This no-knead, pull-apart pesto focaccia is made by dunking pieces of dough in basil pesto, then sprinkling shredded cheese towards the end of baking so it stays soft & melty. And garlic powder and Italian seasoning are mixed right into the dough so the flavor doesn't just sit on the surface.
Pesto Pull-Apart Focaccia is My Go-to Party Bread!
Pesto is probably my favorite savory addition to bread, with its bright herby, garlicky flavor. But I got tired of it only getting spread on after baking. So for this one, I tear the dough into chunks and dunk each one straight into a bowl of pesto. The end result is a pull-apart pesto focaccia that's built to be torn apart with your hands and shared across the table at family dinner, or dunked in marinara sauce for a game day snack.
In testing, I had to lower the hydration of this dough to 77%, which prevents it from staying gummy and underbaked when coated in the wet pesto. But it's still no-knead, which means there's no temptation to add extra flour to sticky dough (which is the fastest way to end up with a dense loaf).
You can make it same-day with four quick stretch-and-folds, or let it rise overnight in the fridge if you want to make it ahead. Either way, you end up with a loaf that's every bit as pillowy inside as it is golden and crisp outside. And because it's made without a stand mixer, this is one of the most beginner-friendly doughs I bake with. Truly, a mixing bowl and spoon is all you need!
The trick I don't skip is adding garlic powder and Italian seasoning straight into the dough itself, so every single piece is seasoned all the way through. And for a melty cheese-pull, sprinkle mozzarella, gruyère, or fontina on top just for the last 5 minutes in the oven. Any longer and the cheese starts to crisp up and dry out. Just don't swap in Parmesan, since that didn't melt as well during testing.
If you love these savory garlic & herb flavors, my pesto swirl bread turns them into a sliceable loaf with a gorgeous spiral center. And if that cheese pull is really what you're after, my pizza focaccia is the other bread that my family always asks for at dinner.
Let's Bake Pesto Focaccia Together!
For the full step-by-step directions, scroll down to the recipe card.
My Tips for proofing & Baking Focaccia Dough
- Coat every dough ball fully in pesto. Any dough-on-dough contact means those pieces will fuse together, and you'll lose the easy pull-apart texture.
- I always oil my fingers by dunking them in the pesto bowl. This keeps the dough from sticking to my hands and makes shaping way easier.
- Don't rush the second rise (called the proofing stage). Wait until the dough is really puffed up and jiggles when you gently shake the dish. If it's baked too early, you'll end up with a dense, gummy center. I cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and set it in the oven (turned off, with the oven light on) for 2 hours. It's warm and draft-free, so the yeast is happy the whole time.
- I kept this version classic with just pesto and a little cheese, but it also works with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and even cured meats like pepperoni or salami sprinkled on top after proofing, to turn it into something closer to a charcuterie-board-in-bread-form. So fun!Â
Pull-Apart Pesto Focaccia
developed & tested by:
Equipment
Ingredients
FOCACCIA DOUGH
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1¾ cups warm water (between 105-115°F or 40-46°C)
- 8 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4¼ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1½ teaspoons salt (use fine sea salt or table salt)
TOPPINGS
- ¾ cup basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella, Gruyère, or Fontina cheese
Instructions
Mix the Dough and Let it Rise
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Set aside for 10 minutes, until it's foamy on top. (If it's not foamy, check your yeast packet, as it might be expired.)
- Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and stir it into the foamy yeast mixture.
- Add the flour, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt and mix for a minute with a large spoon or silicone spatula until it forms a soft, sticky dough.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold 1: Use your hand to scoop a handful of dough from underneath, up one side, up out of the bowl as far as you can stretch it without tearing, then fold it over itself on top. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat another stretching of the dough up and folding over itself. Repeat rotating the bowl and stretching & folding the dough twice more, until you've completed four stretch-and-folds.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold 2: Repeat the process for four stretch-and-folds. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold 3: Repeat the process for four stretch-and-folds. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold 4: Repeat the process for four stretch-and-folds. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 1 hour until it doubles in size and looks bubbly on top.
Shape, Coat, and Proof the Dough
- Place the pesto in a bowl. Spread 4 tablespoons of olive oil on the bottom and up the sides of a 9x13 baking dish.
- Grab a small handful of dough, shape it into a ball roughly 2-3 inches in diameter (like a golf ball). Dip the dough in the pesto and let any excess drip back into the bowl (aim for a light coating that fully coats the dough). Place it in your greased baking dish. Continue with the remaining dough (you should get around 16 pieces), arranging them with a little space between each dough ball so they have room to expand.
- The dough will feel tacky, so grease your hands with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for 2 hours, or until the dough has really puffed up and jiggles when you shake the baking dish.
Bake, Top with Cheese, and Finish
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Generously coat your fingers in olive oil (don't skip this, or else the dough will stick all over your fingers.) Use your fingers to press dimples into the dough spread out 1-inch apart, pressing all the way to the bottom of the baking dish.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the surface of the dough.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then sprinkle the cheese on top. Continue baking for another 5 minutes, or until the focaccia is puffed up and golden brown and the cheese is melted. Cool the bread for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- To make this overnight, let the dough sit out for 1-2 hours after mixing, then place the covered mixing bowl in the fridge for 8-12 hours. Continue with the rest of the recipe as written, adding 1-2 additional hours to the proof time.Â
- You can drizzle or brush on a little extra pesto once it comes out of the oven for more flavor and color.
- Basil oxidizes and turns brown when it bakes, so don't panic when your pesto isn't bright green anymore. I add fresh basil on top right before serving to bring that pop of color back, but that's totally optional.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- To reheat leftovers, you'll get the best texture if you pop them in a 300°F oven for a few minutes. The microwave works but it makes the edges lose their crisp texture.
Nutrition
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