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    Home » Recipes » Breads » Yeast Breads

    Russian Braided Bread with Pesto Filling

    Published by Melissa on February 23, 2020 | Updated June 10, 2022 | 71 Comments

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    This Russian Braided Bread is a beautiful yeast bread filled with savory pesto. Braiding creates a show-stopping loaf that looks impressive but is quite simple to put together!

    Russian Braided Bread ion a cooling tray.

    Braided bread recipes come in all sorts of flavors and colors. They’re traditionally Eastern European, but you can find recipes with flavors from all over the world. While some loaves are straight and long, like Challah, others, like this recipe, are rolled into a neat circle.

    I filled this braided loaf with classic basil pesto. When braided into the flakey layers of dough, pesto gives a beautiful color and delicious cheesy and herby flavor to our Russian Braided Bread.

    Since I originally posted this braided pesto bread recipe, I received lots of positive feedback from all of you! I’ve updated the post and recipe to answer your most common questions.

    Why Braid Bread?

    Braiding brings this homemade pesto bread to the next level. Braiding creates delicate, crispy layers that turn golden brown in the oven. And under that crunchy crust are pillowy folds of flavorful dough.

    While the end result is a dramatic loaf that’s sure to impress, it only looks complicated. The dough is easy to braid, and the delicious result is worth the effort.

    Step by step photos collage of how to make Russian Braided Bread

    How to Braid Russian Braided Bread?

    Here’s a great video of Chef Ciril Hitz making a sweet version of Russian Braided Bread. She shows you how to easily braid your dough with step-by-step instructions.

    Here’s how we do it:

    First, form the quick yeast dough. We use a NutriMill stand mixer for mixing up bread doughs like this one. For this recipe, it’s best to start with the paddle attachment and switch to the dough hook after adding the flour.

    The dough is done when it’s smooth and satiny, but not sticky. You may need to add more or less flour, depending on how wet your dough is.

    Next, roll the dough into a very thin rectangle. Then spread the dough with a thin layer of pesto or another favorite filling.

    Now, roll the dough into a long, tight spiral. I find it’s easiest to get all of the dough off the counter without tearing it with a handy bench scraper. If you do a lot of home baking, this inexpensive tool is definitely worth the investment!

    Finally, to braid, slice the spiral in half and arrange the two halves like an X. The ends get neatly braided, or twisted, together and wrapped into a circle to create an elegant rose shaped, pesto filled bread.

    This wreath can go straight into a 9-inch springform pan for proofing. Once it’s doubled in size, the bread bakes for just 30 to 40 minutes. When it’s done, brush the crusty pesto braid with olive oil for shine and flavor.

    Voila: a delicious, pesto braided bread that won’t last long! (At least, it doesn’t in my house!)

    Russian Braided Bread on a baking sheet and cooling tray with a knife and olive oil bottle.

    What Should I Fill my Russian Braided Bread with?

    Pesto is always a crowd-pleaser at my house, especially for my grandson. He gobbled this bread up as fast as we could serve it to him and kept asking for more.

    I filled my Russian Braided Bread with half an 8 oz jar of pesto. You can use more or less, depending on how strong you like the a pesto flavor.

    It’s best to use a pesto that’s on the thicker side. Sauces with a lot of oil can make the dough difficult to roll and to seal closed.

    Some of you had the wise idea of adding grated cheese on top of the pesto to absorb some of the liquid and give an extra cheesy flavor to your loaf.

    And if you really want to amp up the cheesiness, why not sprinkle some grated parm on top of the loaf a few minutes before the bread finishes baking?

    If pesto isn’t for you, there are countless other ways to fill your Russian Braided Bread. Here are some sweet and savory options to try:

    • Cinnamon filling, which you can find in our Mardi Gras King Cake.
    • Lemon filling, as we made for our Lemon Pull-Apart Bread.
    • A savory garlic-herb braid from Taste of Home.
    • A simple brushing of olive oil or melted butter and sprinkle of cheese and sea salt would also make a delicious filling!
    Sliced Russian Braided Bread on a Cooling Tray

    Storing Braided Bread

    This Russian Braided Bread is best eaten the day it’s baked while the crust is crispy and delicious. If your family is anything like mine, this shouldn’t be a problem!

    Russian Braided Bread ion a cooling tray.
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    4.37 from 22 votes

    Russian Braided Bread with Pesto Filling

    Prep Time2 hrs
    Cook Time40 mins
    Total Time2 hrs 40 mins
    Course: Yeast Breads
    Servings: 1 loaf
    Calories: 186kcal
    Author: Barbara Schieving
    Prevent your screen from going to sleep

    Ingredients

    • 3 – 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 ¼ teaspoons 1 package instant yeast
    • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
    • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
    • 1 ¼ cup water
    • ¼ cup canola oil
    • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
    • ¼ – ½ cup pesto

    Instructions

    • In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, combine 2 ½ cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt.
    • Heat water and canola oil until warm (120°–130°F). Add to flour mixture. Add vinegar. Blend at low speed until well combined.
    • Switch to the dough hook and mix in the remaining flour a little at a time, to make a soft dough that’s not sticky to the touch, adding more or less flour as needed. Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover; let rise in warm place until almost double.
    • Preheat oven to 400º F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan, and line bottom with parchment; grease paper. Place on top of a baking sheet. Set aside.
    • Punch down the dough. On a floured surface, roll the dough into very thin rectangle, as thin as you can (mine was 20” x 24”). Spread a thin layer of pesto on top of the dough (leave the bottom of the long edge clear ½"). Start at the top of the long edge and slowly, tightly and gently roll the dough into a log. Pinch it closed.
    • Use a bench scraper to cut the dough in half lengthwise. Cross the two halves (layers facing up) to create an X shape; braid top and bottom of dough by laying the left piece over the right keeping the cut side up, until pieces of dough are tightly twisted. Pinch ends together.
    • Start at the thinner edge and slowly and very gently, roll the braid into a giant snail shell or a very large cinnamon bun. Be careful to keep all the layers facing up. Pinch the end delicately.
    • Carefully pick up the braid and place it in the prepared springform. Cover; let rise in a warm place until almost double.
    • Bake at 400º for 5-10 minutes, lower oven temperature to 350º and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes. When the bread is out of the oven lightly brush olive oil on top and sides. Let cool on a rack.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 293mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

    If you’re looking for a meal to pair with your freshly baked pesto bread, Pressure Cooker Creamy Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup from Pressure Cooking Today is the perfect complement.

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    Russian Braided Bread with a sharp knife and bottle of olive oil.
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    « Chocolate Bundt Cake with a Cream Cheese Swirl
    Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Maraschino Cherry Filling »
    about us

    About Melissa & Barbara

    As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Nova

      November 04, 2021 at 4:52 pm

      Maybe this is a rhetorical question, but why is it called Russian braided bread? Is it inherently Russian? What exactly makes it different from other braided bread? I’m dying to know!

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        November 04, 2021 at 7:17 pm

        Hi Nova – unfortunately, I don’t know the history. I did a little research though and thought the history of braids in Russia was very interesting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_braid

        Reply
    2. Ambre Chevalier

      May 20, 2021 at 7:51 am

      I make this bread every Saturday. I fill it with many different fillings, from pesto, sun dried tomatoes, to chocolate, and jellies. Everyone loves it and the recipe is easy. Thank you,

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        May 20, 2021 at 10:14 am

        That’s awesome Ambre! I love the idea of making it weekly and changing up the fillings. Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    3. Marie-Eve Dubuis

      March 13, 2021 at 10:25 am

      Hello Barbara,
      I think I have made this bread 7-8 times already! So easy to make, versatile and the result is impressing. I have tried the pesto filling (my nieces devoured one in record time) multiple times and a mixture of crushed dukkah spices, sesame seeds and olive oil. Last week, I decided to go for a sweet version. I filled the bread with sweetened chestnut cream (from a can) and sliced almonds. Even my dad, who was a Swiss pastry chef, asked for the recipe! This morning I tried another sweet filling (apple butter, maple sugar and cinnamon) and it turned out great! My partner poured maple syrup on a slice and after one bite said he loved me very much 😉 haha. For the sweet versions, I scaled the salt to 1 tsp and cooked only 5 min at 400’F and then lowered to 350’F. The sugar from the filling tends to caramelize quickly so 5 min at 400’F is enough. Thank you very much for the recipe! It has become a favorite here 🙂

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        March 13, 2021 at 5:30 pm

        Wow – such wonderful ideas! Thanks so much for sharing Marie-Eve. So fun to hear that you love the recipe and you and your family are enjoying it so much.

        Reply
    4. Mary Ann Sullivan

      February 14, 2021 at 11:39 am

      My friend makes this bread I am going to try it. Can you substitute for any gluten free flour?? I’m wondering if it will rise the same.

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        February 14, 2021 at 4:47 pm

        Hi Mary Ann – I’m sorry, I don’t have any experience making this bread with gluten-free flour. If you give it a try, let me know how it goes.

        Reply
    5. Miichelle Anderso

      January 06, 2021 at 9:08 pm

      Thankyou so much for this beautiful bread recipe. I made it for newyears and everyone loved it. I will definitely make this again

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        January 07, 2021 at 6:36 am

        Thanks Miichelle! Sounds like a delicious way to ring in the new year.

        Reply
    6. Kate

      September 06, 2020 at 10:36 am

      I tried this and the end product tasted delicious, though I had to bake it MUCH longer than the 20-30 minutes in the recipe, I think I had mine in over an hour and it still is underdone – I am not sure what the different was. I also ended up taking off the sides of my springform pan and moving the bread to the lower rack in my oven towards the end of the baking time to get the bottom of it cooked. All in all, I loved the flavors of the dough and will be making again!

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        September 06, 2020 at 11:54 am

        Hi Kate – glad you enjoyed the bread. That is a super long cook time – was your oven preheated before you put the bread in? Does your oven often take longer to cook things? What material is your springform pan made from? I’m glad you stock with it and cooked it until it was done.

        Reply
    7. Srijoni

      June 16, 2020 at 2:42 am

      Hey Barbara, I tried your recipe and it came out perfectly❤️
      I also added a generous ant of shredded mozzarella on the pesto spread before rolling and twisting 
      , which gave the bread an extra softness.At the end, I pinched the ends together , making it a wreath.

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        June 16, 2020 at 4:31 am

        That sounds like a delightful addition. Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    8. 2sisters Recipes

      February 25, 2020 at 9:18 pm

      What a delicious bread, and we look forward to sharing this recipe on our blog as well!! Thanks Barbara! 

      Reply
    9. Vanessa

      March 18, 2019 at 5:51 pm

      I’ve made this a few times and am in love with it! Trying a chocolate walnut desert filling variation as I type. I’m so excited to see how it turns out. The technique really makes it beautiful. Thank you so much for the fantastic recipe!

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        March 18, 2019 at 6:32 pm

        Thanks Vanessa! I love the idea of a chocolate walnut variation. Share a picture with me on Instagram 🙂

        Reply
    10. Stephanie

      February 10, 2019 at 1:14 pm

      Hello, can I change the canola oil for olive oil?

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        February 10, 2019 at 5:27 pm

        Hi Stephanie – yes, you can use canola oil if you prefer.

        Reply
    11. Tiffany at Weird Little French Cookie

      September 16, 2017 at 7:36 pm

      This was glorious bread. Thanks so much for the recipe! I linked back to you – http://www.weirdlittlefrenchcookie.com/russian-braided-pesto-bread/

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        September 16, 2017 at 9:12 pm

        Thanks Tiffany – yours looks gorgeous!

        Reply
    12. moggy

      June 05, 2015 at 11:37 am

      Your loaf came out beautiful! I have this on its second rise now. My pesto must contain a lot more olive oil than yours did because man was that a mess trying to roll, cut and shape it. as I was gently rolling it up the pesto was squishing out ahead of the dough. If it ends up being any good I may try it again but add a layer of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano to help soak up some of the oil, and even go with a much thinner layer of pesto. Even though I thought I had a really thin layer as it was.

      Reply
    13. Amanda K.

      February 08, 2014 at 7:23 pm

      This came out beautifully…and was so delicious. Thank you so much for sharing!

      Reply
    14. kelly

      November 15, 2013 at 8:18 am

      Barbara, I made this recipe and thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s so easy in spite of how complicated I thought it would be. Fabulous bread!

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        November 16, 2013 at 6:13 am

        Thanks Kelly! So glad you enjoyed it. You’re right, lots of steps but none of them are hard.

        Reply
    15. Peggy

      November 25, 2012 at 10:29 am

      Hello Barbara ,
      This was a project I did not think I could achieve. I had read some other websites but they did not give precise direction as you have, including the step by step pictures. I was able to bake my russian rose with pesto last night. It came out beautiful and tasted great. Thank you so much for sharing.

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        November 25, 2012 at 7:45 pm

        What a sweet comment! I’m so glad your bread tasted great and turned out beautifully, and that I could help. Thank you!

        Reply
    16. Stephanie

      November 09, 2012 at 6:04 pm

      Could you add cheese? Would it still bake as such? This is beautiful!

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        November 09, 2012 at 6:41 pm

        Thanks Stephanie! I think you could add some Parmesan cheese to the filling, or a good melting cheese on top the last ten minutes of baking.

        Reply
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