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Cheesy Pull Apart Pizza Bread
5 from 66 votes

Cheesy Pull Apart Pizza Bread

Cheesy Pull Apart Pizza Bread is made from a yeast dough enriched with olive oil, herbs, and specialty flours like semolina. The dough is shaped into small balls arranged in a baking dish, allowing for individual pull-apart pieces. A creamy cashew-based mozzarella substitute mixed with garlic, miso, and tapioca starch adds a smooth, cheese-like layer. Optional toppings like pizza sauce, jalapeños, and fresh basil provide flavor variety. The final product combines soft, slightly chewy dough pieces with a rich, spreadable cheese cream, making it a comfortable finger food with subtle herbal notes.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 201 kcal
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Vegan

Ingredients

Dough:
  • 1 cup water warm
  • 2 teaspoons active yeast
  • 1/2 tsp sugar or 1 tbsp flour
  • 2 flour I use 1/2 cup wheat flour and 1 1/2 cups unbleached white
  • 3 tbsp semolina flour or wheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil divided
Cashew Mozzarella Cream:
  • 1/3 cup cashews (use a heaping up for creamier) soaked for 15 minutes in warm water then drained.
  • 1 garlic small clove
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp tapioca starch 2 tsp
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp white miso or use chickpea miso to make soyfree
  • 2/3 cup water
Other:
  • pizza sauce or tomato sauce
  • oregano dried
  • 1/4 cup basil divided, chopped, fresh
  • jalapeño peppers optional, sliced
  • red pepper flakes for garnish

Instructions

Make the dough.
    Cup of Yum
  1. Proof the yeast by mixing yeast, warm water and sugar and letting it sit for 5 minutes. Then mix in the flours, salt,herbs, 2 tsp oil until a sticky dough. Add flour 1 tbsp at a time if needed until it is slightly sticky. Let dough rest for 10-15 minutes near the warming oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Make the cashew cream:
  1. Blend everything under cashew mozzarella cream until smooth. Blend for a minute then let it rest for a minute and then blend again, repeat until very smooth. Taste and adjust salt and flavor.
Assemble:
  1. Drizzle oil on the dough and spread. Divide the dough into 12 to 14 portions and shape into small balls. Place in a deep 9 inch pie dish or a 9 by 9 inch baking dish, atleast a 1/2 inch apart. Keep more space between the balls in the middle as the middle gets less heat and the crowding might cause the dough to not cook through. If all of the balls dont fit, freeze the rest wrapped in plastic wrap, to bake into dinner rolls later.
  2. Let the balls sit in a warm place for 5 minutes. Pour just a little of the cashew cream in between the rolls. Spread tomato/pizza sauce on top of the buns. Sprinkle oregano.
  3. Bake for 15 mins. Remove from the oven.
  4. Add roasted veggies if using between the rolls now. Pour more of the cashew cream over the buns, and more between the rolls that on the top. Reserve some of the cashew cream to add later. Add 1 tbsp chopped basil and sliced jalapeno or olives on top.
  5. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. Take rolls out of the oven and rest for 2 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, if there is enough cashew cream leftover, heat it in a pan over medium low heat until thickened. Stir frequently to avoid lumps. then drop dollops over the rolls. Or if there is just a bit left, drizzle the cashew cream directly over the hot rolls.
  7. Sprinkle fresh basil, pepper flakes and a tsp of extra virgin olive oil. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Space the dough balls about an inch apart in a larger baking dish to ensure even cooking and easy pulling apart.
  • If making gluten-free, use a gluten-free dinner roll base and bake the rolls before adding cashew cream and pizza sauce, then bake again for 15 minutes.
  • For a nut-free version, substitute the cashew cream with cauliflower or pumpkin seed Alfredo sauce thickened with tapioca starch; note these will not be as stretchy as the cashew version.
  • Extra dough balls can be frozen wrapped in plastic wrap and baked later as dinner rolls.
  • The cashew mozzarella cream can be adjusted for salt and flavor during blending to suit taste preferences.

Nutrition Information

Calories 201kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 20g (7%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 11g (17%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 696mg (29%) Potassium 327mg (7%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 185IU (4%) Vitamin C 3.2mg (4%) Calcium 9mg (1%) Iron 1.9mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 201

% Daily Value*

Calories 201kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 20g 7%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 11g 17%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 696mg 29%
Potassium 327mg 7%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 185IU 4%
Vitamin C 3.2mg 4%
Calcium 9mg 1%
Iron 1.9mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.