Description
A simple, crowd-pleasing appetizer made with French bread, garlic butter, and melted cheese. It’s crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large loaf French or Italian bread (about 1.5 lbs / 680g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (113g)
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (100g)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (50g)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Slice the bread loaf lengthwise down the middle, leaving a hinge so it stays in one piece. Open it up like a book.
- In a small bowl, mix softened butter, minced garlic, garlic powder, dried parsley, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Spread the garlic butter mixture evenly over the cut sides of the bread.
- Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly over the buttered surface, pressing slightly to adhere.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before tearing into pieces and serving warm.
Notes
For best results, use low-moisture mozzarella and freshly grated Parmesan. If the bread is too soft to slice, freeze it for 15 minutes first. Do not skip the cooling time to avoid burning your mouth on hot cheese.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 420
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 10
Keywords: garlic bread, pull-apart bread, party appetizer, cheesy bread, easy recipe, holiday food, comfort food