This cheesy garlic bread is topped with Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese. The delicious garlic spread has 2 secret ingredients that bump it up to restaurant quality!
Serve this bread with my Baked Chicken Parmesan or my famous Eggplant Parmesan!
Cheesy Garlic Bread
Warm, cheesy garlic bread is probably one of the best things to smell (and taste) in your kitchen. My recipe has a few secret steps that totally make it restaurant quality.
Be sure to try my SECRET ingredient in this bead, it’s a little chef-inspired secret that I think you’ll love!
Ingredients
- 1 loaf fresh French bread
- 1 stick salted butter, at room temperature. Cabot or Land O Lakes are great choices.
- 4 cloves garlic– preferably roasted garlic for a better blend of flavors.
- 1/4 cup Italian Salad Dressing- (A great secret ingredient!) Try my homemade Olive Garden Salad Dressing!
- 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese- Low moisture melts the best. Shred your own from a block at home for best flavor and melted texture
- 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- Fresh Parsley, to garnish. Optional.
The Best Bread for Garlic Bread
French Bread has a delicious crispy outer crust, but is super soft in the middle which is perfect for absorbing the cheesy garlic butter spread!
How to Bake it
For Crispier, Crunchier Garlic Bread:
- Place the buttered halves on a baking sheet, butter side up. Bake for 10 minutes in a 375° oven.
- Increase the heat to a low broil and heat for an additional 2-3 minutes, keeping a close eye on it. This will crisp up the top and the edges.
For Softer Garlic Bread:
- Put the loaf halves back together after buttering them and wrap the tightly in foil. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted.
- Slice into thick slices and serve.
Pro Tips
If you’re unsure about using Italian Salad Dressing:
- Mix the spread without any dressing and spread half of it over one of the bread slices.
- Add 1/4 cup Italian dressing to the remaining spread to try on the other half.
- Compare, and see which you like better!
To roast your own garlic at home, check out this recipe from simply recipes.
Make-Ahead Method (For the Freezer)
- Slice the bread in half horizontally and spread with garlic butter.
- From here, you can place the entire loaves in the freezer or cut them into slices for individual servings. Either way, flash freeze the bread for about 20-25 minutes.
- Place the bread into a tightly sealed and labeled freezer bag for up to 3 months.
To reheat, bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes, until the cheese is warm and melted through.
If desired, increase the oven to a low broil and heat for an additional 2-3 minutes to crisp up the sides and the top.
Remove from the oven and serve!
Storing
- Leftover garlic bread should be wrapped in foil or in an airtight freezer bag and store in the refrigerator. It’s best if eaten within 3 days.
Reheating
- To reheat garlic bread, simply wrap it in foil and bake it at 350° until heated through, about 10 minutes.
- To reheat it in the microwave, turn the power down to around 40% and reheat with a cover over it for a minute or so. If the bread gets too hot, it will lose its texture and become very chewy.
What to Serve with Garlic Bread
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- Baked Chicken Parmesan
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- Baked Meatballs
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- Chicken Parmesan Casserole
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- Spaghetti Bolognese
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- Bobby Flay’s Meatball Recipe
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- Baked Spaghetti
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Cheesy Garlic Bread
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread
- 1 stick salted butter, at room temperature
- 4 cloves garlic, minced* See Notes
- 1/4 cup Italian Salad Dressing
- 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, separated
- 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- Fresh Parsley, to garnish. Optional.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- 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 horizontally 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 remaining cup of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
- Increase the heat to a low broil and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes to crisp up the top and edges. Keep a close eye during this time. Remove when the cheese begins to brown.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
- Cut into thick slices and serve!
For Softer Bread:
- Put the loaf halves back together after buttering them and wrap the tightly in foil. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted.
- Slice into thick slices and serve.
Video
Notes
4 cloves fresh garlic = 6 teaspoons jarred minced garlic. For even better results, I recommend trying this with 7 cloves of roasted garlic instead of fresh. Not sure about adding Italian dressing?! Try THIS:
-
- Mix the spread without any dressing and spread half of it over one of the bread slices.
- Add 1/4 cup Italian dressing to the remaining spread to try on the other half.
- Compare, and see which you like better!
This bread is amazingly delicious!! Do not leave out the salad dressing…. it really adds to the taste. I didn’t have Olive Garden dressing available so I used Burnstein’s Cheese and Garlic Italian. I roasted the garlic and would definitely recommend doing so!
Hey Holly! I agree, I absolutely love making it with Italian salad dressing, I’m so glad that you liked it!