Eggless Spinach Pesto Stuffed Bun: Few days back when Aparna (We Knead To Bake) asked us to choose savory breads with any shape of our own choice for this month bread baking challenge, I googled and was quiet inspired with this flower shaped breads. Recently I made a try with filling of my choice and came up with Eggless Spinach Pesto Flower Buns Recipe. My elder one liked it very much and for next 2 days she packed it to her school. These inner soft and outer crispy breads can be served as after school/office hour snack or for breakfast. Try this healthy greens stuffed homemade bread for your kids if your mind is thinking about some savory goodies 🙂
Ingredients for Bread
AP Flour / Bread flour – 2and1/4 Cup
Sugar – 1tsp
Salt – 3/4tsp
Butter – 3 Tbsp (room temperature)
Active Dry Yeast – 1 and 1/2tsp
Warm Milk + Water – 3/4 Cup + 1/2 Cup (I use 2% or whole milk)
Few Sesame Seeds – To Sprinkle on top
Pesto and Veg Filling for Stuffed Bun
Almonds or Peanut or Cashew Nuts – 1/4 Cup
Spinach or Coriander Leaves – 1/2 Bunch
Shredded Broccoli – 3/4 Cup
Lemon Juice – 1/2 Tbsp
Salt – As Needed
Red Chili Flakes/Paprika – 1tsp
Pepper – 2tsp
Parmesan Cheese Powder – 1/3 Cup (You can replace with bread crumbs as well)
- If using almonds soak the almonds in warm water/milk for 15 minutes at least.
- Sauté the shredded broccoli with paprika till all moisture evaporates, keep aside.
- Clean and pick the spinach/coriander leaves with young stem if you wish.
- Add water drained spinach, soaked almonds, Pepper, salt and lemon juice in the food processor, blend all together.
- Finally add sautéed broccoli and Parmesan cheese to the spinach paste and adjust salt (Pic 1).
Eggless Spinach Pesto Stuffed Bun Preparation
- Mix all the dry ingredients and slowly add warm milk.
- Knead the dough very well, the dough should be soft and bit sticky at this stage add the butter and keep kneading using hands or machine.
- Allow to proof for 1 hour in oil greased bowl at warm temperature.
- Once the doubled in size punch and divide in to 10 equal parts (Pic 2).
- Also during the time of proofing make sure to prepare the filling and keep aside to cool completely.
- Divide the filling also in to 10 equal parts (Pic 2).
- Flat a circle and keep the filling at center (Pic 3).
- Cover the filling properly with outer bread dough and again gently roll in to approx 3″ circle (Pic 4).
- Keep the center intact and cut the circle 5 sides leaving equal space in between as shown in picture 4.
- I cut few in depth and few not like it, to my experience cutting the dough in depth gives beautiful outcome at the same time you can see the stuffing very well.
- Gently transfer the shaped bread in to parchment lined baking tray.
- Repeat the same for the remaining balls and allow to rise/second proof for another 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven at 375 °F, sprinkle some sesame seeds all over buns and bake for 15-18 minutes or till golden brown.
- Apply butter when it is out from oven to get shiny brown color.
- Serve when it is warm!!!
Notes:
- If the filling oozes water and not holding shapes add some more cheese powder or bread crumbs.
- You can make plain round buns as well, for step wise round bun recipe check here.
I made them with half whole wheat and half APF. They came out well. Thanks so much. The buns didn’t rise so much on the second rise although I left them for more than an hour- perhaps because we roll them out with a rolling pin which takes out all the air of the first rise. Is that your experience also? However, after baking they looked good.
Thanks for your feedback!. There could be several reasons for the dough not rising during second rise. Mentioning few reasons do correct it next time
1) Using Whole grain or Whole Wheat takes time to rise compared to all purpose or bread flour. I don’t know which yeast you used, if its instant yeast then it needs 1 hour plus 10 mins for second rise in wheat based dough, since it takes just 10 mins for the first rise. If its active dry yeast then 50mins-1 hour during first rise and 30-40 mins is enough for second rise (1 hour is too much).
2) Too much sugar or salt is one among the reasons which slows the rising process.
3) Over working with the dough or taking more time to shape and stuff the buns, yes too much stress on first rise dough could be one of the reason however punching and shaping is what the entire world do when it comes to bread baking. so use your palm to stretch and if using rolling pin, don’t roll like we do for chapati dough (hope my recent 100% whole wheat dinner rolls video tutorial helps).
4) Under mixing – When you under mixed the dough which means you allowed for first rise before the dough develops/forms gluten (window pane test is must do search and check in other bread/bun recipes here please)
5) Too warm water – When you used warm water it rises well and fast during first rise however in second rise most of the protein breaks down and slows or stops the rising process.
6) If the dough gets over proofed during first rise then it stops or slows the second rise.
Can this be made using whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour or some combination of the two? Please let me know. Thanks. Looks lovely.
Yes making with 100% wheat flour will be a dense one compared to the texture shown here( can check my 100% whole wheat pav bun video recipe using search option). Otherwise half wheat plus half all purpose or bread flour is a beginner friendly suggestion.
can we bake in 2-3 days before to the party?
Yes Ruchi you can bake it 2-3 days in prior since it has stuffing please refrigerate till use, warm it before you serve!!!
Beautiful flower bun…perfect colour!!!
I have been thinking of making this bread with different filling.Spinach and pesto seems to be a better option.The bread looks awesome.
cute looking flower bun,love the stuffing too..
Thats a beautiful flower shaped bread, especially that spinach pesto sounds interesting.
looks delicious and beautiful!
Wonderful bread with a colourful healthy filling. Absolutely delicious.
delicious and beautiful bread
looks absolutely delicious..
Beautiful crisp and color on top of the bread.. Baked to perfection!
wow thats an fantastic bread flower with spinach stuffing sangee 🙂 looks so perfect !!