Crusty, homemade and super easy vegan bread recipe (+ Video) with only 3 ingredients: flour, water and instant yeast. No knead, no fancy equipment needed and we won’t be using any oil at all. Truth be told this is really my Italian pizza dough recipe in loaf form.
The best, no knead vegan bread recipe ever!
Easier than making a ciabatta, this is for when you want your house to smell like a French or Italian bakery on a cold December day with minimal effort. It is as easy as mixing three ingredients together in a large bowl, shaping a loaf and baking it.
There’s nothing else like the comforting sound of a crackling crispy crust being torn over a steaming hot bowl of soup. This artisan bread loaf is also wonderful with this broccoli potato soup or used for bruschetta, sandwiches and casseroles, for making bread crumbs, french toast, cheesy garlic bread and even Thanksgiving bread stuffing.
Am I right, or am I right ..?!
By all means, feel free to chop up some fresh rosemary to add to your dough and give it that artisan Tuscan flair, or a handful of sliced black olives. You’ll still be under 5 ingredients, like a boss!
this vegan bread recipe is:
Quick & Easy
From Scratch
Egg & Oil-Free
Perfect for Sandwiches
Crackling Crust
Big Holes
Soft Center
Dairy Free
Simply the Best.
The Secret to Making Crusty Bread:
- a preheated pizza stone
- a blasting hot oven
- a tray of water to create steam <—crucial!
- allow the loaf to cool in the oven.
note: If you don’t have a pizza stone you can still bake the bread inside a cast iron skillet or a dutch oven with the lid on instead.
FAQ:
- Is Bread Vegan or Not ? Yes it is, as long as you don’t add any animal products into the mix!
- Can I make bread with yeast ? Yes you can but it will have to be a flatbread like this quinoa or potato flatbread.
How to Store It:
If you happen to not eat this loaf in the same day just store it on the kitchen counter in a reusable plastic bag for a couple of days.
What Do Do with Stale Bread ?
So you forgot you made crusty bread and you have a stale loaf now ? No problem! It’s a sign from the universe that you must hurry and make a big pot of this Italian Bread Soup (pappa al pomodoro) right away.
What to Serve With
My favorite way to enjoy bread is fresh out of the oven, grilled for panzanella, dunked in this vegan zuppa Toscana, unstuffed cabbage roll soup, chunky potato soup and next to grandpa’s tomato cucumber salad.
P.S. As always, If you make this recipe remember to come back and rate it, take a photo and tag us with #VeggieSociety on Instagram.
How to Make Crusty Vegan Bread:
Easy Crusty Vegan Bread
Easy, crusty vegan bread made with only 3 ingredients: flour, water and instant yeast.
Servings 8 people
Calories 188kcal
Ingredients
- 3.25 cups all purpose flour + more for sprinkling (organic non-gmo)
- 1.5 cups warm water
- 2 tsp instant dry yeast
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Add the all purpose flour, yeast and sea salt to a large mixing bowl or your kitchen aid mixer. Mix in the water and stir well until incorporated. Cover the bowl loosely with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. ( you may leave it overnight as well but it is not necessary )
- After about 2 hours check the dough and you should notice the surface dotted with bubbles. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and sprinkle it with a little flour. Shape it into a round loaf by folding it over on itself a few times. NO KNEADING Allowed!
- Meanwhile preheat your oven to 450"F with a pizza stone inside. I If you don't have a pizza stone preheat a cast iron dutch oven with the lid on instead). Place a baking dish with a couple of inches of water in it on the bottom rack to help create steam inside the oven for a crispy crust.
- Sprinkle a pizza peel or a cardboard box with some flour and place the bread loaf on top. Allow it to rest for 45 minutes while the oven warms up. Using a serrated knife make a few slits on top of the loaf.
- Sprinkle the pizza stone with a little bit of the semolina flour then gently slide the bread dough onto it just like you would do with a pizza. Cook for about 30 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool down before slicing. For an even crispier crust allow to bread to cool inside of the oven with the door slightly open.
Nutrition
Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 5g | Sodium: 294mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 2.4mg
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Oh my Lord, this bread was simply amazing and so simple. Never again will I use another recipe. Count me into the lazy club, this is the real deal.
Really loved this recipe! Made it the other day and it was fantastic!
So happy you love the bread Tjasa. It’s our favorite too!
Made two loaves of this crusty bread and they are absolutely amazing, I feel like an old Italian bread maker now. For my second loaf I mixed half all purpose flour and whole wheat which tunrend out into a denser loaf than the original. Love them both and I’m now a believer in the magic of the pizza stone. If you are looking for the perfect homemade bread recipe look no further, this is it, thank you so much for sharing, my kids are all over it too!
This bread is so good, and easy to make! Thanks for the great recipe.
Thanks Kimberly! So happy you loved it, bread is life, we love it too!
I was wondering if there is a way to use a gluten free flower to make this bread.
Have not tested it so can’t recommend it. Let me know If you try it GF! ~ Florentina
I just made it with all purpose gluten free flour. It’s great!
Woohoo! That’s awesome!
Can you tell me what GF flour you used please? I tried it with disastrous results.
Hi there,
Is it okay to use gluten free flour for this recipe?
Thank you
I have not experimented with a gluten-free flour so I really can’t confidently say yes. Let us know If you do try it GF 🙂
Can this be done without a pizza stone?
Yes it can, maybe use a cast iron instead that is preheated ..? or a dutch oven ..? Otherwise the crust won’t be really crusty.
The recipe is great! It turned out just like the picture showed. The inside is a bit on the softer side than expected even after 45ish minutes of baking, but that could be because it was a tall loaf, the temp of the oven, or the proofing time. Also, sprinkle some salt on top or add more into the dough. It’s delicious, but quite bland. I might experiment and add rosemary like she suggested next time.
First loaf was definitely a disaster: hard as a rock and completely raw inside. I think I didn’t let it proof nearly long enough and I may have added the yeast in wrong. Overall, a good recipe that requires some getting used to. Although tbh, this was my first attempt at making bread, period. I’m used to baking cakes and banana bread, so, for a first timer in real bread baking and a first timer for this recipe, I call this one a win.
Hi Meagan, I suspect the oven might not have been hot enough ( I recommend you preheat it with the pizza stone inside for a good 45 minutes or longer), also give it time to proof at room temperature around 75″F otherwise it might need a little more time. The quality of the yeast might play a factor as well, as you’ll make it again it will become effortless for you and a win every time. Enjoy! ~ Florentina 🙂
This recipe was very easy to make. I didn’t have a pizza stone so I used my cast iron. I did everything the recipe called for . I feel like I should of baked it longer because the inside was done but kind of doughy. Still delicious! It was my first time making bread, I think I did pretty good for the first time !
Hi Kay, if using a cast iron instead of the pizza stone just make sure it is also preheated with the oven like a pizza stone would be, otherwise there will be longer cooking times and the bread won’t be quite as crispy. So happy you liked it anyways, next time it will be a breeze! 🙂
Mmmm!! I just made this on a cast iron pan and it turned out perfect !
I subbed the water for almond milk and added a little coconut oil and maple syrup to the dough to add some flavour and it is amazingly yummy bread! Perfectly crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. Will definitely be making again ! Thank you 🙂
Half buckwheat flour half regular flour?? Would it work??
Haven’t experimented with that combo, let me know if you do. I bet it will be a denser loaf so try not to overwork it after the rise time, just carefully shape it into a loaf.
Hi Florentine. I am a recent Vegan, ex Vegetarian. Am looking forward to trying these exciting recipes, especially the bread 🤗
Hi Glenda, so happy you embraced a plant-based lifestyle, you are going to love it and feel great! Report back as you try the new recipes and feel free to ask any questions you might have moving forward ~ Florentina Xo’s
Every time I make this bread, I am amazed at how delicious and simple this delightful it is. It’s definitely a go to on a cold winter day, with a warm soup. Thank you for sharing!!
I’m so excited for you Monica! I know the feeling you are describing when this bread comes out of the oven and it crackles so nice while tearing it over a bowl of soup. Pure deliciousness! ~Florentina Xo’s
Hello!
I’m wondering if this dough can be made ahead and frozen? Have you tried this?
Hi Erica, I’ve frozen the dough before to make pizza but not to bake it as a loaf. I suspect it would work just make sure to not knead it again. Defrost and allow it to rise at room temperature for a couple of hours then bake it. Report back!
I’d love to know if this technique of freezing the dough worked!!
Yes, I freeze it all the time!
I was happy to find a vegan recipe for a basic bread. I haven’t made bread in about a decade, so gave this one a try. It was so easy. Really. And I accidentally let the bread rise for about 5 hours instead of the 2-3 hours in the recipe and it turned out fine. I baked for 30 minutes, but it could have used 5 minutes more. Other than that, it was great!
So happy you loved it Brooke! Sometimes if you don’t heat up the pizza stone for a long time (45 minutes to 1 hour) you might need to cook the bread a little bit longer.Hope next time it turns out perfect for you 🙂 ~ Florentina
Easiest bread recipe you’ll ever find and turned out absolutely perfect. It’s like it came fresh from the bakery, I reached a whole new pride level today and I’m eating the whole loaf with olive oil and tomatoes because it’s Friday and I deserve this people!!
Very easy recipe. I found I needed to use 500g of bread flour. I proved in the fridge overnight which worked well. It did need longer cooking but that could be my oven. Just has some toasted & it was yummy.
Made this for the first time today to go with our lentil soup.. So delicious and super easy!! My family loved it and I intend to make this to go with some of our holiday meals in the coming months. I am curious what kind of flour I could use to lower the carbs. Any suggestions?
Beyond happy that you love the bread! I’ve only made it with all purpose and bread flour so I really don’t know what else would be fail proof to be honest.. Let me know if you experiment with something new ~ Florentina Xo’s
Could I use bread flour instead of all purpose?
yes you can!
Hi, I don’t have a pizza stone, Dutch oven or cast iron skillet. Can I use something else.
You sure can use whatever heavy pan /baking dish you have but you’ll need to probably extend the cooking time and not sure about how crips the crust will be. Report back!
I just made this for the first time, i just plopped it onto a pre heated baking sheet with a non stick sheet on top! Looks good!!
This was great!! I used my dutch oven (with the lid on), and it was wonderful! Easiest bread I’ve ever made(: Will definitely put some herbs into it next time!
Such amazing bread and such an easy recipe. I just love it! Wondering if using spelt flour would be okay? Would the loaf turn out the same?
Hi Karolina, so glad you loved the bread. Unfortunately spelt is a whole grain so it would not work for this recipe. At the most I would try half and half but the bread will be denser and really not sure how you need to adjust the baking time since i haven’t tested it that way yet. Let me know if you experiment with it.
Can I add olives to this bread?
sure you can!
Hi! t what point do you add olives or herbs? I am making this today. I can’t wait to see how it turns out.
You can add them all in your dough at the very start.
Have you ever tried making this bread in a instant pot?
I have heard people use the IP for bread but not sure if it would work here.
TY
I have not, please report back if you do!
Thanks very much for this amazing bread recipe! I have tried quite a few different recipes using different types of flour,but keep coming back to this one! It’s just so easy and super delicious. My favourite is with organic stone ground plain white flour! 🤗
This was my first time making bread and it was really good. It was very easy. I will definitely make again
Hey there! I don’t have a pizza stone, but I do have a cast iron dutch oven, You say “with the lid on” — does that mean I bake the bread with the lid on? Or just warm it up with the lid on and then put the loaf in there, remove the lid, and put the pan with water underneath and bake? Thanks so much!
You can bake it with the lid on and no need for the water dish below. Or you can bake without the lid and use the water dish. Hope that makes sense :). P.S. Make sure to add some parchment paper with the bread so it’s easy to remove, but do not preheat the parchment paper, only add it at the same time with the bread.
Wonderful, thank you so much! One more question — if I bake it without the lid, do I preheat with the water pan in there as well for the 45-60 mins before I put the loaf in?
This recipe is so easy and the bread turns out soooooo good! I make it all the time from white flour. I just tried making one using spelt flour and the loaf is quite dense. No bubbles. What should I have done differently?
Oh and I meant to leave a 5 star review!
hello, this looks amazing. I want to try but I recently found out I have a gluten allergy. Can I make the same recipe with gluten free flour?
Hi Kerry, I would not know how to adapt this recipe to be gluten-free without testing it first, i’m sorry!
This bread was so delicious and is every bit as good and pleasing to the eye as a loaf from your favorite bakery. A snap to make.
Florentina, I have two questions. Why all purpose instead of bread flour? And, can the salt be reduced to 1/2 tsp without affecting the end result? Thank you for sharing all the lovely recipes. Now to try the scalloped potatoes.
Yes you can reduce the salt amount, I only increased it because people were telling me it needs more salt haha. As far as flour goes I use all purpose because most people have that in the pantry and I wanted this recipe to be the easiest most basic but awesome bread you can make at home. That being said bread flour should totally be fine too!
We just love, love, love this bread!! it is simple. it is healthy. and to top it all, so easy to bake. Thank you for sharing!
This recipe is amazing and simple, thanks for sharing, I’ve just made it today. I do not have a stone or a dutch oven so I used a preheated round cake pan and it turned out perfectly. I added some olives and rosemary and it taste amazing!
I had never baked in my life and then tried using this receipe and I have got hooked on baking bread. Thank you Florentina for sharing with us. I have used the same recipe with various different ingredients and always been a success. Thanks
That’s really great, my whole goal with this easy bread recipe was so anyone can make it and end up with a decent loaf of bread without much fuss ~ Florentina Xo’s
I echo what everyone says about this being delicious and EASY. For years I made whole wheat bread in bread tins using the Tassajara recipe. It’s lockdown time here and I wanted fresh bread, but can’t go outside and didn’t want to bother any of my wonderful neighbors who have been getting groceries for me this past month. For some reason I had 15# of bread flour in my closet. Don’t ask me why. I used a cast iron skillet for baking. Put a liberal sprinkling of cornmeal on it. What people should note is that the risen loaf must slide off from whatever it is you’ve used to rest it on, and onto the baking surface. Next time I’m going to use an old time smooth cookie sheet sprinkled with flour. THANKS FOR THIS RECIPE!
Super happy you loved the bread and thanks for the tip, YES the bread sliding is a must!
WOW this bread is ammmaaaazing! Thank you so much for sharing. My first ever loaf of bread and it looks decent but tasted divine. Added a few pumpkin seeds nom nom. Sorry this review is short but i need to get back to eating the bread 🤣
Thanks for reporting back Louise, love the pumpkin seed addition, yum!
When there was no bread left in the market, I decided to try making some. I stumbled on this recipe and SO glad I did! Super easy and amazing! I used bread flour and brushed melted butter on it before baking. My husband can’t stop raving about it! Thank you!
Hi Donna! I JUST mixed all my ingredients and the dough seems sticky..should I add more flour? Thanks so much! Jennifer
HI! First time making bread, so I am a little unsure if what I am seeing is okay I mixed as directed, but my dough seems super sticky…is this normal? Should I add more flour?
Thanks for your help! Super excited to see how this goes!
Do not add more flour, the dough is supposed to be sticky, watch the recipe video for step by step visual.
This was my first time making bread with yeast and it’s such a brilliant recipe! I overbaked slightly but it was still soooo tasty – soft inside and crispy crust. I’ve just made it for the second time and I looked at the video again too, but I think I’m going a little bit wrong somewhere…
After first proving, the mixture increases in size but doesn’t hold anything like a loaf shape. It fills the bowl and flattens on top. Then when I try to shape it, it’s SO sticky and no amount of floured surface can stop it sticking. It sticks on the floured cardboard and refuses to slide off. The final loaf is flatter than yours. Would you have any tips?
Thanks so much!
My bread always seems doughy on the inside despite having a brown crust. Is there a reason for this the only part of the recipe that I do not follow is the pizza stone I use a cast iron grill instead?
I wonder if maybe you overworked the dough when shaping the loaf… The step by step video helps a lot. Also I would check the flour you are using and make sure it is fresh.
I haven’t had much luck making bread in the past but this turned out amazingly. The recipe was easy to follow and uses simple ingredients I had on hand. The family loved it. Will definitely go into rotation at home. Thank you for sharing.
Yummy and easy. Next time I will try adding something to give more flavor such as oat milk? honey? rosemary?
Amongst the four of us, before it is fully cooled, it is 3/4 gone 😉
I have made this recipe several times and love it! If I split the dough in half to make 2 small loaves, how would the cook time change?
Thanks!
You will definitely have to watch it closely and experiment, i would say cut the cooking time by a little bit but not too much, you still want the center to cook properly.
I made this bread along with some homemade creamy vegan soup. It was PHENOMENAL. Thank you so much for this easy and delicious recipe! I didn’t have a pizza stone and instead used a large cast iron pan and it worked out great! :^)
How can I transfer the dough to the pizza stone without a cardboard box or wheel? Could I put it on parchment paper and just transfer both to the stone for baking?
Sure, just make sure the parchment paper is suitable for the high temperature in your oven, this should be somewhere on the parchment paper box.
This bread is amazing. My daughter made it and it was gone in two days. This recipe is a keeper. Thanks so much.
I don’t know what I am doing wrong, but the finished product comes out dense and not as airy as the one shown in the video. I tried overnight proofing but it still turned out dense. What am I not doing right?
Hey Loucas, sound slike you might be overworking the dough while shaping the loaf. Watching the video really helps with that step however if unsure just allow the loaf to proof a little after shaping and bounce back before baking it. Hope that helps ~ Florentina