This Italian pesto bread is an easy braided bread recipe that is perfect for any occasion. Light and fluffy homemade Italian bread is braided with bright green basil pesto for not only a beautiful presentation, but delicious flavor.
This post was originally published in February 2020 and has been updated for content.
Making homemade bread can sometimes seem intimidating, especially one that is braided. Even though this Italian pesto bread requires a little bit of extra time, my easy to follow step by step instructions will have you on your way to creating a beautiful braided loaf in no time.
Serve this Italian pesto bread alongside casarecce pasta with asparagus and peas or rotini pasta with italian sausage and don't forget to follow it up with strawberry rhubarb cobbler for dessert!
Jump to:
🥖 Ingredient notes
- Dough - This pesto bread recipe is adapted from my favorite homemade french bread recipes by Six Sisters. If you haven't tried it yet, it's so easy and delicious!
- Pesto - Either store bought pesto or homemade pesto will work for this pesto bread recipe. You need about ½ cup or a 6 ounce jar.
📋 Substitutions and Variations
- Tomato - Chop up ¼ cup of sundried tomatoes and add it to the pesto for some extra flavor and color!
- Cheesy - After spreading the pesto over the top of the dough, sprinkle the dough with ½ cup of mozzarella cheese to make this a cheesy pesto bread!
🥣 Step by step instructions
Mix together the warm water, yeast, and sugar and let it sit for a bit to activate. Then add in the olive oil, flour, and salt and stir until the dough forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and bounces back when you press your finger into it.
Pour some olive oil into a clean bowl and roll the dough around to cover it, then cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled in size. Once the dough has double in size, punch it down down the dough and then turn it out onto a flour surface for rolling and shaping.
Roll the dough out gently into a large rectangle and spread the pesto over the entire rectangle, leaving about one half inch around the edges.
Starting on the longest side, tightly roll up the dough. Take a sharp knife or bench scraper and cut the dough down the middle to expose the pesto layers and give you two long ropes.
Pinch the top of the two pieces to help them stay together and then starting at the top, twist the two pieces together all the way to the bottom. Pinch the pieces together again at the bottom to keep them together and then bring the ends of the pieces up together to form a u-shape.
Twist both of these two sides together to form a large twist, tucking the end pieces under slightly to secure them. Place the braided loaf on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, cover and allow to rise a second time, till doubled in size.
Bake the risen braided loaf in the oven for about 20-30 minutes until golden browned on top and cooked through. Let the loaf cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
⭐ Expert tips
- When kneading the dough, knead until it is smooth and springs back when you press your finger into it.
- If the dough is sticking too much, it can be sprinkled with a bit of flour. It should be tacky, but not stick.
- To help your dough rise quickly, make sure that it's placed in a warm spot that is free from drafts. Sometimes that's outside, by the fireplace or under a vent for me!
- When rolling the dough up with the pesto inside, pull it towards you a bit and then roll it in to make sure it rolls up tightly.
- Make sure to secure the two ropes of dough at both the top and the bottom to help it stay together.
- Bake the pesto bread until it is golden brown and makes a hollow noise when thumped on with your finger.
- Allow the pesto bread to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving to prevent it from drying out.
🥡 Storage suggestions
After baking, allow the loaf to cool completely and then store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. The cooled loaf can also be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months.
🍝 More Italian recipes
If you loved this homemade italian pesto bread recipe, check out these other Italian recipes that I know you will love too!
Don't forget! If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and give it a rating. I love to hear from each and every one of you! Tag me on Facebook and Instagram as well! It makes my day to see all of your photos of the food you have made.
📖 Recipe
Italian Pesto Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup warm water approximately 105-110˚
- 2 ¼ teaspoons dry active yeast or 1 packet
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoons olive oil plus extra for greasing the bowl
- 3 ½ cups all purpose flour plus extra for kneading and rolling the dough
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ cup basil pesto homemade or store bought
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar and allow to sit for the yeast to activate, about 5 minutes.
- Add in olive oil, flour, and salt and mix with a spoon or on medium speed until the dough starts to form a ball.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until a smooth ball is formed. If using a stand mixer, continue to mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should spring back when you press your finger into it.
- Drizzle about one tablespoon of olive oil into a clean bowl and add your dough. Roll the dough around in the bowl so it's covered completely by the olive oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let sit in a warm spot until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
- Remove cover from the bowl and punch down the dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and roll out into a large rectangle that is approximately one inch thick.
- Spread pesto thinly over the entire rectangle, leaving about one half inch around the edges.
- Starting on the long side of the rectangle, roll the dough up tightly into a large roll. Pull the dough up and in as you are rolling to create as tight of a roll as possible.
- Once the dough is completely rolled up, using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut the roll in half down the middle to expose the layers of pesto.
- Starting at the top, pinch the two pieces together to help secure them. Twist the two pieces of dough around each other until you get to the end and then pinch the ends together to secure.
- Take the bottom of the twist and bring it up to the top to form a U shape. Twist the two sides together as well to form a larger braid and then tuck the ends under to secure and form the loaf.
- Preheat the oven to 350° and place the braided loaf on a sheet pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Cover the dough with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let rise for a second time till doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.
- Once the bread has risen for the second time, remove the towel and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove bread from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- When kneading the dough, knead until it is smooth and springs back when you press your finger into it.
- If the dough is sticking too much, it can be sprinkled with a bit of flour. It should be tacky, but not stick.
- To help your dough rise quickly, make sure that it's placed in a warm spot that is free from drafts. Sometimes that's outside, by the fireplace or under a vent for me!
- When rolling the dough up with the pesto inside, pull it towards you a bit and then roll it in to make sure it rolls up tightly.
- Make sure to secure the two ropes of dough at both the top and the bottom to help it stay together.
- Bake the Italian pesto bread until it is golden brown and makes a hollow noise when thumped on with your finger.
- Allow the pesto bread to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving to prevent it from drying out.
Substitutions and Variations
- Tomato - Chop up ¼ cup of sundried tomatoes and add it to the pesto for some extra flavor and color!
- Cheesy - After spreading the pesto over the top of the dough, sprinkle the dough with ½ cup of mozzarella cheese to make this a cheesy pesto bread!
Kristina says
This recipe is messy, very messy, but so worth it. I have made a lot of breads over the past few years and this is easily a top 3 bake. Came out perfectly soft on the inside, not too dense, and very delicious. Plus it looks super fancy so the family was impressed.
Amanda says
Hi Kristina! I'm glad you loved it! It can be a little messy, but def worth it 🙂
Kyle says
This looks amazing! Can you use any French Bread, like one that starts the dough in the bread machine?
Amanda says
Yeah for sure! Any french or italian bread dough will do. Just follow the instructions for rolling/cutting/shaping and you should be good to go! enjoy!
kathleen forrest says
I love to look at comments but youhave none for this bread.
It is fairly messy to make but instructions are good.
I would add something about how to tell other than it is golden when done. I am taking this to a meeting tomorrow and hope that when I cut into it - will be good!
Also, I think less pesto could be used as I rolled it up and around to keep the pesto in that was seeping out. Thanks
Amanda says
Hi Kathleen! Thanks so much for leaving the first comment 🙂 They are always helpful to have others input on the recipe. I'm glad the instructions were helpful. It can be a bit messy, but I'm glad it worked out for you. I hope you and everyone at the meeting enjoyed it!