Description
This Cheesy Pesto Sundried Tomato Pull Apart Bread is an incredibly easy and delicious appetizer! Crusty Italian bread is cut into a grid pattern and stuffed with melted butter, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and plenty of cheese, then baked until golden and bubbly.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 round loaf crusty Italian bread (or similar sturdy loaf)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 4 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, freshly grated or torn into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Prepare Bread: Using a serrated bread knife, carefully make diagonal cuts across the loaf of bread, about 1-inch apart. Cut down almost to the bottom crust, but do not cut all the way through. Rotate the bread 90 degrees and make another set of diagonal cuts, creating a criss-cross or grid pattern. Place the cut loaf on a large sheet of aluminum foil (big enough to wrap the bread).
- Fill Bread:
- Carefully pour or brush the melted butter into the crevices (cuts) of the bread, trying to get it down into the cuts.
- Spoon the pesto into the crevices, spreading it around as evenly as possible.
- Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes into the crevices.
- Push the grated fontina and mozzarella cheeses down into the crevices. It’s okay if some cheese ends up on top.
- Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese over the top of the loaf.
- Bake Wrapped: Wrap the entire bread loaf securely in the aluminum foil. Place the foil-wrapped loaf on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Bake Unwrapped: Carefully remove the aluminum foil from the bread loaf. Return the unwrapped bread (still on the baking sheet) to the oven and bake for an additional 12-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and melted, and the top is golden brown.
- Cool and Serve: Let the pull-apart bread cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve warm, allowing guests to pull apart the cheesy sections.
Notes
- Bread: A round, crusty loaf like Italian or sourdough works best for the pull-apart style.
- Cutting: Be careful not to cut all the way through the bottom crust when making the grid pattern.
- Cheeses: Fontina and fresh mozzarella melt beautifully. You can substitute other good melting cheeses like provolone, Monterey Jack, or Gruyère.
- Filling: Use a spoon or small offset spatula to help push the fillings down into the crevices.
- Baking: Baking wrapped in foil first allows the cheese to melt and the bread to heat through. Baking unwrapped at the end ensures a golden, bubbly top.
- Storage: This bread is best enjoyed fresh and warm. Store leftovers wrapped tightly at room temperature for a day; reheat gently in the oven or air fryer to restore crispness.