I’ve found a lot of great breadmaker recipes from my well-used Black and Decker breadmaker over the years and this one for Pesto Bread is one of them. It has the wonderful savory flavors of parsley, garlic, basil and parmesan cheese permeating every bite. Not only that–it is so EASY! You just layer the ingredients into the breadmaker and in a few hours you have the fragrant aroma of freshly baked bread wafting through your house. That heavenly smell is enough to do me in every time.

I grew up in a household of bread lovers. While my generation didn’t consider homemade bread a real treat because we ate it every day it certainly was a treat coming home from school and smelling my mom’s homemade breads sitting on a rack to cool. Mom wouldn’t let us snitch a slice either. We would have to wait for our meal to have a slice or two so we wouldn’t spoil supper. Nowadays, home baked bread really is a treat because it is so rarely made.

I made this delicious Pesto Bread to give away to a family last week but we have had this recipe many times. I usually end up using dried herbs but if you grow your own herbs that would make this bread even more special. Using a high quality parmesan cheese also will improve the flavors tremendously.

Pesto bread is a great dinner bread your whole family will enjoy. If you’re looking for a bread recipe for a 2-lb. loaf for your bread maker consider making this easy and tasty recipe and treat your family to the smells and tastes of this wonderful comfort food. This recipe is great to serve with chili or Italian dishes, too. Spread lots of butter on thick slabs of bread and you’ll be in seventh heaven! Sprinkle with garlic salt, parsley, and some more parmesan cheese and toast in the oven and you will have an incredible feast!

This is a wonderful tasting bread.

This easy bread can be whipped up in about 5 minutes and then baked in your breadmaker. The regular cycle on my Black and Decker model takes about 4 hours.

This wonderful bread is great for dinner.

We like serving this bread for company or including it in meals we provide others.

We love serving bread with butter and apple butter, honey, or our favorite jam.

Here’s what I did.

Place hot water in the bread canister.

Add olive oil.

Add parsley.

Add parmesan cheese.

Add basil.

Add minced garlic from a jar.

Add salt.

Here’s what that looks like after laying everything into the bread canister.

Use bread flour only. Bread flour has more gluten so all the ingredients adhere better and don’t crumble apart so easily after cutting it.

Add bread flour.

I had forgotten the sugar so I added it now.

Add yeast.

I think the top poofed out because the sugar was right next to the yeast. But the bread still turned out tasting wonderfully.

Butter the top and sides of the bread so it stays soft and doesn’t get hard and tough.

Cut bread in half with an electric knife.

Here’s what it looks like. The indentations on the bottom are from the bread paddle.

Here I begin cutting down the loaf.

Here I’ve cut the bread.

Nice thick slabs of homemade bread! Oh, my!

This is wonderful bread. It’s especially good with fresh herbs and freshly grated parmesan cheese if you have it on hand.

This bread is a wonderful accompaniment to Italian main dishes, stews and chowders, even salads.

Here’s the recipe.

PESTO BREAD

(Recipe adapted from Black & Decker Breadmaker Cookbook)

1 1/4 cups hot water

3 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 cup fresh parsley or 1/3-1/2 cup dried parsley

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 tbsp. dried basil

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. minced garlic (from a jar)

1 1/4 tsp. salt

4 cups bread flour

1 1/4 tsp. bread flour yeast

Layer in above order and put on normal bread setting – about 4 hours.

This bread is a fantastic dinner bread. Great for company, too.

Here’s a close up so you can see the texture of this delicious Pesto Bread.

We enjoy homemade bread with honey spread and jam, too.

Here’s another close up so you can see the flecks of basil and parsley.

Each loaf makes about 20 half slices like this.

Spread with butter and enjoy.

Here’s another close up so you can see the texture.

I’ve saved a piece for you. Go ahead and taste a bite.

You may also like these recipes:

Cheese ‘N Onion Bread

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

Red River Cereal Bread

Caraway Rye Bread

Rapid Rise Italian Herb Bread

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