Ooey-gooey Roasted Garlic Bread Dip

Our delicious Roasted Garlic Dip is a warm cream cheese based dip loaded with aromatic roasted garlic flavors. Inspired by the flavors of a cheesy garlic bread, this is an easy and straight forward recipe where garlic bread in now is dip form.

This garlic cream cheese dip makes the perfect dip and appetizer for parties, game days and the holidays. Serve with baguette, crostini, chips, crackers or veggies. If you love garlic bread like us, prepare to be addicted to this garlic bread dip recipe!

Dipping a baguette into a bowl of warm roasted garlic dip and creating a cheese pull

Table of Contents

warm Creamy Garlic Bread Dip

This fabulous roasted garlic bread dip combines cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, mayonnaise and parmesan cheese with amazing roasted garlic flavors, which will be baked in the oven until it is warm and gooey.

It comes out rich, creamy, buttery, and heavenly…I think I am in love.

The obsession over this dip is real, you guys. I’ve made this many, many times over the last few weeks between recipe testing, photographing it, making videos of it…and I am still not over this. I might have even dream about it a few nights ago.

Roasted garlic is the foundation of this warm garlic dip. If you’ve never roasted garlic before, you are in for a whole lot of fun.

We will be roasting three whole bulbs of garlic in the oven with a touch of olive oil, salt and pepper. When roasted, garlic flavors are heightened, and it will also become sweeter and creamier, instead of sharp and pungent.

Similar to my Crab Rangoon Dip, this roasted garlic dip should be served warm so that the cheese is gooey and melted. It is a total crowd pleaser – this is one dip that won’t last long at parties! Trust me, I know this from experience.

Other than delicious, some of my favorite things about this dip is:

Make-ahead friendly – assemble dip ahead of time and refrigerate up to 24 hours ahead, then bake when ready eat!
Easy to make – short ingredients list and truly limited active time. The only “hard part” is roasting those garlic, and really, that’s not so hard at all, you just want to make sure to make time to do it. Garlic can be roasted days ahead of time too.
Short baking time – 15 minutes! Because the ingredients are all ready cooked anyway, you are just melting the cheese and browning that top.

A oval dish of warm roasted garlic dip with baguette dipped in it and more baguettes around it

Ingredients

Some of the ingredients you will need to make this warm garlic bread dip:

Garlic Bulbs – we are using heads of garlic in this recipe because fresh garlic delivers the best flavors. Don’t go for the garlic paste or powder…those are not the same! We are slicing the tops of the garlic bulbs to expose the garlic when roasting.
Olive Oil – even just a drizzle of it helps open up the garlic so it can really roast well in the oven.
Cream Cheese – a key ingredient to make this dip rich and creamy. Softened cream cheese works best to mix with the other dip ingredients. Let it sit out at room temperature ahead of time.
Mozzarella cheese – Also key for this creamy dip to bind all the ingredients together.
Parmesan cheese – use high quality parmesan if you can. Avoid the shelf stable ones because they are not truly all cheese and won’t melt as well. This will also add saltiness to the dip.
Mayonnaise – another ingredient that will contribute to the creaminess of the roasted garlic dip.
Parsley – parsley adds a fresh flavor to the dip. You can also use another dry herb if that’s what’s on hand instead.
Salt – By sprinkling a little bit of salt, it brings out the flavors in the herb.

How to Make roasted Garlic Bread Dip

Have a 9″ oval dish (1.2 qt capacity, equivalent to a 6.5″x7″ rectangle baker) ready for this baked garlic bread dip! 8′ square baking dish can be used in place as well, but the dip will be more spread out.

Prepare and Roast Garlic Bulb

Garlic bread dip gets its incredibly delicious flavor from roasted garlic. If you have never roasted garlic before, my goodness, be prepared to be in love!

Use whole garlic bulbs (not garlic paste), cut off the tops of each bulb, place on an aluminum foil.

Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, then loosely wrap the garlic bulbs in the foil to keep the already trimmed tops of each garlic bulb open.

Garlic bulb drizzled in oil, salt and black pepper, wrapped in foil

Place bulbs on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes at 400℉ until the cloves are caramelized.

When garlic has cooled, separate the roasted garlic cloves from the bulbs by pushing it out into a mixing bowl using hands (wear gloves if garlic is still warm), and discard the bulbs.

Three roasted garlic bulb fresh from the oven, then pushing garlic out from the bulbs with fingers

This step to roast the garlic can be made ahead of time. Sometimes I roast the garlic in the morning and just let it cool until I am ready to squeeze it out of the garlic heads to make the garlic cream cheese mixture.

Combine Ingredients for the Dip

In the mixing bowl with roasted garlic cloves, bring together cream cheese, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, parsley, mayo and salt.

Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer, mix up the cream cheese mixture until it is all well combined. Ideally, all the ingredients are right around room temperature so they are easier to mix up together.

Mixing up roasted creamy garlic, cream cheese, mayo, mozzarella cheese, parsley and salt in a mixing bowl

Bring mixture into a greased 9″ oval casserole dish.

Garlic cream cheese mixture in an oval dish

Bake

Bring that beautiful cheese mixture into the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 350℉ in the oven until the cheese melts completely and slightly brown recover.

One of the best part about making this roasted garlic dip is the incredible aroma coming out from the oven when the garlic bread dip is baked. Whenever I bake it, you can find me watching and waiting for that beautiful smell from the oven, to tell me that the dip is ready!

Before serving, top with chopped parsley or your choice of herbs to give it a fresh bright flavor.

When it is done, this warm garlic bread dip is garlicky, perfectly cheesy…and just simply delicious.

Serve your Garlic Bread Dip bubble hot and sizzling fresh out of the oven with crostini or some toasted slices of bread of your choices.

Baked Garlic Bread Dip warm from the oven

Sink those crusty bread into this pool of ooey gooey goodness, and prepare to keep coming back for more! Warning: it’s ridiculously addictive!

To toast the baguette or make a simple crostini (like the ones in the picture), slice baguette into small slices, lay them on a baking sheet (do not overlap), and slide them into the oven along with the dip during the last 6-7 minutes.

Some other ways to serve this garlic bread dip:

crackers
potato chips
croutons
veggies such as carrot sticks, celery, broccoli florets, bell peppers etc.

Variations & Shortcuts

Some variation and shortcuts to this garlic bread dip:

Garlic clove substitute – Instead of using garlic heads, you can also roast garlic cloves wrapped in aluminum foil (also drizzled with oil, salt and pepper). I would avoid using garlic powder or ready minced garlic that comes in a jar. The intensity of flavors os just not the same when using those forms of garlic
Adding herbs – Add some Italian seasoned blend, or even red pepper flakes for some kick to the cream cheese garlic mixture to spice it up!
Customize cheeses – feel free to experiment with other cheese such as Romano cheese, Pecorino cheese or Gouda cheese

Make Ahead and Storage

There are a couple of ways to get make roasted garlic dip ahead ahead of time:

roast garlic ahead of time. Roast garlic up till a few days ahead of time so that it’s easier to squeeze out cool vs warm garlic.
make and bake ahead and reheat when ready to serve. Cover using aluminum foil and store in refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat covered in the oven at 350ºF for 15-20 minutes.
make but do not bake. Cover using aluminum foil and store in refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bake following the recipe instructions – a few extra minutes in the oven might be needed if it’s cold.

Tips and Tricks

Roast garlic to perfection: Ensure garlic cloves are roasted until caramelized for a sweet, rich flavor. Always drizzle with olive oil to enhance the taste.
High-quality ingredients: Use real, high-quality cheeses for the best flavor. Avoid pre-shredded cheeses as they often contain anti-caking agents.
Room temperature ingredients: Ensure cream cheese and mayonnaise are at room temperature before mixing. This helps in creating a smooth and creamy consistency.
Add spice for zing: Consider adding a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce for a bit of heat. Adjust according to your spice preference.
Broil for a golden brown top: If the tops of the dip is not browned to your liking, broil in the oven for a few minutes to achieve that golden brown top.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic?

At first glance, it may be appealing to use garlic powder and bypass the steps of roasting garlic to cut down on prep time. The end product, however, will take on a whole different taste if we skip the roasted garlic. You will miss out on the sweet and flavorful taste that roasting garlic bring. Therefore, I highly encourage using fresh garlic.

What can I use instead of cream cheese?

Some alternatives include: mascarpone cheese, ricotta cheese, Greek yogurt, sour cream, and cottage cheese.

What other cheeses work well in this dip?

Other cheese options include: cheddar, gouda, Monterey jack, gruyere, fontina, romano, and asiago.

How can I make this dip healthier?

To make your garlic dip healthier without sacrificing too much flavor, consider these:
– Use low-fat dairy products
– Incorporate vegetables by adding spinach, kale, or artichokes
– Choose healthier accompaniments such as whole grain crackers, celery, carrot sticks, or whole grain bread

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