This Garlic Bread with Cheese is made with French Bread, a delicious garlic butter mixture, and is topped with Parmesan and Mozzarella Cheese. Plus a secret ingredient that takes this recipe up to restaurant quality!
Be sure to serve this with some Pink Sauce Pasta, and try my Pizza Dip recipe next!
Garlic Bread With Cheese
Did you think I could possibly post a recipe for garlic bread without adding cheese to it?! Never.
I am excited to share with you a secret ingredient that gives this garlic bread a little extra something. See if you can spot it below, then check out my PRO tips, how to freeze it to bake another day, reheating instructions, etc. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- French Bread: The best choice when it comes to garlic bread.
- Butter: High-quality salted butter is best for this recipe. I like to use Cabot or Land O’ Lakes.
- Fresh Garlic: The fresher the better, minced yourself at home.
- Cheese: Parmesan and Mozzarella shredded/grated at home from a block is best for taste and texture.
- Italian Salad Dressing: Optional, but it takes this right up to restaurant quality. I use Olive Garden salad dressing which you can also make at home.
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Slice the bread in half to create two thinner pieces of equal size.
- Combine room temperature butter, minced garlic, 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, and Italian Salad Dressing. Spread it evenly over each slice of bread. Top with Parmesan, then with remaining 2 cups of Mozzarella.
- Bake at 350° for 10 minutes, then increase heat to 450° and baked until the top begins to brown, up to 8 more minutes.
- Cut into 1-inch slices, garnish with parsley, and serve with pasta, soup, or homemade marinara sauce.
Why is my Garlic Bread Soggy
- Garlic bread that sits too long before being baked or that is cooked at a temperature that is too low can become soggy.
- For this recipe we’ll bake it at 350° until the cheese is melted (10 minutes), then increase the heat to 450° for the remainder of the baking time, about 8 more minutes, or until it begins to brown on the top. Watch it carefully to ensure it doesn’t burn.
- I like to use a thick 1lb. loaf of French bread so that I can slice it in half and still have two pieces that are thick enough to hold up underneath the garlic butter spread and cheese.
Freezer Garlic Bread
This recipe can be prepared ahead of time to freeze and serve later.
- Prepare the bread as outlined and cut it into slices. (Don’t bake it.) Flash freeze it for 40 minutes. Transfer it to an airtight freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- When ready to serve, bake it at 350° until the cheese is melted, (about 13 minutes). Then increase heat to 450° and bake until the top begins to brown, (up to 8 more minutes).
Pro Tips
- French Bread is the best kind to use for this recipe. It has crispy outer crust which allows it to hold up well, and it’s soft in the middle which is perfect for absorbing the cheesy garlic butter spread!
- Use fresh garlic instead of jarred, it tastes much better! If the garlic clove isn’t fresh it may turn a blueish green color when it bakes. This is from the acid in the Italian dressing. It’s still safe to eat.
- Shred/grate your own Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese from a block, it tastes and melts much better.
- Use high-quality ingredients for this recipe. I like to use Cabot or Land O’ Lakes Butter.
Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating
- To reheat garlic bread, simply wrap it in foil and bake it at 350° until heated through, about 10 minutes for refrigerated or 15-20 minutes for frozen.
- To reheat it in the microwave, turn the power down to around 40% and reheat with a cover over it for 1 minute or so. If the bread gets too hot, it will lose its texture and become very chewy.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Garlic Twister– Freshly minced garlic tastes much better. This twister minces it very quickly and is easy to store.
- Box Cheese Grater -You’ll always get the best results from shredding/grating the cheese from a block.
- Pizza Cutter Rocker Blade -Makes it easy to cut nice clean slices.
- Light Baking Sheets
- Olive Garden Salad Dressing– Tastes great with this recipe.
What to Serve With Garlic Bread
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Tried This Recipe?
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Garlic Bread With Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread, about 1 lb.
- 1 stick salted butter, at room temperature
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- Fresh Parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Combine the butter, garlic, Italian salad dressing, and 1 cup of the Mozzarella cheese in a large bowl until well incorporated.
- Slice the French bread in half lengthwise and spread the top of each half with equal amounts of garlic butter.
- Place the halves on a baking sheet, butter side up. Top with Parmesan cheese, then with remaining Mozzarella.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
- Increase heat to 450° and bake for up to 8 additional minutes, until the top begins to brown. Keep an eye on it during this time.
- Remove and cut into 1-inch slices. Garnish with parsley and serve with pasta, soup, or homemade marinara sauce.
Notes
- French Bread is the best kind to use for this recipe. It has a crispy outer crust which allows it to hold up well, and it's soft in the middle which is perfect for absorbing the cheesy garlic butter spread!
- Use fresh garlic instead of jarred, it tastes much better! If the garlic clove isn't fresh it may turn a blueish green color when it bakes. This is from the acid in the Italian dressing. It's still safe to eat.
- Shred/grate your own Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese from a block, it tastes and melts much better.
- Use high-quality ingredients for this recipe. I like to use Cabot or Land O' Lakes Butter.
Storage Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating
- To reheat garlic bread, simply wrap it in foil and bake it at 350° until heated through, about 10 minutes for refrigerated or 15-20 minutes for frozen.
- To reheat it in the microwave, turn the power down to around 40% and reheat with a cover over it for 1 minute or so. If the bread gets too hot, it will lose its texture and become very chewy.
Freezer Garlic Bread This recipe can be prepared ahead of time to freeze and serve later.
- Prepare the bread as outlined and cut it into 1-inch slices. (Don't bake it.) Flash freeze it for 40 minutes. Transfer it to an airtight freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- When ready to serve, bake it at 350° until the cheese is melted, (about 13 minutes). Then increase heat to 450° and bake until the top begins to brown, (up to 8 more minutes).
So quick and easy! I definitely cut corners with the shredded cheeses and normally I would shred my own, still came out delicious! Never thought to use Italian dressing and it’s brilliant!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the garlic bread with cheese Jenny! I love how you think the Italian dressing is brilliant, I’m extra proud of that! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review, much appreciated!💗
This garlic bread is amazing! This will be my go to bread for pasta dishes.
That makes me so happy Lindsay! I pretty much make this every time we have pasta! Thanks so much for the great review!❤️
This is the best Garlic Bread I have ever had. My 23 year old son who is super picky picked up a piece and tentatively took a bite, then piled 4 more pieces on his plate. He said this bread is legit!
What a great compliment from your son Joan, sounds like you nailed it!🙌 Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
So yummy. Everyone has to try to make this homemade garlic bread
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review Tina, I’m so happy you liked the garlic bread!❤️
Easy to make and downright addictive!
So true, they really are addictive. I’m so happy you’re enjoying this recipe, thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!😍
Making this tonight for our family Christmas pizza movie night. Looks delicious!! Who would have thought? Italian salad dressing!
I know! It’s a hidden gem of a secret! 🙂
Dumb question but can’t figure it out..to freeze the bread, do I bake it first then freeze?
Hi Niki! I can see how that was confusing, I made the instructions more clear! And you don’t bake it before freezing it! 🙂
Thank you so much for the fast response currently making the bread for dinner and will freeze half (unbaked:0) ) for another day.
You’re very welcome Niki!😃
On the Garlic Bread with Cheese. Is the Italian dressing suppose to be made-up or Dry???
A ready to go Italian salad dressing, not Italian dressing seasoning. ☺️
I love your recipes but you don’t says how many people it will feed.
Thank you.
Thank you! It says “16 slices” at the top of the recipe card! The serving size is always there. ❤️
You’re a genius Stephanie! I never would have thought garlic bread could be made any better, but of course cracked the code… cheese! This was such a hit with the family, will be making this for holiday meals.
Thanks Jenn! If adding cheese to bread makes me a genius then I’ll definitely accept that🤣! Happy to hear this was a hit with the family! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!