Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe
Everyone’s favorite snack, appetizer, or family friendly side dish is coming in hot and fresh! That’s right, this easy 15-minute recipe for easy cheesy garlic bread is a guaranteed family favorite. And it’s a total cinch to make using just a handful of ingredients. You’ll wonder why you haven’t always been making it! Using a loaf of French bread from your local grocery store bakery that’s doctored up with Italian-seasoned and garlic-infused melted butter, ooey-gooey mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan for extra flavor, I promise this fantastic garlic bread with all that melted cheese is going to disappear in no time. You can just dive right in, maybe dunking it in some marinara sauce, ranch, or blue cheese dressing. Or you can make this as a side to accompany your favorite pasta or Italian recipe, make this semi homemade cheesy garlic bread recipe to dunk into a bowl of soup or chili, as an afterschool snack for the kiddos or grandkids. Or whip it up for hungry game day fans – Super Bowl and March Madness, I’m looking at you – this is a hit, always!
Ingredients in Garlic Bread with Cheese
Just a handful of extremely common and easy-to-find ingredients are needed for this quick garlic cheese bread recipe including:
French bread Unsalted butter (salted butter is fine if you want a saltier flavor) Garlic cloves Italian seasoning Parmesan cheese Mozzarella cheese Fresh parsley, basil, oregano; optional for garnishing Pinch of salt, optional if desired Red pepper flakes, optional if desired
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Garlic Cheese Bread
With only 5 minutes of prep time, and less than 15 minutes of cook time, this is a perfect side dish or appetizer recipe! Here’s an overview of how the french bread garlic cheese bread is made: Step 1: Slice the bread vertically and place it on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet Step 2: In a small bowl, combine melted butter, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and brush the garlic butter mixture evenly over the inside or interior cut sides of the bread. Step 3: Evenly sprinkle the Parm and mozzarella over the top and bake for about 12 mins. Step 4: Optionally, but recommended, broil for about 2-3 minutes until golden grown, keeping a VERY watchful eye on it so it doesn’t burn! Step 5: Optionally garnish with fresh parsley or your favorite herbs, and optional salt and red pepper flakes, and serve!
Serving Suggestions for Homemade Garlic Cheese Bread
Name a meal, this easy side dish recipe goes perfectly with it! From main dishes and pasta friendly recipes such as Spaghetti and Meatballs to Steak and Potatoes to your favorite Lasagna Soup or Beef Chili, no one can turn down a piece of warm, cheesy garlic bread. Or if you’re having a game day party or celebration, event, or gathering and are doing lots of appetizers, side dishes, or a salad, the cheese and garlic bread will fit right in. Set it alongside everything else, and I promise it’ll be one of the first to go! In the photos, the cheesy garlic bread is shown with a side of marinara sauce. You can use store bought marinara or make your own homemade marinara sauce if you have a favorite recipe.
Tips for the Best Cheesy Garlic Bread
In the Freezer: This recipe (unbaked) will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make Ahead: Prep it, wrap it well, freeze it, and then bake it off like you would a frozen pizza when you’re ready to enjoy it. You’ll probably need to add a few extra minutes to the bake time. To Reheat: I use my microwave for quickness and ease and reheat my leftovers for about 30 seconds, or as needed. But you can use your oven if preferred. It will reheat more “nicely” and evenly in the oven, but truthfully the microwave is ‘good enough’ for me when it comes to rewarming leftovers. Freshly Grated Cheese: If you want to grate a 12-ounce block of mozzarella, be my guest. It will taste and melt a bit better than anything in a bag already grated, but if you’re pressed for time, use 3 cups from a bag of shredded cheese for convenience. For the Parmesan, because it’s only 1/3 cup, you can grate that from a block in no time, or use it from a container already grated like Trader Joe’s or most supermarkets have in their gourmet cheese area. Fresh Garlic: Being that garlic is a key ingredient in Cheesy Garlic Bread, I suggest finely mincing fresh garlic rather than using pre-minced garlic from a jar or bottle. Use 3 to 5 cloves, depending on how garlicky you want your garlic cheese bread. Garlic Powder: If you’re a super-fan of garlic, you an also add a bit of garlic powder to the melted butter mixture to really amp up the garlic flavor. Flavor Variations: Adding a layer of pesto after you add the melted butter mixture is a great idea. I have seen people put mayonnaise on the bread before adding the garlic butter mixture. If you’re a mayo fan and this secret ingredient sounds good to you, be my guest! Fresh herbs: Garnishing with fresh herbs of any kind is great – including parsley, basil, oregano, or your favorite herbs. Watch Closely: If you choose to broil this bread, and I do recommend doing so in order to achieve that golden browed cheese flavor and appearance, make sure you DON’T walk away from your broiler. Don’t turn your back on it, get distracted, or all of a sudden decide it’s time to start multi-tasking. You’re only going to be broiling for about 2 minutes so I recommend just standing in front of your oven, with the door ajar if you’d like, and WATCHING exactly just how golden brown things are getting. With a 500F+ degree broiler, things can go from golden to charred in a matter of seconds so use caution and keep a watchful eye!
More Easy Cheesy Bread and Pizza Recipes:
Stuffed Cheese Bomb Bread – Soft, buttery bread brushed with garlic butter and stuffed with CHEESE! So good, mindlessly easy, goofproof, and ready in 10 minutes! A hit with everyone!! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! 10-Minute Grilled Pepperoni Pizza – The EASIEST and FASTEST pizza you will ever make!! If you’ve never tried making pizza on the grill, you need to try it! It’s foolproof, delicious, faster than calling for delivery, and pizza is always a WINNER!! Puff Pastry Pizza — This EASY pizza is topped with oodles of cheese, pepperoni, bacon, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and has a puff pastry crust! Never underestimate the power of a kitchen shortcut like puff pastry on busy weeknights when you’re looking for a family-friendly and kid-approved dinner recipe that’s FAST to make! 2-Ingredient Pizza Dough — The EASIEST homemade pizza dough you’ll ever make with just two ingredients!! NO yeast, NO kneading, and NO need to wait for it to rise! Homemade pizza just became your new reality!! French Bread Pizza – This FAST and EASY pizza recipe incorporates a French bread crust. This handy shortcut saves you time on busy weeknights to make home-baked pizza a reality. Pizza is always a family FAVORITE and this thick and chewy variety will be a big hit! Pepperoni Pizza Bombs – Pizza by way of soft, warm rolls stuffed with pepperoni and oodles of cheese! Easy, ready in 15 minutes, perfect for parties, and simply irresistible! Pepperoni Pizza Sliders — Pizza by way of supremely cheesy sliders!! EASY, ready in 15 minutes, and perfect for parties because everyone LOVES them! Totally IRRESISTIBLE!!
