American
Fluffy Pull-Apart Sourdough Garlic Herb Dinner Rolls
Twelve feather-soft, shreddable sourdough dinner rolls baked shoulder-to-shoulder in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet and brushed hot from the oven with melted plant butter infused with roasted garlic, fresh rosemary, thyme, parsley, and flaky sea salt.
The good part
Fermentation Science & Baker’s Notes
Baking the rolls packed tightly together in pre-seasoned cast iron forces the dough to expand vertically rather than outward, creating tall, cloud-soft pull-apart sides that never dry out. For deeper fermentation diagnostics, Desired Dough Temperature math, and starter ratios, consult our How to Bake Enriched Vegan Sourdough and the master Vegan Sourdough & Wild Fermentation Pillar Hub.
Storage, Freezing & Refreshing
Store crusty artisan sourdough loaves cut-side down on a wooden board or inside a linen bread bag at room temperature for up to 3 days (avoid sealed plastic bags, which trap moisture and soften the blistered crust). For longer storage, slice the cooled loaf completely, place parchment squares between slices, and freeze in an airtight freezer bag for up to 3 months; toast straight from frozen or refresh whole loaves in a 375°F oven for 8 minutes.
Nutrition, Digestibility & Swaps
Shape the rolls the night before Thanksgiving or Christmas, cover the skillet in the fridge overnight, and pull them out 3 hours before dinner to proof and bake. Want to adapt another family bakery recipe to 100% plant-based sourdough? Open our interactive Vegan Baking Converter.
Gather
Ingredients
- For Tangzhong: 20g (2 1/2 tbsp) bread flour + 100g (scant 1/2 cup) unsweetened oat milk
- 400g (3 1/4 cups) unbleached bread or all-purpose flour
- 100g (scant 1/2 cup) active peaked sourdough levain
- 135g (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp) lukewarm unsweetened oat or soy milk
- 25g (2 tbsp) organic cane sugar or maple syrup
- 45g (3 tbsp) softened vegan block butter
- 9g (1 1/2 tsp) fine sea salt
- For Garlic-Herb Butter Baste: 40g (3 tbsp) vegan butter + 3 cloves grated garlic + 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, and flat-leaf parsley + flaky sea salt
Make
Method
- 01Cook Tangzhong & Mix Dough: Cook 20g flour and 100g oat milk over medium heat for 2 minutes until thick; cool to lukewarm. Mix with remaining 135g oat milk, 100g levain, 25g sugar, 400g flour, and 9g salt; knead in the 45g softened vegan butter until smooth.
- 02Bulk Ferment (4 to 5 Hours): Ferment covered at 78°F until risen by 70% (or refrigerate overnight after bulk fermentation so you can shape fresh for holiday dinner).
- 03Shape 12 Skillet Balls: Divide dough into 12 equal 68g pieces. Roll each into a taut ball and arrange in a greased 10-inch cast-iron skillet (1 in the center, 11 around the ring).
- 04Proof Until Touching & Puffy: Cover and proof at 78°F for 2.5 to 3 hours until the balls press tightly into one another and puff high above the rim.
- 05Bake & Baste with Herb Butter: Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 22 to 25 minutes until golden brown on top (198°F internal temp). Sizzle the garlic and herbs in 40g melted vegan butter for 45 seconds and brush generously over the hot rolls.
Keep cooking
Swaps, storage, and useful next steps.
Shape the rolls the night before Thanksgiving or Christmas, cover the skillet in the fridge overnight, and pull them out 3 hours before dinner to proof and bake.