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Cheesy Pesto Star Bread

Name: Cheesy Pesto Star Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 22 ounces store-bought pizza dough (enough for two pizzas); 1/2 batch walnut pesto; 1 cup vegan cheese shreds; all-purpose flour (for rolling, as needed)

Nov 13, 2026 (Updated Nov 13, 2026) By: Michelle Cehn

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5 from 1 vote

Soft in the middle, lightly golden at the tips, and filled with garlicky walnut pesto and melty cheese, this cheesy pesto star bread is made for pulling apart while it’s warm.

Golden pesto star bread with eight twisted points on a wooden board beside a bowl of marinara.

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The trick to getting eight even points is to start with four quarters. The step-by-step photos below show where to cut and how to twist each pair.

Table of Contents

What You’ll Need

Pizza dough: Start with 22 ounces of store-bought pizza dough, enough for two pizzas. If it keeps springing back as you roll it, let it rest at room temperature until it’s easier to stretch. Use a light dusting of all-purpose flour to keep it from sticking.
Walnut pesto: You’ll need half a batch of our walnut pesto. The basil and garlic flavor every layer, and the walnuts give the spread a little body. Save the rest of the batch to spoon over roasted vegetables or spread on sandwiches.
Vegan cheese shreds: We used Daiya Parmesan Shreds for a savory, salty bite. Sprinkle them evenly over the pesto so there’s a little cheese in every twist.

How to Make Pesto Star Bread

Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper rated for that temperature.

Two balls of pizza dough on a floured counter.

Hands roll a ball of pizza dough into a round with a wooden rolling pin.

Step 1. Divide and roll the dough. Split the pizza dough into two equal pieces. On a lightly floured counter, roll each one into a round about 10 to 11 inches across.

A wooden spatula spreads walnut pesto over pizza dough, leaving a bare border.

Daiya Parmesan Shreds are sprinkled over the walnut pesto layer.

Step 2. Add the filling. Set one dough round on the lined baking sheet. Spread the walnut pesto over it, leaving a half-inch border, then sprinkle the cheese shreds evenly over the pesto.

Hands lower a second round of pizza dough over the pesto and cheese.

Hands pinch the edges of the two pizza dough rounds together.

Step 3. Seal the edges. Lay the second round over the filling and gently pinch the two rounds together all the way around.

A knife cuts strips outward from a round cutter at the center of the filled dough.

Hands twist neighboring strips of pesto-filled dough to form the star points.

Step 4. Cut and twist. Set a small glass or round cutter in the center as a guide. Cut outward to make four quarters, then divide each quarter into four strips. Twist two neighboring strips away from each other and pinch their ends together. Repeat to make eight points and remove the guide before baking.

Step 5. Bake until lightly golden. Bake at 450°F for 15 to 20 minutes. Start checking the top and tips at 15 minutes, then let the bread cool for a few minutes before pulling it apart.

What to Serve With Pesto Star Bread

Serve it warm with a little bowl of marinara for dipping, or put it next to a pot of creamy tomato soup for dinner. If you’re bringing it to a holiday gathering, let people pull off the points at the table so they can see the pesto and cheese tucked between the layers.