Cheesy Pesto Stuffed Garlic Bread
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Is there anything better than cheesy, buttery, herby bread? I think not. This cheesy pesto stuffed garlic bread is one of my go-to sides with pasta, pizza, steak, and more! Make this bread for a dinner party or bring it to a potluck. It comes together in under 30 minutes and everyone loves it!
It never fails that spring gives us a little sneak peek right before one final, major snow storm. I fall for it every damn time. Sitting on patios. Drinking rosé. Planning my spring garden. And then? Snowmageddon.
So I guess I’ll lean into winter, make yet another cozy stew, and continue Pinterest-ing tips for keeping basil alive for longer than 1 week. Because how else will I continue feeding my obsession with basil lemon pesto this year?
I mean, truly, cover any carb in pesto and I’m happy. Pasta, pizza, polenta? Yes, yes, and yes. But bread is perhaps my favorite. And this recipe combines pesto with another fan favorite. Garlic bread. 🙌
I mean honestly, what’s not to love about garlic bread? Especially when it’s stuffed with homemade basil pesto, melty mozzarella, and nutty parmesan. Like, I could eat this as a meal. And this recipe has been a long time coming because I’ve been making it ever since my culinary school days.
If you have leftover pesto, use it in this pesto crostini or in my crudités cups with pesto dip!
Pick a good bread
I like to use a good crusty Italian loaf in this recipe. But you can also use sourdough, French bread, baguette, ciabatta, or a country loaf. For a softer garlic bread, I would use a loaf of French bread. But if you like crispy edges, go with a baguette or ciabatta.
You will also need store-bought or homemade pesto, unsalted butter, fresh garlic, whole milk mozzarella, parmesan, Morton’s Kosher salt, and freshly-ground black pepper.
Make sure you’re freshly grating the cheeses for the best flavor and texture! Pre-shredded has additives that will give the melted cheese a grainy, rubbery texture.
Pesto filling
Prep & bake the bread
If your bread loaf is extra large, feel free to use more pesto. Just don’t get too wild, or the bread could end up soggy instead of soft in the center and crisp on the edges!
Softer garlic bread
If you like softer garlic bread, here’s how to get it! First, you’ll want to start with a softer loaf like French bread. Then, mix the cheese into the the pesto-garlic mixture. After you spread the bread with the filling, sandwich it back together and wrap it in tinfoil. Bake until the bread is hot and the cheese is melty. Slice and enjoy!
Refrigerate & make-ahead
To store leftover bread, wait until it’s fully cooled. Then, wrap the cooled bread slices in tin foil or place them in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
You can also prep this bread up to 2 hours in advance. Just assemble the bread and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. Then, bake or broil the bread right before serving.
Reheat
- Microwave – microwave slices of bread for about 30-60 seconds until heated through.
- Oven – this is the best way! Just sandwich the bread halves (or slices) cheese-side together. Then, wrap in tin foil and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 5-10 minutes until the bread is heated through and the cheese is melty.
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Easy, Cheesy Pesto Garlic Bread
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup lemon pesto or store-bought (180 grams)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (60 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic (4 large cloves)
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 loaf of crusty Italian bread (about 1 pound/454 grams)
- 1 cup freshly-shredded whole milk mozzarella (100 grams)
- 1/2 cup freshly-shredded parmesan (35 grams)
Equipment
- Bread knife
- Box grater
- Garlic press
- Small rubber spatula
- sheet pan
- Parchment paper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Add the pesto, butter, and garlic to a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Use a rubber spatula or fork to combine the filling until it's well-mixed. A few small lumps are ok.
- Next, use a bread knife to cut the loaf of bread in half horizontally. Then, cut the bread halves into thick slices, leaving the bottom 1/2-inch of the bread uncut. You want the loaf of bread to stay intact so the filling stays put.
- Using a small rubber spatula or butter knife, spread about half of the filling in-between the slices of bread. Then, spread the rest of the filling on top of the bread halves.
- Evenly sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan over the tops of the bread halves. Bake the bread for 10-15 minutes, until the bread is hot and the cheese is melted and starting to bubble on top.
- Let the bread rest at room temperature for 3-4 minutes. Then, slice the bread all the way through. Enjoy!
