How to make our easy, not too greasy garlic bread with fresh garlic, basil, cheeses and a soft buttery center.
Related: We also love this garlic bread made with roasted garlic.
I love cheesy garlic bread, but don’t like it to be greasy. We’ll usually break out the garlic bread when serving something like pasta or soups. So we don’t want it to be too heavy by itself. This recipe makes garlic bread with crisp edges and a soft buttery center. There’s lots of garlic, fresh basil, and just enough cheese to make it extra delicious.
How to Make Cheesy Garlic Bread from Scratch
I love making garlic bread with French bread (or a baguette), but you could use just about any type of bread you like. Try to find one that’s pretty fresh. The center should be soft. We love this recipe so much, we’ve shared another garlic bread recipe with an even softer center.
Slice the bread down the middle then grab a bowl. Smash softened butter, garlic, cheese, and chopped fresh basil together. We use two kinds of cheese – mozzarella and cheddar — but any cheese would work, here. Feta or goat cheese would be really delicious
Spread the butter and cheesy goodness all over the bread then bake in the oven until golden brown
Recipe updated, originally posted November 2012. Since posting this in 2012, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne
Easy Garlic Basil Cheese Bread
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
We love cheesy garlic bread, but don’t like it to be too greasy. Our recipe makes garlic bread with crisp edges and a soft buttery center. There’s lots of garlic, fresh basil, and just enough cheese to make it extra delicious.
You Will Need
1 baguette
2 garlic cloves
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated (about 3/4 cup)
3 ounces cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
Directions
1Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Smash garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife then remove the skin and discard. Mince the garlic finely then add the salt on top. Use the flat side of a chef’s knife to press and push the garlic and salt across the cutting board, turning it into a fine paste.
2In a small bowl, mix the garlic paste, butter, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, and the chopped basil together until well blended. Cut bread in half lengthwise, and cut in half crosswise if very long. Spread the garlic butter mixture over the cut-side of the bread. Place bread cut side up onto the baking sheet.
3Bake bread until the bread is golden around the edges and the cheese has melted, 10 to 15 minutes. Then the oven to broil, until the cheese starts to bubble and turns golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA Supertracker recipe calculator to calculate approximate values.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste
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I absolutely love this recipe! It’s so easy to make and really delicious! I originally made it for a work potluck to go with some tomato basil soup (we pulled ingredients out of a hat and I got basil lol). It was gone so quickly I had to make some at home. It’s now a family favorite and we can’t have our lasagna without it!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I just found this garlic bread on food gawker– and had to come check it out for myself. It looks so tasty and easy to make. I am loving a lot of your recipes!
I love garlic bread but would like it without the greasiness too! Can’t wait to give this a try – it would be so perfect with spaghetti and meatballs!