Cheesy Bloomin’ Crusty Italian Bread – Pull Apart Goodness

Cheesy Bloomin’ Crusty Italian Bread is a wonderful party appetizer that comes together quickly and disappears even more quickly.

Inspiration Sometimes Comes in the Strangest Places

Recipe development typically comes in the form of a lot of reading and research into different recipes and then coming up with your own spin. It’s not always particularly glamorous, but necessary in this line of work.

However, sometimes inspiration comes in the strangest places at the strangest times. For example, I got the idea for this cheesy bloomin’ bread while I was on the treadmill at the gym. I know, there is something ironic about being inspired by melted cheese and bread while you’re trying to work off the effects of melted cheese and bread!

I happened to be watching a cooking show and reading the closed caption. The show hosts were making some type of cheesy garlic pull apart bread and it looked so amazing. I quickly made a note to myself on my phone so I could start some pull apart bread experimenting later.

Cheesy Bloomin’ Crusty Italian Bread

This recipe is a kind of mash-up of garlic cheese bread and the Outback Steakhouse Bloomin’ Onion (minus the onion!). The bloomin’ onion is a fun way to serve fried onions and I think this great recipe is a fun way to serve cheesy garlic bread. Having fun eating and enjoying the cheesy goodness of the bread is a great combination in my mind.

This appetizer is so easy to make, it will absolutely “wow” anyone you serve it to and believe me, it won’t last long. You start by slicing a loaf of Italian or sourdough bread in a criss-cross fashion. Then, you get garlic butter, pesto and cheese in-between the cuts you made and bake. Your work is done!

Believe me, your family or guests will devour this in a matter of minutes! I have never seen a loaf of bread disappear quite as quickly as this one did. It’s probably not something you want to eat all of the time (except you will want to!), but when you’re looking to treat yourself, this is a winner.

What is the Best Bread to Use in This Recipe?

For best results with a pull apart bread recipe, it’s best to use a sturdy bread that won’t fall apart from all the cuts you make. It’s why I chose to make this an Italian bread recipe because the classic Italian loaf holds up so well. A loaf of Italian bread is crusty on the outside and the inside holds up well with the butter, pesto and cheese.

Sourdough bread is also a good choice for the reasons stated above. You can use a regular loaf or try the sourdough boule.

The boule is basically a round loaf of bread and works well with the criss-cross cutting pattern you use in this recipe. Plus, it looks cool!

I originally tried this with French bread, but I didn’t like the way it held up. French bread just isn’t dense enough, doesn’t have a crispy crust and didn’t allow me to really get in there with all the ingredients. And that’s why we experiment!

If you have a favorite homemade bread recipe of your own, you can use that, too. Just make sure it’s a good, crusty Italian or sourdough loaf. I know there is very little that can really beat fresh bread made at home.

You can try this recipe if you are looking to make your own homemade Italian bread. Or, if you’re a fan of sourdough, this recipe is super easy.

How Creative Can I Get With This Cheesy Bloomin’ Crusty Italian Bread?

One of my favorite things about this cheesy garlic bread recipe is its versatility. You can add, delete and change the ingredients to make the pull apart bread for you.

Not a fan of pesto? How about a delicious olive tapenade?

Mozzarella cheese not interesting enough for you? Add in some parmesan cheese or substitute the mozzarella with one of the jack cheeses (Monterey, Colby, Pepper). Asiago cheese bread would also be delicious.

You like toppings on your freshly baked bread? Top with bacon bits, fresh tomatoes, oregano, poppy seeds, green onions – you have so many options!

Go ahead and get creative. I really don’t think you can go wrong!

It’s Time to Try This Cheesy Bloomin’ Crusty Italian Bread

This really is a great appetizer for pretty much any occasion. It takes no time to make and is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Serve by itself or with a side of marinara sauce. Or, make it a side dish as part of an Italian meal. Pull together a chicken cacciatore, side salad and this cheesy pull apart bread and you have yourself a winner dinner.

Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

• I recommend using a crusty Italian loaf or crusty sourdough boule.
• When you’re slicing the bread into the criss-cross pattern be careful not to slice through the bottom of the bread.
• When adding the melted butter, pesto and cheese, make sure you’re getting it all the way to the bottom of the slices.
• Serve the finished bread on a platter and let everyone dig in and start pulling off big, gooey, cheesy pieces.

Ingredients Needed to Make Cheesy Bloomin’ Italian Crusty Bread

Full instructions are found below in the recipe card

• Butter – I usually use unsalted butter, but salted butter works fine for this recipe as well.
• Garlic cloves – You use the garlic to infuse the butter.
• Crusty Italian loaf or a sourdough boule – You want a sturdy bread that will hold up the to the criss-crossed cuts.
• Prepared pesto – Any prepared pesto will work for this recipe.
• Shredded mozzarella cheese – I prefer buying pre-shredded cheese for convenience, but you can shred your own if you’d like.

How to Make Cheesy Bloomin’ Italian Crusty Bread

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Melt butter in a small sauce pan.
• Add garlic and simmer for 5-10 minutes to infuse the butter with the garlic flavor.
• Slice bread diagonally in one direction, being careful not to slice all the way through.
• Slice bread diagonally the other direction, criss-crossing the the other slices, also being careful not to slice all the way through.
• Drizzle butter evenly into the slices. You may not need to use all of the butter.
• Spread pesto evenly down into the slices. Again, you probably won’t use it all.
• Top with cheese, pressing down into the slices. You’ll probably use about 1 cup of the cheese.
• Wrap bread loosely with aluminum foil that’s been coated with cooking spray, so it’s not touching the cheese.
• Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, uncover bread and bake for another 10 minutes, until the top is golden brown and cheese is completely melted.
• Serve immediately and watch it disappear!

More Delicious Party Appetizers

• Fried Ravioli with Marinara
• Chicken an Waffle Bites
• Mini Pretzel Dogs with Apricot Mustard Dip
• Scallops with Pineapple Salsa
• Easy Marinated Olives
• Spinach and Artichoke Dip
• Avocado Deviled Eggs
• 10 Great Appetizers for the Holidays