Eggless Pane Bianco Recipe with step by step photos. Pane Bianco (“white bread” in “Italian”) is a soft white bread filled with sun dried tomatoes, Olives, fresh basil leaves, lots of cheese with a hint of garlic.
Though it is a stuffed bread roll, it gives an appearance as though it is a braided bread making it look festive and will make a classic centre stage as bread in any party.
We loved making it very much and enjoyed eating it even more.
The kids shaped it into a “s” and did a great job at it and I did not want to insist on a figure “8” to make it look perfect. But definitely the next time I’m doing so.
When my friend got me all those fresh basil, other than making basil pesto, I was looking for other ideas to use it properly and this Eggless Pane Bianco was just a perfect excuse to use it all up.
Our Favorite Video:
Few days ago, I had bought some standard tomatoes that resembled cherry tomatoes. As the temperature here was as high as 38 Deg C even at this time of the year, I decided to make use of the hot sun and made Sun Dried Tomatoes.
Only after 2 days of packing them in oil, I chanced upon this #bakealong recipe by King Arthur Flour on Instagram and I just could not wait to bake this beautiful looking bread.
It is totally luck on my part that I had all the ingredients ready on hand, when I chanced upon the post, I must say.
The only change I made to their perfect recipe was I made them eggless adapting the dough recipe of my “Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Rolls” and it worked like a charm.
But you see, you can hardly go wrong with the recipe, as it is downright easy.
There are lots of interesting ways, that you can serve this bread.
I had a chunk of it with it with homemade Marinara, basil pesto and the flavoured olive oil that I drained from the sun dried tomatoes that were seasoned with dried Italian herbs and each one tasted absolutely brilliant and delicious.
Trust me when I say that if I could get a supply of fresh basil every week, I will be baking this bread every week, it is that good.
Flavorful, soft, spongy and downright yummy when had with accompaniments.
Eggless Pane Bianco Recipe with stepwise Photos:
1. Make the dough and rest for 1 hour or till it doubles in size.
2. Flatten and pat it into a 22″ x 8 1/2″ rectangle. First spread all the cheese all over the rectangle and then sprinkle the tomato mixture evenly over the cheese.
3. Starting with one long edge, roll the dough to resemble a log. Pinch the edges to seal. Place the log seam-side down on a lightly greased baking sheet.
4. Using a sharp knife, leaving 1/2 inch on both the ends, cut the log lengthwise down to the center about 1 inch deep. Do not cut through to make it open.
5. Keeping the cut side up, form an “S” shape. Tuck both ends under the center of the “S” to form a “figure 8” pinch the ends together to seal. I just made a slashing “s” and not an “8”.
6. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, 45 to 60 minutes.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 Deg C for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting it with an aluminium foil after 20 to 25 minutes to prevent over-browning.
I served it with Marinara Sauce. I kept this pane bianco bread rolled in a brown paper on the kitchen counter itself and it kept well for 4 days.
Eggless Pane Bianco Recipe details below:

Eggless Pane Bianco Recipe
Ingredients
- All Purpose flour – 3 cups
- Instant Dry Yeast – 2 tsp
- Water – 1/4 cup
- Milk - 1/2 cup
- Butter – 3 tbsp
- Olive oil - 1 tbsp
- Sugar – 1/2 tbsp
- Salt – 1-1/4 tsp
For Filling:
- Cheese - 3/4 cup grated
- Sun dried tomatoes - 1/2 cup
- Black Olives - 1/4 cup
- Garlic - 3 to 5
- Fresh Basil - 1/3 cup
Instructions
For the dough:
- In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt.
- Add softened butter, olive oil and rub with your finger tips till the mixture resembles like bread crumbs.
- Heat water and milk together in a bowl till lukewarm. I microwaved at high for 1 minute.
- Make a well in the center and add the lukewarm liquid mix.
- Bring the flour from around the edges of the well and mix well till it forms a dough. It should not be sticky.
- I did it with my hands but you can use your stand mixer to which the dough hooks are attached.
- Knead the dough well for 5 mins.
- Smear olive oil all over the dough and keep it covered in a bowl.
- Let it rest for 1 hour or till it doubles in size.
- Gently punch the dough to let the air out and knead again for 2 to 3 mins.
For the filling:
- I used a mix of cheddar and pizza cheese and measured 3/4 cup. You can use any cheese of your choice.
- Drain the sun dried tomatoes from oil and drain the black olives and chop them both finely and set aside.
- Using a kitchen scissors, cut the fresh basil finely. Mince garlic and set aside.
- Mix together chopped tomatoes, black olives, fresh basil leaves and garlic in a bowl and set aside.
To make Eggless Pane Bianco:
- Flatten and pat it into a 22" x 8 1/2" rectangle.
- First spread all the cheese all over the rectangle and then sprinkle the tomato mixture evenly over the cheese.
- Starting with one long edge, roll the dough to resemble a log. Pinch the edges to seal. Place the log seam-side down on a lightly greased baking sheet.
- Using a sharp knife, leaving 1/2 inch on both the ends, cut the log lengthwise down to the center about 1 inch deep. Do not cut through to make it open.
- Keeping the cut side up, form an "S" shape. Tuck both ends under the center of the "S" to form a "figure 8;" pinch the ends together to seal. I just made a slashing “s” and not an “8”.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, 45 to 60 minutes.
- While the loaf is rising, preheat the oven to 180° C.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting it with foil after 20 to 25 minutes to prevent over-browning.
- Remove the bread from the oven, and transfer it to a rack to cool.
- Eggless Pane Bianco is ready to be enjoyed warm or at room temperature with any sauce of your choice. I served it with Marinara sauce.
- I kept it wrapped in a brown paper and it stayed good for 4 days on kitchen counter itself. Just microwave it a bit to warm it up a bit before eating.

Looks so delicious and easy to make! 🙂
never heard of pane bianco bread. It is simply superb a quick and easy yet flavourful bread. Unique shape and lovely presentation!!