Vegan Pub Buns

Things are really picking up and our travel schedule is starting to get rather busy, beginning with a quick trip to Taiwan this month. Fortunately we have the lovely Jojo from Vegan.In.Brighton to fill in with a guest post later this week. But before we head to Taiwan for yet another trip full of food and family, I wanted to share something I’ve been working on for a little while. When it comes to Western food, it’s fair to say that I enjoy a bit of pub grub, so this recipe is for my perfect vegan pub buns.

I don’t know about anywhere else, but here in Oregon it can be difficult to find a good vegan hamburger bun at the grocer. There’s one brand that stands out as being delicious, vegan and local, but the majority contain far too many ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, unpronounceable additives, honey, eggs or dairy.

The key ingredient in my recipe for vegan pub buns is vital wheat gluten. I keep Bob’s Red Mill Vital Wheat Gluten on hand but don’t have too many uses for it aside from making seitan. Vital wheat gluten adds structure and elasticity that helps create a nice firm bun without being dry. These buns will hold together without going limp and soggy, making them easy to load up with all your favorite burger toppings.

These vegan pub buns are round, soft and just a bit fluffy. The vital wheat gluten gives them a bit of resilience so they’ll bounce back after slicing and won’t get dense and smashed under pressure. They slice easily, tear apart nicely and have a lovely golden crust that’s firm without being dry or flaky. Top with sesame seeds for added color, flavor and texture.

The egg wash substitute isn’t as glossy as an authentic egg wash but it helps give the buns a bit of shine while also keeping your sesame seeds on top.

Use this recipe for your favorite sandwich, burger, slider or even hot dogs.

Vegan Pub Buns

Yield: Makes 4 large or 6 medium buns

Ingredients

1 teaspoon active dry yeast ¼ cup lukewarm water (110-115°F) 1 tablespoon turbinado raw cane sugar or coconut sugar ½ tablespoon ground flaxseeds and 1½ tablespoons water, divided 1¾ cups white flour, unbleached and unbromated, plus additional as needed 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten (Bob’s Red Mill) ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt ¼ cup 1½ tablespoons lukewarm, unsweetened dairy-free milk 1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing
For the Vegan Egg Wash & Sesame Seeds (optional) ½ teaspoon vegan butter or extra-virgin olive oil ½ tablespoon water 1 tablespoon unsweetened dairy-free milk ⅛ teaspoon egg replacer or organic, non-gmo cornstarch 1¼ tablespoons sesame seeds (black and/or white)

Method

In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast, ¼ cup water (110-115°F) and sugar. Let stand until foamy, 10 minutes. In the meantime, make your egg replacer by combining ½ tablespoon ground flaxseeds and 1½ tablespoons water in a small bowl and mix well. Leave it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to thicken. Add flour, vital wheat gluten, baking powder, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix well. Gradually add egg replacer mixture, olive oil (1½ tablespoons) and milk (¼ cup 1½ tablespoons) and knead until smooth. Dough should be soft, but not too sticky. Add flour as needed. Place dough in a large lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a plastic wrap, then a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot (70° F) until doubled, about 2 hours.

Heat oven to 400°F with a rack in the center. Add a bit of water to a baking pan (fill halfway) and place on a lower rack in the oven, that way it will create steam. Dust a work surface with flour and punch down the dough before removing it from the bowl and placing it on the floured work surface. Divide the dough into 4 portions, about 4-5 inches in diameter. Shape each portion into a ball and brush lightly with olive oil. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and place buns on baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Brush tops with olive oil, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour. Meanwhile, make your egg wash mixture.

Uncover buns and using a pastry brush lightly apply egg wash over the tops. Immediately sprinkle with sesame seeds wile the egg wash mixture is still wet. Bake until light golden brown, about 15-20 minutes, rotating halfway through baking time. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool before slicing. Serve warm, sliced and toasted or at room temperature.

Notes

You can’t substitute any flour for the unbromated/unbleached white flour or bread flour, but your results may vary slightly.

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