This cheesy sourdough garlic bread is everything you love about classic garlic bread — buttery, garlicky, and loaded with melty cheese — but in irresistible pull-apart form. Each piece tears away easily, coated in herb-garlic butter and gooey mozzarella, making it the ultimate shareable appetizer or side.
Made with a soft homemade sourdough dough (or use your sourdough discard!), this recipe is perfect for using up your starter while creating something seriously impressive. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for game day, holiday dinners, or any time you want warm, fresh-baked bread that everyone fights over. Serve it straight from the oven while the cheese is still stretchy!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft pull-apart layers with garlic butter and herbs
- Made with active sourdough starter for extra flavor
- Great side dish for pasta, soup, salads, or holiday meals
- Can be filled with parsley, rosemary, thyme, and your favorite cheese
- Beautiful loaf-style presentation with a golden top
Ingredients
Candy base
- 20 g sourdough starter
- 40 g all-purpose flour
- 40 g water
- 3/4 cup whole milk (180 g)
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (30 g)
- All the sourdough starter, around 100 g active starter
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour (350 g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (55 g)
Garlic Butter Topping
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (85 g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped, or use rosemary or thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, minced, or use 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup grated cheese, such as Parmesan, mozzarella, cheddar, or Edam (50 g)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- Melted butter, for brushing
- Flaky salt, for topping
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Sourdough starter: Use active, bubbly starter for the best rise. Feed it first, then use it when it has risen well and looks airy.
- Flour: All-purpose flour gives a soft bread texture. Bread flour can be used for a slightly chewier loaf with more structure.
- Whole milk: Milk makes the dough softer and richer. Warm it slightly so it blends easily into the dough, but do not use hot milk.
- Sugar: A little sugar helps feed the dough and adds a gentle softness. The bread will not taste sweet.
- Butter: Room-temperature butter blends into the dough more easily. Softened butter is also important for spreading the filling.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley gives the filling a bright garlic bread flavor. Rosemary or thyme can be used for a more savory herb flavor.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic gives the strongest flavor. Garlic powder is easier to spread evenly and works well too.
- Cheese: Parmesan adds salty flavor, mozzarella gives a melty pull, cheddar adds sharpness, and Edam melts smoothly.
How to Make
- Make the starter build. In a small container, mix 20 g sourdough starter with 40 g all-purpose flour and 40 g water. Cover and let it rise until active, bubbly, and roughly doubled.
- Make the dough. In a large bowl, combine the whole milk, sugar, active sourdough starter, flour, egg, and salt. Mix until a rough dough forms.
- Add the butter. Knead in the room-temperature butter until fully incorporated and the dough becomes soft, elastic, and slightly tacky.
- Let the dough rise. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature until puffy and increased in size. This may take several hours depending on the warmth of your kitchen and the strength of your starter.
- Make the filling. In a small bowl, mix the softened butter, chopped parsley, minced garlic, and salt until smooth.
- Shape the bread. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into equal pieces, flatten each piece, spread with the garlic herb butter, sprinkle with grated cheese, then fold.
- Arrange in the loaf pan. Place the folded dough pieces upright in a greased loaf pan, stacking them close together.
- Let it proof. Cover and let the shaped loaf rise until puffy and nearly filling the pan.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Brush with egg wash. Whisk 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water, then brush it over the top of the loaf.
- Bake. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is deeply golden and the bread is cooked through.
- Finish and serve. Brush the warm loaf with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with flaky salt. Let it cool slightly before pulling apart and serving.
Expert Tips
- Use active starter that has recently peaked for the best rise.
- Let the dough rise based on how it looks, not only the clock.
- Keep the butter soft, not melted, for the filling so it spreads without leaking everywhere.
- Do not overfill each piece with cheese, or the layers may slide while baking.
- Grease the loaf pan well so the bread releases cleanly.
- If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil near the end of baking.
- Let the bread cool for at least 10 minutes before pulling apart.
- For the softest texture, serve warm while the cheese and garlic butter are still melty.
Storage & Freezing
- Fridge: Store leftover bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving for the best texture.
- Freezer: Wrap cooled slices or pieces tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Thawing: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature until softened.
- Reheating: Warm in a 300°F oven until heated through. Brush with a little melted butter after reheating if you want to refresh the top.
Variations
- Mozzarella garlic pull apart bread: Use mozzarella for a melty cheese pull.
- Parmesan herb bread: Use Parmesan with parsley and a little extra black pepper.
- Cheddar garlic bread: Use sharp cheddar for a stronger, savory flavor.
- Rosemary butter bread: Swap parsley for finely chopped rosemary.
- Spicy garlic bread: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the filling.
Sourdough Pull Apart Bread
Soft, buttery sourdough pull apart bread filled with garlic herb butter, parsley, and grated cheese. This savory loaf bakes until golden and pulls apart into tender, flavorful pieces.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a small container, mix 20 g sourdough starter, 40 g all-purpose flour, and 40 g water. Cover and let rise until bubbly, active, and roughly doubled.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the whole milk, granulated sugar, active sourdough starter, flour, egg, and salt. Mix until a rough dough forms.
- Knead the dough until it begins to come together, then add the room-temperature butter.
- Continue kneading until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is soft, elastic, and slightly tacky.
- Cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature until puffy and increased in size.
- In a small bowl, mix the softened butter, chopped parsley, minced garlic, and salt until smooth.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into equal pieces.
- Flatten each dough piece, spread with garlic herb butter, and sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Fold each piece and arrange the folded pieces upright in a greased loaf pan.
- Cover the loaf and let it proof until puffy and nearly filling the pan.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Whisk 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water, then brush the egg wash over the top of the loaf.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Brush the warm bread with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky salt.
- Let cool slightly, then pull apart and serve warm.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Use active, bubbly sourdough starter for the best rise.
- The rise time can vary depending on room temperature and starter strength.
- Bread flour gives a slightly chewier texture; all-purpose flour gives a softer loaf.
- Keep the filling butter softened, not melted, so it spreads easily.
- Parmesan, mozzarella, cheddar, or Edam can all be used for the filling.
- Tent with foil if the top browns too quickly before the center is done.
- Store leftovers in the fridge and reheat before serving.
- Serve warm for the best garlic butter flavor and pull-apart texture.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!FAQs
Can I use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour?
Yes. Bread flour works well and gives the loaf a slightly chewier texture. All-purpose flour makes it a little softer.
How do I know my sourdough starter is ready?
It should look bubbly, active, and risen after feeding. It should have a pleasantly tangy smell and enough strength to help the dough rise.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. After mixing and kneading, you can let the dough rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight. Bring it closer to room temperature before shaping.
Why didn’t my bread rise enough?
The starter may not have been active, the room may have been too cool, or the dough may have needed more time. Sourdough rises more slowly than dough made with commercial yeast.
Can I use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic?
Yes. Use 1 teaspoon garlic powder in the filling. It gives a smoother, more even garlic flavor.
How should I serve this bread?
Serve it warm as a side with pasta, soup, roasted chicken, salad, or holiday dinners. It is also great as a pull-apart appetizer.
Key Takeaways
- This sourdough garlic bread is cheesy, buttery, and perfect for sharing.
- It features soft pull-apart layers, made using active sourdough starter for added flavor.
- You can fill it with various herbs and cheeses for a personalized touch.
- Serve it warm, straight from the oven for the best cheesy experience.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge or freezer, and easily reheated.
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Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
