Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread by Baking The Goods

Similar to a classic garlic cheese bread recipe, this Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread has a bit of a French twist. Dijon mustard is blended with earthy and creamy garlic butter, adding a sharp zip of tang to the mix. It's spread across the sliced French bread base, then layered in chives and a blend of Gruyere and Fontina cheeses. Smooth, buttery California Ripe Olives crown the top with a mild briny flavor and meaty bite. This savory snacking loaf is game for game day, perfect for parties or stands up as a satisfying side to a hearty meal.

California Ripe Olives are a versatile addition to all kinds of recipes

Personally, I'm a bigtime California Ripe Olive fan. Give me all of the soft and nutty green olives on a cheese board. Plump and glossy black olives to adorn my fingertips or classic sliced olives to top nachos. Olives can instantly jazz up a recipe. Be it this Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread, bite-sized Olive Goat Cheese Tartlets or simply scattered atop a focaccia or pizza.

Sliced Black California Ripe Olives — Look for that California Grown seal of approval when selecting olives so you know you're getting the best olives around!

Did you know, olives are a fruit not a vegetable?

Much like tomatoes and avocados, olives are often mistaken as a vegetable. But olives are in fact, a fruit. They fall under the category of fruits called drupes, also known as stone fruits. Olives grow similarly to peaches, plums and cherries. Starting as a flower and growing into a fleshy fruit surrounding a pit in the center. Now, realizing that all of my favorite vegetables are actually fruits, I'm feeling a slight identity crisis. However, olives know exactly who they are!

More olive recipes from Baking The Goods

California Ripe Olives have a smooth & buttery flavor

Sure, this Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread is technically topped with fruit but this savory, gooey cheese bread is the ultimate easy appetizer! The ripe olives offer a buttery, neutral flavor that superbly compliments the crunchy bread, the flavorful garlic butter mixture and the smooth, melty cheese.

Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread ingredients — It just takes a few minimal ingredients to make this Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread.

You only need a few simple ingredients to make Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread

California Ripe Olives beef up a standard garlic cheese bread recipe with a luscious bite and mild, buttery flavor. Use either green olives or black olives, sliced olives or whole. Just be sure you're getting the best olives available by looking for California origin on the label!
French Bread or Italian Bread is a classic base for garlic bread. It's a large loaf with a crusty exterior and tender interior, just right for topping. Sourdough is a great stand-in, providing more flavor and a crustier exterior. Alternatively, use a baguette for a smaller and sophisticated take by simply halving the toppings in the recipe.
Butter brings richness and serves as a smooth and flavorful spread that seeps into the tender interior of the French Bread as it bakes. Use unsalted butter for this garlic bread recipe, the olives and cheese have plenty of salt already.
Fresh Garlic is minced and blended in with the butter. Creating the ultimate garlic bread spread that's full of earthy, sharp flavor.
Dijon Mustard cuts through all of the richness of the cheese, butter and olives by blending a tangy surprise right in with the garlic butter. It balances the flavor and allows the olives to shine.
Fresh Herbs add freshness and vibrancy to this savory Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread. Freshly snipped chives and parsley are blended in with the garlic butter before baking and sprinkled over the baked bread for a fresh finish. Other herbs work great too, think green onions, rosemary or even dill.
Cheese blankets the olive garlic bread in ooey gooey goodness. A mix of mild and stretchy Fontina blends with more flavorful cheeses such as Gruyere or Swiss, giving the Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread its signature cheesy personality. Pretty much any cheese mixture will work here but be sure your base is a mild and stretchy cheese and blend in another flavorful cheese.
Pepper is added to taste. Between the briny olives and all of that cheese, you likely don't need additional salt. But, a few cracks of fresh ground pepper in the garlic butter, and cracked over the top, adds a nice warming element to the bubbly cheese bread.

That's it, just a few simple ingredients and about 30 minutes stands between you and the mouth watering moment of experiencing this savory and comforting Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread. Sometimes simplicity is this most satisfying answer, especially when garlic bread is involved.

Hot Tip for the ultimate cheese pull, slice the French Bread Hasselback style first!

Slicing the bread Hasselback style is a simple technique that takes this Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread up a few notches. Instead of cutting the bread all the way through the bottom, slice almost all the way through leaving the bread barely attached at the bottom. This creates a fan or accordion appearance, allowing the garlic butter to seep down into the bread and infuse it with the rich, earthy flavor.

By pre-slicing the bread, you won't need to slice while it's all hot and gooey after it's baked. It comes out of the oven hot and ready. Simply rip a warm slice away from the loaf and enjoy the drama of a hot, stretchy cheese pull moment!

slicing French Bread loaf — First, slice the French bread loaf in half lengthwise.

Hasselback sliced French Bread — First, slice the French bread loaf in half lengthwise.

Topping the Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread

Assembling this cheesy bread recipe is quick and easy. It only takes a few moments to mix up the mustard garlic butter mixture and spread it over the Hasselback style sliced bread. Then, it's topped with the fresh chopped herbs. And finally, the bread is layered with all of that shredded cheese and the plump, sliced olive rounds. Just like that, it's ready to hit the hot oven and bake into a beautiful savory snack.

Topping bread with garlic bread butter mixture — First, mix together the butter, mustard, garlic and black pepper to make the mustard garlic butter mixture.

This Garlic Cheese Bread with Olives is a versatile base

By beginning with bread, cheese and olives you can take this garlic bread recipe in all kinds of directions. This version leans a little towards French flavors with the Gruyere cheese and a dash of Dijon mustard. But a few adaptations can transport you all across the globe.

Italian-ish use mozzarella and parmesan or pecorino cheese, blend some Calabrian Chili paste or oil in with the garlic butter in place of the Dijon and finish with fresh parsley and basil.
Mexican flavors can give this Olive Garlic Bread a kick of spice by replacing the mustard with some hot sauce or chipotle chili paste. Then top with a blend of pepperjack cheese and mozzarella. Use black olives and cilantro to really drive home the flavors.
Mediterranean flare can be achieved by blending harissa, zhoug or tahini in with the garlic butter instead of mustard. Use green or black olives, mozzarella and a Manchego or even halloumi. Top with parsley to finish.

Baked Garlic Bread with cheese and olives, yum!

Cheesy garlic bread with olives — Baked Garlic Bread with cheese and olives, yum!

Serve this Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread as an appetizer, a side dish to dinner or a satisfying snack!

We all need more of those easy anytime recipes that just work and deliver on cravings. Something that can span from the perfect appetizer for a party or game day to a main course addition that brings big flavor and sustenance, rounding out a full meal.

However you decide to make and serve this Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread, it will effortlessly deliver on flavor and texture. This is the best garlic bread recipe to keep in your rolodex since it's got way more character than the classic but doesn't take much more effort to make.

Stretchy cheese bread — Cheese pulls are the most fun, don't you think?

cheese pull — Cheese pulls are the most fun, don't you think?

Olive garlic bread cheese pull — This Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread comes out of the oven hot and ready rock!

This post was proudly made in partnership with California Grown and California Ripe Olives. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting me and the brands that I love. Follow @cagrownofficial and @calripeolives on Instagram to learn more about the foods grown in California, farm practices and discover new recipes!

Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread