There is no flavor more fresh and more classic than caprese! With this Caprese Garlic Bread, you’ll have the amazing flavors of fresh mozzarella, basil, balsamic, and beautiful red Roma tomatoes all together on delicious French bread. This garlic bread can be paired with a pasta dish as a side or used as a tasty appetizer.
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There are few things more Italian than Caprese Garlic Bread. It’s no coincidence that the green, red, and white colors of the basil, Roma tomato, and mozzarella look just like the Italian flag! Combine this with all the garlic and balsamic flavors, and you’ll have a very flavorful dish.
Caprese Garlic Bread can be made in 15 minutes, which makes it just as easy to prepare as it is tasty. With it being so easy to make, it can fit into your meal planning anywhere. Make this as a quick appetizer or side with Meatball Pasta Casserole or Homemade Creamy Tomato with Basil Soup for a full, true Italian dinner night.
Recipe Highlights
- Type of recipe: a quick appetizer, side dish or light lunch
- Cooking method: baked in the oven
- Skill level: easy to prepare
- Flavors & textures: crispy bread with melted cheese, fresh basil and tangy balsamic
The Recipe Basics
- This is the perfect side dish for any Italian dinner and will complete any pasta recipe.
- You can also pair this with a fresh salad like Caesar Salad with Bacon for a delicious lunch or light dinner.
- Serve this versatile recipe as an appetizer for an upscale dinner party or a casual night with friends.
- This recipe doesn’t store well once it’s assembled, so be sure to eat it all in one sitting!
Garlic Bread Ingredients
- Don’t skimp on the spices: garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper give the garlic bread its flavor.
- Use fresh mozzarella. It will make all the difference and will be so much creamier than shredded store-bought.
- Roma Tomatoes: While we prefer sliced Roma tomatoes for this recipe, you can also use heirloom tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes or halved cherry or grape tomatoes, depending on what you have on hand or growing in your garden!
- French bread is a long, dense, sturdy bread that will not fall apart despite the amount of ingredients piled on it.
- Basil: You can grab some fresh basil at the grocery store or farmers market,or if you have a green thumb, you can pick it right from your garden.
- Butter: You can either use unsalted butter for this recipe or salted butter and skip the added salt with the seasonings, or your bread might be just too salty.
Make sure that when you’re grabbing mozzarella for this recipe, you are grabbing fresh mozzarella and not shredded. Some mozzarella comes pre-cut into slices, but if you can only find it as a ball, your sharpest knife will get the job done.
How to Make Caprese Garlic Bread
Before you start, here are a few Tips:
- Be sure to spread the butter mixture all the way to the edges to maximize flavor.
- Don’t slice the mozzarella cheese too thick, or it won’t melt fully.
- Use a very sharp knife to slice the bread before serving to keep the slices clean and even.
Step 1. Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees. If desired, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut your bread loaf in half lengthwise and place it on the baking sheet face up.
Step 2. Combine the butter and seasonings in a small mixing bowl.
Step 3. Spread this mixture evenly over the bread.
Step 4. Top with the sliced mozzarella cheese, fully covering the bread. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has begun to melt.
Step 5. While the bread is cooling, slice the tomato and chop the basil. Add the tomato slices on top of the melted cheese, then drizzle with the balsamic glaze. Sprinkle the basil over the top, slice into 2-inch pieces, and serve!
What to Pair with This Garlic Bread
Caprese Garlic Bread FAQ’s
No problem at all! You can make your own balsamic glaze by heating 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat for 15 minutes or until it has a thick consistency.
If you don’t have any French bread, this recipe will work with an Italian loaf or French baguette as well.
You may have sliced the mozzarella too thick. You can leave it in the oven a bit longer, but be careful not to burn the bottom of the bread.
Absolutely! You can buy or make a loaf of gluten-free French or Italian bread and follow the recipe as directed!
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Caprese Garlic Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion salt
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 16 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese sliced
- 2 large Roma tomatoes
- 5 ounces balsamic glaze
- ¼ cup fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 ℉. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the bread in half (lengthwise) using a serrated knife and place it on a baking sheet, facing up.
- Add the softened butter, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- If the mozzarella is not already sliced, set this on a cutting board and thinly slice it with a serrated knife.
- Add the slices of mozzarella evenly on top of the bread, spacing them closely until they fully cover the bread.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has begun to melt.
- While the bread is in the oven, cut the tomatoes into thin slices. Chop the basil.
- Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Add tomato slices, then drizzle the balsamic glaze over the bread. Sprinkle the basil on top. Cut into 1½-2 inch pieces when ready to serve.
Notes
- 1 loaf French bread
- 1 stick butter, softened
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 16 oz Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced (not shredded cheese)
- 2 large Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 5.07 oz bottle balsamic glaze
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Cut the bread in half (lengthwise) and place it on a baking sheet, facing up.
- Add the butter, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Spread the butter mixture evenly over the bread using a butter knife or spreader.
- Add the slices of mozzarella evenly, spacing them closely until they fully cover the bread. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has begun to melt.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Add tomato slices, then drizzle the balsamic glaze over the bread.
- Sprinkle the basil on top and cut into 1½-2 inch pieces when ready to serve.
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Nutrition
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Hello there, I’m Jere’
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.
