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Murielle Banackissa

Sun-dried Tomato and Cream Cheese Rolls

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2 hours 35 mins Prep: 30 mins Cook: 35 mins Rising time: 1 hour 30 mins
Serves 9

Pillowy soft, doughy, and sweet-tart in flavor, these plant based savory rolls feature a delicious sun-dried tomato pesto and vegan cream cheese filling. They are perfect as a snack, a side dish during the holidays, or an on-the-go breakfast.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
  • ¼ cup unsalted vegan butter, plus more for greasing (I used Le Grand’s Unsalted Vegan Butter)
  • 2 tbsp organic cane sugar
  • 1 ¼ tsp instant dry active yeast (1/2 packet)
  • 2 ¼ + ¼ cup all purpose flour , divided
  • ½ tsp sea salt

Filling

  • ½ cup vegan cream cheese (I used Le Grand’s Original Vegan Cream Cheese)
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato pesto (I used Le Grand’s Sundried Tomato Live Pesto)

Topping

  • 1 tbsp unsalted vegan butter (I used Le Grand’s Unsalted Vegan Butter)
  • Chives

Prepare the dough:

  1. Step 1

    Add soy milk and 1/4 cup of vegan butter to a large microwave safe bowl and microwave until the butter is melted. Alternatively, you can melt and heat up the milk in a small saucepan on the stovetop then transfer the mixture into a large mixing bowl.

  2. Step 2

    Add sugar and whisk to combine. The mixture should be warm, not hot. If you have a thermometer, aim for about 100-120ºF.

  3. Step 3

    Sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit to activate for 5 minutes. Mix using a wooden spoon.

  4. Step 4

    Add 2 1/4 cup of flour and salt and mix using your spoon. At this point the mixture will be very sticky and that is 100% normal.

  5. Step 5

    Cover with a damp clean towel and let rise for 1 hour in a warm environment.

Prepare the filling:

  1. Step 1

    In a medium sized bowl, mix together using a silicone spatula the vegan cream cheese and sun-dried tomato pesto until homogeneous. Set aside.

Assemble the rolls:

  1. Step 1

    Grease a 10 inch pie dish with melted vegan butter or cooking spray. Set aside.

  2. Step 2

    After one hour of letting the dough rise, incorporate the remaining 1/4 cup of flour into your dough. Mix using a wooden spoon.

  3. Step 3

    After one hour of letting the dough rise, incorporate the remaining 1/4 cup of flour into your dough. Mix using a wooden spoon.

  4. Step 4

    Roll out the dough into a rectangle of about 12 by 14 inches.

  5. Step 5

    Spread the filling evenly onto the dough, leaving about 1/2 an inch of space all around.

  6. Step 6

    Roll the dough into a log. Place the seam down.

  7. Step 7

    Using a serrated knife, cut the log into rolls of about 1 1/2 inches thick and place in the greased pie dish. Cover with a damp clean towel and let rise in a warm environment for 30 minutes.

  8. Step 8

    After 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 350ºF.

  9. Step 9

    Brush the rolls with the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted vegan butter.

  10. Step 10

    Once the oven is hot, remove clean towel from your pie dish and bake rolls in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

  11. Step 11

    Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes before garnishing with chopped chives.

  12. Step 12

    Store on the counter in an airtight container or tightly covered with plastic wrap or foil.

Common Questions & Swaps

  • Instead of a pie dish, you can also use a 9 by 9 inches square baking dish or place your rolls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. If you choose the second option, make sure to adjust the baking time as needed; your buns should be ready in under 30 minutes.
  • Can I use another plant based milk for this recipe instead of soy milk? Yes, absolutely! Any other unsweetened plant based milk will work great here. Just avoid using coconut milk as it is too rich for this recipe and will give your buns a slight coconut flavor.

  • Can I use another flour instead of all-purpose flour? I have not tested any yeasted recipes with another flour than all-purpose flour so I cannot guarantee the results.

  • Can I use regular yeast instead of instant active yeast? No, not in this recipe.

  • Can I swap organic cane sugar with another sugar? Yes, you can use granulated sugar, brown sugar or coconut sugar instead.

  • What if I don’t have access to Le Grand’s Original Vegan Cream Cheese or their Sundried Tomato Live Pesto? You can use any other plant based cream cheese that is available to you. And you can make your own sun-dried tomato pesto, like Amanda did here in her recipe.

Sundried tomato rolls on a plate with a knife with cream cheese
Overhead shot of sundried tomato rolls on a green plate
Closeup of sundried tomato roll
Overhead shot of sundried tomato rolls surrounded by pesto and cream cheese

This recipe was created through an Instagram partnership with Le Grand.

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It is safe to say that my fear of yeast has officially vanished!

I remember about two years ago when I first shared about my “fear” of yeast that was caused by my multiple failed attempts at making cinnamon buns as a teenager because the dough never rose. Fast forward 2021 and this is my 4th yeasted dough recipe on my blog! Check out the 3 other ones, if you are interested:

These buns however are a little different. For one, they are savory. Made with a mixture of store bought vegan cream cheese and sundried tomato pesto, these buns are wonderful as a side dish, a savory breakfast or a doughy snack.

Like any recipe featuring yeast, it does take a little more time to bring to life mainly because of the rising time necessary for the dough to bloom, resulting in pillowy soft rolls. Trust me however that the result will be so worth it!

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Overhead shot of sundried tomato rolls surrounded by pesto and cream cheese
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When it comes to the ingredients used in this recipe, below are the ones I used. For any modifications, refer to the Common Questions & Swaps section.

Unsweetened soy milk: If you have been following me for a while, you know that unsweetened soy milk is my go-to non dairy milk. I love that it is rather neutral in flavor, high in protein, and works equally well in sweet and savory dishes.

Unsalted vegan butter: For this recipe, I used Le Grand’s Unsalted Vegan Butter to add richness to the dough and to help give the rolls a wonderfully soft texture. I also used some butter as a finishing touch on these rolls to give them a golden-brown color.

Organic cane sugar: Although these rolls are savory, I added some sugar in the dough itself to balance out the saltiness and tanginess coming from the filling.

Instant active dry yeast: Instant here is key. This allows us to cut the rising time significantly. The yeast is the main leavening agent that gives yeasted dough its iconic texture and flavor.

All purpose flour: Whenever I make any kind of rolls or buns, I always stick to all-purpose flour as I find that it is the flour that gives my baked goods the lightest texture as well as a beautiful stretch.

Vegan cream cheese: I used Le Grand’s Original Vegan Cream Cheese in this recipe to balance out the tanginess of the sun-dried tomato pesto and add some richness to these rolls.

Sun-dried tomato pesto: For this recipe, I used I used Le Grand’s Sundried Tomato Live Pesto. It is the element that gives these rolls their very distinct flavor.

Just to give you an idea how good these buns are: I made these on a Monday. They were ready by noon. The next morning, on Tuesday, only two buns remained. Key fact: Sam and I are just two living in our apartment. Yep. They are that good.

Not only is this recipe packed with flavor, but I also love how versatile it is. You can totally make these rolls using your own sun-dried tomato pesto. You could even use basil pesto instead. Or even opt for chimichurri! The possibilities are endless.

If you do give this recipe a try and share about it on Instagram, make sure to tag me (@muriellebanackissa).

Have a wonderful week my friends!