Recipe Background
Deck-the-Halls Parmesan Bread brings holiday cheer with its fragrant, cheesy goodness.
The aroma of buttery garlic and parmesan wafted through my apartment on what was my first real holiday season away from home. I decided to host a small gathering for friends who, like me, couldn’t make it back to their families. My mom’s tradition of making garlic bread on special occasions inspired me, but I wanted to give it my own twist. Sourdough was my go-to, with its robust crust and chewy interior; it felt just right for a cozy evening in. As I melted the butter and softened the garlic, nostalgia enveloped me like an old, warm sweater.
Slicing the baguette strategically to hold all that flavored butter reminded me of carving pumpkins as a kid. I mixed the herbs with a satisfying sprinkle of fiery red pepper flakes for a little kick. The act of slathering the cheesy concoction into the bread slits became therapeutic, each swipe a memory of home. Pro tip from my mom: wrap the bread snugly in foil to let the flavors steam and meld together. I served it pass-around style with a small dish of marinara for dipping, just as she did. Suddenly, my little city apartment felt more like Christmas, the laughter and chatter giving life to every savory slice.
My friends loved the bread so much that they barely left room for dessert. One even joked that they'd pay me in parmesan cheese to make it weekly. It was the first time I felt truly connected to my new home, through food that was both familiar and freshly mine.
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons salted butter room temperature, divided
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and whole
- 1 (12-14-ounce) baguette sourdough or French bread
- 1 tablespoon dried basil can substitute 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- red pepper flakes to taste
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated, plus more, to taste, for serving
- 1/4 cup Asiago cheese grated
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- marinara sauce optional, to taste, homemade or store-bought, for serving
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a small skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter.
- Add the garlic cloves to the melted butter and cook, while stirring occasionally, until they soften and turn golden, about 5-10 minutes.
- Transfer the garlic cloves to a cutting board.
- Finely mash the cooked garlic cloves with a fork or the side of a knife.
- Using a sharp knife, slice into the baguette from the top, making sure not to cut all the way through, and separate each cut by about 1 1/2 inches.
- Place the baguette on a large piece of foil.
- In a small bowl, add the remaining butter, the basil, the oregano, the parsley, the red pepper flakes, 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, the Asiago cheese, and the mashed garlic and stir to combine.
- Season the butter mixture with the salt and the black pepper.
- Generously spread the butter mixture evenly inside each of the slits in the bread.
- Wrap the bread in the foil.
- Bake the bread for 15 minutes.
- Carefully unwrap the bread and continue to bake until the bread is golden, about 5 minutes.
- Cut the slices apart and serve immediately with the extra parmesan and the marinara sauce.
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