With everyone baking sourdough bread these days, I figured I would try my hand at something a little bit different.

I often get the question “What do you miss most since going vegan?” and I can honestly say I have gained so much more than I’ve “lost” (no, I don’t miss eating dead animals) but one thing I do remember fondly is a slice of cheesy pizza.

Nowadays, we’re so lucky that we have several amazing vegan cheeses out there and I’m using one of them in today’s recipe; an ooey-gooey cheesy garlic bread that is to die for! And I don’t say this lightly.

I’ve experimented with many recipes and products, some more successfully than others. Which is why I’m so excited when one turns out as incredible as this one!

This is a recipe to make if you’re feeling like all that cheesy goodness, but are not worried about the calories you are consuming, because let’s be honest, this isn’t diet food.

But sometimes I feel like showing people that vegan food can be as decadent, and mouthwateringly delicious, if not even more than “traditional” food, and the best part is you can feel good that nobody had to suffer for you to eat it.

The key to the success of this bread is to roast a whole head of garlic, which gives you a sweet, rich flavor that makes you just want to bury your head in the loaf.

Plus, the smell is incredible!

I want this post to be short and sweet, but let me leave you with this one important message:

Don’t think “I can’t go vegan because I just love cheese too much”.

In today’s market, you can get a vegan version of every cheese you love from cheddar, mozzarella, brie, blue cheese, provolone, ricotta, cream cheese, and beyond… and great tasting ones at that!

Not to mention the vegan selections don’t contain hormones, loads of saturated fats, and cholesterol. I would love for you to comment on this post with something you are missing if you want to give up dairy—chances are there’s already a wonderful alternative either in your health or grocery store or… I’ll have a recipe you can whip up right at home.

With that, enjoy this cheesy garlic bread, and don’t blame me when over half the loaf is gone in less than 30 minutes! (that happened to me 🙂

CHEESY GARLIC BREAD

3 cups (440 grams) bread flour (I used King Arthur)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp dry active yeast
⅔ cups (1.75 dl) water or non-dairy milk, room temperature
½ cup Just eggs or 2 tbsp ground flax seeds mixed with 6 tbsp water
⅓ cup (80 mL) olive oil
2 cups (180 g) shredded vegan cheese like cheddar or mozzarella
2 tsp chopped, fresh thyme

Garlic-butter spread:
¾ cup (6 oz or 170 g) vegan butter (like Miyoko’s or Earth Balance), melted
1 large head of garlic (about 10 cloves), roasted
Kosher or sea salt to taste
Olive oil
Additional melted butter for brushing dough

Combine the bread flour, salt, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Stir to combine.

Add in the water or non-dairy milk, Just Eggs or flaxseed mixture and olive oil and knead for about 6 minutes until a smooth dough forms. Alternatively, if you don’t have a stand mixer, you can combine all this in a regular bowl, turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes.

Let dough rest covered with plastic wrap or a clean towel until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.

While the dough is proofing, make the garlic-butter spread. Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit (200° Celcius).

Cut the very top off the head of garlic, place in a tin foil wrap, sprinkle with a generous amount of kosher or sea salt, and wrap up. Place in the oven and roast for about 1 hour until garlic is golden brown and soft.

Melt the butter in a small pot and set aside. Once the garlic is done, let cool a little bit before squeezing the head from the bottom to let all the garlic cloves pop out and place into a small bowl. Add in the melted butter and combine well. Place in the fridge until ready to use.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375°Fahrenheit (190°Celcius).

Grease a loaf pan and set aside.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and with a rolling pin, roll out into a rectangular shape, about ½” inch thick (1 cm). Spread the garlic-butter mixture over the surface and sprinkle the cheese and chopped thyme on top.

Roll the dough together from the bottom, and place in the prepared loaf pan, seam side down. Cover with a towel, and let rise again for another 30-40 minutes.

Brush the top with a little melted butter and place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown on top. The time might vary depending on your oven, so check after 25 minutes.

Let cool on a rack before slicing into it. Yum!

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