Sourdough Pesto Pull-Apart Bread

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If you’re looking for sourdough bread recipe that feels a little fancier than a regular loaf, this Sourdough Pesto Pull-Apart Bread is it! Crispy homemade sourdough, melty parmesan cheese, and pesto baked together until every piece pulls apart beautifully!

This is the type of recipe that will literally disappear before your eyes. It’s great as a side with pasta, a game day snack, or if just want a cozy weekend snack when you’re craving bread, this pesto pull-apart bread is the perfect recipe for that.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• An easy appetizer or side that feels *elevated*
• Uses simple ingredients & its 100% homemade, but if you want to use store-bought pesto, no one is judging.

How to Make Sourdough Pesto Pull-Apart Bread

1. Make the dough! Combine the water and sourdough starter in a bowl. Add in flour and salt, mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until you do not see any more flour streaks. The dough will be pretty sticky at this point. Cover and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
2. After 1 hour do 1 set of stretch and folds. Grabbing one edge of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat 3 more times around the entire dough. Cover again and continue the bulk fermentation. Repeat the same process every 30 minutes for the next 2 hours, for a total of 4-5 stretch and folds.
3. Bulk ferment – Let the dough sit at room temp for about 10 to 12 hours. The dough will be ready when it’s puffy and full of bubbles. When you shake the bowl the dough should be jiggly!
4. Make the pesto – If you plan to make the pesto ahead of time, or using up leftover pesto you have in the fridge, let it come to room temperature before using it. I leave mine out for about an hour. It should liquidy not solid. Reserve about 2 Tbsp of the pesto for the top after baking.
5. Drizzle 2 Tbsp of olive into the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish. Once the fermentation is complete, place the dough onto a lightly floured countertop. Using a bench scraper, cut the dough into 1 to 2 inch chunks and gather all four corners to form a ball. The ball does not have to be perfect! Place them into the greased baking dish. This should make about 10-12 pieces total.
6. Using a offset spatula or spoon, gently spread the pesto over the dough balls. Cover and let rest for 1-2 more hours for the final proof. They will puff up.
7. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Meanwhile grate Parmesan cheese over the balls.
8. Bake the balls. Uncover the pan and place it in the preheated oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes. The bread will begin to turn a golden brown color.
9. Add more fresh pesto using a offset spatula or knife, a sprinkle of flaky salt, and serve warm!

Sourdough Pesto Pull-Apart Bread

This homemade sourdough pesto pull-apart bread is loaded with melty cheese and pesto for the ultimate craving.

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Prep Time 16 hours hrs

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 1 loaf

Course: Bread

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups bread flour (240 grams)
• 2/3 cup room temp water (168 grams)
• 5 grams kosher salt
• 30 grams sourdough starter
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup pesto
• 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp flaky salt

Equipment

• 1 food processor if making homemade pesto

Method

 

1. In a large bowl, combine the water and sourdough starter, mixing until combined. Mix in the bread flour and salt, mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until you do not see any more flour streaks. The dough will be quite sticky. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
2. After 1 hour do 1 set of stretch and folds. Grab one edge of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat this motion 3 more times around the entire dough. Cover again. Repeat the same process every 30 minutes for the next 2 hours, for a total of 4-5 stretch and folds.
3. Bulk ferment! Let the dough sit at room temp for about 10 to 12 hours until the dough has doubled in size. The dough will be ready when it’s puffy and full of bubbles. It should jiggle when you shake the bowl.
4. Meanwhile, prep the pesto. Let it come to room temperature before using it. I leave mine out for about an hour. It should be soft and fluid, not thick like butter. Reserve about 2 Tbsp of the pesto for the top after baking.
5. Drizzle the olive oil into the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish. Once the fermentation is complete, place the dough onto a lightly floured countertop. Using a bench scraper, cut the dough into 1 to 2 inch chunks and gather all four corners to form a ball. Place them into the greased baking dish. This should make about 10-12 pieces total.
6. Using a offset spatula or spoon, gently spread the pesto over the dough balls. Cover and let rest for 1-2 more hours for the final proof, they should puff up a little more.
7. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grate Parmesan cheese over the balls. Bake for 25-30 minutes. The bread will begin to turn golden brown when it is done.
8. Add more fresh pesto using a offset spatula or knife, a sprinkle of flaky salt, and serve warm!