How to make cheesy pull-apart bread

Cooktop Cove: How to make cheesy pull-apart bread

By Lindsay Mattison

Cheesy pull-apart bread is one of my favorite party appetizers. It's a little bit like monkey bread except it's stuffed with ooey, gooey mozzarella cheese. It's buttery, garlicky and ultimately satisfying. Plate it with a side of marinara dipping sauce and you've essentially served up an easier-to-make pizza. All of your guests will be asking for a copy of the recipe.

Unlike monkey bread, I use a loaf of stale bread for this cheesy pull-apart bread. You can make it using refrigerated biscuits instead, but I think the presentation looks so much better when you serve up a whole cheese-stuffed loaf. You can use any bread you have; just make sure to cut it into criss-crossed sections so people can easily pull out a bite.

Cheesy pull-apart bread

6-8

20 minutes

30 minutes

50 minutes

1 round or oval loaf of bread, about 16 ounces

1/4 cup melted butter

Pinch red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Warm marinara sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Slice the bread horizontally into 1-inch slices but not all the way through; keep the slices attached at the bottom.

Turn the loaf and cut the bread vertically into 1-inch slices, again not cutting all the way through.

In a small bowl, combine the melted butter with the red pepper flakes and garlic powder.

Place the sliced loaf on a large piece of aluminum foil and pour the butter mixture over the loaf. Use a brush to make sure it gets into every crevice.

Using your fingers, gently stuff the mozzarella cheese between the slices. You may need to gently pull the slices apart to do this.

Wrap the bread tightly in aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. This can be done ahead of time.

Just before serving, uncover the bread and cook it for 10 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown and the bread crisps up.

Serve warm with a side of warmed marinara sauce.