Pesto Parmesan Cheese Straws

By Maria Lichty

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Quick Summary

Pesto Parmesan Cheese Straws- you only need 4 ingredients to make these flaky, delicious puff pastry cheese straws! Serve as an appetizer or with a bowl of soup, salad, or any meal!

pesto parmesan cheese straws

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This post is sponsored by Kroger.

If you are looking for an EASY appetizer for the holidays, a family potluck, or any special occasion, I have the perfect recipe for you, Pesto Parmesan Cheese Straws.

This is a no-fuss, no-stress recipe, which makes it perfect for serving at parties. The cheesy twists are easy to make, you only need 4 ingredients, and they are impressive to serve!

Cheese straws are made with puff pastry, I use store-bought puff pastry to keep things easy and I think the frozen puff pastry sheets are really good quality.

To make the straws, you cut the pastry into strips and twist them into “straws.” Puff pastry is made of hundreds and hundreds of thin layers of dough and butter. Yeah, it’s the GOOD stuff. When it gets hot in the oven, the layers puff up and become crispy. It’s basically magic!

The straws are crispy, flaky, and so flavorful! And these are double special because they have basil pesto and Parmesan cheese! The combo is amazing!

easy pesto parmesan cheese straws

Pesto Parmesan Cheese Straw Ingredients

You only need 4 simple ingredients!

  • Puff pastry– you can find puff pastry in the freezer section. You will need 2 sheets, which is one box. I use Pepperidge Farm brand. Make sure you read the directions on the box for thawing.
  • Pesto– you can use homemade basil pesto or store bought to keep it super easy! We like Private Selection’s basil pesto because it tastes so fresh!
  • Parmesan cheese-the straws have Parmesan cheese on the inside and outside. They are double special! We like Murray’s Parmesan cheese, you can find it at the cheese counter at Kroger.
  • Egg– brush an egg wash on the straws before they go in the oven so they get nice and golden brown.

How to Make Cheese Straws

puff pastry for cheese straws
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Unfold the pastry sheets onto a large sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. Cut each sheet into 4 equal sized long rectangles. You should now have 8 pieces.
how to make pesto parmesan cheese straws
pesto parmesan cheese straws made with puff pastry
  • Spread the pesto evenly onto 4 of the rectangles. Sprinkle the ⅓ cup of Parmesan cheese evenly over the pesto.
  • Place the remaining 4 rectangles directly on top of the pesto parmesan rectangles. Gently press down on the edges.
cheese straws
  • Cut each of the pieces of pastry into 4 long strips to make 16 long strips.
  • Twist the strips and place on the prepared baking sheets.
pesto parmesan cheese straws on baking sheet
  • In a small bowl, beat the egg and water together with a fork. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the pastry straws with the egg wash. Sprinkle evenly with remaining Parmesan cheese.
  • Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. You can rotate the pans halfway through. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets.
pesto parmesan cheese straws recipe

How to Serve and Store

You can serve the cheese straws warm or at room temperature. Put them a platter or you can put them in a pretty jar or cup and serve them standing up! They are such a fun appetizer!

You can also serve them with a bowl of soup, my boys love dipping them into minestrone soup, tomato basil soup, and stuffed pepper soup. They are also great with a salad or any meal!

You can bake the straws ahead of time, but they really are best served within an hour or two of coming out of the oven. You can’t beat a fresh cheese straw!

If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days.

You can also freeze them in a freezer bag or freezer container for up to 1 month.

Cheese straws on platter

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Pesto Parmesan Cheese Straws

Pesto Parmesan Cheese Straws- you only need 4 ingredients to make these flaky, delicious puff pastry cheese straws! Serve as an appetizer or with a bowl of soup, salad, or any meal!
4.77 from 34 votes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
  • 3 tablespoons pesto
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 3 tablespoons, divided
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • Garnish: Extra Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Unfold the pastry sheets onto a large sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. Cut each sheet into 4 equal sized long rectangles. You should now have 8 pieces.
  • Spread the pesto evenly onto 4 of the rectangles. Sprinkle the ⅓ cup of Parmesan cheese evenly over the pesto.
  • Place the remaining 4 rectangles directly on top of the pesto parmesan rectangles. Gently press down on the edges.
  • Cut each of the pieces of pastry into 4 long strips to make 16 long strips.
  • Twist the strips and place on the prepared baking sheets.
  • In a small bowl, beat the egg and water together with a fork. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the pastry straws with the egg wash. Sprinkle evenly with remaining Parmesan cheese.
  • Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. You can rotate the pans halfway through. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets.
  • Place the straws on a platter and garnish with extra parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve!

Notes

to thaw the puff pastry, follow the instructions on the back of the box. The pastry sheets should unfold easily but still be cold. If the pastry cracks, you can sprinkle the cracks with a little water and press the edges to seal.
You can use homemade basil pesto or store-bought pesto. For store-bought, we like Private Selection brand. 

Nutrition

Calories: 173kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 138mg, Potassium: 25mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 90IU, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 1mg
Keywords pesto, puff pastry

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Maria

I'm Maria and my husband is Josh. We share a love of cooking, baking, and entertaining. We enjoy creating recipes that are simple, fresh, and family friendly. We love sitting around the table with good food, good conversation, and good friends and family! Our kitchen is always open!
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4.77 from 34 votes (33 ratings without comment)

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  1. 5 stars
    Outstanding and easy recipe! I made these for Christmas to go with our Polish soups tradition and they were a huge hit. Super yummy. Super easy. Thank you!!!

  2. These were included with other make-ahead appetizers….yet the are no instructions on how to prepare ahead and store/reheat. Can you please share??

    Thanks!