Learn how to make a Vegan and Oil-free Classic Sandwich Loaf Bread from scratch! This easy loaf is incredibly light and fluffy. You won’t need any special equipment too.
Freshly baked bread is by far one of my favourite aromas ! It’s a warm, yeasty and all-too familiar fragrance that pervades the room and lingers long after the loaf is baked.
I wanted a classic sandwich loaf bread recipe that
- tastes amazing
- is vegan and oil-free
- has a light and fluffy texture
- is easy enough to make on a regular basis
- I can make by hand without any equipment besides a handy rolling pin
and this recipe happens to check all the boxes!
Don’t feel intimidated to knead by hand! It’s actually a great method of making bread, because you can actually feel the texture of the dough. With practice over time, you’ll soon get the hang of it and know what to expect from each stage of the process.
The secret ingredient to make this sandwich loaf bread oil-free
…is coconut milk! Because it’s rich in natural fat, coconut milk makes our bread super fluffy and tender without any oil. You can use either low or regular fat, because low fat coconut milk is still relatively rich.
Tips to make the perfect loaf
- Do not substitute coconut milk for other types of non-dairy milk. Because this is an oil-free loaf, we’re really depending on the fat from the coconut milk to make the bread rich and tender. You can use either low or regular fat, because low fat coconut milk is still quite rich and thick.
- Don’t be afraid to flour both your work surface and your hands to prevent sticking. Depending on the humidity of your environment and the brand of bread flour you use, you might need more or less flour as you knead.
- When in doubt, knead longer. The chances of over-kneading the dough by hand are very slim, so make sure you knead for at least 7 minutes. The dough should be soft to touch. It should also spring back when you poke it with your finger.
- The temperature of your environment will affect the dough as it rises. The dough may need more time to rise if the weather is cold. I find that letting the dough rise in a room with the windows and door closed creates a warm enough environment. If you need more options, check out this blog post.
It took me many attempts to make a fluffy loaf I was thoroughly pleased with. Making good bread takes practice and experience, but an amazing recipe and some tips will help you along the way. Once you get the hang of it, it’s another life skill under your belt!
Time to put that loaf to good use! Here are some of my recipes featuring sandwich bread:
- Avocado Tahini Toast + Tofu Scramble (Vegan + Oil-Free)
- Vegan Chickpea Tuna Mayo Salad
- you can also make burger buns with this recipe for my Vegan Crispy Tofu Burger with Pineapple Relish
If you made this recipe, do leave a comment and rating below because I love hearing your feedback. Make sure to tag me on Instagram @eatwkriss so that I can see your recreations!
Classic Sandwich Loaf Bread (V | OF)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup coconut milk regular or low fat
- 2¼ tsp instant yeast
- 3 cups bread/high-protein flour
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ¼-½ cup all-purpose flour for dusting
Instructions
- Heat the water and milk until warm to touch. Remove from heat, add yeast and let stand for 5 minutes until the mixture starts to foam.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Pour in the yeast mixture and combine with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
- Pour the contents out onto a floured surface. With floured hands, knead the dough for at least 7-10 minutes, adding up to ½ cup of flour to prevent sticking. The dough should be smooth and no longer sticky. If you poke your finger into the dough, it should spring back.
- Shape into a tight ball, place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Once the dough has risen, place on to a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute to remove the air. Roll the dough into a 8 x 12 inch rectangle. From the top, fold over one third of the dough onto itself. Repeat with the bottom third of the dough.
- Place the dough into a greased 8½ x 4½ inch loaf pan, folded side facing downwards. Cover with a damp towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
- Brush the top with coconut milk and bake in a preheated oven at 180°c for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
- After baking, remove from the tin and let cool completely on a wire rack. Use it in any way you like. Enjoy!
Notes
This post was originally published on the 8th of June, 2020. The blog post, recipe and pictures were improved on the 6th of November, 2020.
this turned out so so fragrant😍 didn’t know coconut milk could make such a big difference!! the bread really smells like regular white bread and it’s so soft too :”) only qualms with it was that my bread tasted a bit salty so i would reduce the salt a bit! BUT STILL this was amazing❤️
ahh so glad that you loved the bread! will take note on the salt level next time 🙂