Easy and Delicious Garlic Knots Recipe (Vegan)

Soft.

Garlicky.

EASY.

Ok, before you hate me, I’m going to tell you up front: this garlic knots recipe requires a 24-hour proof. That means, it will take you over ONE DAY to make this EASY AS PIE recipe. This should not stop you from making this garlic knots recipe because it is SO SO VERY WORTH IT. With the holidays right around the corner (only 5 days till Thanksgiving as of the writing of this blog post), I’m going to make this recipe short and sweet for ya. No time for SEO’ing or a gratuitous (though intriguing) section on the origin of the “garlic knot” for now.

Let’s get into it!

KEY INGREDIENTS AND NOTES ON SUBSTITUTION For This Garlic Knots Recipe.

The following are the key ingredients for this garlic knots recipe:

Active Dry Yeast.

For this vegan garlic knots recipe, we’re going to use active dry yeast as opposed to instant yeast. The active dry yeast will facilitate a longer proof time, during which your delicious dough for your garlic knots will develop ample flavor. If all you have in your pantry is instant yeast, though, and you have no time or wherewithal to go to the grocery store, go with the instant yeast and halve the proofing time (including the proof in the fridge).

Brown Rice Syrup.

In order to enhance the flavor of this dough, I use brown rice syrup in lieu of straight up sugar to proof my yeast in this garlic knots recipe. But you can use whatever sweetener you like, like maple syrup, agave, or sugar.

Bread Flour.

Ok, I told you there’d be no back story, but hear me out–garlic knots were originally made with leftover pizza dough. Hence, this garlic knots recipe will use bread flour as opposed to all purpose flour. We want to mimic the chewy, yeasty flavor of pizza dough. Again, if all you have is all purpose flour, you can use that; however, you may have some trouble when it’s time to actually form the knots. Bread flour has higher protein content and therefore facilitates structure and gluten formation. All purpose flour will yield a softer dough, but one that might be prone to tearing easily. Both will be absolutely delicious, though!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

In order to keep the garlic knots extremely moist, this garlic knots recipe will include a little extra virgin olive oil in the dough.

Dairy-Free Milk.

This garlic knots recipe requires a little vegan “wash” in order to make sure they come out of the oven golden brown. I prefer using oat milk for my egg-wash replacement, mixed with a little vegan butter or extra virgin olive oil. But, you can use whatever non-dairy milk you like.

Vegan Butter.

The garlic knots are dressed with a sauce made with vegan butter, herbs, and seasonings. What kind of vegan butter? I use Earth Balance or Country Crock Plant Butter for all my vegan butter baking needs. I find that these not only mimic the flavor of dairy-butter, they are the most chemically similar, as well. But if you don’t have access to vegan butter, no fear! Just use extra virgin olive oil for this garlic knots recipe.

Garlic.

These garlic knots will definitely require garlic. But believe it or not, I use store bought pre-minced garlic for this garlic knots recipe, as it works better with the texture. However, you can, of course, use fresh garlic that you mince up yourself! Far be it from me to tell you not to! Just know that I am not judging you if you do go with store-bought help on this one!

Fresh Parsley.

I use a little bit of flat leaf parsley to add a bit of green to these garlic knots!

Seasoning.

The butter sauce that dresses this garlic knots recipe includes Italian seasoning (a blend of dried Italian herbs), garlic powder, and onion powder.

Sugar.

As you’ll know from my Perfect Roasted Potatoes recipe, I like to amplify the umami flavors of the above seasonings with a pinch of sugar. If you don’t want to add sugar to this garlic knots recipe, you don’t need to!

Vegan Parmesan.

The butter sauce for this garlic knots recipe includes a bit of grated vegan parmesan for extra flavor and savoriness. My preferred brand of vegan parmesan is Violife; however, if you don’t have vegan parmesan, you can always skip it or replace it with a little nutritional yeast.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Making This Vegan Garlic Knots Recipe.

Step 1: Make Your Dough.

Add 1 cup of warm water (around 110° F to be technical) to the bowl of your stand mixer (if you’re not using a stand mixer, a large bowl will suffice). To that bowl, add your yeast and brown rice syrup. When the mixture begins to foam (usually takes a few minutes), add the flour, salt, and extra virgin olive oil. Knead the dough on high for about 10 minutes if using your stand mixer. If kneading by hand, you should knead for at least 15 minutes, until the dough is relatively elastic and smooth.

Step 2: Proof Your Dough.

Shape your dough into a neat ball. Place your dough ball in a greased bowl covered with plastic wrap or a tight lid and let it rest for about 25 minutes. Then, place it in the refrigerator for approximately 24 hours. Your dough should double in size and be as smooth as a baby’s bottom.

Step 3: Shape Your Garlic Knots.

Once your dough has proofed overnight, remove the dough from your bowl and reshape it into a tidy ball. Then, weigh it. Why? Because you want nice, even garlic knots that will bake uniformly in your oven. If you want to eyeball it, go for it! But you know me–I like to be precise about that stuff. My dough ball weighed in at roughly 600 grams, which meant that each individual knot should be about 75 grams each (600 ÷ 8).

Divide the dough ball into 8 equal pieces. Each piece should then be shaped into an 8-inch rope about the width of your thumb. Then, gently tie it into a knot. Place the knots in a pre-greased 9″ x 13″ casserole dish. Let the knots proof for another hour, until they nearly double in size.

Step 4. Bake Your Garlic Knots.

At about 30 minutes into your second proof, preheat your oven to 450° F. Then, prepare a quick vegan wash by whisking together non-dairy milk with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or vegan butter. After your garlic knots have finished their second proof, gently but generously apply the wash onto the tops of your knots. Then, place them in the oven on the center rack and bake for about 20 minutes, until their tops are golden brown.

Step 5. Prepare Your Garlicky Butter Sauce.

While your garlic knots are baking, prepare your butter sauce: place your vegan butter, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and vegan parmesan into a small bowl. Then place it in the microwave until the butter has completely melted.

Step 6. Dress Your Garlic Buns.

Once your garlic knots are out of the oven, allow them to cool for about 5 minutes. Then, tear off each individual piece and place them in a large, preferably stainless steel bowl. Add the butter sauce, along with fresh parsley, a pinch of sugar, and a pinch of salt. Cover the top of the bowl with a lid or a large plate and toss until the buns are evenly coated. Serve and enjoy!!

Storing And Reheating Vegan Garlic Knots.

Your vegan garlic knots are best when they’re fresh, just a few minutes after being dressed with the butter sauce. But if somehow (somehow?) you still have leftovers, they can remain at room temperature for 24 hours, loosely covered. Afterwards, they should be placed in the refrigerator in an airtight container, where they can last for about a week. To reheat your vegan garlic knots, just zap them in the microwave covered with a damp paper towel for about 10 to 15 seconds.

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Recipe Card.

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