Onion Buns

These homemade onion buns are dairy-free from the ground up, built on soy milk and dairy-free margarine instead of the usual milk and butter. But don’t think of them as a compromise. The dried minced onion, yellow mustard, and turmeric baked into the dough give these rolls a savory depth and golden color that plain white buns can only dream about.

The mustard and turmeric aren’t just flavor additions. The turmeric tints the crumb a warm yellow, and the mustard adds a subtle tang that pairs naturally with burgers and hot dogs. Wheat germ folded into the flour brings a slightly nutty, toasty note and some extra protein to the mix.

Warming the soy milk with the margarine, mustard, and onion to just 120 to 130°F (49 to 54°C) is a detail worth getting right. Too hot and you’ll kill the yeast before it even starts working. Too cool and the margarine won’t melt fully into the liquid. Use an instant-read thermometer if you have one.

The dough gets two rises, which builds flavor and structure. After the first 1 ½ hour rise, you shape into 16 equal pieces for either burger rounds or elongated hot dog shapes.

Kitchen Tips

• Weigh the dough ball and divide by 16 to get uniform buns. Eyeballing leads to some buns twice the size of others
• Flatten burger buns slightly before the second rise. They’ll puff up rounder than you expect
• Brushing with oil before covering with plastic wrap keeps the wrap from sticking to the rising dough
• These freeze beautifully. Cool completely, bag them, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature

Variations

• Top with sesame seeds or poppy seeds before baking for a classic bakery look
• Replace dried onion with everything bagel seasoning for a trendy twist
• Add 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast to the dough for extra savory, cheesy flavor without dairy