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The Best Cheesy Garlic Bread has 3 kinds of cheese, fresh herbs and tons of garlic. You can turn plain french bread into cheesy, garlicky perfection with this easy homemade garlic bread recipe!

We love this cheesy garlic bread recipe served with delicious Italian dishes like Chicken Alfredo Baked ZitiCreamy Garlic Penne with Chicken, and Spaghetti with Chicken.

Cheesy Garlic Bread - Homemade garlic bread with a hand taking a slice.
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Ingredients for Cheesy Garlic Bread

  • French Bread – the one pound loaf that you can buy in the bakery section of the grocery store works best.
  • Butter softened.
  • Fresh Parsley, chopped – Dried parsley also works, and you need about half as much. You can also add some dried Italian seasoning, basil, or oregano.
  • Garlic – lots of it. Five fresh garlic cloves to be exact. We’re going for maximum garlic flavor here.
  • Cheese – Mozzarella cheese, sharp cheddar, and parmesan. All freshly grated when possible.

How to Make the Best Cheesy Garlic Bread

  1. Start by making the garlic butter. There are 5 garlic cloves mixed with a stick of softened butter. You’re also going to stir in a generous tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley. You could use dried here, but use about half a tablespoon. It’s just as much for color as it is for flavor.
  2. Now slather all that buttery goodness on some french bread. I try to get the freshest loaves I can because they just taste better. But even a loaf from the discounted, day-old section will work fine. Slice it in half lengthwise and place it cut side up on a baking sheet, then slather that butter and garlic mixture all over. You want the butter to reach all of the outside edges.
  3. Next pile on the cheese. We’re using a luscious combination of Mozzarella, Parmesan, and sharp cheddar. The Parm and cheddar have a nice sharp bite that compliments the smooth creaminess of the Mozzarella. Sprinkle on a little more parsley for color.
  4. Bake. Now bake those lovely loaves in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, then flip on the broiler (no need to move the rack) and broil for several minutes to get that cheese nice and golden brown.
Cheesy garlic bread - homemade garlic bread before baking.
Two halves of cheesy garlic bread - homemade garlic bread with golden browned cheese.

FAQs

What kind of bread is best for garlic bread?

The best kinds of bread are soft on the inside and crusty on the outside. A thick loaf of french bread or a hearty Italian loaf will yield the best results, but in a pinch, even sliced sandwich bread will work.

Serving Suggestions

Garlic bread is one of my go-to side dishes because it’s easy to prepare and everyone loves it. I love that I can serve it with just about anything from Italian recipes, to soups to salads to just regular old baked chicken.

It’s definitely the most requested side dish in our house! My kids enjoy the leftovers with some Homemade Marinara Sauce for dipping. Here are some ideas for a main course:

Cheesy Garlic Bread - Sliced homemade french bread garlic bread.

Variations

  • Spicy – Add red pepper flakes or slices of pickled jalapenos.
  • Cheese – Fontina, Provolone, White cheddar or Asiago are also delicious.
  • Bread – I like to use a whole loaf of french bread like you see in the pictures, but there are options, too. Ciabatta, Sourdough or Italian bread work well, and in a pinch you can even use sandwich rolls or hot dog buns.
  • Slices – Instead of slice the loaf in half, slice the full loaf into pieces and prep and freeze for another meal.

Storage

Storage: Place leftovers in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. To freeze, wrap leftovers in foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheating: Reheat in the oven or air fryer for best results.

Make Ahead and Freeze

This recipe is an excellent candidate for making ahead and freezing. I will often make a double batch so I can just pull it out of the freeze when the mood strikes.

  • Prep the loaves and top with the cheese, then flash freeze on a baking sheet for 1-2 hours. Once they’re frozen solid, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil and store in the freezer.
  • To cook, unwrap and place on a baking sheet and bake as directed, adding 10 minutes to the cook time. Keep an eye on it, and tent with foil if the top starts to brown before the bread if fully warmed through and crispy.
A slice of homemade cheesy garlic bread being pulled apart with strings of cheese.
  • Be patient when your bread comes out of the oven. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to cool and so the cheese will set. It’s best when it’s hot, but not straight out of the oven.
  • Line your sheet pan with foil or parchment for easy clean up.
  • Don’t cover the bread. You want it to melt and brown a little on top.
  • You have to have soft butter. Make sure you take the butter out of the fridge at least an hour before you plan to make this bread.

More Cheesy Bread Recipes

Recipe

Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe

4.69 from 48 votes
The Best Cheesy Garlic Bread has 3 kinds of cheese, fresh herbs and tons of garlic. Turn plain french bread into cheesy, garlicky perfection!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 loaf french bread
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley divided
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup fresh grated Mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup fresh grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan Cheese
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Instructions
 

  • Slice French bread loaf in half lengthwise. Place each half, cut side up, on a foil lined baking sheet. Set aside.
  • Stir together softened butter, minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley. Spread evenly on each half of the french bread loaf. In a small bowl combine cheese then sprinkle evenly on top of the bread. Sprinkle remaining parsley even over the cheeses.
  • Bake in the 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Turn on the broiler to high, move the rack to the top position, and broil for the last 2-3 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly. (*The broiling step is optional – you could just let it bake for the 10 minutes and call it good).
  • Allow bread to cool and cheeses to set for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Keyword cheesy garlic bread

Nutrition

Serving: 2slicesCalories: 400kcal

Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.

 

Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.

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4.69 from 48 votes (38 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Deborah says:

    Easy and it came out wonderful.thank you so much for sharing your recipe!

    1. Kristin says:

      You are so welcome Deborah! Thanks for stopping by.

  2. Deborah Kay Vaughn says:

    Absolutely perfect! Thank you very much!

    1. Kristin says:

      Thank you. You are so welcome Deborah!

  3. Nancy says:

    This is easy and delicious bread! Best garlic bread yet. I serve as an appetizer with drinks before dinner and everyone scoffs it down. If any leftovers they are great heated in the oven the next day. So simple and so good! Thanks!

    1. Kristin says:

      You are so welcome Nancy! Love your feedback, thanks for stopping by.

  4. Erin B says:

    So easy and delicious! I bought Italian bread before I found a recipe. Next time I’ll try with French bread. Since it’s just two of us now, I immediately froze the other half for another meal.

    1. Kristin says:

      Love the feedback Erin! Thanks for stopping by.

  5. Lorie Mrkvicka says:

    It’s the best cheesy garlic bread ever, simple!

    1. Kristin says:

      Thank you Lorie! Thanks for stopping by.

  6. Elayne says:

    Very good garlic bread. This is the one I’m keeping!

    1. Kristin says:

      Nice! Thank you for the feedback Elayne.

  7. Deborah says:

    Made this tonight for dinner. It was so delicious and everyone loved it! No leftovers. We will be making this again.

    1. Kristin says:

      Nice! Thank you for your feedback Deborah.

  8. Kathy says:

    This was really good!!! I personally would prefer to bake a little longer but that’s just me. I didn’t have any Mozzarella on hand so I used Sharp White Cheddar which gave it some zip. Family loved this recipe.

    1. Kristin says:

      Nice! Thanks for the awesome feedback Kathy.

  9. Brenda Vaughn says:

    Do you think you could put this together using Italian bread, freeze it to be baked later? Trying to take a couple of meals to a neighbor who will be having surgery. Thanks so much.

    1. Kristin Maxwell says:

      Hi Brenda, yes just do everything except bake it. Then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze. I haven’t tried baking it from frozen, but it shouldn’t take long to thaw.

  10. Kimberly sandoz says:

    This was very good, the whole family loved it! Great side for soup on winter months. Thank you!

    1. Kristin says:

      You are so welcome Kimberly! Thanks for stopping by.

  11. Paula Johnson says:

    Made this last night and it is very good and garlicky

    1. Kristin says:

      Nice! Thanks for stopping by Paula.

  12. Nancy E. Leu says:

    Can I use Italian Seasoning instead of Parsley

    1. Kristin Maxwell says:

      Sure!

  13. Barbara says:

    This sounds delicious.

  14. Jenna says:

    My kids love love love this!
    Thanks for the recipe.

    1. Kristin says:

      You are so welcome Jenna! Thanks for stopping by.

  15. CR says:

    Made twice. Really delicious

  16. judy says:

    would it be better to cut them before adding the cheese as not to have all the cheese come off and/or making it messy

    1. Kristin Maxwell says:

      You could do that I suppose, but it as long as you use a sharp bread knife and are cautious you shouldn’t have any problem.

  17. Iris says:

    Delicious and one of the best I’ve made
    Thank you
    I used bottled chopped garlic tins of it lol and green onions instead of parsley for a change
    But versatile and very good !!!!!

    1. Kristin says:

      Thank you Iris for stopping by!

    2. Michael says:

      Best I’ve ever had. Will use this from now on. Thank you.

  18. Janell Seaberg says:

    I loved the recipe! I didn’t look at the recipe until I had mixed everything together, but it was still delicious. Next time I will follow the correct instructions and put cheeses on last, it was a little stiff spreading on the loaves but it worked!

  19. Kris says:

    My husband loves this combination-yummy

    1. Kristin says:

      So happy that you and your family loved this recipe!

  20. Simon Roberts says:

    Thank you very much for this, I made it tonight and it looked just like yours and was PERFECT!

    This is my go-to recipe from now on.

  21. Jade says:

    10 minutes was waaaaay too long. Burned to a crisp, triggering fire alarms and all. 🙁

    1. Kristin says:

      Did you bake for 10 minutes or broil? Baking at 350 for 10 minutes definitely wouldn’t burn the bread.

  22. Kdm says:

    Hello! It says 350 degrees in the recipe and 400 degrees in the text. Which temp works best? Thanks!

    1. Kristin says:

      Ohhh good catch -it’s 350, sorry about that!

  23. Carly says:

    The body copy says 10 minutes and the recipe card says 20 minutes. Can you clarify?

    1. Kristin says:

      You’re right – it should say 10 minutes. My mistake, thanks for pointing it out. I fixed it. 🙂

  24. Karen says:

    1 1/2 T of butter seems a little off?

    1. Kristin says:

      Sorry Karen, big typo! Not sure what happened there. It’s 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) for the whole loaf. It’s fixed now.

      1. Candace says:

        1 stick of butter is usually a cup!

        1. Kristin says:

          No, a stick of butter is half of a cup.