Garlic Cheese Bread

There are some foods or dishes in life, which hardly have any dislikers. I feel, one of those is a Garlic Cheese Bread. A recipe which only includes bread, butter, garlic, herbs and lots of cheese, and is customizable beyond belief.  My version of Cheese Garlic Toast recipe is a sure shot winner recipe. It is a easy to prepare, quick and supremely scrumptious.

About Garlic Cheese Bread

This 15-minute Garlic Cheese Bread, besides being so good and delish, is also for people who want a fuss-free, filling breakfast or brunch.

On special occasions, you can even perk things up in this recipe. Then, serve it as a starter in your get-togethers or parties, or pair with a soup for dinner or lunch.

The choice of bread, cheese and herbs for this Garlic Cheese Bread recipe completely depends on you. I have used brown bread and a combination of cheddar and processed cheese. Even mozzarella cheese works wonders for this recipe.

Best goes with a tomato ketchup. You can even serve Cheesy Garlic Bread with a hot chili, Sriracha or Tabasco sauce.

After assembling the breads, I baked them in an oven. But if you don’t have one, you can even use a skillet or frying pan to cook it on stovetop.

Mentioning the details below or you can even refer to the post of the classic Garlic Bread that is made without cheese.

Which Cheese

Use one type of cheese, a mix of two (example – cheddar + mozzarella) or three (example – cheddar + mozzarella + processed cheese) type depending on what you like.

You could also use cheese slices if you prefer them instead of grated or shredded cheese. Avoid using pre-shredded cheese as they have starch in them, which does not melt them easily.

Mozzarella, Cheddar, Processed Cheese, Monterey Jack, Colby cheese and vegetarian Parmesan cheese are some options you can choose from.

Which Bread

Cheese Garlic Toast is such a versatile recipe that most kinds of breads work well. So you could include Brown Bread, Whole Wheat Bread, White Bread and multigrain bread.

You could also use Naan Bread. Even crusty breads and sourdoughs or ciabatta or french bread work nicely.

Another option is to make the Garlic Cheese Bread with soft dinner rolls. Simply slice them, spread garlic butter (as shown in the recipe), top with cheese, herbs, spices and bake or toast until cheese melts.

On Garlic

While fresh garlic is the best, but in a pinch you could opt to use garlic powder. Swap 1 small to medium garlic clove with ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder.

Another option is to use garlic salt. But just sprinkle the grated cheese layer on the bread with 1 to 2 pinches of it.

A few readers have asked to me on how to make these toasts without garlic. Well I have a solution for you. Add a few pinches of celery salt or ground celery powder to the butter.

You can also try swapping garlic with 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing) and see how the recipe works for you.

How to make Garlic Cheese Bread

Prep Bread and Make Garlic Butter

1. Preheat oven at 200 degrees C/392 degrees F before starting. Cut half a loaf of bread into slices having 0.75 inches width.

You will need about 4 to 5 slices of bread. This recipe makes for 2 to 3 servings. If planning to make for more servings, simply increase the ingredients proportionately.

2. Now, halve each slice.

3. Take 2 tablespoons softened butter (butter at room temperature) in a bowl. I used salted butter. If using unsalted butter, then add some salt according to taste.

4. Grate or mince 3 to 4 medium-sized garlic cloves directly into the butter. Instead of garlic, you can also add garlic chives.

You can also crush the garlic in a mortar-pestle and then add to the softened butter.

5. Mix the grated garlic well with the butter.

6. Grate 100 grams cheddar or mozzarella cheese – about ½ cup grated cheese.

Feel free to use any melty cheese that you prefer. You can also use only type of cheese or a mix of two to three different cheese. I have used a mix of cheddar and processed cheese.

Make Garlic Cheese Bread

7. Now, spread the garlic butter evenly on all the slices.

8. Top with the grated cheese generously.

9. Sprinkle with your favorite herbs or spices. You can add oregano, basil, thyme, red chili flakes, black pepper, etc. You can also use Italian seasoning or cajun seasoning if you have it.

10. Place the bread slices on a baking tray.

Bake Garlic Cheese Toast

11. Now, keep the baking tray on the top most rack of your OTG with both the top and bottom heating elements on.

If using a microwave oven in the convection mode, then keep the baking tray on the glass turn table.

12. Bake at 200 degrees C/392 degrees F for 5 to 6 minutes or until the edges become light golden, a bit crisp from the sides and the cheese melts. You don’t need to toast these slices.

Once the cheese melts, remove the tray from the oven. If you continue to bake, the fat may separate from the cheese resulting in a chewy or rubbery texture.

13. Serve hot Garlic Cheese Bread with tomato ketchup as a starter or as as a snack.

How to make Garlic Cheese Toast in a skillet or pan

Here’s a fool proof way of making the Garlic Cheese Toast on a skillet, frying pan using a stovetop. It’s no rocket science if you keep a few points in mind.

• Begin by heating a thick bottomed skillet or frying pan or griddle. The heat has to be on medium or medium-low.
• Next, put the prepared and assembled Garlic Cheese Bread slices on the tawa. The heat has to be the lowest here.
• Proceed by covering with a lid. The lid must not touch the cheese on the bread.
• Toast or cook for a few minutes or till the cheese is nice, gooey and molten.

Recipe Tips

1. Spices and Seasonings: You can add herbs or spices as per your palate preference. Some that you can use are – basil, thyme, oregano, red chili flakes, black pepper, Italian seasoning and even cajun seasoning.
2. Fresh herbs: If using fresh herbs, sprinkle them on the Garlic Cheese Toast after being baked.
3. Add-ins: Make a variety of Garlic Cheese Bread with these optional add-ins and toppings. So you could add olives, grated carrots, jalapeño, sautéed mushrooms or sautéed spinach, steamed corn and sun-dried tomatoes.
4. Toasting in Convection mode: You can bake this garlic cheese bread in a microwave oven only if it has the convection mode.
5. Toasting in a pan: Ensure to use a thick bottomed pan/skillet and cook on low heat when cooking on a stovetop.

FAQs

This Garlic Cheese Bread recipe from the archives first published in July 2015 has been republished and updated on January 2023.