Pesto Monkey Bread
on Jan 31, 2022, Updated Apr 15, 2025
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A couple of tablespoons of store-bought or homemade pesto turn a can of biscuits into something spectacular.
Once you start making shortcut monkey breads with refrigerated biscuit dough you will start wondering why you haven’t been making them habitually. They take about 10 minutes to pull together, and whatever else you made for dinner — this will steal the show, guaranteed.
Pesto Monkey Bread
A couple of tablespoons of store-bought or homemade pesto turn a can of biscuits into something spectacular. This is one of those recipes that made Charlie say, “And why haven’t you made this before?” Which is always a good sign of a keeper in my house.
You can use any store-bought pesto you like. Basil pesto is the classic, but I think this would be great with sundried tomato pesto as well (or make it yourself!). I used this simple Nut-Free Pesto that I make all the time, and use in all sorts of ways, from crostini to pasta. Having a little container of this in the fridge means that something good is always about to happen (think about stirring a bit into a favorite soup, or blending it with a bit more olive oil and drizzling it over hot pizza).
Best Baking Dish for Monkey Bread
While some monkey breads are piled high in a deep baking dish, I find that spreading out the chunks of dough in a shallower pan gives you more appealing crusty bites, and also allows the bread to bake more evenly. You still want the biscuit chunks to be layered so you get the soft steamy inside, but this will allow the bread to cook more evenly, without a mushy pocket in the middle.
How to Make Pesto Monkey Bread
In a 1 to 1 ½ quart shallow baking dish (eyeball it, and see if it looks big enough to hold the biscuits) combine the melted butter, pesto, salt and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan.
Separate the dough into biscuits, and cut each biscuit into quarters.
Place the pieces into the baking dish with the butter mixture and use your hands to toss to combine and coat the pieces well. Distribute the dough pieces out evenly in the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until the top is golden brown and the inside is cooked through, with no doughy pockets (use a butter knife to check out the middle).
Cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack, then serve warm (either in the pan or removed to a serving plate) and let everyone pull it apart into hunks.
Pesto Monkey Bread: A couple of tablespoons of store-bought or homemade pesto turn a can of biscuits into something spectacular.
What to Serve with Pesto Monkey Bread:
- Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs
- Moroccan Carrot and Cauliflower Soup
- 30-Minute Honey Garlic Pork Chops
- Cacio e Pepe
- Minestrone
Other Refrigerated Dough Recipes:
- Blueberry and Peach Crostada
- Pesto Crescent Rolls
- Garlic Oregano Monkey Bread
- Leek, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Quiche
- Three Cheese and Prosciutto Stuffed Biscuits
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Pesto Monkey Bread
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- 2 tablespoons pesto , store-bought or homemade
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt , or to taste
- 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese , divided
- 1 (12-ounce) can refrigerated biscuits
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a 1 to 1 ½ quart shallow baking dish (eyeball it, and see if it looks big enough to hold the biscuits) combine the melted butter, pesto, salt and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan.
- Separate the dough into biscuits, and cut each biscuit into quarters. Place the pieces into the baking dish with the butter mixture and use your hands to toss to combine and coat the pieces well. Distribute the dough pieces out evenly in the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until the top is golden brown and the inside is cooked through, with no doughy pockets (use a butter knife to check out the middle).
- Cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack, then serve warm (either in the pan or removed to a serving plate) and let everyone pull it apart into hunks.
