Garlic Cheese Bread

5 from 304 votes

Garlic cheese bread made with French bread, a blend of olive oil, fresh garlic, and herbs as the base, topped with mozzarella cheese and Parmigiano Reggiano.

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Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Comments
18

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Two baked garlic cheese bread on parchment paper line baking sheet with one bread cut into slices.
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My Garlic Cheese Bread Is So Good!

I mean… garlic cheese bread probably doesn’t need an introduction. It’s bread. With garlic. And cheese. But if you’re looking for the version I make on repeat, this is it. I mix olive oil with a ton of garlic, throw in some herbs, pile on the cheese, and bake it until everything’s melty and the bottom is crisp. It takes like 15 minutes and disappears even faster, especially if there’s pasta involved.

Happy Cooking!
– Yumna

Garlic Cheese Bread Ingredients

Ingredients for recipe: garlic cloves, oil, chive, 1 loaf of bread, shredded cheeses, salt, and fresh herbs.
  • Garlic!! While I always have frozen garlic in my freezer to use in my recipes, when it comes to garlic bread, I love using freshly minced garlic to get that WOW garlic taste.
  • Olive oil: Because it’s one of the main ingredients, I suggest using a high-quality olive oil for the best flavor.
  • Cheeses: I use a blend of shredded mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano.
  • Herbs: I use fresh parsley and chives and chop it finely.
  • French bread: Any loaf bread will work, but French bread has a chewy texture inside with crisp edges once baked.
  • Salt: just a pinch for flavor.

How to Make Garlic Cheese Bread

Freshly minced garlic, olive oil, parsley, chives, and salt unmixed in a bowl.
Step 1: In a small bowl, add the freshly minced garlic, olive oil, parsley, chives, and salt.
Freshly minced garlic, olive oil, parsley, chives, and salt mixed together.
Step 2: Whisk together and set aside.
Two bread halves, cut side up, on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 3: Next, place the two bread halves, cut side up, on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Garlic and herb mixture spread across the bread.
Step 4: Spoon and spread the garlic and herb mixture over the cut sides.
The bread is covered in mozzarella and parmigiano reggiano.
Step 5: Sprinkle each half evenly with both mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano.
The melted cheese is bubbling on the bread after baking.
Step 6: Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the bread is crisp on the bottom.

Garlic Cheese Bread Recipe

Author: Yumna Jawad
5 from 304 votes
This garlic cheese bread is made with a loaf of French bread and a blend of olive oil, fresh garlic, and herbs as the base, and that is then topped with mozzarella cheese and Parmigiano Reggiano.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Servings12 servings
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Ingredients
  

  • cup olive oil
  • 6 garlic cloves grated or finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon chives finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 16-ounce loaf French bread cut in half lengthwise
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ¼ cup shredded parmigiano reggiano

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, grated garlic, fresh chopped parsley and chives, and salt.
  • Place the two bread halves, cut sides up, on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon the garlic and herb olive oil evenly over the cut sides, and sprinkle evenly with the mozzarella and parmigiano reggiano.
  • Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the bread is crispy on the bottom. Cut each bread half crosswise into 8 pieces, sprinkle with extra fresh parsley, and serve.

Notes

If you have leftovers, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
To reheat: Toast the garlic bread pieces in the oven at a lower temperature or in the air fryer until heated through and cheese is melted.

Nutrition

Calories: 88kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 190mg, Potassium: 19mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 0.1g, Vitamin A: 101IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 102mg, Iron: 0.1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Did You Make This Recipe?

If you try this Garlic Cheese Bread recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe.

Recipe Variations

  • Customize your cheeses. I like a mix of mozzarella, which melts really well, and Parmigiano Reggiano, which adds sharpness. But you could swap out these cheeses for anything you want, including fontina, provolone or even cheddar! Just make sure whatever you choose will melt well! 
  • Use roasted garlic. While I highly recommend using fresh garlic, I am happy to make an exception for roasted garlic. Because it’s less potent than fresh garlic, make sure to use plenty of it. I suggest using at least a whole head of roasted garlic for the best results and smoothing it into the oil before spreading it on the bread. You won’t regret it!
  • Add pesto. Spread a layer of pesto on the bread instead of the garlic herb oil before adding the cheese.
  • Swap out the herbs. Try fresh basil or oregano. Alternatively, you could substitute them with half the amount of dried herbs, although I recommend fresh.

Recipe Tips

  1. Choose a hearty bread. This recipe calls for French bread but you could also use an Italian bread loaf. Any bread that is thick and soft inside with a crusty shell.
  2. The fresher the better. As I mentioned above, fresh garlic is key, but I also suggest use fresh herbs.
  3. Let it rest before cutting. Give the bread a few minutes to cool before digging in for cleaner cuts.
  4. Finish it in the broiler. If you like the cheese to have some darkened spots on top, put the bread under the broiler for a few seconds right before you take it out the oven! Just be sure to keep an eye on it as the broiler works fast and you don’t want to burn the garlic bread.
Sliced garlic bread on parchment paper with fresh parsley.

Serving Ideas

FAQs

How do I store and reheat garlic cheese bread?

If you have leftovers of your cheesy garlic bread then you can save it by storing it in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. To reheat, toast the garlic bread pieces in the oven at a lower temperature or in the air fryer until heated through and the cheese is melted.

Can I use butter instead of oil?

Yes, just melt the butter before mixing it with the garlic and herbs. The bread may be softer than when using oil.

How can I make cheesy garlic toast?

To make toast, instead of toasting the whole loaf, slice the bread into slices like sandwich bread. Then top each slice with the garlic herb oil and cheese, toasting until melted and the bread has crisped up. Cut the slices as thick or thin as you like.

Do I wrap the cheese bread in foil for baking?

It’s not recommended to wrap the cheese bread in foil before baking as it can make the bread soggy. It’s best to bake the bread uncovered on a baking sheet or dish for a crispy texture and golden-brown cheese. Use parchment paper to catch any drips.

Hand hold a piece of garlic cheese bread with the loaf of bread shown below.

More Bread Recipes

This Garlic Cheese Bread recipe was originally published on November 5, 2017. The recipe has not been modified, but the post now includes new step-by-step photos for how to make the garlic bread recipe.

5 from 304 votes (296 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Amira says:

    Do you happen to have a loaf bread recipe? Would love to try making bread for this spread!

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Hey Amira! I don’t have a French bread loaf recipe but I do have a French Bread Rolls that could work for individual garlic cheese breads. Let me know how they turn out if you try that!

  2. Olivia says:

    Where can I buy French loaf? I am from Edmonton

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Your local bakery or grocery store should have them!

  3. Bernard says:

    Add ricotta in the mix for a creamy garlic cheese bread

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Oooh, yum!! That sounds so good, Bernard—I’m going to have to try it!

  4. Claire says:

    I made this recipe as stated and while it turned out okay, I must admit that I wasn’t too thrilled with the taste of it because the garlic didn’t really cook while in the oven, so it had a VERY strong raw garlic taste. So I do suggest only making this if you really love the taste of raw garlic.

    1. Yumna J. says:

      So sorry to hear the garlic didn’t fully cook when you made the recipe, Claire. Did you make sure to finely mince the garlic? Larger pieces of garlic would take longer to cook all the way through. For a less potent garlic flavor, you can also use fewer garlic cloves or try roasted garlic instead of fresh!

  5. Penelope Dunn says:

    Your recipes are awesome

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Thank you so much, Penelope!

  6. Ross says:

    Just made the bread there along with meatballs. It was our first ever time making home made garlic bread. The bread was amazing. Thank you so much. Highly recommend. 😀

    1. Yumna J. says:

      That sounds amazing! You’re so welcome!!

  7. Rhonda says:

    I LOVE bread!!! This garlic bread is great! A wonderful addition to my spaghetti and lasagna meals. Thanks for sharing.

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      Yay! So glad to hear it! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂

  8. Victoria says:

    Thanks for the recipe! I’m making it with spaghetti for my daughter who is vegan. 🙂

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      Yay! I hope she enjoys it!

  9. Zainab Rasheed says:

    Hope you’re doing great…i tried your garlic bread recipe and i must admit IT WAS THE YUMMIEST GARLIC BREAD I EVER TASTED! tysm for that!

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed it!