Pesto Pull-Apart Bread
If you love fresh, herby flavors and easy baking projects, this vegan walnut pesto bread is a fun recipe to try. This pesto bread has a soft texture with a rich, savory swirl made from walnuts, fresh basil, and simple pantry ingredients. It’s a great option for a cozy snack, a light meal, or something a little different to serve with your favorite dishes.
We’ll share clear steps and helpful tips to make the process simple and enjoyable from start to finish. We promise that this pesto bread is the best o’ bread you can make. There’s no time for rest-o, let’s make some pesto! For all things brilliant and bread-y, make sure to devour this Vegan Bread Guide.
If you’re searching for more pesto inspiration, you’ll love these walnut pesto pasta, pesto gnocchi with vegetables, classic pesto with pine nuts, and vegan pesto pasta recipes!
Why You Must Make This Vegan Pesto Bread
You’ll love making your own pesto bread with this easy-to-follow recipe. Here are more reasons why this pesto bread is so amazing:
- Big, Fresh Flavor. This bread is packed with herby pesto goodness and rich walnut flavor. Every bite tastes savory, fresh, and super satisfying.
- Fun Pull-Apart Style. You can tear off soft, fluffy pieces with your hands. It makes eating it feel fun and perfect for sharing.
- Smells Amazing While Baking. Your kitchen will smell warm, garlicky, and delicious as it bakes. It’s one of those recipes that makes everyone hungry fast.
- Great for Any Occasion. Serve it as a snack, side dish, or party appetizer. It fits just about any meal or gathering.
- Easy to Customize. You can switch up the herbs, nuts, or add-ins to match your taste. It’s a flexible recipe you can make your own every time.
Essential Ingredients and Substitutions For The Walnut Pesto
Discover the essential building blocks of a delightful pesto bread that add depth and flavor to this beloved baked treat.
- Basil – Gives pesto its fresh, bright, and classic flavor. Use fresh basil for the best taste, but you can mix in spinach or arugula if you’re short on basil. You can also try parsley for a slightly different flavor.
- Walnuts – Add a rich, slightly earthy taste and a creamy texture when blended. Toast the walnuts for extra flavor before blending. You can swap them with cashews, almonds, or sunflower seeds if needed.
- Garlic – Brings a bold, savory kick that balances the herbs and nuts. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste. If you want a milder flavor, try roasted garlic or even a pinch of garlic powder.
- Olive Oil – Helps create that smooth, spreadable texture and ties everything together. Use good-quality olive oil for the best flavor. You can also use avocado oil if you want a more neutral taste.
- Nutritional Yeast – An excellent swap for parmesan cheese. Nutritional yeast is cheezy, tangy, and has just the right flavor for this pesto. You could also use dairy-free parmesan cheese.
How To Make Walnut Pesto For This Recipe
Making the pesto for this bread is so easy. Don’t be tempted to use store-bought pesto here. Using fresh, homemade pesto will add so much more flavor to the bread!
To make the pesto, add all pesto ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth.
Key Ingredients For Making The Dough
Start with these few simple and essential ingredients! Water, sugar, yeast, flour, olive oil, vegan butter, and salt.
- All Purpose Flour – Gives the dough its structure and soft, fluffy texture. Measure carefully so the dough isn’t too dense. You can swap part of it with whole wheat flour for a heartier texture, but keep some all-purpose for softness.
- Active Dry Yeast – Helps the dough rise and creates that light, airy pull-apart texture. Make sure your yeast is fresh and activate it in warm (not hot) water with a pinch of sugar. You can also use instant yeast and skip the proofing step.
- Sugar – Feeds the yeast and helps the dough rise properly. You only need a small amount. You can swap it with maple syrup or agave if you prefer.
- Olive Oil – Adds moisture and helps keep the bread soft and tender. Use a mild olive oil if you don’t want a strong flavor. You can also use another neutral oil like avocado oil.
- Vegan Butter – Adds richness and gives the bread a soft, slightly buttery flavor. Melt it gently before adding for easy mixing. You can swap it with more olive oil, but the flavor will be a bit lighter.
- Salt – Boosts all the flavors and balances the richness of the dough. Don’t skip it, or the bread may taste flat. Fine sea salt works great, and you can adjust the amount slightly to your taste.
How To Make The Dough For This Pesto Bread Recipe
Follow these simple steps to make this pesto bread. The hardest part about this recipe is waiting for the dough to rise, but trust us…it’s worth the wait!
Prepare the Dough
Step 1: Make the Dough – Place the water, sugar, and yeast into a bowl and allow it to stand for about 5 minutes until foamy. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour and salt together. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough starts to form.
Step 2: Knead the Dough – Knead the dough for about 5 minutes on a clean work surface. For this recipe, you want the dough to be a little on the stickier side.
Step 3: Let Dough Rise – Oil a large bowl and place the dough inside. Turn it a few times so the dough is coated in oil. Cover it with a damp towel and leave it in a warm spot for about 1½ hours. During this time, the dough will double in size.
Step 4: Release Gas – Punch the dough down. This is an essential step when making dough. This releases any gas bubbles formed during rising and allows you to knead and form it. Now we’re ready to move on to the next step!
Prep the Bread
Step 1: Roll Out the Dough – Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 12 x 18–inch shape. Spread the freshly made walnut pesto over the surface of the dough.
Step 2: Form Dough into Log and Cut – Roll the dough up lengthwise, forming a log shape. Cut the dough into 9 or 10 equal-sized pieces with a sharp knife or dental floss.
Step 3: Arrange Bread Slices in Pan and Second Rise – Place Grease an 8 x 4–inch loaf pan with vegan butter. Line with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on two opposite sides. This will allow for easy removal once the bread is baked. Place the pieces into the loaf pan to create a zigzag pattern and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm spot for about 45 minutes to slightly rise again.
Step 4: Bake Pesto Bread – To bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove the plastic wrap and brush the tops all over with olive oil. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil halfway through the baking time. This will prevent the tops from getting too dark. Test the readiness by inserting a toothpick to ensure the center is no longer doughy.
Step 5: Remove and Cool – Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes. Allow it to cool completely before serving.
Savory Swaps and Substitutions
Looking to put a creative spin on your pesto bread recipe? We’ve got you covered with alternative ingredients that will elevate your pesto bread experience to new heights.
- Don’t Curb Those Herbs! Don’t worry if you’re not bowled over by basil. How about oregano, cilantro, parsley, sage, tarragon, or even mint?
- No Need to Futz Over the Nuts. Sure, walnuts are a great choice. But, feel free to swap them out for traditional pine nuts, almonds, pistachios, macadamia nuts, pecans, or peanuts. If nuts are out-of-bounds for you, try seeds like sunflower, sesame, or pumpkin seeds.
- Vampires Getting Too Close? You’d better add more garlic! You might think that this recipe is too low on the pungent power, but others may run away from the sulphuric scent.
- Gluten Getting You Down? You can absolutely make this recipe using a gluten-free, vegan bread dough recipe. Here’s one that we like by Allergy Awesomeness.
Pesto Monkey Bread FAQs
Yes! Simply use your favorite gluten-free dough and follow the rest of the recipe as usual.
Yup. Because this pesto pull apart bread is homemade without preservatives, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator. You can keep it at room temperature in a sealed bag or container, but it will only last 1-2 days. Store it in the fridge for up to 4–5 days if you want it to last longer.
Pesto has a nutty, herby, and garlicky flavor. The herbs (basil, parsley, oregano, etc.) and nuts (walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios) you choose will also change the flavor slightly. Use the herbs and nuts you love best for the most delicious homemade pesto.
You can freeze this walnut pesto bread for up to 2–3 months, and slice it first so it’s easy to grab. When you’re ready to eat, warm it in the oven or toast it to bring back its soft texture and flavor.
More Sensational Baked Goods To Try
If you make this Homemade Pesto Bread recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know what you think in the comments below! I love reading your comments!
Pesto Pull-Apart Bread
Ingredients
For The Bread
- ¾ cup water, 175 ml
- 2 tablespoons organic cane sugar, 24 grams
- 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast, 4.5 grams
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 300 grams
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed, 45 ml
- Vegan butter, for pan
For The Pesto
- ½ cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 2 small cloves
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
Optional, For Serving
- Marinara sauce, for serving
Instructions
To Prep The Dough
- Heat the water in a microwave-safe bowl in a microwave or in a small saucepan over the stove until it’s lukewarm but not yet hot (110 to 115°F[43 to 46°C]). Stir in the sugar and yeast. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes, or until the yeast foams. (See notes below).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Pour in the olive oil and the yeast mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and knead for 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft and springy. If the dough feels too dry, wet your hands with a little warm water and continue kneading. If it’s sticking to your fingers, add a dusting of flour, but err on the side of a stickier dough.
- Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn the dough over a couple of times so it’s coated. Cover the bowl with a clean, damp towel and place it in a warm spot to rise for 1½ hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
To Make The Pesto (see note below)
- In a high-powered blender or food processor, combine all ingredients. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
To Prep The Bread
- Grease an 8 x 4–inch(20 x 10–cm) loaf pan with vegan butter and line with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on two opposite sides, for easy removal.
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down.
- Roll the dough out into a 12 x 18–inch (30 x 45–cm) rectangle.
- Spread the pesto over the surface of the dough, then roll it up lengthwise into a tight log.
- Cut the dough into nine or ten equal-sized pieces, using a sharp knife or a clean length of dental floss.
- Press each roll into the loaf pan, alternating sides to create a zigzag pattern. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise for another 45 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Uncover the bread and brush the top with olive oil.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top turns a deep golden brown. Halfway through the bake time, cover with aluminum foil to prevent the top from getting too dark.
- Use a toothpick to test that the center is no longer doughy. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Yeast Baking Tip: To make sure your active dry yeast is indeed active, it’s important to “bloom” it before adding the rest of the ingredients. The key is to make sure the water is warm but not hot enough to kill the yeast. If you’re new to bread baking, I recommend using a thermometer just to be safe. This is usually not the case, but if your yeast doesn’t begin to foam within the first 5 to 10 minutes, it means it’s dead and you’ll have to use a new package.
- Pesto Suggestion: The World of Vegan walnut pesto recipe may make a little extra. Any leftovers can be used in pasta or as a sandwich spread.
- Storing Directions: Bread tastes best fresh, but you can store leftovers to enjoy later. Keep it at room temperature for 1–2 days in a sealed bag or container, or store it in the fridge for up to 4–5 days if you want it to last longer.
- Freezing Instructions: For longer storage, freeze it for up to 2–3 months, and slice it first so it’s easy to grab. When you’re ready to eat, warm it in the oven or toast it to bring back its soft texture and flavor.
Nutrition
This Pesto Pull-Apart Bread recipe is from the Fantastic Vegan Recipes for The Teen Cook by Elaine Skiadas. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Thanks to Jessica Sabbagh and María Estela Highet, our amazing Word of Vegan recipe testers for their feedback on this recipe!
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Leave a Comment
Loved the Pesto Bread recipe! So easy to make and doubly delicious!
Loved the recipe and the results! Nice for sharing with friends at a BBQ this summer over the weekend!
I absolutely love this recipe and encourage anyone with a hankering for fresh and herby bread to make this immediately. The pesto adds such great flavor and the simply executed design will impress your friends!
So delicious!
wow – this bread turned out absolutely amazing! soooo tasty!
Thank you so much for including process shots with this recipe! I’m usually intimidated to make my own bread, but these step-by-step shots made it seem so easy I had to give it a shot. This pesto bread was so good, fun to make, and a keeper, thank you!
I never thought to add pesto and bread together. This recipe is brilliant, as well as delicious!
Wow!!! This is so delicious, can I eat this every day?
This pesto bread was so delicious and perfect for a small gathering. Everyone devoured it!