This Easy Pesto Twist Bread is a savory, cheese-and-pesto filled loaf made with a quick homemade pizza dough. It bakes in a skillet or cake pan and pulls apart into tender, flavorful pieces.
I made this bread on a whim, adapting a familiar sweet-bread shaping method and using a fast pizza dough and a simple pesto. The result was surprising: creamy, cheesy, and bright with basil and parmesan. The loaf pulls apart easily, giving you pieces with a crisp exterior and a soft, cheesy interior—perfect for serving alongside soup, salad, or as a stand-alone snack. The process is forgiving: the twists don’t have to be precise to produce a beautiful, rustic loaf.
This recipe is practical for weeknight dinners because it uses a quick dough and requires only one short rise. From start to finish the bread takes about an hour and a half, with roughly 15 minutes of hands-on time. You can use half whole wheat and half unbleached flour for a lighter loaf with added nutrition, or substitute all whole wheat or spelt for a heartier result. If you don’t have homemade pesto ready, a quick blender pesto made from basil, garlic, nuts, olive oil, and parmesan will work well.
The shaping is simple and fun: the dough is rolled into a rectangle, spread with a layer of softened cream cheese and pesto, sprinkled with parmesan, folded, cut into strips, twisted, and arranged in a pan. After a brief final rise and a short bake, the loaf comes out golden and fragrant. Finish with a sprinkle of extra parmesan and let it rest a few minutes before serving to allow the cheeses to set slightly. This bread offers great texture and flavor contrasts and is easy to share.
Easy Pesto Twist Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 batch quick homemade pizza dough (see notes for flour options)
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 to 2/3 cup prepared basil pesto
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided
- Butter or oil for greasing the pan
Instructions
- Make the pizza dough and let it rest for about 15 minutes. Prepare a 10-inch cast iron skillet, pie plate, or cake pan by brushing the bottom and sides with butter or oil.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll and stretch the dough into a rectangle roughly 14 inches long.
- Spread the entire surface of the dough with the softened cream cheese, then spread a layer of pesto over the cream cheese.
- Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the grated parmesan over only half of the dough.
- Fold the side of the dough without parmesan over the side with parmesan and lightly press the edges together to seal.
- Cut the folded dough lengthwise into 5 strips. Take one strip at a time, twist it, and arrange it in the prepared pan, starting in the center and spiraling outward. Continue adding the twisted ropes, pinching the ends together as you go, until the pan is filled.
- Cover the pan and let the loaf rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes, then sprinkle the remaining parmesan over the top and continue baking until the loaf is golden brown, about 10–15 minutes more.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before serving. The loaf is easiest to pull apart after a brief rest.
Notes
Make the dough with all white whole wheat flour or a 50/50 mix of unbleached and whole wheat for a balance of light texture and whole-grain flavor. You can also use spelt or other high-quality flours, adjusting hydration slightly if needed. If you don’t have prepared pesto, blend fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, nuts (pine nuts or walnuts), and a little parmesan to taste.
Nutrition (approximate)
Serving size: 1 slice | Calories: 248 kcal | Carbohydrates: 23 g | Protein: 9 g | Fat: 14 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Sodium: 585 mg | Fiber: 2 g
Enjoy this savory, pull-apart pesto bread warm for the best texture and flavor. It makes a lovely addition to weeknight meals, gatherings, or as an easy appetizer to share.