The idea of using yeast and making your own homemade vegan bread might seem intimidating, but we’re here to tell you that even beginner bakers are more than capable of making these super fluffy vegan dinner rolls, stress-free! They’re fluffy, pillowy, soft, ‘buttery’, and surprisingly quick and simple to prepare.

This recipe only requires 6 simple, inexpensive ingredients and 8 un-complicated steps. Even kneading is made easier when you have the option to use a stand mixer. There are also several ways to flavor the vegan rolls (including making garlic dinner rolls, ‘cheesy’, herbed, etc.) and get them ready in about an hour and a half as a delicious addition to practically any meal.

We particularly love enjoying them as Thanksgiving rolls (instead of or alongside sweet potato biscuits) or on our Christmas table, with all your favorite sides, like vegan mashed potatoes, dairy-free green bean casserole, and plenty of vegan gravy.

The Ingredients and Substitutes

6 ingredients come together to create an enriched bread dough that helps to make soft and fluffy dinner rolls.

• Flour: General all-purpose flour is all you need, though you can make extra light and fluffy rolls using white bread flour. You could also use 50% of whole wheat flour.
• Sugar: A small amount of sugar helps to feed the yeast without making the dough sweet. An unrefined option, like coconut sugar or even maple syrup would work, too.
• Rapid-rise yeast: This makes this easy dinner roll recipe super speedy, but feel free to use regular yeast if preferred.

To use regular yeast, refer to a conversion chart. Also, it must be activated with warm plant-based milk and sugar until foamy before adding flour/salt. Rise time will increase, too.

• Salt: Use Kosher/ sea salt rather than table salt to season the dough.
• Dairy-free milk: We’ve found soy milk works particularly well, though any unsweetened, creamy vegan milk should work fine in this vegan dinner rolls recipe. Use a higher fat option for richer dough and softer homemade dinner rolls.
• Water: For a more enriched dough, you should be able to replace this with more plant-based milk. Let us know if you try it.
• Vegan butter: It’s best to use stick-style vegan butter rather than a spread for these dairy-free rolls. Unsalted is best. We love Miyoko’s or Earth Balance.

Flavor Variations and Add-Ins

• Garlic dinner rolls: Aka garlic ‘butter’ dinner rolls. Mix 4 tbsp ‘butter’ with 2 minced garlic cloves and some fresh or dried parsley (and/or rosemary). Spread ¼-⅓ over the rolls before baking and the rest after. Optionally add vegan parmesan, too.
• ‘Cheesy’ dinner rolls: Add 1 cup of vegan cheddar to the dough in step 4.
• Herbed dinner rolls: Add 1-2 tbsp dried herbs to the dough, like rosemary, parsley, oregano, thyme, basil, etc. Add alone or with 1-2 tsp garlic powder, too.
• Pesto rolls: Swirl sunflower seed pesto into the dough before shaping it into the rolls.
• Maple ‘butter’ glaze: Combine 2 tbsp melted salted vegan butter and maple syrup, brush over the baked rolls, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt for a touch of salty sweetness.

How to Make Vegan Dinner Rolls

• First, whisk ¾ cup of the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.

• Meanwhile, in a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the plant-based milk, water, and vegan butter. Microwave in 15-second increments until the mixture reaches 100-115F.

If you don’t have a thermometer – the mixture should be very warm but not hot to the touch- like bathwater. Any hotter, and you risk killing the yeast.

• Add the wet mixture to the dry one and beat for 2 minutes using the medium speed of an electric mixer (or a stand mixer). Pause to scrape the bowl if needed.

• Add another ¼ cup of flour and beat for 2 minutes at high speed, then stir in just enough of the remaining flour until the shaggy dough forms a ball (usually 1 to 1 ¼ cups). Add it in 2 tbsp portions until it reaches the correct consistency.
• Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface and knead until it’s elastic and springs back when prodded (about 6-8 minutes). Then, cover the dough with a kitchen towel and leave it to rest for 10 minutes.

You can also do this in a stand mixer using a dough paddle attachment. Be careful not to over-knead it, though, or it results in tough bread.

• Divide the mixture into 12 equal pieces, roll them into balls (for a smoother top, pinch and seal them at the bottom), and place them seam-side-down in a greased 8 or 9-inch baking pan.

We’ve used an 8-inch pan in the images, and it’s a bit of a snug fit. Use a 9-inch pan for more rounded vegan bread rolls. You may also use a 9×13-inch pan in rows of 3 or shaped pans – like round or heart ones, but we haven’t tried.

• Once more, cover with a kitchen towel and leave them to rise in a warm location until they’ve doubled in size (about 30 minutes). Also, preheat the oven to 375F/190C.

Rising time can vary based on the climate/temperature, if there’s a breeze, etc.

• Finally, bake the dinner rolls in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to help remove the rolls, then brush them with melted vegan butter, leave to cool for at least 5 minutes, then enjoy!

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• Check the yeast expiration date: If unsure, test the yeast by combining some with warm water and sugar and leaving it for 5-8 minutes. If it bubbles/foams and expands in size, it’s good to go.
• Use warm liquid: It must be warm enough to activate the yeast but not so hot that it kills it. 100-115F/37.7-46C (unless the packaging states otherwise) is the sweet spot. It should feel warm but not hot to the touch. Using a thermometer is recommended.
• Don’t add too much flour: First, measure it correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling the top. Then, the actual amount needed can vary based on various factors. So add it incrementally.
• For even rolls: Use digital kitchen scales to divide dough by weight.
• Adjust the size: You can make regular, small, or mini rolls. This recipe is also great for shaped options like a bread roll wreath/tree, etc.

Can You Make Them Ahead of Time?

You can shape the rolls up to step 6, then cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The following day, leave them at room temperature until they double in size (1-2 hours). Then bake as directed above or freeze any unbaked rolls for 2-3 months.

Thaw the frozen rolls at room temperature, allowing them to slightly rise. Remove them from the freezer about 4 to 5 hours before baking them.

Storage Instructions

These fluffy yeast dinner rolls taste best straight from the oven. However, feel free to allow any leftovers to cool and store them in an airtight container or like I do in the photo below in a cake container on your kitchen counter for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Flash freeze them on a tray for 1-2 hours first, then transfer to a Ziplock/Stasher, and I always make sure to label them with these labels.

To reheat dinner rolls, pop a single one in a microwave in 10-15 second increments or place several in the oven in a foil-covered dish at 350F/180C for 5-8 minutes.

How to Serve Vegan Dinner Rolls?

These fluffy vegan bread rolls are the perfect addition to your holiday table at Thanksgiving or Christmas, Easter, a vegan roast dinner, etc. However, you can also enjoy them:

1. Alongside chickpea noodle soup and eggplant stew
2. With pasta – including regular vegan pumpkin pasta, vegan lasagna, gnocchi, and pasta bakes
3. Slathered with vegan butter and jam
4. To make a sweet or savory pesto tofu sandwich or vegan lentil burger
5. Alongside a vegan cheese board/ vegan charcuterie board
6. With other roast dinner mains – like vegan meatloaf, vegan pot pie, lentil shepherd’s pie, etc.

More Vegan Bread and Bakes

• Easy no-knead bread
• Vegan focaccia bread
• Everyday sandwich bread
• Vegan cornbread
• Quick and easy vegan biscuits
• Vegan Apple Cinnamon Bread
• Butternut Squash Biscuits

Photos by Alfonso Revilla