Spinach and Cheese Savory Buns with Italian Herbs and Sun-Dried Tomatoes are crispy on the outside and buttery on the inside with no added butter! They’re the perfect addition to breakfast or brunch, a side dish to soups, and they’re also a great snack.
These vegan savory spinach and cheese muffins are packed with flavor from fresh herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, and green onions. They are absolutely delicious and perfect with sauce or spread with vegan butter. You can also prepare them as a side dish to soups, bean stewtofu scramble or anything else you want to serve with it.
They are crispy on the outside and buttery on the inside, even though there is no oil added in this recipe. Instead, they get this amazing texture from a little almond flour, vegan cream cheese, and a non-dairy “buttermilk” made by mixing vegan milk with a little vinegar.
These scones/biscuits are based on my other butterless scones like my Churro Scones, Banana Scones and Apple Cinnamon Scones. For these savory versions, I add herbs, spinach, and vegan cream cheese.
Why You’ll Love Vegan Spinach Cheese Muffins
- crispy on the outside and buttery on the inside with no vegan butter or added oil!
- full of amazing flavor from Italian herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, green onions and cheese
- 30 minute recipe and only needs 1 bowl! Everything is mixed in a bowl, shaped and baked
- easily made nut-free and soy-free with a simple gluten-free option
More vegan muffins
- Pumpkin muffins
- Churro Scones
- Banana bread rolls
- Apple cinnamon buns
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Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
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In a bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix very well, then make a well in the centre. In a separate small bowl, mix the non-dairy milk with the vinegar and set aside.
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Next, add the cream cheese, maple syrup, spinach, and vegan cheese to the well in the center of the dry bowl and press and mix with a fork so that the cream cheese is combined and the entire batter looks like crumbs. It will take about 1 to 2 minutes for the cream cheese to blend.
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Mix 1/4 cup of the chilled non-dairy milk mixture into the batter, then add another 1/4 cup and mix. Depending on your flour and milk, you may or may not need more non-dairy milk. Add more cold non-dairy milk, a tablespoon at a time, to mix and make a dry cookie-like dough. It should feel a little dry, but when you press it, it should come together. If you add too much non-dairy milk, then the scones will look more like a muffin.
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Gather the dough and flatten it into a 1-inch-thick circle or oval. Use a knife or pizza cutter to make any shapes you like. You can make cookie cutter rounds or triangles by simply cutting them like a pizza. Then separate them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
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At this time, you can also put them in the freezer for about 10 minutes if the general temperature of the dough has warmed up, or you can directly bake.
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If you want them to get nice and brown on top, you can brush the top with a little oil or vegan butter at this point, or mix together 1 tsp non-dairy milk and 1 tsp maple syrup and brush that on top. Add optional toppings like more cheese or sesame seeds.
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Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the buns don’t sound doughy when you tap the top.
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Remove the scones from the oven, let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then serve with a little butter or as desired.
They are soy-free if you use dairy-free cream cheese, soy-free cheese and milk.
No nutsuse dairy-free cream cheese, cheese, and nut-free milk, and replace the almond flour with 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegan butter to help texture the bun.
Storage: Scones taste best every day, but you can store them for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. Warm them in a toaster oven or oven before serving for the best texture.
Calories: 184kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 5g, fats: 5g, Saturated Fats: 1g, Polyunsaturated fats: 0.3g, sodium: 370mg, potassium: 227mg, Fibers: 2g, sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 1210IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, calcium: 104mg, Iron: 2mg
The nutritional information is calculated automatically, so it should only be used as an estimate.
Ingredients and substitutes
- all-purpose flour – To make these gluten-free, use a mixture of 1 cup almond flour, 3/4 cup oat flour, and 1/2 cup tapioca starch instead.
- Almond Flour – This helps give the scones a buttery texture without the vegan butter or added butter! For nut-free, use 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegan butter instead.
- baking powder, baking soda and salt – for conditioning the dough.
- Italian Herbs – This is a blend of basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and parsley that adds so much flavor to these vegan savory scones!
- Black pepper flakes – Adds just a little heat to bring out the other flavors.
- sun-dried tomatoes – Adds texture and umami flavor.
- chopped green onion – for fresh umami and texture.
- chilled non-dairy milk – you’ll mix it with a little vinegar to make your vegan buttermilk. This gives the buns a rich texture. Use nut-free and/or soy-free milk if needed. You want the milk chilled because you don’t want the dough to be too warm before baking.
- Vegan Cream Cheese – Adds richness to scones. Use nut-free and/or soy-free if needed.
- maple syrup – a touch of sweetness reveals the amazing flavors!
- frozen spinach – thaw slightly before use. Squeeze out excess moisture, if any.
- Vegan Cheese Chunks – Use your favorite kind! Be sure to select nut-free and/or soy-free if necessary.
💡 Tips
- It is important to get the dough texture right. You want it to be dry, but it should hold together when you press it. If the batter is too wet, you’ll end up with a muffin-like texture rather than a bun.
- cold cream cheese, milk, maple, and other ingredients will help keep the dough cold
- Brushing oil or a mixture of non-dairy milk and maple syrup on top before baking helps your spinach and cheese buns get a nice, browned top.
How to make vegan savory buns
Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
In a bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix very well, then make a well in the centre. In a separate small bowl, mix the non-dairy milk with the vinegar and set aside.
Next, add the cream cheese, maple syrup, spinach, and vegan cheese to the well in the center of the dry bowl and press and mix with a fork so that the cream cheese is combined and the entire batter looks like crumbs. It will take about 1 to 2 minutes for the cream cheese to blend.
Mix 1/4 cup of the chilled non-dairy milk mixture into the batter, then add another 1/4 cup and mix. Depending on your flour and milk and all, you may or may not need more non-dairy milk. Add more cold non-dairy milk, a tablespoon at a time, to mix and make a dry cookie-like dough. Once the dough comes together, you just want to press and mix the press and bring it together so it’s not too soft. You want it to feel a little dry, but when you press it, it should come together. If you add too much non-dairy milk, then the scones will look more like a muffin, so you want to add just the right amount of non-dairy milk.
Gather the dough and flatten it into a 1-inch-thick circle or oval. Use a knife or pizza cutter to make any shapes you like. You can make cookie cutter circles or triangles by simply cutting it like a pizza. Then separate them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
At this time, you can also put them in the freezer for about 10 minutes if the general temperature of the dough has warmed up, or you can directly bake.
If you want them to get nice and brown on top, you can brush the top with a little oil or vegan butter at this point, or mix together 1 tsp non-dairy milk and 1 tsp maple syrup and brush them all over instead.
Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the tops are golden and don’t sound doughy when you tap the top.
Remove the scones from the oven, let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then serve with a little butter or as desired.
Frequently asked questions
To make these gluten freeuse a mixture of 1 cup almond flour, 3/4 cup oat flour, and 1/2 cup potato starch instead of 2 cups all-purpose flour. You will still need to add 1/4 cup extra almond flour to the recipe.
They are soy-free if you use dairy-free cream cheese, soy-free cheese and milk.
To make these nut freeuse dairy-free cream cheese, cheese, and nut-free milk, and replace the almond flour with 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegan butter to help texture the bun.
The rolls taste best every day, but you can keep them for two to three days in the refrigerator or up to three months in the freezer. Warm them in a toaster oven or oven before serving for the best texture.