There’s something about pulling a tray of cheesy garlic bread from the oven—the crust golden and blistered, cheese bubbling at the edges, and that rich aroma of butter and garlic filling the kitchen—that makes everything feel instantly warmer.
This is the ultimate quick comfort side: toasted, crisp on the outside, soft and fluffy inside, ready in about 20 minutes. It’s perfect for busy weeknights, hungry families, beginners who want a foolproof win, or anyone who just needs a cozy carb hug.
I still remember a night when dinner almost derailed—pasta sauce was thin, everyone was grumpy, and the clock was ticking. A loaf of bread, a bit of butter, garlic, and cheese turned it around; the garlic bread disappeared first, and suddenly the table was chatty again.
It shines with Sunday suppers, last-minute cravings, casual gatherings, or easy entertaining. Ready to bring this cheesy garlic bread to life?
Why You’ll Love It
- Delivers restaurant-level cheesy garlic goodness with minimal hands-on effort.
- Pull-apart style makes it perfect for sharing at parties and gatherings.
- Customizable cheeses and seasonings let you match any main dish.
- Pre-assemble ahead, then bake later for stress-free entertaining.
- Uses simple, affordable ingredients you can find anywhere.
Ingredients
- 1 large loaf Italian bread or sourdough — dense, crusty, unsliced bread holds together best
- 115 g unsalted butter, melted — switch to salted and reduce added salt slightly
- 30 ml olive oil — adds richness and helps crisp the crust
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced — add one more clove for extra garlicky flavor
- 5 g fresh parsley, finely chopped — for fresh herbal flavor and color
- 2 g dried Italian seasoning — choose a blend without added salt
- 3 g fine salt — adjust to taste, especially if using salted butter
- 1 g freshly ground black pepper — grind fresh for better aroma
- 150 g mozzarella cheese, shredded — low-moisture mozzarella melts best
- 50 g cheddar cheese, shredded — sharp cheddar adds tangy depth
- 30 g Parmesan cheese, grated — use real Parmigiano Reggiano if possible
Step-by-Step Method
Set your oven to 180°C (350°F). Allow it to fully preheat while you prepare the bread and toppings. This guarantees even baking and proper cheese melt. Line a sheet pan and tear a large piece of foil so it’s ready. Preheating prevents soggy bread and helps the crust turn golden and crisp.
Slice the Bread in a Crosshatch
Place the unsliced loaf on a cutting board. Use a serrated knife to cut diagonal slices about 2 cm apart, stopping before the bottom crust.
Rotate the loaf and repeat in the opposite direction. Form a crosshatch pattern so pieces are attached at the base. Keep cuts deep but not all the way through.
Mix the Garlic Butter
Combine melted butter and olive oil in a small bowl. Add minced garlic, chopped parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
Stir until the mixture looks uniform and the herbs are evenly dispersed. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Keep the mixture nearby so you can quickly work it into all the bread crevices.
Fill the Cuts with Garlic Butter
Gently pry open the bread sections using your fingers. Spoon or brush the garlic butter into every slit and gap.
Work methodically so no area stays dry. Aim to coat both sides of each cut. Let some mixture drip down inside. This step infuses the loaf with flavor and keeps the interior moist while baking.
Combine and Stuff the Cheeses
Mix mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan in a separate bowl until evenly combined. Use your fingers to stuff small pinches of cheese blend into each slit and opening in the loaf.
Pack generously but avoid tearing the bread. Fill from different angles so cheese is well distributed, guaranteeing gooey, cheesy bites throughout.
Wrap and Bake Until Melted
Place the stuffed loaf on the sheet pan. Wrap it loosely but completely in foil, sealing the edges so steam stays inside.
Put the pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes. Allow the cheese to mostly melt and the flavors to mingle without browning the top yet.
Uncover, Brown, and Rest
Carefully open the foil to expose the top of the bread. Return it to the oven uncovered and bake another 8–10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Remove the pan and let the bread rest for 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving board and serve warm, letting guests pull pieces apart by hand.
Ingredient Swaps
- Butter: Use olive oil only for a dairy-light version, or vegan butter for a fully dairy-free base.
- Cheese: Swap mozzarella/cheddar/Parmesan for any good melter you have—provolone, Gruyère, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack; use vegan shreds for dairy-free.
- Herbs & Garlic: Replace fresh parsley with dried parsley or basil, and minced garlic with garlic powder (about 1–1½ tsp total).
- Bread: Any sturdy loaf works—baguette, French bread, or a crusty whole wheat/seeded loaf for more fiber.
You Must Know
– Flavor Boost – Stronger garlic & aroma: For a more intense bite, add 1 extra clove garlic or 1 g garlic powder and an extra 5 g Parmesan to the fat mixture, and make sure you reach the very bottom of the slits.
You’ll smell a pronounced garlicky, nutty aroma when it’s fully infused and ready.
Serving Tips
- Serve on a wooden board with a small bowl of warm marinara for dipping.
- Pair with creamy tomato soup or minestrone for a cozy starter.
- Plate alongside a crisp green salad to balance the richness.
- Offer as a shareable appetizer with wine, beer, or sparkling water.
- Garnish with extra chopped parsley and grated Parmesan just before serving.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Cheesy garlic pull-apart bread keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, tightly wrapped in foil or an airtight container.
Reheat in a 175°C (350°F) oven until hot and melty.
Assemble unbaked up to 1 day ahead, refrigerate, then bake before serving.
It also freezes well for 1 month.
Reheating
Reheat gently to keep bread soft.
In the oven, wrap in foil and warm at low heat.
Reheat briefly in the microwave with a damp towel.
Or warm on a covered skillet over low stovetop heat.
Game‑Day Party Favorite
Almost every game day, I imagine this pull‑apart cheesy garlic bread landing on the coffee table and the room going quiet for a second before everyone dives in.
The loaf crackles as I tear off the foil, releasing a wave of hot butter, garlic, and toasted crust that instantly steals attention from the TV.
I love how easy it’s for you to grab a golden, cheese‑stretched piece without looking away from the play. Fingers brush, someone laughs, mozzarella strings between hands, and the bowl of chips suddenly looks forgotten.
The bread holds together just enough, so everyone keeps circling back, tearing off one more bite—salty, garlicky, soft inside, crisp outside—until only buttery crumbs remain on the board.
Final Thoughts
Now that you’ve seen how simple and delicious this cheesy garlic bread can be, give it a try and watch it disappear off the table.
Feel free to tweak the cheeses, herbs, or garlic level to make it your own signature party favorite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Make This Pull Apart Bread Gluten-Free Without Sacrificing Texture?
Yes, you can. I’d choose a dense gluten‑free boule, extra eggy and slightly sweet. As it bakes, butter, garlic, and cheese seep into crisped edges, giving you tender, stretchy, tearable bites, no compromise.
How Can Kids Safely Help Prepare This Cheesy Garlic Bread?
Kids can safely mix the buttery garlic in a bowl, sprinkle soft clouds of cheese, and gently tuck it into the bread’s pockets while I handle knives and the hot oven, filling your kitchen with warm, toasty aromas.
What Wine or Drinks Pair Best With Cheesy Garlic Bread?
I’d pour you a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Chianti, their brightness cutting through the richness. For non‑alcoholic comfort, I’d offer sparkling water with lemon or cold apple cider, fizz and fruit hugging each buttery bite.
Can I Cook This Pull Apart Bread in an Air Fryer Instead of Oven?
Yes, you can. I’d nestle the foil-wrapped loaf in the basket at 160°C, cook until the cheese sighs into gooey puddles, then unwrap briefly so the crust crisps, fragrant and golden.
How Do I Scale This Recipe for a Large Crowd or Catering?
You can scale by multiplying everything per loaf—one loaf serves eight. For catering, I’d bake several loaves, staggered, and keep them foil‑wrapped, warm, and fragrant, like golden, cheesy lanterns waiting on the buffet.
Pull Apart Cheesy Garlic Bread
Equipment
- 1 serrated bread knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Small mixing bowl
- 1 Spoon or spatula
- 1 pastry brush (optional
- 1 sheet pan
- 1 piece aluminum foil (large enough to wrap bread)
- 1 Oven mitt
Ingredients
- 1 large loaf Italian bread or sourdough unsliced
- 115 gram unsalted butter melted
- 30 milliliter olive oil
- 4 clove garlic finely minced
- 5 gram fresh parsley finely chopped
- 2 gram dried Italian seasoning
- 3 gram salt fine
- 1 gram black pepper freshly ground
- 150 gram mozzarella cheese shredded
- 50 gram cheddar cheese shredded
- 30 gram Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Place the loaf of bread on a cutting board and use a serrated knife to cut diagonal slices about 2 cm apart, stopping before you cut all the way through the bottom.
- Rotate the bread and cut diagonal slices in the opposite direction to create a crosshatch pattern, again not cutting through the base.
- In a small bowl combine melted butter, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper and stir until well mixed.
- Gently pull apart the bread sections with your fingers and spoon or brush the garlic butter mixture into all the cuts and crevices.
- In another bowl mix together mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses until evenly combined.
- Stuff the shredded cheese mixture evenly into all the slits and gaps in the bread.
- Place the stuffed loaf on a sheet pan and wrap it loosely but completely with aluminum foil.
- Bake the wrapped bread in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is mostly melted.
- Carefully open the foil to expose the top of the bread and bake uncovered for an additional 8–10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the top is golden.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes on the pan.
- Transfer to a serving board and serve warm, allowing guests to pull apart pieces by hand.
Notes
Cynthia Weatherford is a seasoned chef and culinary enthusiast who serves as the Recipe creator of Somonday. With decades of experience in the kitchen and a passion for exploring diverse cuisines, Cynthia brings a blend of creativity and technique to every dish. Known for transforming simple ingredients into show-stopping meals, Cynthia believes that cooking is an art form anyone can master. Dedicated to inspiring home cooks, Cynthia shares approachable recipes, pro tips, and culinary wisdom to make every meal memorable.
