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Garlic Bread sliced
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Cheesy Garlic Bread With Chili Flakes Recipe

This cheesy garlic bread with chili flakes features roasted garlic, light mozzarella, and parmesan on warm ciabatta. An easy homemade side dish to pair with pasta or soup!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American, Italian, Mediterranean
Keyword: cheesy, comfort food, quick, Spicy
Servings: 6 serves
Author: Karina Carrel

Ingredients

  • 3 head garlic 3 heads of garlic
  • Olive oil
  • 7 tbsp Unsalted low fat butter soft (unsalted butter / reduced-fat butter spread)
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp chili flakes red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 ciabatta bread just half (1/2 loaf ciabatta)
  • 1 1/2 cups light mozzarella shredded (part-skim mozzarella)
  • Extra parmesan for topping
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Wrap the garlic head in foil with a little drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.
    raw garlic foilded
    • Cook in the oven for 50 min at 180°C (350°F) or in the air fryer for 20-30min. Garlic should be soft and golden.
  • In a mixing bowl, extract the garlic cloves from the head (like pushing the head with your finger on the head). Garlic cloves should come out easily. Smash the garlic with a fork until smooth.
    smashed garlic in a plate
  • Add softened low fat butter, parsley, parmesan, lemon juice, salt, pepper and 3/4 tsp of chili flakes (save 1/4 tsp chili flakes for top on cheese).
    Ingredients in a bowl for garlic butter read
  • Using a fork or spoon mix all ingredients together until combined.
    garlic spread ready to use
  • Slice bread in half. Spread garlic butter generously.
    sliced bread
  • Top with mozzarella and parmesan, and drizzle with 1/4 tsp chili flakes left and some fresh parsley.
    bread with paermesan
  • Bake at 400°F (205°C) for about 12–15 mins in the oven or air fryer until bubbly and golden.
    baked bread
    • Rest for 2 minutes before slicing, then serve.

Notes

Storage And Freezing

If I have leftovers, I wrap the bread tightly in aluminum foil and keep it in the fridge for up to three days.
  • Make Ahead: You can roast the garlic up to a week in advance and store the cloves in the fridge. I also like to mix the entire garlic butter spread and keep it in an airtight container for up to four days before adding it to the ciabatta.
  • How To Freeze: To keep a stash on hand, spread the butter and cheese over the sliced bread and place the halves on a baking sheet. Put the sheet in the freezer until the cheese is solid. Wrap the frozen bread in foil and store it for up to three months.
  • Reheating: You do not even need to thaw the frozen bread before cooking. Just pop it straight into the oven or air fryer at 350°F (180°C) until the cheese melts and the bottom gets warm and toasty.
When you open the foil after roasting your garlic, you will notice a small pool of oil sitting at the bottom. Do not throw it away. That leftover oil is packed with flavor from the roasting process. I always pour it directly into my mixing bowl along with the smashed cloves and softened butter. It adds an extra punch of savory flavor and helps the spread mix together even easier.

Nutrition

Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 492mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 986IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 337mg | Iron: 0.3mg