If you love pizza but want a fun, shareable snack, this Pesto Pizza Pull Apart Bread delivers all the familiar flavors in a playful, hands-on format. Small pieces of pizza dough are wrapped around fresh mozzarella, rolled in pesto, stacked in a bundt or angel food cake pan, baked until golden, and served with warm marinara for dipping. The concept is similar to monkey bread, but savory — a crowd-pleasing appetizer or party centerpiece that’s simple to assemble and impossible to resist.
This recipe keeps things easy by using store-bought pizza dough and ready-made pesto, along with fresh mozzarella and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Most of the time you spend will be assembling the dough pieces, a straightforward process that kids can help with or that makes a great activity for a relaxed evening with friends. A few simple steps transform basic ingredients into a shareable, pull-apart loaf full of melted cheese and bright pesto flavor.
To make the dough balls, cut the pizza crust into palm-sized squares, place a cube of fresh mozzarella in the center, fold the dough over, and roll it into a smooth ball. Dip or spread each ball with pesto before placing it in the pan. Layer the balls in the bundt or angel food cake pan until the pan is full; two rolls of pizza crust work well for a standard pan, though you can fit a third if you like a taller loaf. Finish with a dusting of Parmesan before baking for a savory, slightly crisp finish.
I recommend using the pre-rolled pizza crust that comes in a cardboard tube; it eliminates the need to roll out sticky, elastic dough and makes it quick to slice into pieces. Kitchen shears are a handy tool for cutting the dough neatly. As the bread bakes, the dough expands and the mozzarella melts — some cheese may escape and caramelize against the pan, creating delicious toasted bits around the edges. That browning adds texture and flavor that many people love.
Pesto Pizza Pull Apart Bread
15 minutes
25 minutes
40 minutes
6-8
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 rolls of Pillsbury pizza crust (regular, not the thin crust)
- 1 large ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into 1-inch pieces
- About 1 cup of pesto (use your preferred brand)
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup marinara sauce, warmed for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a bundt pan or angel food cake pan lightly so the baked pieces release easily.
- Cut the fresh mozzarella into small, bite-sized pieces, about 1 inch each.
- Slice each roll of pizza crust into square pieces roughly 2 inches across. Kitchen shears make this quick and clean.
- Place a mozzarella piece in the center of each dough square. Fold the dough over the cheese and roll it into a smooth ball, pinching seams to seal.
- Roll or brush each ball with pesto so it is evenly coated, then arrange the balls in the prepared pan. Layer until the pan is filled.
- Sprinkle the assembled dough balls with grated Parmesan for a savory finish.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before turning the loaf out of the pan.
- Serve warm with a bowl of marinara sauce for dipping. Pull apart pieces by hand and enjoy.
This pull-apart bread is ideal as a party appetizer, game-day snack, or casual family dinner starter. It’s easy to scale up by using more rolls of dough or by making several pans at once. Leftovers can be reheated in a 350°F oven for 8–10 minutes to crisp the exterior and re-melt the cheese. You can also customize the filling by adding pepperoni, chopped basil, or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for heat. However you serve it, the combination of soft, cheesy centers, vibrant pesto, and crisped edges makes this a memorable and shareable dish everyone will reach for.
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