Vegan garlic dough balls – fluffy, garlicky spheres brushed with buttery herbs. Easy to make and seriously moreish.
Piled around a cheesy cashew dip, they make a striking centrepiece for celebrations and ideal party food.
These vegan garlic dough balls with a creamy cashew cheese dip are soft, fluffy and packed with garlic and herb flavour. The pull-apart wreath looks impressive on a table but is simple to share, making it perfect for gatherings or a cosy movie night.
Bread does take some time for mixing and rising, but the method is straightforward. The result—light, buttery dough balls with a luscious cashew dip—is worth the effort.
What You Need
Bread flour: Use white bread flour if possible. Its higher protein helps achieve a chewy, fluffy texture. Plain flour will work in a pinch; avoid wholemeal flour as it makes bread dense.
Instant yeast: Instant (fast-action) yeast can be added directly to the flour. If you only have active dry yeast, bloom it in lukewarm liquid first—see notes below.
Olive oil: Adds tenderness and flavour to the dough. Choose a mild olive oil or a neutral oil if preferred.
Non-dairy milk: Unsweetened soy milk is ideal for baking because of its higher protein, but other unsweetened plant milks work too.
Salt and sugar: Salt is essential for flavour; a teaspoon of sugar helps feed the yeast for a good rise.
Vegan butter and garlic: Vegan butter forms the garlic butter glaze; use 3–4 large cloves in the butter (reduce to 3 for a milder garlic flavour). Reserve extra garlic for the cheese dip.
Herbs: Parsley and oregano are used here, but rosemary, thyme or other finely chopped herbs will work.
For the Cashew Cheese Dip
Cashews: Soaked cashews provide a rich base. Do not substitute with other nuts.
Tapioca starch: Gives the dip a slightly gooey, stretchy texture—important for a cheese-like result.
Nutritional yeast and cider vinegar: Nutritional yeast supplies the savoury, cheesy note; cider vinegar adds tang (lemon juice can be substituted, but you may need more).
Method Overview
(Full measurements and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Combine the bread flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, keeping the yeast and salt on opposite sides so salt does not contact the yeast directly.
Pour in the olive oil, lukewarm non-dairy milk and lukewarm water and mix until a rough dough forms. Knead by hand on an unfloured surface or with the mixer for 5–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should be slightly tacky but should pull away from the bowl.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and leave in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1–2 hours depending on temperature.
Punch down the risen dough and knead briefly to remove air. Divide into small pieces (about 30 g each) and shape each into a smooth, well-sealed ball.
Grease an approximate 11 cm wide, 4 cm deep ramekin and place it in the centre of a lined baking sheet. Arrange dough balls in two concentric rings around the ramekin, leaving a little space between each.
Cover loosely and allow to rise for 30–40 minutes until puffy and slightly springy to the touch.
While the dough finishes its second rise, make the garlic butter by melting vegan butter with crushed garlic and chopped herbs over gentle heat. For the cashew cheese, blend soaked cashews with tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, garlic, cider vinegar, salt and water until very smooth. Cook the blended mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly until it thickens and simmers; remove from the heat and press parchment onto the surface to stop a skin forming.
Preheat the oven to 210°C (190°C fan) / 425°F / gas mark 7. Pour the warm cheese dip into the prepared ramekin and level the top. Brush about two-thirds of the garlic butter over the dough balls and bake for about 20 minutes until golden.
After baking, brush the remaining garlic butter over the hot dough balls and serve immediately while warm and pull-apart soft.
Top Tips
Use a digital scale and metric measurements for consistent baking results. Cups can be inaccurate and variable.
Check that your yeast is active and in date—old yeast can prevent a proper rise.
Resist adding too much flour; the dough should be slightly soft and tacky. Over-flouring leads to dry, dense bread.
Rising times vary with ambient temperature. On warm days dough will rise faster than on cold ones.
You can refrigerate the dough overnight after the first rise and bake the next day; allow extra time for the second rise if the dough is chilled.
The dough balls are best eaten the day they are baked, ideally warm. Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, they keep for up to two days.
Yeast Notes
Instant yeast can be added directly to the flour. If using active dry yeast, dissolve 12 g of active dry yeast with the sugar in the lukewarm milk and water and let it sit 10–20 minutes until bubbly, then continue with the recipe.
How to Know Bread Is Done
The most reliable method is an internal temperature of at least 90°C / 194°F measured with a probe thermometer. Without a thermometer, a clean toothpick inserted into the centre of a dough ball is another indicator.
Storing and Freezing
Leftover dough balls freeze well once fully cooled. Store airtight or in a zip-top bag, defrost at room temperature and refresh in a low oven before serving.
Make Ahead
I recommend baking on the day you plan to serve them. You can prepare the dough the evening before and let it rise slowly in the fridge, then shape, proof and bake the next day.
Gluten-Free?
This recipe relies on gluten for structure, so it is not suitable to convert directly to gluten-free flour. Use a recipe designed specifically for gluten-free bread instead.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with the cashew cheese dip, or offer hummus, marinara, pâté or other dips. They’re delicious just as they are.
More Vegan Sharing Breads
- Vegan pretzel bites
- Vegan beer pretzels
- Vegan garlic pull-apart bread
- Vegan pesto bread
- Easy flatbreads
- Vegan garlic naan
- Easy vegan cornbread
- Pumpkin bread rolls
If you try this recipe, please rate it or leave a comment to share how it went.
Vegan Garlic Dough Balls
Ingredients
Dough:
- 500 g white bread flour
- 10 g (3 tsp) instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 160 ml unsweetened non-dairy milk (lukewarm, soy recommended)
- 160 ml lukewarm water
Cheese Dip:
- 75 g raw cashews (soaked)
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 ½ teaspoons tapioca starch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 160 ml water
Garlic Butter:
- 85 g vegan butter
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed (use 3 if you prefer milder garlic)
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 heaped teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Place flour in a large bowl or stand mixer. Add yeast to one side and salt and sugar to the other.
- Pour in olive oil, lukewarm milk and water. Mix to form a rough dough.
- Knead by hand or with a mixer for 5–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Dough should be slightly tacky but pull away from the bowl.
- Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover and leave in a warm spot until doubled, about 1–2 hours.
- Soak cashews in boiling water while dough rises.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment. Grease an 11 cm x 4 cm ramekin and place it in the centre.
- Punch down the risen dough and knead briefly. Divide into roughly 30 g pieces (about 29 pieces).
- Shape each piece into a smooth ball by pinching seams, then rolling in your hand.
- Arrange balls in two rings around the ramekin (about 11 inner, 18 outer depending on size).
- Cover loosely and allow to proof for 30–40 minutes until puffy and slightly springy.
- Preheat oven to 210°C/190°C fan / 425°F / gas 7.
- Make the garlic butter by gently heating vegan butter with crushed garlic, parsley and oregano; set aside.
- Drain soaked cashews and blend with garlic, tapioca, salt, nutritional yeast, vinegar and water until very smooth.
- Cook the blended mixture over medium heat, whisking until it simmers and thickens. Remove from heat and press parchment onto the surface to prevent a skin.
- Pour the cheese dip into the ramekin and level the top. Drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle thyme if desired. Brush about two-thirds of the garlic butter over the dough balls.
- Bake for 20 minutes until golden. A probe thermometer should read at least 90°C/194°F in the centre. Brush with remaining garlic butter and serve warm.
Notes
- See the post above for tips and step-by-step photos.
- Use metric measurements and a digital scale for best results; cup measures are inconsistent.
- The cheese dip is adapted from Bish, Bash, Bosh.
