This vegan cheese bread is made with a no-knead dough that's incredibly simple to make and it rises overnight while you're sleeping! The savory loaf is flavored with vegan cheddar cheese, savory green onions, and garlic. It's a delicious combination that makes the perfect grilled cheese or garlic bread!
This vegan cheese bread is one of my all-time favorite recipes! It's super cheesy and it has the most delicious garlic and onion flavor. It's pure comfort food that makes the best grilled cheese sandwich or dipper to serve with a cozy bowl of soup! This vegan no-knead bread is extremely easy to make with minimal effort and it has the best texture! It's soft and chewy on the inside and it has the perfect crispy, cheesy crust!
How to Make it - Step by Step Instructions
First, combine all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle and add the water. Stir it all together until you have a sticky, shaggy dough. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and put the bowl in a warm place to rise for 12-18 hours. I usually do this step overnight so it's ready to bake in the morning for breakfast.
You'll know the dough is ready because the top will be covered in tiny little air holes. Preheat the pot in the oven for 30 minutes. While the pot is warming, punch the dough down, fold it 3-4 times, cover it again, and let it rise for 30 more minutes.
Carefully, take the pot out of the oven and line it with a piece of parchment paper for easy cleanup. Scoop the dough into the pot. It's very hot so it will start sizzling immediately. Add a sprinkle of shredded cheese on top so a cheesy crust develops while it bakes. Bake covered for 45 minutes and then remove the lid for 5 minutes to let the crust brown. Transfer the vegan bread to a wire rack to cool for 1 hour before slicing.
Serving Suggestions
Toasted slices of this vegan cheese bread are excellent enjoyed plain, it's so flavorful that you don't even need any toppings. However, it also makes an incredibly tasty vegan grilled cheese sandwich and slices are delicious dipped in roasted red pepper tomato soup or slathered in creamy vegan cream cheese. You could even spread cloves of roasted garlic on a slice to make vegan garlic bread!
How To Store It
On the first day, you can store the loaf in a paper bag on the counter so the crust will stay fresh and crispy. After the first day, you should store the bread in an airtight bag in the fridge so it stays fresh longer. This bread contains no preservatives so if it is left on the counter for a few days it will most likely develop mold.
Can I Freeze It?
Yes, you can freeze the dough or the whole baked loaf. To freeze the dough, follow the directions to make the dough and let it rise. Punch it down and form it into a ball and wrap it with plastic wrap and put it into a sealed bag. You can freeze the dough for 2-3 months. To defrost, put it in the fridge to thaw overnight or you can put it in a bowl on the counter to thaw for a few hours.
To freeze the whole loaf, store it in an airtight container or bag in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. To defrost, put the frozen loaf in the fridge to thaw overnight, and then you can toast each slice as you need it.
Notes & Substitutions
- Green Onion Substitute: Chives can be used instead of green onions.
- What type of vegan cheese should I use? My favorite brands of vegan cheese to use are Violife, Follow Your Heart, or So Delicious.
- Gluten-Free: To make this dairy-free cheese bread gluten-free, you need to use gluten-free flour. Unfortunately, I haven't tested the recipe with any other flours. If you do, please let me know how it works for you!
- What should I do with the rest of the green onions? This vegan cheese bread recipe only uses the dark green part of the green onion. You can slice the rest of it and add it to a salad with vegan ranch dressing, or you could put the onion roots in a small cup with a little bit of water and let the green parts grow back! It's like magic!
Success Tips
- You can use a large 5 or 6-quart cast iron pot, but a bigger pot will result in a flatter loaf of vegan cheese bread because the dough will spread more. I prefer to use a smaller pot so the loaf has a smaller base and higher dome.
- Make sure that the cast iron pot you use has an oven-safe handle on the lid up to 450 degrees. If it's not oven-safe, you can unscrew it and put it back on later.
- Add a little bit of shredded vegan cheese on top of the bread before you bake it so it develops a crispy cheesy crust as it bakes. That's my favorite part!
- Wait one hour for the bread to cool before you slice it. If you cut into it too early, the inside will get a little sticky and gummy.
Want More Vegan Bread Recipes?
No-Knead Whole Wheat Chia Bread
No-Knead Vegan Cheese Bread
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Plastic Wrap or Towel
- 3-Quart Cast Iron Pot
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ cup green onions sliced (just the dark green part)
- 1 ¾ cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese
- 1 ¾ cups lukewarm water
- 1 tbsp wheat bran
Instructions
- Combine all purpose flour, active dry yeast, salt, garlic powder, sliced green onions, and 1 ½ cups shredded vegan cheese in a large mixing bowl. Stir to mix all of the ingredients together.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour the water into it. Stir until you don't see any more white flour. If the dough is too dry, you can add up to ¼ cup of water. The dough should look shaggy and feel sticky (but not wet) once fully combined.
- Cover with plastic wrap (or a towel) and put it in a warm place for 12-18 hours. (I usually put it in the oven with the door shut overnight so it's ready to bake in the morning when I get up.)
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Preheat a cast iron pot with the lid on in the oven for 30 minutes.
- While the pot is warming, uncover the dough in the bowl and punch it down. Fold the dough 3-4 times to get rid of any air bubbles. Cover it again and let rise for 30 more minutes.
- Carefully, remove the hot pot from the oven. Take off the lid, line the pot with a piece of parchment paper, and sprinkle wheat bran into the bottom of the pot. Scrape the dough out of the bowl and into the hot pot. Sprinkle ¼ cup of shredded cheese on top of the dough.
- Put the lid back on and put the pot into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes covered, remove the lid and bake for 5 more minutes or until the crust is a golden brown.
- Let the pot sit for a few minutes or until you can handle it safely. Take the lid off and put the wire rack on top of the pot. Hold the rack and flip the pot so the bread is resting on the rack. Let it cool for 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
- You can use a large 5 or 6-quart cast iron pot, but a bigger pot will result in a flatter loaf of vegan cheese bread because the dough will spread more. I prefer to use a smaller pot so the loaf has a smaller base and higher dome.Â
- Make sure that the cast iron pot you use has an oven-safe handle on the lid up to 450 degrees. If it's not oven-safe, you can unscrew it and put it back on later.Â
- Add a little bit of shredded vegan cheese on top of the bread before you bake it so it develops a crispy cheesy crust as it bakes. That's my favorite part!
- Wait one hour for the bread to cool before you slice it. If you cut into it too early, the inside will get a little sticky and gummy.Â
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally shared on 2/17/16, but I updated it on 9/1/20.
Hi Stacey - I would love to make this lovely bread, but I don't understand the sliding scale that increases the ingredient quantities. It says "2 slices, 3 slices, 4 slices," etc. But surely a 3-cup flour recipe yields more than just two slices. Am I missing something? Thank you so much!
Hello! I don't see that option on my end, where do you see the sliding scale? The recipe is for one loaf of bread. If you would like to make two loaves, you just need to double the recipe. Hope that helps <3
Hi Stacy,
I've been invited to bring a large quantity of dinner rolls to a party this weekend, so I've just finished the start of a double batch of sharp cheddar/smoked Gouda and fresh green onions from my garden. When I return home early this afternoon I expect there to be some action in the bowl 😄. Can't wait to see the reactions from this excellent recipe. Thanks for your inspiration. Colleen
Hi Colleen! That sounds delicious, thank you so much for letting me know! I hope the rolls turned out delicious! =)
Wow! I am making this bread asap! Looks fantastic and easy to make.
Cheddar is definitely my favorite for bread! This sounds awesome! I am intrigued by the green onion thing--how much of the white do you need to get it to grow?
Cheddar is my favorite too, Laura! Thanks =) I saved about 1 1/2 -2 inches of the root and just put it in a small glass with a little bit of fresh water (I changed the water ever 3 days). It took about 7 days for them to grow back to their original size! Totally worth it to me, buy once & eat twice!
I love a no-knead recipe. It isn't often that I make bread, but, this recipe has inspired me. I like cooking from scratch too, so, this makes me happy.
Bread makes me happy too-- especially cheese bread! Thank you! =)
I MUST make this ASAP!!! I am such a bread fan and have always wanted to make a no-knead bread before. You've given me the perfect recipe and excuse! I'd like to try your whole-wheat chia bread too! Can't wait ?
I saw your green onion tip on Instagram too...what a genius idea! I have a few nubby green onions left in my fridge I'm going to try this with. It'll be like having my own little vegetable garden in my kitchen, lol! So cool!
Thank you, Joscelyn! I love the cheese bread so much, however I don't make it that often because it's so addicting! I make the whole wheat chia bread recipe almost every week & I switch it up with different seeds for fun!
I've always wanted one of those little herb gardens that you keep on your kitchen window sill-- the green onions would fit right in!
What a great bread. It looks great too especially for a no knead bread. I would love to make this with a main dish sometime soon.
I hope you love it too! Thanks, Michelle!
Hi Stacey... I make my daily bread everyday too, no knead of course 🙂 And thank you for inspire me with your recipe here..definitely will try it soon.
No-knead bread is the best! Thank you! =)