Seriously, who doesn’t love garlic bread? Who could resist a soft, savory dinner roll flavored with pesto and Parmesan? I transformed a classic cinnamon-roll method into a savory version filled with garlic, basil and cheesy goodness. Freshly baked bread is always special, but when pesto is swirled into the dough it becomes unforgettable. The aroma of basil and warm bread is heavenly. Our family adores these rolls and I’m confident yours will too. Enjoy!
Savory Pesto Rolls
Ingredients
1/2 cup warm water (115°F)
1/2 cup warm milk (115°F)
1 egg, room temperature, slightly beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4–5 cups bread flour
1 (0.25 ounce / 2 1/4 tsp) package instant dry yeast
1/2 cup pesto (homemade or store-bought)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Dough can be kneaded by hand, in a bread machine, or with a stand mixer using the dough hook. Directions below follow a KitchenAid-style mixer. To save time, store-bought frozen dinner roll dough and prepared pesto also work well.
Directions
1. Combine warm water, warm milk, beaten egg, melted butter, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
2. Sprinkle 4 cups of the bread flour over the liquids and then sprinkle the yeast on top. Using the dough hook, knead on speed 3 until the dough is smooth and elastic, 5–7 minutes, adding more flour a little at a time if the dough is too sticky. The final dough should be soft and slightly tacky but manageable.
3. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a damp towel. Allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. (Tip: Preheat your oven to 200°F while kneading, turn it off, then place the covered bowl inside with the oven door cracked for a consistent, warm rise.)
4. Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a rectangle slightly larger than a 9×13 inch pan.
5. Spread the surface evenly with pesto and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan.
6. Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a log, pinching the seam to seal. Slice the log into 12 equal pieces.
7. Place each slice, cut side up, into a greased muffin tin. Cover with a damp towel and let the rolls rise for 30 minutes.
8. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the rolls for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
9. Remove the rolls from the muffin tin and serve warm.
These pesto rolls are perfect alongside soups, salads, or as part of a family dinner. They keep well for a day at room temperature in an airtight container and can be refreshed in a warm oven for a few minutes before serving.