This is the exact style of hot, steamy, cheesy garlic bread in your photo — a soft loaf sliced almost all the way through, stuffed with garlic butter and melted cheese, then baked until golden and oozy.
Ingredients (serves 6–8)
For the garlic butter:
- 100 g (7 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 4–6 garlic cloves, finely minced or grated
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (plus extra for sprinkling)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Optional: ½ tsp dried oregano or Italian seasoning, pinch of chilli flakes
For the bread:
- 1 large soft white loaf or baguette (about 400–450 g) – the soft sandwich-style loaf from the previous recipe works perfectly, or a store-bought soft French/Italian loaf
- 150–200 g mozzarella (or a mix of mozzarella + cheddar), grated or thinly sliced
- Optional: 30 g Parmesan, grated, for extra flavour
Method
- Make the garlic butter
Mix the softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning. - Prepare the loaf
Place the loaf on a cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, make deep diagonal cuts about 2–2.5 cm (1 inch) apart, going almost all the way through but not cutting the bottom crust. Turn the loaf and make a second set of cuts in the opposite direction to create a cross-hatch pattern (like the photo). Gently open the cuts a little with your fingers. - Stuff the bread
Generously spread the garlic butter into every cut, making sure it gets right down into the slits. Push grated (or sliced) mozzarella into the cuts so it’s well distributed. Sprinkle a little extra parsley and Parmesan on top if using. - Bake
Preheat oven to 180 °C / 350 °F (fan 160 °C / 320 °F).
Wrap the stuffed loaf loosely in foil (this keeps it soft and steamy) and place on a baking tray.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Unwrap the foil, increase temperature to 200 °C / 400 °F if you want a more golden top, and bake another 8–12 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly and the top is golden brown. - Serve
Remove from the oven, sprinkle with a little more fresh parsley, and serve immediately while it’s steaming and the cheese is stretchy.
Quick tips for the best result
- Soften the butter well so it spreads easily into the cuts.
- Don’t cut all the way through — the base holds everything together.
- For extra pull-apart effect, use a soft sandwich loaf rather than a very crusty baguette.
- You can prepare it ahead: stuff the bread, wrap tightly in foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake straight from the fridge (add a few extra minutes).
- Leftovers reheat well wrapped in foil at 160 °C / 320 °F for 10 minutes.
Enjoy your hot, cheesy, garlicky masterpiece!
