If you are a garlic bread lover, brace yourself for this cheesy pesto bread recipe!
I have been infatuated with a few cheesy garlic bread photos going around Pinterest lately. I love garlic bread on its own, and adding melty, stretchy cheese to the party sounds like bread heaven. One version that looks particularly fabulous is Hasselback Garlic Cheesy Bread at Lauren’s Latest. I would be delighted if someone served me this, but come on: I am far too weary to bake my own baguettes. Also, I didn’t have any fancy garlic butter lying around. What I did have was some leftover pesto from last week’s pesto chicken. So, I set out to make my own, easier version of this bread, and I think this cheesy pesto bread recipe is pretty darned easy and good.
You could definitely make this without the cheese and still have delicious pesto garlic bread. Truth be told, the cheese was awesome when it first came out of the oven, but much less awesome after it cooled down and lost its melted goodness. If you want to make this cheesy version, I recommend serving it to a crowd who will eat it fairly quickly while its warm.
Slice bread into ¾” slices, leaving just the bottom of the crust uncut to hold the loaf together. Move sliced bread to a piece of aluminum foil slightly longer than the loaf. (Don’t worry if you slice the bread all the way through; the foil will fix it.)
Stir together the melted butter and pesto. With a basting brush, spread the butter mixture over the top and inside the slices of the loaf.
Cut the cheese slices into pieces (fourths or smaller depending on the size of your cheese and bread), and slide a piece of cheese into each cut of the loaf.
Crimp the foil to surround the bottom edge of the bread to hold it together and catch any delicious drips. Place directly on rack in preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Serve warm.
Andi Gleeson is a passionate blogger and mom based in San Francisco who focuses on easy and delicious dinner recipes.
45 comments
Teresa
8 years ago
I made this for a church potluck this past Sunday and it was a hit. Thanks for posting this awesome recipe.
Margaret Vandale
10 years ago
I dont have a website.
Andi Gleeson
10 years ago
Hi, Margaret! The website field in comments is optional. Thank you!
Georgene
10 years ago
How do you make the pesto sauce for the cheese bread
june
10 years ago
looks very good
Andi Gleeson
10 years ago
Thanks so much, June!
Deborah
10 years ago
Can’t wait to try this looks delicious. Tried a lot of your recipes and love every one of them. Thanks so much.
Andi
10 years ago
Thank you so much, Deborah! This made my day!!
Dina
11 years ago
I loved the taste but had to double the butter/pesto for a regular loaf of French bread and double the cooking time. It took 25 min for the cheese to fully melt! But will for sure make again!!
Andi
11 years ago
Thanks for the feedback, Dina! I’ll make a note in the recipe that the amounts may vary depending on the size of your loaf, width of slices, etc. I used a dense type of bread, which was shorter than a lighter, longer loaf, so I probably had fewer slices to coat/stuff. Have a good week!
Kay
11 years ago
Where did you get your bread from?
Andi
11 years ago
Hi, Kay! I took these pics a while ago, but I’m sure it was just a loaf from our grocery store bakery.
Krystal
11 years ago
This looks AMAZING. I love the cheese and I would totally pair this with tomatoes!
Andi
11 years ago
Thank you, Krystal! Adding tomatoes is a great idea!
Miriam
11 years ago
Hi, found this recipe via Pinterest! This looks so yummy! Never made this kind of cheesy bread before so will give it a try! It is so cheesy!! It would also work with red pesto mmmmm :)
Andi
11 years ago
Hi, Miriam! Thanks so much for your nice comment. I haven’t heard of red pesto, but now I’ll have to look that up. I hope you like the recipe!
Miriam
11 years ago
Andi, red pesto is with sun-dried tomatoes instead of basil. But i also made it with red roasted peppers, you can add some chillies too for a good kick! It is so delicious! Would go so well with this bread or pasta in general! :-)
Andi
11 years ago
That sounds delicious, Miriam! I’ll have to give it a try. Thank you :)
fae
11 years ago
Your cheesy pesto bread sounds absolutely delish! We are planning an outdoor spring time wedding, and thinking of using this. We want to do what we can ahead of time. Would this be good served cold? if it is better warmed, we could cook it ahead then just warm it up. I have a good recipe for a sausage dip we would serve with it. If the dip was left warm in a crockpot, then maybe this bread would be ok cold. Comments? I would love ideas for this. I am for sure going to follow you on pintrest!
Andi
11 years ago
Hi, Fae! This bread really shines when it’s warm and the cheese is melted. If you aren’t able to serve it warm, I would suggest just using the pesto and olive oil to make pesto garlic bread that way and skip the cheese.
I hope you have a beautiful and fun wedding! If there’s garlic bread and sausage dip, it sounds like it’s going to be awesome :) Thank you so much for your comment and following me. I hope you will find lots of other recipes you like here too!
Desperate Houselife
11 years ago
This looks absolutely delicious. Now I’m hungry! #SITSBlogging
Andi
11 years ago
Thank you! You just reminded me that I want to make this again soon :) Thanks for stopping by, and have a great weekend!
Darcie
11 years ago
oh. my. GOSH!
I am totally going to try this!
this looks simply divine!
stopping by from #sitsblogging
Lyuba@willcookforsmiles
12 years ago
Oh my…look at all that cheesiness!! Oooo, I love theese!
Andi
12 years ago
Thank you, Lyuba! I need to make this again soon. So good!
Fhatina
12 years ago
I tried it today and it was delicious!!! Thanks!!
The Weary Chef
12 years ago
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave a comment :)
Stephanie
12 years ago
This looks great! Usually make stuff like this for football season. I will have to make an exception. I love anything with pesto.
The Weary Chef
12 years ago
Thanks so much for your comment, Stephanie! I like to serve this with salad, which I’m sure negates the effects of the bread to make it a healthy dinner ;)
Buttons
12 years ago
Yum! This looks delicious and so easy! I make pesto bread by unrolling a roll of Pilsbury French bread and spreading pesto then following the baking instructions. So good! I bet it would be good with cheese sprinkled on as well!
Ooh that sounds really good and easy! I STILL have pesto leftover, so I think I will try your version next.
Thanks for stopping by and following! I am a little weird and lazy too (OK, maybe more than a little), so we will get along just fine ;)
Reeni
12 years ago
Oh goodness does this look delicious! Gooey, cheesy carbilicious LOVE! The pesto is an added bonus.
The Weary Chef
12 years ago
Thanks, Reeni! Carbilicious may be my new favorite word.
Rena
12 years ago
Hi Lovely, I am your newest follower from Blog Hop. Love your Awesome blog! Followed you via Bloglovin’, Twitter & FB.
Feel free to visit, follow and leave me comments.
xoxo
Rena
The Weary Chef
12 years ago
Thank you, Rena! So glad to have you, and I’m looking forward to checking out your blog as well.
Becca
12 years ago
Certainly does look irresistable! A friend of mine made some bread similar to this one time. So yummy!
The Weary Chef
12 years ago
Thanks, Becca! I really appreciate your visit :)
Julie @ This Gal Cooks
12 years ago
Oh yum, this looks so good!
The Weary Chef
12 years ago
Thanks, Julie! I can’t wait to eat more leftover tomorrow. I think it will toast up great.
Lois Christensen
12 years ago
This looks amazing. I saw the original recipe on Pinterest and tried to make it and you’re right, it was a lot of work. This looks so much easier. Trying YOUR way next!
The Weary Chef
12 years ago
Let me know how you like it, and thanks for stopping by!
JC
12 years ago
Wow, this looks delicious and easy. I can’t wait to try it. My mom loves baguettes and hubby loves cheese. This recipe has both.
The Weary Chef
12 years ago
Thanks, JC! Let me know how you like it if you give it a try.
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45 comments
I made this for a church potluck this past Sunday and it was a hit. Thanks for posting this awesome recipe.
I dont have a website.
Hi, Margaret! The website field in comments is optional. Thank you!
How do you make the pesto sauce for the cheese bread
looks very good
Thanks so much, June!
Can’t wait to try this looks delicious. Tried a lot of your recipes and love every one of them. Thanks so much.
Thank you so much, Deborah! This made my day!!
I loved the taste but had to double the butter/pesto for a regular loaf of French bread and double the cooking time. It took 25 min for the cheese to fully melt! But will for sure make again!!
Thanks for the feedback, Dina! I’ll make a note in the recipe that the amounts may vary depending on the size of your loaf, width of slices, etc. I used a dense type of bread, which was shorter than a lighter, longer loaf, so I probably had fewer slices to coat/stuff. Have a good week!
Where did you get your bread from?
Hi, Kay! I took these pics a while ago, but I’m sure it was just a loaf from our grocery store bakery.
This looks AMAZING. I love the cheese and I would totally pair this with tomatoes!
Thank you, Krystal! Adding tomatoes is a great idea!
Hi, found this recipe via Pinterest! This looks so yummy! Never made this kind of cheesy bread before so will give it a try! It is so cheesy!! It would also work with red pesto mmmmm :)
Hi, Miriam! Thanks so much for your nice comment. I haven’t heard of red pesto, but now I’ll have to look that up. I hope you like the recipe!
Andi, red pesto is with sun-dried tomatoes instead of basil. But i also made it with red roasted peppers, you can add some chillies too for a good kick! It is so delicious! Would go so well with this bread or pasta in general! :-)
That sounds delicious, Miriam! I’ll have to give it a try. Thank you :)
Your cheesy pesto bread sounds absolutely delish! We are planning an outdoor spring time wedding, and thinking of using this. We want to do what we can ahead of time. Would this be good served cold? if it is better warmed, we could cook it ahead then just warm it up. I have a good recipe for a sausage dip we would serve with it. If the dip was left warm in a crockpot, then maybe this bread would be ok cold. Comments? I would love ideas for this. I am for sure going to follow you on pintrest!
Hi, Fae! This bread really shines when it’s warm and the cheese is melted. If you aren’t able to serve it warm, I would suggest just using the pesto and olive oil to make pesto garlic bread that way and skip the cheese.
I hope you have a beautiful and fun wedding! If there’s garlic bread and sausage dip, it sounds like it’s going to be awesome :) Thank you so much for your comment and following me. I hope you will find lots of other recipes you like here too!
This looks absolutely delicious. Now I’m hungry! #SITSBlogging
Thank you! You just reminded me that I want to make this again soon :) Thanks for stopping by, and have a great weekend!
oh. my. GOSH!
I am totally going to try this!
this looks simply divine!
stopping by from #sitsblogging
Oh my…look at all that cheesiness!! Oooo, I love theese!
Thank you, Lyuba! I need to make this again soon. So good!
I tried it today and it was delicious!!! Thanks!!
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave a comment :)
This looks great! Usually make stuff like this for football season. I will have to make an exception. I love anything with pesto.
Thanks so much for your comment, Stephanie! I like to serve this with salad, which I’m sure negates the effects of the bread to make it a healthy dinner ;)
Yum! This looks delicious and so easy! I make pesto bread by unrolling a roll of Pilsbury French bread and spreading pesto then following the baking instructions. So good! I bet it would be good with cheese sprinkled on as well!
Cheers!
Your newest follower,
Buttons
The Hot Toddies of Washington
Ooh that sounds really good and easy! I STILL have pesto leftover, so I think I will try your version next.
Thanks for stopping by and following! I am a little weird and lazy too (OK, maybe more than a little), so we will get along just fine ;)
Oh goodness does this look delicious! Gooey, cheesy carbilicious LOVE! The pesto is an added bonus.
Thanks, Reeni! Carbilicious may be my new favorite word.
Hi Lovely, I am your newest follower from Blog Hop. Love your Awesome blog! Followed you via Bloglovin’, Twitter & FB.
Feel free to visit, follow and leave me comments.
xoxo
Rena
Thank you, Rena! So glad to have you, and I’m looking forward to checking out your blog as well.
Certainly does look irresistable! A friend of mine made some bread similar to this one time. So yummy!
Thanks, Becca! I really appreciate your visit :)
Oh yum, this looks so good!
Thanks, Julie! I can’t wait to eat more leftover tomorrow. I think it will toast up great.
This looks amazing. I saw the original recipe on Pinterest and tried to make it and you’re right, it was a lot of work. This looks so much easier. Trying YOUR way next!
Let me know how you like it, and thanks for stopping by!
Wow, this looks delicious and easy. I can’t wait to try it. My mom loves baguettes and hubby loves cheese. This recipe has both.
Thanks, JC! Let me know how you like it if you give it a try.