Cheesy Garlic Bread is layered homemade focaccia bread that is filled with mozzarella cheese and topped with garlic butter and more cheese! Try my Buffalo Chicken Focaccia Bread and Jalapeno Honey Bread for more delicious ways to enjoy the Italian bread.
Focaccia Cheesy Garlic Bread
This is my new favorite way to enjoy cheesy garlic bread! It starts with homemade focaccia bread, and then there are two kinds of cheese with a layer of garlic butter on the top layer of bread. It is baked in a cast-iron skillet until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Focaccia Cheesy Garlic Bread Ingredients
Crust: It all starts with my focaccia bread recipe. The Italian bread makes for a delicious crust that is like a deep-dish pizza crust.
Garlic Butter: The homemade garlic butter is made with parmesan cheese for even more cheese in this recipe. It is spread on the top layer of bread.
Cheese: I used mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese. You will add just a cup of the mozzarella cheese in between layers of the bread; then, you will add the rest of it with the cheddar cheese on top. Feel free to use your favorite kinds of cheese or a combination.
Focaccia Bread Dough
To make Focaccia Cheesy Garlic Bread, start by preparing the dough. In a large bowl, combine the yeast, water, and sugar. Stir this together and let it rest for five minutes. While that is resting, in a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, salt, and Italian seasoning.
Pour half of the olive oil mixture into the yeast mixture, setting the other half of the oil mixture aside for later. Stir in the flour and put the dough into a greased bowl. Cover the dough with a tea towel for about an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
How to Make Cheesy Garlic Bread
After the dough has risen, it’s time to get the bread made! First, combine the melted butter, garlic, parmesan cheese, parsley, and salt in a small bowl. Set it aside. Next, prepare a 12-inch cast-iron skillet by brushing the remaining oil mixture into the bottom of the skillet.
Then, place half of the dough into the skillet, pressing it out to the edges. Gently press fingers into the dough to create dimples. Top the first layer of dough with one cup of mozzarella cheese, reserving the remaining 1/2 cup for the topping.
Fold the other half of the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper. Use your hands to form a 12-inch circle with the dough. Invert the parchment paper over the mozzarella cheese layer. Remove the parchment paper, leaving the top layer of the dough in the skillet. Again, use your fingers to gently dimple the dough.
Spread the garlic butter over the top of the dough, followed by the rest of the mozzarella cheese and all of the cheddar cheese. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is hot and bubbly.
Cutting the Bread into Strips
You may notice that my bread had been cut into strips. If you want it to be easy to pull apart for individual servings, take the bread out of the oven after about 16 minutes of baking. Cut the strips and place the bread back into the oven to continue baking another 2 minutes or so.
Remove from the oven and serve with a marinara sauce for dipping, or enjoy as-is (which is delicious)! This bread would pair wonderfully with spaghetti and meat sauce or your favorite pasta dish. And, once you see how delicious the cheese focaccia bread is, be sure to try the Focaccia Pepperoni Pizza!
Can I Make this Bread without a Cast-Iron Skillet?
Yes! If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet to make this Foccacia Cheesy Bread, you can use a baking dish. Use a 9×11-inch baking dish or even a 9×13-inch dish (but the crust will be thinner and the cooking time may have to be adjusted). Follow the instructions as written.
More Bread Recipes
Focaccia Cheesy Garlic Bread
Ingredients
Bread
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
Garlic Butter
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅛ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Toppings
- 1½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
Bread
- In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, and sugar. Stir and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl combine olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic, and sea salt.
- Pour half of the oil mixture into the yeast mixture. Set the remaining oil mixture aside.
- Add flour to the oil and yeast mixture. Stir to combine.
- Add dough to a greased bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let the dough rest for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Assembly
- When ready, preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Pour the remaining oil mixture into a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Use a pastry brush to coat the skillet.
- Add half the dough to the skillet and work the dough to the edges. Use your fingers to create dimples in the dough.
- Top the dough with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Fold the other half of the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper. Use your hands to form the dough into a 12-inch circle. Invert the parchment paper over the cheese and carefully peel back the paper, leaving the top layer of dough in the skillet.
- In a small bowl mix together butter, garlic, parmesan, parsley, and salt. (This is the garlic butter.)
- Use your fingers to gently dimple the top of the dough. Brush the garlic butter over the top of the dough.
- Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and the cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. (If you want the bread cut into pieces, remove it after 16 minutes, cut, and then put the bread back in the oven for the final two minutes.)
- Serve hot with a marinara sauce for dipping.
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
Magnificent, family hit! Followed completely except that I added diced pickled jalapeños (2x Tbsp) and crispy fried bacon (3x diced & fried rashers) during the ‘Assembly – Step 4’ with the cup of mozzarella. Superb flavours with the soft textures of cheese and bread; fell apart in the mouth! Naughty but very noice! It’s a Keeper recipe & technique! Cheers, Amanda
I’ve made this a few times and it has been a hit every time! Everyone loves it and I love how simple and easy it is to make but how much effort it seems to be to those who eat it 😉 love the simple but delicious recipes!
I let it rise for 1.5, kneaded and let rise again for 1.5 hours. I also warmed my skillet slightly before adding the dough. Turned out perfect.
My first time making bread and it was so easy! Loved this recipe and my boyfriend did too:)
Thanks so much for this recipe. it was so easy to make, the only thing is I might cook it a little longer next time for my own preference lol.
I am trying this for the second time, it will not rise? Either time?
This time I bought new instant quick rise yeast and bread flour. It’s been 2 hours in a warm area? I have followed everything per the instructions.
If your water is too hot. It will not rise. When you put your finger in the water, it shouldn’t burn your finger. It should just be warm to it.
Maybe your liquid you put your yeast is to warm and kills your yeast! Has to be luck warm to rise.
Absolutely delicious !
Hi can this bread be frozen once made?
I made it and was fantastic. So made it again but a little different…. I roasted a bulb of garlic then slivered the cloves and made slices in the bread and put the pieces into every slice…It was tremendous!
Love that!
Thank you for sharing this fabulous recipe! It’s my second time making it! Two thumbs up. Cheesy, delicious! oh! So good!
Oh my goodness! This focaccia is absolutely delicious and cheesy! Thank you for the recipe!!
This recipe was very easy to follow and it turned out so delicious! My family couldn’t get enough of it. 100% need to make this again sometime soon!
I have just made the foccasia and I can say, Amanda, this is in a class of its own. Outside crispy, inside cloudlike. I have tried several of your recipes and they are always spot on. Thanks for all your hard work and making it look easy for us.
You are too kind, thank you!
Wow! I was looking for a foccaccia recipe and found this one. I love that it’s made in an iron skillet. It turned out great!
Absolutely delicious!!! Way better than any take out pizza place and so simple to make! Thanks so much Amanda!
So glad you enjoyed it!!!