Cheesy Garlic Bread

Published July 17, 2015. Updated August 21, 2019

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This Cheesy Garlic Bread comes together in under 30 minutes and my family goes crazy for it! Serve alongside pasta, soup or salad as an easy, delicious side dish. 

two loaves of cheesy garlic bread on foil, one loaf whole and one sliced

Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe

It doesn’t get much better then a warm slice of cheesy garlic bread straight from the oven. Perfect for dipping in marinara sauce or serving as a side to all your favorite pastas and soups.

I don’t share a lot of indulgent comfort food recipes on here other than desserts, so I figured it was time to share a recipe like this garlic cheese bread.

This bread is so good I had a hard time knowing when to stop! I wanted to just keep reaching for slice after slice. Cheesy, garlic-y deliciousness!

I’ve never really liked my bread drenched in butter — it just feels too heavy when it is. So I cut back the classic 1/2 cup butter you’ll find in just about any homemade garlic bread recipe and I used 4 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp olive oil.

It makes it seem not quite so greasy. These were just the perfect ratios for me, but if you like more butter feel free to add it.

This is a versatile recipe, you can swap out the cheeses listed for others that you like, just use any good melting cheese (cheddar, provolone, muenster, etc).

As far as the parsley goes, dried will work just fine too if you don’t already have fresh on hand. It’s not really worth buying a bunch of fresh parsley only to use a tablespoon of it (I’d still use about 1 Tbsp dried). It’s more for looks really, and it adds a hint of flavor.

Like I listed in the recipe, you can use fresh garlic for a more robust flavor or the granulated garlic for a more mellow flavor. Just be sure to enjoy it warm for that gooey cheesy deliciousness!

French bread loaf on foil

Cheesy Garlic Bread Ingredients

For this easy garlic bread recipe, you’ll need:

  • French or Italian bread
  • Salted butter
  • Olive oil
  • Fresh of granulated garlic
  • Salt and pepper
  • Shredded mozzarella
  • Shredded Parmesan
  • Fresh parsley

How to Make Garlic Bread

  • Preheat oven and slice bread in half lengthwise.

french bread cut in half on foil for garlic 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.

uncooked Cheesy Garlic Bread on foil

  • Bake homemade garlic bread until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

two halves of a loaf of cheesy garlic bread on foil

Can I Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil in This Recipe?

Personally, I don’t love using extra virgin olive oil in this recipe because it’s stronger in flavor than the more refined regular olive oil. But if you only have EVOO on hand and you don’t mind its flavor peeping through the cheesy garlic bread, go ahead and use it.

Can I Use Unsalted Butter in This Recipe?

Yes, but you’ll likely need to season the garlic cheesy bread with more salt.

Tips for the Best Garlic Bread

  • If you want your garlic cheese bread a little crispier, broil it the last 1 to 2 minutes it’s in the oven.
  • You need to cover the bread the first time you bake it. This prevents it from toasting too quickly.
  • Wait a few minutes before slicing and serving this garlic bread. It’s best warm, but not straight from the oven!

close up of slices of Cheesy Garlic Bread

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4.95 from 18 votes

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 cheese and baked until perfectly melty and delicious. Plus it's so easy to make!
Servings: 10
Prep10 minutes
Cook15 minutes
Ready in: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 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, using a fork, 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 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.

Notes

*Personally, I don't love using extra virgin olive oil in this recipe because it's stronger in flavor than the more refined regular olive oil.