Craving a super simple cheesy, buttery, and garlicky Cheesy Garlic Bread? Look no further! We are talking about French loaf topped with garlic herb butter and melted mozzarella cheese, baked to toasty chewy perfection.
Serve this simple homemade garlic cheese bread with some of your favorite classic Italian dishes such as Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, soups (e.g. Beef Stew), or even a simple salad. It makes for the tastiest and most satisfying meal.
Easy Baked Garlic Cheese Bread
If you’ve tried my cheesy garlic rolls, you know that I take my garlic bread very seriously. Since perfecting garlic rolls, I’ve had so many requests for a cheesy garlic bread recipe, so here it is!
Garlic bread is amazing. But garlic bread with cheese…it’s next level amazingness. Trust me.
There’s something about a warm chewy bread loaded with garlic herb butter and tons of melted cheese that bands together to create an explosion of decadent flavors and textures that is simple yet seriously amazing.
It gets even better. Homemade cheesy garlic bread is stupid easy to make. Thank you store-bought French loaf!
Sometimes in life simple is much needed. But make no mistake, simple doesn’t mean mediocre tasting. This garlic cheese bread is full-blown delicious.
Also, all the ingredients are simple and pantry-friendly as well. Cheesy garlic bread calls for only 5 ingredients and it’s also easily customizable, which proves itself to be ridiculously versatile.
You can turn cheese garlic bread into an appetizer, or serve it as a side along side your favorite Italian dishes, soups to make a full meal.
Alternatively, you can also freeze the unbaked cheesy garlic bread and bake it only when you want to eat it. So easy, convenient and quick!
Be aware though: cheesy garlic bread is truly addictive! If you create this concoction, prepare to eat All. Of. It. I don’t know anyone who could resist it!
P/S: if you like all things garlic bread, give these Garlic Bread Dip a try! It’s pretty much this cheesy garlic bread in dip form. And I am kinda obsessed with it!
Ingredients
Let’s go over the four simple ingredients that makes up this delicious cheesy garlic bread recipe:
- French loaf – you can find baked French loaf at any major grocery store. I typically try to get one that’s around 16-18-inch long and it will feed ~6-8 people. You can also use other long crusty breads such as Italian loaf, sourdough. If your loaf of bread is longer or shorter, just adjust ingredient amount accordingly.
- Butter – using salted butter makes the process so much simpler since it has salt in it so we don’t have to add any. If you are using unsalted butter, add a few pinches of salt to the butter compound.
- Garlic – use fresh minced garlic if possible! Avoid garlic powder…if that’s all you have, I suppose it’ll do. But fresh garlic just tastes so much better.
- Parsley – use fresh parsley if possible, but if you only have dried parsley, that’ll do as well. You can also use other herbs such as Italian seasoning, oregano or paprika.
- Mozzarella – shred the mozzarella and top it generously on the garlic bread before baking so that cheese melts and become gooey and delicious. Other mild cheeses such as Colby Jack can be used as well.
How to make Garlic Bread with Cheese
First, you will need either long bread knife or a serrated knife to slice that French loaf in half lengthwise.
Once that is done, proceed to make the garlic butter spread. I make a simple homemade garlic herb butter spread for the top of that loaf, to give it maximum flavor.
To make that garlic herb butter spread, simply combine softened salted butter, garlic, and parsley (or herb of your choice) in a small bowl.
Next, spread the butter mixture evenly across both pieces of bread.
Next, generously top bread with shredded mozzarella. This is cheesy garlic bread, after all!
I use shredded mozzarella cheese, but there are many other soft cheese that will work as well. You can use a combination of multiple cheeses if you like. A few other yummy options: mild cheddar cheese, Colby jack, Swiss etc.
And next we bake that chewy, cheesy, buttery, garlicky and absolutely delicious garlic cheese bread for 12 minutes in the oven.
This baking part throttles me…The wait. The anticipation. The hunger pangs.
When it is done, remove your cheesy garlic bread from oven…prepare to take in that amazing aroma!
Your tastes buds will be going crazy at this point, so don’t even fight it…indulge away!
Because life is short, so we should eat Cheesy Garlic Bread. 😬
Garlic bread with cheese is best served warm when the cheese is still gooey. You can even serve it with a marinara sauce dip on the side.
I like to cut up the garlic cheese bread into small strips (as shown in the photographs) – makes it easier to handle and eat.
Other Toppings for Cheesy Garlic Bread
I kept my garlic cheese bread fairly simple, but you can also use add other toppings such as:
Different cheeses: Feel free to use other mild cheeses that melt easily such as Brie, Swiss, Colby jack, mild cheddar etc. You can also finish it some parmesan for an extra punch. Avoid using hard cheeses such as parmesan by itself because it wouldn’t melt as easily. This is a great way to use up leftover cheese from the fridge – you can even bring a few different cheeses together.
Meats: Top garlic cheese bread with a cooked meat such grilled chicken, ground meat, or cold cuts such as pastrami and ham.
Tomatoes: I love to cut up slices of tomatoes and top it on the cheese before baking.
Make Ahead and Reheating
Make Ahead: Wrap unbaked garlic cheese bread first with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil or parchment paper to prevent freezer burn. Freeze in freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, bring to the fridge the night before and let it defrost completely. If storing for a shorter term, store in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat: Wrap the bread in aluminum foil and reheat in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 7-10 minutes until warm. The foil helps prevent the bread from drying out. Avoid reheating in microwave because bread will harden.
Tips and Tricks
- Use Fresh Ingredients: Always use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder for a more vibrant flavor. Grating the garlic instead of mincing can also intensify the taste.
- Soften Butter: Soften butter by removing it from the fridge an hour before and letting it sit on the counter, or using the defrost setting the microwave. This will make it easier to bring together the garlic herb butter,
- If Using Unsalted Butter: Add a small pinch of salt to your butter-herb mixture if using unsalted butter. A little bit of salt is need to open up and enhance the other flavors.
- Watch the Oven: Every oven is different, so keep a close eye on your cheesy garlic bread while it’s baking. You want the cheese to be bubbly and golden brown without burning the edges.
- Broil for Golden Brown Top: This is an optional step, but if desire, you can broil your garlic cheese bread for 3 minutes in the oven so that the tops are golden brown.
- Layer Up: After adding the cheese, consider adding a final sprinkle of a sharp cheese like parmesan cheese an extra tangy finish. It offers a surprise bite in every mouthful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pre-grated cheese often contains anti-caking agents that prevent the cheese from melting as well as freshly grated cheese. For best results, grate your cheese fresh.
Choosing a good quality bread will make a difference in the final flavor and texture. A French baguette, ciabatta, sourdough or even crusty Italian bread is often used for cheesy garlic bread, but you can really use any bread you prefer or have on hand.
Wrap the bread in aluminum foil and reheat in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 7-10 minutes until warm. The foil helps prevent the bread from drying out.
– Use less cheese
– Use a combination of olive oil and butter instead of just butter. I like to still include butter because it brings a lot of amazing flavors that is hard to achieve with just olive oil.
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If you love bread you will Need These
Cheesy Garlic Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 loaf french bread
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp parsley
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉.
- Slice the French loaf in half lengthwise. Place on a baking sheet.
- Place softened butter, garlic, and parsley in a small mixing bowl. Mix to fully combine.
- Spread the butter evenly over the two halves of the french loaf.
- Evenly sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over both halves of the loaf.
- Place in oven and bake for 12 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown. Optional: Broil for 3 minutes at the end to make the tops golden brown.
- Remove from oven. Allow bread to cool slightly before cutting.
- Serve and enjoy!
