Cheesy Garlic Bread (Easy & Homemade!)
Cheesy Garlic Bread is made with soft french bread that’s toasted to a perfectly crisp crust, a garlicky butter and olive oil spread, and it’s layered atop with plenty of melty cheese and a sprinkling of herbs to polish it off. Simple and satisfying comfort food!
A Cozy Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe
It doesn’t get much better then a warm slice of cheesy garlic bread straight from the oven!
This recipe is so easy to make and doubles as a crowd pleasing appetizer or cozy side dish. Perfect for dipping in marinara sauce or serving alongside all your favorite pastas and soups.
It uses a combo of garlic and olive oil for both flavor and so the bread doesn’t get bogged down being heavy and overly greasy with a what is traditionally a full stick of butter.
It’s also a versatile recipe where you can use fresh or dried garlic, various breads and different types of cheese.
My personal favorite is just as listed, with fresh garlic and the combo of two cheeses. Simple Italian flavor in every bite!
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Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe Ingredients
For this easy garlic bread recipe, you’ll need:
- French bread: Other larges loves of bread will work here as well such as Italian bread.
- Salted butter: Unsalted butter can be used to you’ll just need about 1/8 tsp more salt.
- Olive oil: You can use refined olive oil or extra virgin.
- Fresh garlic: If you want a milder garlic flavor use granulated garlic powder.
- Salt and pepper: Season to taste.
- Mozzarella: Use fresh shredded cheese not the pre-grated stuff coated in a powder for best results.
- Parmesan: For best flavor use real imported Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Parsley: Use fresh or dried.
How to Make Garlic Cheese Bread
- Preheat oven and slice bread in half lengthwise through the thickness of the bread.
- In a mixing bowl stir together butter, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Spread mixture over both bread halves, then wrap foil over bread and bake 10 minutes.
- Remove bread from oven and sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake homemade garlic bread in the oven again, uncovered, until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
Helpful Tips for the Best Garlic Cheese Bread
- Use good quality bread as it’s the foundation of the recipe.
- Cover the bread the first time you bake it. This prevents it from toasting too quickly and drying out.
- If you want your garlic cheese bread a little crispier and browned, broil it the last minute it’s in the oven. And as always keep a very close on eye it when broiling.
Possible Variations
- Bread: Use other breads such as Italian bread or even sourdough. You could even use the butter and cheese toppings on leftover bakery hamburger buns.
- Cheese: You can try other cheeses here such as provolone, muenster, Monterey jack or Colby jack in place of the mozzarella, and Romano or Asiago cheese in place of parmesan.
- Herbs: For an herbier bread include 1 Tbsp of fresh chopped basil and parsley in with the buttery spread. A little chives or rosemary would be tasty too.
More Delicious Bread Recipes to Try
Cheesy Garlic Bread
The best way to make garlic bread – with cheese! French bread is buttered and baked then topped with a layer of shredded cheeses and baked until perfectly melty and delicious. Plus it’s so easy to make!
Servings: 10
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice bread in half lengthwise (though height of bread). Cut two sheets of foil about 24-inch long and place side by side letting one slightly overlap the other on a rimmed cookie sheet. Place bread, cut side up, on baking sheet.
In a mixing bowl stir together butter, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Spoon and spread mixture evenly over entire surface of both bread halves (working to coat the edges too so they don’t burn). Wrap foil over bread and crimp edges together and roll ends of foil up. Bake 10 minutes.
Remove from oven, open foil and roll foil inward. Sprinkle bread evenly with cheeses. Return to oven, bake uncovered, 5 – 6 minutes longer (broil during last 1 – 2 minutes of that time keeping a very close eye on it, for a crisper bread and more golden cheese if desired. No need to move rack upward).
Sprinkle tops evenly with parsley. Cut into slices and serve warm.
Nutrition Facts
Cheesy Garlic Bread
Amount Per Serving
Calories 223
Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 24mg8%
Sodium 391mg17%
Potassium 65mg2%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 283IU6%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 115mg12%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.