Best Pesto Loaf Recipes

PESTO MEAT LOAF

Steps:

• Place pesto ingredients in the order listed in a food processor; cover and process on low speed until a paste forms. , In a large bowl, combine the first six meat loaf ingredients; add pesto. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Press into a greased 9x5-in. loaf pan. , Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°, draining off fat if necessary. Let stand in pan for 10 minutes before slicing.

PESTO MEAT LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Put the pork in a mixing bowl. Add salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it is wilted. Add to the pork.
• Add the bread crumbs, pine nuts, basil, parsley, Parmesan cheese and egg. Blend well.
• Put the mixture into a standard six-cup loaf pan. Pack it down and smooth over the top. Place in the oven and bake about one hour or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees. Remove from the oven and let the meat loaf stand about 15 minutes before slicing and serving with the tomato sauce.

PESTO AND ROASTED-VEGETABLE SANDWICH LOAF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F. Spray jelly roll pan, 15 1/2x10 1/2x1 inch, with cooking spray. Toss bell peppers and mushrooms with oil in pan. Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or until crisp-tender. Refrigerate 15 minutes to chill.
• Coarsely chop roasted vegetables. Mix chopped vegetables, parsley and 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; set aside. Mix chicken, 1/2 cup mayonnaise and the pesto.
• Cut bread horizontally into 4 layers. Place bottom layer on plate or tray. Spread with half of the pesto filling. Top with bread layer. Spoon vegetable filling over bread layer. Top with bread layer. Spread with remaining pesto filling. Top with remaining bread layer.
• Spread cream cheese over outside of sandwich loaf. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish loaf with fresh herbs. Cut into 8 slices; cut each slice in half. Store covered in refrigerator.

PESTO BRUSCHETTA LOAF

Steps:

• Set oven control to broil. Place bread, cut sides up, on ungreased cookie sheet. Broil with tops 4 to 6 inches from heat about 1 minute or until lightly toasted.
• Spread pesto on bread. Sprinkle with tomatoes and cheese. Broil 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

PROVOLONE PESTO LOAF

Steps:

• LOAF ASSEMBLY 1. Line loaf pan with damp cheesecloth, let excess hang over sides 2. Line pan with half provalone cheese, pressing edges to seam. Divide remaining cheese into 3 portions. 3. Layer the pan in following order: --spread 1/2 the pesto over provolone in the bottom of pan --a layer of provolone cheese --sprinkle with 1/2 the sundried tomatoes --spread all of the garlic cream and nuts --sprinkle with remaining sundried tomatoes --another layer of provolone cheese --remaining pesto --final layer of provolone 4. Fold cheesecloth over loaf. Press firmly to compress. Refrigerate at least 2 hrs, but overnight is best. To serve, fold cheesecloth back and invert onto serving plate. Remove cheesecloth completely. 5. Garnish: Pansy flowers, fresh basil, nuts, etc. Serve with crackers or thinly sliced french bread.

PROVOLONE PESTO LOAF

Steps:

• You will need: Loaf Pan (91/2 X5 1/2) and Cloth Napkin (Dampened).
• Drain the roasted peppers and pat them dry, chop into small pieces.
• Once the cream cheese has softened add the crushed garlic and mix well, along a pinch of salt & pepper.
• Pesto sauce should be stirred several time so it will not separate as you divide the pesto.
• Take the damp cloth napkin and line the loaf pan.
• Make sure your push the napkin into the corners as much as possible.
• Then Layer: (Spread each item out ot the edges as much as possible).
• 1/3 of provolone (lay the cheese on the bottom of the loaf pan and then do the sides & ends making sure you get the corners. Make sure that the cheese is overlapping the sides of the loaf pan).
• 1/3 of the Pesto Sauce (thin layer).
• 1/2 of the Roasted Red Peppers.
• 1/2 of the Cream Cheese Repeat this sequence once, then end with Pesto and Provolone last.
• Wrap with the overlap of the cloth napkin, cover pan with saran wrap and refrigerate overnite.
• Turn out onto platter.
• Remove the napkin (the napkin will be oily).
• Garnish with Fresh Basil or Parsley.
• Using a spreader cut into the loaf and spread it onto the bread.
• Serve with Italian or French Bread.

PESTO CHICKEN AND ROASTED VEGETABLE SANDWICH LOAF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spray 10 x 15 jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Toss bell peppers and mushrooms with oil in pan. Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or until crisp-tender. Refrigerate 15 minutes to chill.
• Coarsely chop the vegetables. Mix chopped vegetables, parsley, and 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; set aside.
• Mix chicken, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, and pesto in a separate bowl and set aside.
• Cut bread lengthwise into 4 layers. Place bottom layer on plate or tray. Spread with half of the pesto filling. Top with another bread layer. Spoon vegetable filling over bread layer. Top with another bread layer. Spread with remaining pesto filling. Top with remaining bread layer.
• Spread cream cheese over outside of sandwich loaf. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Cut into 8 slices; cut each slice in half vertically, making 16 appetizer portions. Store covered in refrigerator.
• NOTE: If this is to be served alongside several appetizers, I cut it into the 8 slices, and then cut those slices in half to make 16 appetizers. If it is to be served as the main dish, perhaps alongside soup or a salad, then I just cut it into 8 slices, and skip slicing those in half. It makes 8 decent sized sandwiches.

PESTO-TURKEY LAYERED LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cut the top fourth off loaf of bread. Carefully hollow out the bottom, leaving a 1/2-in. shell. (Discard removed bread or save for another use.) Spread pesto on the inside of top and bottom of bread. Set top aside., In bottom of bread, layer the turkey, cheese, zucchini, tomatoes and onion. Gently press the layers together. Replace bread top and wrap tightly in foil. , Place on a baking sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

PESTO SOURDOUGH LOAF

Steps:

• Add ingredients to bread machine according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Select cycle-- regular white, or dough cycle if baking in conventional oven (yeast is not necessary if baking in conventional oven).
• If baking in oven, at end of dough cycle shape into loaf and place in lightly greased bread pan, or shape into free-form loaf (round or elongate) and place on lightly greased baking sheet.
• Cover and let rise until about doubled.
• Bake at 350 degrees F about 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
• Brush crust with butter if a soft crust is preferred.

PESTO LOAF

Steps:

• 1. Line a 1 lb. bread loaf pan (9 x 5) with wax paper; make sure you leave enough on each side to wrap over the top when done.
• 2. Mix the soften cream cheese with the minced garlic
• 3. Line the bottom of the pan with 1/3 of the provolone cheese, which is about 7 to 9 slices. Then spread a 1/3 of pesto over the cheese. Next sprinkle 1/2 of diced roasted peppers over the pesto. Finally, spread 1/2 of the garlic cream cheese over the peppers. Make sure the cream cheese is soft so it spreads easily. Don't worry about what it looks like right now. It will all come together in the end.
• 4. Repeat the above layering, ending with the remaining pesto over the cream cheese and a final layer of provolone cheese on top.
• 5. Cover the top with the wax paper that is hanging over the sides and refrigerate overnight.
• 6. The next day open the top of the wax paper, turn over the loaf pan and shake the pan over a serving dish until the loaf comes out of the pan.
• 7. Serving Suggestion: Serve with small and thin French bread slices putting a small slice of the loaf on a piece of French bread.

PESTO LOAF

Steps:

• To toast pine nuts, spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in middle of a 350-degree oven. Bake 2 minutes and shake pan to turn nuts. Continue to bake until lightly browned, about one more minute. Watch nuts carefully, they burn easily. Preliminaries: Moisten cheesecloth (about 16x16) with cold water. Wring out excess water and line and 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2½ loaf pan, allowing excess cheesecloth to extend over sides. Procedure: Using a food processor fitted with the metal blade, add 1clove garlic and ½ c fresh basil leaves with the motor running; process until blended. Remove mixture from processor. Using the metal blade, add 2 L cloves or peeled garlic and 1 ½ fresh basil leaves with the motor running. Process until minced. Add Parmesan cheese and process until blended. Use about ½ Provolone cheese to line prepared loaf pan with the single layer of provolone cheese, overlapping the edges of the cheese to hang over the sides of the pan. Add ½ cream cheese mixture and press down into an even layer. Make a layer with sun dried tomato strips and push down gently to press the tomatoes into the cream cheese. Cover with a layer of provolone cheese. Add half of pesto in an even layer and top with another layer of provolone. Add remaining cream cheese mixture and top with toasted pine nuts. Push pine nuts down gently into the cream cheese mixture. Top with an additional layer of provolone. Pull over the additional provolone cheese that hangs over the sides. Pull the cheesecloth that hangs over the sides and place it on to of the loaf. Gently press down loaf. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Presentation: Remove plastic wrap and fold cheesecloth back. Invert onto serving plate or platter and peel off cheesecloth. Garnish with sprigs of fresh basil and edible, pesticide free flowers. Accompany with thin slices of French bread or sturdy, good crackers.