If you love a simple but delicious garlic bread to go with your favorite entree on the grill, this is the post for you! Stay tuned for a great recipe for garlic bread on the grill.
Can I Make Bread on the Grill?
You can. . .and you should! You can bake bread from scratch on the grill, but in this post, I’m going to show you how to take a simple loaf of French or Brioche bread from the grocery store and dress it up, then heat on the grill.
In the end, you’ll have the most delicious cheesy garlic bread ever!
Best of all, bread is easy to heat on the grill.
My Cheesy Bread Story
On the night we made the Southwestern Beans, Cheesy Potatoes with Bacon, and World’s Best Butter Burgers, I happened to have a $1 loaf of bread from WalMart.
I know. Big spender.
But, because I knew the grill would be heated anyway, I decided this would be a good opportunity to see how that loaf of bread would turn out on the grill with cheese and herbs inside.
It’s so easy to make garlic bread in the oven but baking it on the grill is just as simple. The trick is creating an indirect heat source and maintaining the temperature throughout the cooking process.
We highly recommend using a pellet smoker like this Traeger Pro 780, as it will provide indirect heat, however, you can also use a charcoal grill or gas grill. Just remember not to place the bread directly over the heat source. Light your gas grill on one side and place your bread on the other side of the grill grates. If using charcoal, push the hot coals to one side and place your bread on the grates over the other side.
One thing is for sure! Regardless of the cook method, when it comes to cheesy garlic bread, the secret is what you put in it.
What Herbs Should I Add to my Garlic Bread?
There are a host of Italian herbs that are great on garlic bread–garlic, rosemary, thyme, Oregano, and basil, just to name a few. If you’ve got an Italian seasoning blend, this is always a good option.
As always, these recipes I post are flexible. I want you to be able to add whatever you like. We all have our own preferences.
In my case, I happened to have a container of Everything Bagel seasoning, which was full of delicious sesame seeds and garlic flavors. So, I skipped the herbs and added that.
What Kind of Cheese Should I use?
There are a variety of cheeses that work well with this bread, but you have to make sure whatever you choose is finely grated before use.
Here are some popular cheese options:
Mozzarella Cheese:
This popular cheese originated in Italy and is known for its mild, fresh, and slightly salty flavor, as well as its smooth and creamy texture. Notice I added the word “salty.” If you’re using a salty cheese, you might choose to use an unsalted butter. There are two primary varieties of mozzarella cheese: fresh, and low moisture. This is the most popular choice for cheesy garlic bread and it’s the one I chose.
Parmesan:
Parmesan cheese, (which is also known as Parmigiano-Reggiano) is a hard, aged cheese known and loved for its intense flavor and grainy texture.
Parmesan cheese has a rich, savory, and nutty flavor and is graded based on quality and age. It’s a popular cheese to use on top of spaghetti and also makes a delicious creamy sauce for Fettuccini Alfredo, my personal favorite. It’s also used in Caesar Salad, lasagna, and the ever-popular Chicken Parmesan. The texture sets it apart from Mozzarella. This is a great option for cheesy garlic bread.
Pecorino Romano:
Pecorino Romano is a hard, salty cheese that’s made from sheep’s milk. It’s a common choice for grating over pasta dishes like carbonara and would work great in a cheesy bread, as well. Similar to parmesan, this a great option for cheesy bread.
Provolone:
Provolone cheese is an Italian semi-hard cheese known for its smooth texture and mild, slightly tangy flavor. It comes in two varieties: Provolone Dolce (sweet) and Provolone Piccante (sharp). Provolone is often used in sandwiches, on cheese platters, and as a melted topping for dishes.
Really, friends, the possibilities are endless. You could even use a cheddar or Mexican blend cheese if you’re in the mood for it. You’ll just have to adjust your spices to accommodate the flavor of the cheese.
Now let’s talk about butter. . .
Should I use Salted or Unsalted Butter?
It’s up to you, of course. But I tend to add salty because it adds a punch of flavor you just don’t get from unsalted butter.
If you saw my note above about the salty notes in a couple of those cheeses, you might want to opt for a salt-free butter.
You also want to take into consideration the herb blend you’re using. If, for example, your blend has garlic salt (as opposed to minced garlic or garlic powder) you might want to go with unsalted butter.
Some people like the added salt. Others, not so much. Again, a matter of personal preference.
Cheesy Garlic Bread Ingredients
You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick look at what you’ll need. This is an easy one that calls for few ingredients.
- loaf of French bread or Brioche bread (or any loaf of your choosing)
- room temperature (or melted) butter (salted or unsalted, your choice)
- grated mozzarella, parmesan, or other cheese of your choice
- herbs and seasonings to taste
- sesame seeds (optional)
How to Make Cheesy Garlic Bread on the Grill
Preheat grill to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Start by slicing your loaf into one-inch slices of bread. I didn’t cut mine all the way through. I left the bottom portion “barely hanging on.”
If you want to add your herbs directly to the butter, you should melt the butter and stir them in. You can also mix fresh garlic cloves (minced) or garlic powder with the melted butter and make your own garlic butter mixture.
For a full loaf I would probably add a tablespoon or so of Italian herb seasoning or other herb blend. If you’re going with fresh herbs you can just eyeball it.
As I mentioned above, I was using some of my Everything Bagel seasoning, which is rich with flavors and textures. So, I opted to butter my (melted) bread first and add the seasoning later, after putting in the cheese.
For best results, you should butter both sides of each slice with a silicone brush.
Speaking of cheese, add it after the slices are buttered. You’re probably looking at a heaping tablespoon or so with each slice.
You can add leftover butter and a few sesame seeds to the top of the loaf if you like.
Wrap the bread in heavy aluminum foil and place on the grill.
Close the lid and grill at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 – 30 minutes. You need to make sure you give the cheese time to melt and for the bread to to become warm and toasty.
Time to Eat!
Carefully remove foil-wrapped loaf using oven mitts. Place on cutting board and leave wrapped until time to serve. Check out that crisp, golden bread!
Serve and enjoy!
Just pull away the foil and let your guests grab as they go.
Store leftover bread in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap or foil. If you’re storing in anything other than foil make sure it’s cooled down before you wrap it or the bread will get too moist.
The bread should stay good 2 -3 days (but I doubt it will last that long).
What to Expect from this Cheesy Garlic Loaf
First of all. . .wow! This is such an easy and inexpensive way to fill up those stomachs! (Did I mention I only spent a dollar on the loaf of bread? And the butter and herbs didn’t cost much, either.)
Our bread was warm, buttery, and loaded with melted mozzarella. We added just enough of the Everything Bagel seasoning to give it an Italian kick, but not too much.
And it makes such a great side dish for any of our main courses!
I loved the toasted edges of the bread. Compared to the warm, soft center, it was an amazing eating experience. I’m so glad I went with the seasoning. It was exactly what we needed, perfect with our other side dishes that night. All in all, this was the perfect cheesy loaf!
Make it Your Own
This bread recipe is so versatile. You can totally make it your own. Here are some things you could do differently next time:
Italian! In a small bowl, blend olive oil and Italian seasoning to dip your cheesy garlic bread into. Yum!
Mexican! Use Fiesta-style (Mexican blend) grated cheese for a fun twist. For fun, add sliced jalapenos. And if you really want to spice it up, fry up some spicy ground sausage and sprinkle a tablespoon or two between each slice. Cilantro is another option, as is spicy Chipotle.
Sweet Bread: Not in the mood for savory? No problem! Butter the loaf and add cinnamon and sugar for a great dessert option.
Cinnamon Roll Bread Loaf: Use brown sugar and cinnamon and add chopped pecans to turn this into a breakfast treat!
Rustic Artisan Bread: Looking for something completely different? Why not make this Rustic Artisan Bread (from Out of the Box Baking) on the grill using indirect heat? It sounds like the perfect from-scratch loaf.
Check out this Restaurant Style Olive Oil Recipe from Southern Home Express. It would be amazing on this bread recipe!
If you make this recipe and love it, don’t forget to leave a review and a comment below. And while you’re at it, go ahead and pin some photos to your Pinterest boards!
See this recipe at
Zach Morrow was born and raised in Texas and has always had a passion for great barbecue. He’s at home behind the grill and loves to feed his friends and family home-cooked favorites as often as he can. He especially loves trying new things and is excited to produce recipes like this one for Backyard Texas Grill.