Air Fryer Pull Apart Cheese Garlic Bread is a fast, simple recipe that works in an air fryer, Nuwave, Power Air Fryer, or a conventional oven. Use store-bought garlic French bread, sourdough, or even Texas toast for an easy side to pair with pizza or your favorite Italian meal.
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FOR THE FULL LIST OF INGREDIENTS AND STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS, SEE THE RECIPE CARD BELOW. IMPORTANT TIPS ARE PROVIDED IN THE POST BEFORE THE CARD.
I had been meaning to make a pull-apart bread for a while and finally tested it in the air fryer. The result is gooey, flavorful garlic bread with crisp edges in minutes.
How Long Do You Cook Garlic Bread in an Air Fryer
This pull-apart garlic bread needs only about 5 minutes in the air fryer at the recommended temperature—long enough for the cheese to melt and the surface to become golden.
I found an affordable sourdough loaf at Trader Joe’s, but any bakery sourdough or a sturdy loaf will work. Choose a loaf that fits your air fryer basket or trim it to size.
How to Cook Garlic Bread in an Air Fryer
- Pick a sturdy loaf such as sourdough; it holds up well for pull-apart preparation and fits nicely in most air fryer baskets.
- Test the loaf in your air fryer before preparing. If it’s too large, trim an edge so it fits comfortably without touching the heating element.
- Using a serrated bread knife, lay the bread flat and make diagonal cuts about two-thirds of the way through, stopping about 1″ from the ends. Rotate and slice the opposite direction to form a diamond pattern; avoid cutting all the way through.
- Melt butter and mix with olive oil, minced garlic, chopped parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Brush or spoon this mixture into the cracks and crevices.
- Stuff shredded or cubed mozzarella into each cut. Cubes are easier to insert, while shredded cheese melts more uniformly.
- Place the prepared loaf in the air fryer and cook as directed below.
Garlic Bread Air Fryer Temperature
Cook the bread at 350°F (175°C). This temperature allows the cheese to melt and the exterior to crisp without burning quickly.
How to Cook Frozen Garlic Bread in an Air Fryer
Place frozen garlic bread or frozen Texas toast directly into the air fryer basket and follow the timing guidance below. No thawing required—just ensure the pieces aren’t overlapping.
How Long Do You Cook Frozen Garlic Bread in an Air Fryer?
Frozen Texas toast garlic bread typically takes about 5–6 minutes in the air fryer, depending on thickness and how crispy you like it.
Can You Freeze Air Fryer Garlic Bread?
Yes. Prepared garlic pull-apart bread can be frozen for 3–6 months, though it may gradually lose peak flavor after a month. Reheat from frozen in the air fryer for best texture.
Serve this garlic cheese pull-apart with grilled or fried mains, roasted vegetables, or as an appetizer. It’s especially nice alongside Italian dishes and oven-baked pizzas.
Air Fryer Garlic Bread Tips
- Always measure and test the loaf in your basket before prepping to confirm it fits. Trim if needed.
- Any sturdy loaf will work; just make sure it fits and isn’t too soft or crumbly.
- Don’t cut all the way through the loaf. If a slice goes too deep, secure it with a toothpick while cooking.
- For more pull-apart sections, make more cuts closer together; for larger wedges, make fewer cuts.
- Adjust the amount of cheese to suit your preference—add more for extra gooeyness.
Air Fryer Pull Apart Cheese Garlic Bread
15 mins
5 mins
20 mins
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 loaf sourdough bread
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (cubed cheese can be used instead)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small bowl (about 15–30 seconds in the microwave).
- Stir in olive oil, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Lay the bread flat and cut diagonally about two-thirds through the loaf, leaving the edges intact, then cut the opposite direction to form diamonds. Do not cut all the way through.
- Brush the garlic butter mixture into the cuts and crevices using a pastry brush or spoon.
- Stuff cheese into each opening. Use a butter knife to help push shredded cheese into tighter spaces if needed.
- Place the bread in the air fryer basket and cook at 350°F for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the bread is warmed through and lightly crisped.
- Let cool slightly before serving so the cheese sets a bit.
Notes
- Confirm the loaf fits your air fryer and trim if necessary.
- If a cut goes too deep, secure the loaf with a toothpick while cooking.
- Adjust the number of cuts to control how many pull-apart pieces you create.
- Increase or decrease cheese to suit your preference.
Nutrition
Macros are estimates provided for convenience and should be recalculated with the exact ingredients you use for complete accuracy.