Cheesy Garlic Bread is soft, buttery bread slathered with garlic spread, then topped with shredded cheese. This bread is perfect is an appetizer, side dish, or a quick snack.

Garlic bread with melted cheese on a pan.

Cheesy garlic bread is something that John and I have been making for well over a decade. We love French and Italian loaves, but if we didn’t use them for something specific they usually got stale.

We decided to start using the bread to make other recipes like homemade croutons, jalapeno popper bread, and this cheesy garlic bread. Not only did it help with food waste, but the recipes are easy and tasty!

Out of all those recipes, garlic bread is the one we make most often. It starts with a homemade garlic butter spread, two types of shredded cheese, and a sprinkle of smoked paprika that sets this cheesy garlic bread apart from the rest.

Make it for your next get together or serve it as a side with some spaghetti arrabiata or penne alla vodka. It will quickly become a family favorite.

How to Make Cheesy Garlic Bread:

Preheat the oven, and line a large baking sheet with foil. For this recipe, we use a large, 14 ounce loaf of Italian bread or French bread. That may not sound like a lot in weight, but check the packaging. We go by the weight listed on the package, and that yields a huge loaf.
Cut the loaf in half horizontally (lengthwise), and place both pieces side-by-side on the baking sheet.
In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, garlic, fresh parsley, salt, and onion powder. Use a spatula to apply half the garlic butter to each piece of bread.

Be sure to spread the butter evenly, and go all the way to the edges. Sprinkle each piece of bread with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
I make one with mozzarella and one with Parmesan, but you can do a little of both cheeses on each slice if you’d like. Top the cheese with dried parsley and smoked paprika.

Two loaves of bread topped with shredded cheese.

Bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted. If desired, place the bread in the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes to brown the top of the cheese.
Remove the bread from the oven, slice, and serve. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Top down view of a loaf of bread with cheese sliced.

What do you eat with cheesy garlic bread?

Cheesy garlic bread can be eaten alone or with marinara sauce as an appetizer or a snack.

It can also be enjoyed with tomato basil pasta, flat iron steak, spicy fettuccine alfredo, or Tuscan chicken pasta.

Can you use a different kind of cheese?

Yes, definitely! We tend to use mozzarella and Parmesan most of the time, but use whatever type of cheese you have on hand.

Some good options are cheddar, Gruyere, Colby, or a cheese blend.

Can you used jarred garlic?

Jarred garlic works great for cheesy garlic bread. It’s a little faster than mincing fresh garlic, and it gives the bread a briny flavor.

Can you use a different type of bread?

We’ve used French loaves, Italian loaves, smaller demi loaves, and baguettes for this recipe. A variation that we’ve made is this Cheesy Pull Apart Bread made from a sourdough boule.

You can also use thin sliced bread like in this World’s Best Cheesy Garlic Bread recipe.

Sliced cheesy garlic bread on a sheet pan.

Other Cheese Bread You May Love:

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