Cheesy Garlic Herb Pull-Apart Stuffed Baguette Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment for easy cleanup. Soften the butter if it is not already at room temperature.

Mince the garlic and chop the parsley. Shred the mozzarella and provolone if using blocks. Have all ingredients measured and within reach before starting to assemble the bread.

Instructions

Prepare and Stuff

1. 1Slice and Butter the Baguette
   Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Using a serrated knife, cut diagonal slices into the baguette about 1 inch apart, cutting deep but not through the bottom crust. Turn the loaf and cut in the opposite direction to create a diamond cross-hatch pattern. In a small bowl, mix the softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, grated parmesan, and Italian seasoning until well combined. Brush the garlic herb butter generously inside every crevice and cut of the bread, making sure to coat the exposed surfaces.
   Look for The cuts should hold open slightly, and the butter mixture should be evenly distributed.
   Tip For easier cutting, use a gentle sawing motion and keep the baguette steady on a cutting board.
2. 2Stuff with Cheese
   Stuff the shredded mozzarella and provolone or fontina cheese deep into each slit, pressing the cheese down into the cuts. Use your fingers or a small spoon to pack the cheese firmly, filling the loaf until it is bulging with cheese. Make sure to distribute the cheese evenly so every piece gets a generous amount.
   Look for The loaf should look plump and the cheese should be visible in every cut.
   Tip If the cheese falls out, tuck it back in with your fingers before baking.

The baguette is scored with a diamond pattern, and every cut is coated with garlic herb butter. The cheese is packed into each slit, making the loaf look plump and generously filled. The butter mixture should be well combined and easy to brush.

Bake and Broil

3. 3Bake Covered
   Wrap the stuffed baguette loosely in aluminum foil, leaving a little room for steam to escape. Place it on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the bread is heated through.
   Look for The foil will be puffed slightly and the cheese will be visibly melted when you peek inside.
   Tip Do not wrap too tightly, as steam needs to escape to keep the crust crisp.
4. 4Broil Until Browned
   Remove the foil and switch the oven to broil. Broil the baguette for 3 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is bubbling and browned in spots and the bread edges are toasted and crisp.
   Look for The cheese should be golden brown in spots and the bread should look crunchy on the edges.
   Tip Broilers vary; check every minute to avoid burning the cheese.

After baking covered, the cheese is melted and the bread is heated through.

After broiling, the top is golden brown with crispy edges, and the cheese is bubbling and slightly charred in spots. The aroma of garlic and toasted bread fills the kitchen.

Finish and Serve

5. 5Sprinkle and Serve
   Remove the baguette from the oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let it cool for a few minutes, then pull apart the pieces and serve warm, while the cheese is still stretchy and molten.
   Look for The cheese should stretch when you pull a piece apart.
   Tip Serve on a cutting board so guests can pull pieces directly from the loaf.

The baguette is sprinkled with flaky sea salt and allowed to cool slightly. When pulled apart, the cheese stretches in long, gooey strands. The bread is crisp on the outside and soft inside, with a rich, savory flavor.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is cutting through the bottom crust, which causes the filling to leak out during baking. Another is under-buttering the crevices, leaving some bites dry.

Overfilling with cheese can make the loaf difficult to pull apart, while underfilling leads to a less impressive stretch. Broiling too long can burn the cheese, so watch closely.

How to tell it’s done

The baguette is done when the cheese is fully melted and bubbling, and the top is browned in spots after broiling. The bread should be toasted and crisp on the edges, but still soft and chewy in the center.

If using a thermometer, the internal temperature of the bread and cheese should reach at least 165°F (74°C) to ensure everything is heated through.