Soft, fluffy, and golden, this no-knead braided pesto bread is a beauty to bake! With gorgeous green swirls of herby pesto running through every slice, it’s as delightful to look at as it is to eat. Easy, vegan, and fuss-free, this pesto bread is a must-bake!
This braided basil pesto bread is one of those bakes that looks impressive but is surprisingly easy to put together. The no-knead dough is light and airy, and the pesto adds a ton of flavor with minimal effort!
The bread is perfect for cozy family dinners, brunch spreads, or a centerpiece for a holiday dinner. This pesto bread would be delicious alongside a warm bowl of roasted pumpkin soup, served with a smashed chickpea salad.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✨ With gorgeous green swirls of pesto running through, the bread looks fancy, but it’s as easy as mix, rest, braid, bake. From start to finish, the bread is done in 3 hours, almost lightning-fast in the bread world.
✨ The flavor is incredible. Herby, garlicky, nutty pesto melts into the bread, giving you a savory loaf that smells as good as it tastes.
✨ This recipe will give you more pesto than you need, which is a very happy problem to have. It’s great tossed with pasta, spread on toast, used as a dip, or to make vegan gnocchi.
✨ The bread recipe is very versatile. Stick with pesto or swap in sun-dried tomato paste. Take it from savory to sweet and use cinnamon sugar filling.
✨ Great for any occasion. Tear into it fresh from the oven, slice it for sandwiches, serve it with soups or pasta, or bring it to brunch. It is a crowd-pleaser!
Recipe Ingredients
Pesto is the heart of this bread! I used a simple homemade pesto, but store-bought works beautifully too. You’ll need fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, and olive oil. I opted to leave cheese out of this recipe.
Milk: Since this is a vegan braided pesto bread, I used almond milk. But you can absolutely swap in regular milk, like I did for my cheesy pesto rolls. Just make sure it’s warm (around 105°F / 40.5°C) to help the yeast activate.
Oil: Olive oil is my go-to for braided basil pesto bread. It adds just the right amount of richness and keeps the bread soft. You can also use any neutral-tasting oil you like.
Yeast is the magic that makes the bread rise! Both instant and dry active yeast work. Make sure the yeast is not old or expired.
Flour: I love using a mix. All-purpose flour keeps the bread soft and light, while whole wheat adds a touch of nuttiness. You can use either one alone, depending on what you have on hand.
Sugar: A little sugar gives the yeast something to feed on. Regular granulated sugar works well.
Please see the recipe card below for full information about ingredients and quantities.
Variations
Herbs: If you’ve got a kitchen garden, use whatever fresh herbs grow in it. Basil is the classic choice, but parsley or even refreshing mint works beautifully.
Nuts: Don’t have pine nuts? Almonds and walnuts are fantastic substitutes. You can even make pistachio pesto. Or swap nuts for sunflower or pumpkin seeds to give your pesto heft.
Cheesy: Add shredded cheese to the filling to make a cheesy pesto bread - just like I did for my pesto swirl rolls.
Filling: No pesto? No problem! Try a cinnamon-sugar swirl (like my vegan cinnamon rolls), or spread jam (like my strawberry star bread) or apple butter for a sweet twist.
Play with shape: This bread is multi-talented. Braid it into a loaf, twist it into a wreath, or roll it into individual buns.
How To Make Braided Pesto Bread
Step 1: In a small saucepan, heat the milk, oil, and sugar together. Don’t let it boil. Just warm it to 105°F / 40.5°C. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.
Step 2: Sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until bubbly and foamy.
Step 3: Whisk in both all-purpose and whole wheat flour. Cover the bowl and leave it in a warm, draft-free spot for about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
Step 4: Stir in the remaining all-purpose flour, along with baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined.
Step 5: Preheat your oven and grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle a little flour on your work surface.
Step 6: Gently deflate the dough. Then roll it into a rough rectangle approximately 15 x 9 inches.
Step 7: Evenly spread pesto over the pesto bread dough, leaving a ¼-inch border along the edges (this helps you get a neat roll).
Step 8: Starting from one long side, roll the dough up tightly into a log. Pinch the seam closed and place the seam side down.
Step 9: With a sharp knife, slice the log lengthwise into two strips.
Step 10: Place them, filling-side up, then braid the two pieces together. Pinch the ends to secure.
Step 11: Carefully lift the braided pesto bread dough and place it in your prepared loaf pan. Let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Step 11: Bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown.
Step 12: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving!
Pro Tips
- If the milk mixture is too hot, it will kill the yeast. You should be able to dip a finger in and feel it just warm. The ideal temperature is 40.5°C/ 105°F.
- If the yeast doesn’t foam, it may be inactive. Start over with fresh yeast so your bread rises beautifully.
- A switched-off oven with the light on is a perfect cozy spot for dough to rise. My dough doubled in less than an hour because it’s still fairly hot here. It may take more time for you.
- Once the extra flour has been mixed in, the dough can be used right away. But I recommend refrigerating it for at least 30 minutes (and up to 2 days). Letting it rest again makes it easier to handle, and it's always good to have this dough ready in the fridge for easy and quick baking!
How to Serve
We really love this bread as-is! It's so flavorful and delicious.
You can also serve with hearty bowls of roasted sweet potato soup or creamy pea soup. For a quick brunch, serve the bread with avocado egg salad or Korean braised potatoes.
Instead of plain garlic bread, pair this pesto braid bread with a simple spaghetti aglio e olio or creamy Alfredo pasta. Upgrade your grilled cheese by using this pesto bread! It's so good!
Recipe FAQs
Making pesto at home is super simple! Grind pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, fresh basil, salt, and pepper in a food processor until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
For this bread, I made a dairy-free version by leaving out the cheese. If you’d like, you can add good-quality Parmesan for extra creaminess and depth.
Yes! If you’re short on time, you can prepare the dough in advance. It keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for 2–3 days.
More Easy Bread Recipes
Half the joy of cooking is sharing it with others. That’s why I’m always eager to hear from you. So go right ahead & drop a comment or reach out on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook. I hope you love this braided pesto bread as much as we do!
📖 Recipe
Braided Pesto Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup Almond milk You can use any milk of your choice
- 1/4 cup Olive oil
- 2 tsp Sugar
- 1.5 tsp Active dry yeast
- 1 1/4 cup All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Wholewheat flour
- 1/4 cup All-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Pesto
- 1.5 cup Fresh basil leaves
- 2-3 cloves Garlic
- 1/4 cup Pine nuts
- 2-3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Olive oil and sea salt for topping Optional
Instructions
Bread Dough
- Heat milk, oil, and sugar in a small saucepan. Don't let it come to a boil. Take off the heat and cool.1 cup Almond milk, 1/4 cup Olive oil, 2 tsp Sugar
- When this mixture is just warm, sprinkle over the yeast. Set aside for 5-10 minutes until the mixture is bubbly.1.5 tsp Active dry yeast
- Whisk in both the flours. Cover and place in a draft-free place for 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size.1 1/4 cup All-purpose flour, 1 cup Wholewheat flour
- Now add in the extra 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.1/4 cup All-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp Baking powder,1/4 tsp Baking soda,1/2 tsp Salt
- Mix well. The dough is now ready for use immediately. You can refrigerate it for 30 minutes or up to 2 days. I always prefer to refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 200 C / 400 F Keep a greased 9"*5" loaf pan handy.
- Sprinkle flour on your work surface. Gently deflate the dough. Roll out the dough into a rectangle, approximately 15" x 9". I like to keep the thickness around 1/8".
- Spread 3-4 tbsp of pesto evenly on the surface. Try to leave a 1/4" border around the edges. It will help you make a neater roll.
- Starting with a long side of the rectangle, start rolling the dough tightly. Pinch the seam together and make sure the seam is facing down.
- Using a sharp knife, cut it in half lengthways.
- Braid the two pieces. Make sure the filling side is facing the top.
- Pinch the two ends of the braid together and carefully place it in the prepared pan.
- Let this rest for 15 minutes.
- Brush with olive oil and sprinkle some sea salt on top. This step is completely optional.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Mine was done in 25 minutes.
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack.
- Cool for 30 minutes or until barely warm. Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Pesto
- Combine all the ingredients for the pesto in a food processor and blitz until you get a smooth paste. Taste and adjust for seasoning.1.5 cups Fresh basil leaves, 2-3 cloves Garlic, 1/4 cup Pine nuts, 2-3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- You will get more pesto than you will need for the recipe.
Notes
- If the milk mixture is too hot, it will kill the yeast. You should be able to dip a finger in and feel it just warm. The ideal temperature is 40.5°C/ 105°F.
- If the yeast doesn’t foam, it may be inactive. Start over with fresh yeast so your bread rises beautifully.
- A switched-off oven with the light on is a perfect cozy spot for dough to rise. My dough doubled in less than an hour because it’s still fairly hot here. It may take more time for you.
- Once the extra flour has been mixed in, the dough can be used right away. But I recommend refrigerating it for at least 30 minutes (and up to 2 days). Letting it rest again makes it easier to handle, and it's always good to have this dough ready in the fridge for easy and quick baking!
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