Julie Recipes
Ingredients
1 loaf of Italian bread or French bread
1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3 to 4 cloves garlic minced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried parsley)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder optional, for extra garlic flavor
Salt to taste
Red pepper flakes optional, for a bit of heat
Instructions
Preheat the Oven:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Prepare the Garlic Butter Mixture:
Mix the Butter and Garlic: In a small bowl, combine the softened butter with the minced garlic. Add garlic powder if using, and mix well to create a smooth garlic butter.
Add Herbs: Stir in the chopped parsley (and red pepper flakes if you like a bit of spice) into the garlic butter mixture.
Prepare the Bread:
Cut the Bread: Slice the bread in half lengthwise. You can also slice it into individual portions before baking if you prefer.
Spread Garlic Butter: Spread the garlic butter mixture generously over the cut sides of the bread.
Add Cheese:
Sprinkle Cheeses: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the buttered bread. Add a bit more cheese if you like it extra cheesy.
Season: Lightly season with salt (if your butter isn’t salted).
Bake:
Bake: Place the bread halves on a baking sheet, cut side up. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the edges of the bread are starting to turn golden brown.
Broil for Crispiness: For a golden-brown top, you can broil the bread for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, but watch it closely to prevent burning.
Serve:
Cool and Cut: Allow the bread to cool for a minute or two, then cut into slices if you haven’t pre-sliced it.
Serve Warm: Serve the cheesy garlic bread warm, as is or with a side of marinara sauce for dipping.
