What Vegan Bread to Buy and What to Avoid

The good news is that most bread is vegan. Typical ingredients for making bread are flour, salt, yeast and water.

However, some recipes for making bread may contain milk, eggs, butter, or other animal byproducts. Therefore, this type of bread will not be suitable for vegans.

What to Avoid Non-Vegan Bread

Let’s get this out of the way: Here is the list of bread from all over the world which are NOT suitable for Vegans.

Naan (Indian ??) – oven-baked flatbread usually contains milk and ghee (clarified butter) and is typically brushed with butter.

Tortillas (Mexican ??) – can contain shortening (any fat that is solid at room temperature). This can also be animal-based or plant-based.

Crumpet (English ???????) – usually contains milk

Breadsticks Grissini (Italian ??) – usually contains butter and sometimes parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Brioche Bread (French ??) – contain eggs and butter

Brown Soda (Irish ??) – contains buttermilk and honey.

Challah (Jewish ??) – braided bread, traditionally served on the Sabbath and holidays will contain eggs.

Pretzel (German ??) – pastry/bread usually contains butter.

Pão de Queijo (Brazil ??) – cheese buns will contain eggs, milk and parmesan cheese.

Pain de Ménage (Quebec ??) –  a plain white loaf that can be moistened with lard.

Basque Pumpkin Bread (Basque country ??) – adopted into the cuisine in parts of southwestern France and northern Spain – including eggs.

Pan de Muertos (Mexico ??) – Mexico’s Day of the Dead bread. This bread contains butter and eggs.

This bread is therefore baked to honour the passing of a loved one.

Frybread (USA ??) – multicultural feast at Thanksgiving usually contains milk. The traditional recipe contains lard.

Traditionally Vegan Bread

Pita Bread – Greek Vegan Bread ??

Firstly, we have Pita – this bread is traditional Greek pita bread. This has always been vegan and we highly recommend that you eat this with hummus.

Ingredients: water, yeast, flour, salt and olive oil

For the recipe go here: https://thestayathomechef.com/homemade-pita-bread/ or here https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/traditional-greek-pita-bread/

Ciabatta – Italian Vegan Bread ??

This Italian white bread is made from wheat flour, water, olive oil, salt, and yeast.

For an authentic recipe click here.

Watch out for

Ciabatta al latte – As the name suggests… it has milk

Baguettes – French Vegan Bread ??

Traditional Baguettes are Vegan – this thin loaf of French Bread is made from yeast, flour and salt.

This was the only type of bread that was vegan in South Korea. Fortunately, most bakers followed the correct recipe, but not all. Most breads in South Korea contain milk and some bakers add milk to Baguettes as well. When you are travelling, you need to check the ingredients and not assume.

In most western countries Baguettes will be vegan.

For the recipe click here

Focaccia – Italian ??

Focaccia is Vegan – this bread is a flat oven-baked Italian product with the texture of pizza dough.

Ingredients: yeast, water, sugar, flour, salt, olive oil, and rosemary.

Here is my delicious oil-free vegan recipe for Focaccia Oil-Free Vegan Focaccia Bread Using Air Fryer

Sourdough Bread ?? – Egyptian Origin, Perfected in Germany

Sourdough bread is made by the fermentation of the dough.

There is one thing Scientists, nutritionists, and health experts all agree on: that naturally-fermented sourdough bread is healthier than ‘regular’ white or whole wheat bread.

For the recipe click here.

Ezekiel (Sprouted bread) – Biblical Vegan Bread

Ezekiel (also known as Sprouted bread) is Vegan too. It’s a type of sprouted bread, made from a variety of whole grains and legumes. This bread got its name in biblical texts Ezekiel 4:9

It’s made without flour but it’s not gluten-free. Sprouting grains are mashed into a dough-like texture and baked.

For the recipe click here.

Caution when travelling

Some bread types are traditionally vegan and some are not. But please be careful when travelling as some countries don’t follow western traditions when making bread. For example, in South Korea, almost all bread contains milk, even Baguettes!

Conclusion and Tips

TIP: Bread that looks fluffier, fuller, and glossy shiny most likely contains eggs, butter, and/or milk and is not suitable for vegans. The ones that are flat, savoury, and dry tend to be vegan-friendly.

In conclusion, it is very tempting to have a bite when you see crispy, and freshly baked bread. Moreover, the natural instinct to think what the heck it’s ‘just bread’ with simple and ‘innocent’ ingredients.

But, above all, don’t get fooled by its temptation. Be aware of ‘hidden’ animal-derived ingredients too.

Always check, and ask!