What’s better than a simple, homemade bread flavored with Italian seasoning and stuffed with mozzarella cheese? Um, nothing. Precisely why these Cheese Stuffed Garlic Rolls will fast become a family favorite!
Cheese Stuffed Garlic Rolls, sometimes called bomb bread or stuffed bread, are delicious garlic and parsley rolls stuffed with gooey mozzarella cheese. Eat them plain or dip them in a side of marinara or warm marinara.
I have a hard time eating any Italian food without some sort of bread. Italian bread, cheesy garlic bread, or garlic knots seem to be my go-to. This recipe rolls all of those into one – pun intended!
Why You’ll Love These Garlic Rolls
If the name of the recipe alone didn’t grab you, here are a few reasons that make it so great:
- Aroma – The smell of freshly baked bread in the house can only be made better with the smell of garlic and of course cheese. Thank goodness this has all three.
- Ease – Do you need some time to make this? Yes. Will the stand mixer do most of the work for you? Also, yes.
- Hot Bread Stuffed with Cheese – Not to belabor the point, but what more do you need than that?
Cheese Stuffed Bread Ingredients
With just a dozen ingredients, you can make fresh bread in your home! What you don’t have on your shelves will be easily found at your local store.
- Active Yeast – A granulated variety of yeast that looks kind of like cornmeal. Purchased in packets, it lies dormant until it is activated with warm water and sugar. Sometimes labeled as “active dry yeast”. Found in the baking aisle.
- Sugar – This is not used to sweeten the bread, but to feed the activated yeast. Any traditional granulated sugar will do.
- Warm Water – Without getting too scientific, this “wakes” the yeast up and helps to dissolve the granules and the sugar so it can create air bubbles. Those air bubbles are what will help your bread rise.
- Garlic Cloves – Try to use fresh garlic cloves as opposed to minced and bottled garlic. Bottled garlic is much sweeter and lacks the spicy flavor you want in this recipe.
- Butter – Used two ways – to enrich the dough of the bread and for brushing at the end of the process so deliciousness can stick to the outside of the rolls.
- Olive oil – Helps to create a rich and flavorful dough.
- Flour – If your store sells more than one variety of dough, be sure to grab the AP Flour aka all-purpose flour.
- Salt – Go with a coarse kosher salt here vs. table. salt.
- Fresh Flat Parsley – Also known as Italian parsley. it has a more robust peppery flavor than its curly counterpart and is more tender.
- Mozzarella Cheese – Grab the low-moisture variety or you will end up with some soggy rolls.
- Cooking Spray – Prevents the rolls from sticking to the baking sheet.
Tips For Active Yeast
Active yeast has a reputation for being a little… how do I put this… fickle? Here are few things to keep in mind as you make this recipe:
- Don’t Be Afraid to Start Over – Active yeast usually comes in a strip of three packets. If you aren’t seeing bubbles and you aren’t getting that bready smell, chances are your yeast packet is a dud. Go ahead and pour that mix out and start fresh. If you don’t, your bread will come out flat as a pancake from the oven.
- Expiration Date: Be sure to check the expiration date on your yeast. It is a living, breathing thing after all and it is what is going to give your bread life and allow it to rise. The number one reason homemade bread fails is old yeast.
- Water Temp: When you are mixing your yeast with the water and sugar, be mindful of how hot (or not hot) your water is. If it is too hot, it will kill the yeast. Not hot enough and it will not be enough to get the process in motion. Hot tap water is generally a happy medium without going too hot.
How to Make Cheese Stuffed Garlic Rolls
I’m not going to lie, making homemade bread does take a little bit of time, but the results are outstanding. I recommend using a stand mixer for this recipe because you can let the mixer do the work. Or you can count it as your arm workout for the day!
- Bloom the yeast. Blending the sugar and yeast together makes a homogenous mixture. The warm water wakes the yeast up and dissolves both ingredients so the yeast can start to do its thing. It is bloomed with the surface of the water swells, has bubbles, and has an ale or bread aroma. If the water is showing no signs of this, empty the bowl and start again with another packet of yeast as the yeast is likely dead.
- Make the dough. Think of the dough hook attachment on your stand mixer like a bionic arm. It is not only going to mix the garlic, butter, olive oil, flour, salt, and parsley together well, it is also going to knead the dough thoroughly. It develops gluten strands read “what makes fresh bread all doughy and delicious” much more efficiently than you or I.
- Proof the dough. Spray the bowl you turn your dough out into prevents it from sticking as it proves. “Proofing” is another word for allowing your dough to rise. Covering it with a towel in a warm place gives it a nice, cozy environment for the yeast to do its thing.
- Divide the dough. After the dough rises, portion it out evenly. You will be pressing a lot of air out of the dough at this stage. That is absolutely normal and what is supposed to happen. As you stuff each roll with cheese, be sure to close them up nice and tight so the cheese can melt right out of the roll as it bakes.
- Proof the dough…again. The second rise is where your dough gets a lighter texture, more elasticity, and more flavor. Don’t skip the step – it’s the make or break! This time also allows your oven to get to temp.
- Bake! It’s finally time to bake. Not going to lie, this is a hard recipe to judge the first time you make it. You will know the rolls are done when you tap them with a wooden spoon and get a hollow sound. Do not, I repeat, do not wait for them to brown. If you do, they will be overbaked.
- Prepare your garlic butter. Is this step necessary? Better believe it! It is not only adding flavor, but keeping the rolls moist. Simply combine the butter and garlic powder in a bowl and then brush it onto the rolls after they have come out of the oven.
- Enjoy, but be careful! Allow the rolls to sit for at least 2 minutes before digging in. Do not forget they have a molten cheese center.
Variations on Cheese Stuffed Garlic Rolls
- Premade Dough. If time is not on your side, you can make cheese-stuffed bread with premade bread dough, pizza dough or canned biscuit dough, kneading in the garlic and the parsley as best you can. It is a little more challenging with premade doughs.
- Make them Mexican. I have now made the same basic bread recipe into so many variations I can’t even name them all!
- Fresh Cheese. If and when you have time, try making your own mozzarella cheese! It is super simple with no additives, or preservatives and you can control the salt. You won’t believe you made your own CHEESE!
- Meat. Add crumbled Italian sausage or chopped pepperoni on to the cheese stuffed inside.
What to Serve Your Cheese Stuffed Garlic Rolls With
I could easily make a meal out of these on their own, but I don’t know if I would recommend it. If you are looking to make more of a well-rounded meal, think about serving them with pasta, pizza, or as an appetizer or snack, these little cheese bombs are absolute heaven.
If you are feeling adventurous, dip them in a bit of marinara sauce or parmesan cream sauce.
Storing and Freezing
Make Ahead: I do not recommend this for this recipe as there is live yeast in the mix. Making it too early could allow for the dough to get too large and lose its elasticity and soft texture.
Storing: If there are any rolls left over, pop them in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Reheating: Pop in the oven preheated to 350F for about 8 minutes. Keep a close eye on them to make sure they don’t overbake.
Freezing: You can freeze any already baked and completely cooled rolls in a ziploc bag with all the air removed for 2 months. To warm, thaw completely and follow the reheating instructions above. Be forewarned: your rolls may have a slightly more soggy texture if you go this route.
Common Questions about Cheese Stuffed Garlic Rolls
Mozzarella cheese is commonly used for its melty and stretchy texture, but other cheeses like cheddar or provolone can also be used.
Yes, you can use pre-made dough, such as pizza dough or bread dough, to make cheese stuffed garlic rolls for a quicker preparation.
Cheese stuffed garlic rolls are delicious on their own or as a side dish. They pair well with soups, salads, pasta dishes, or can be served as a tasty appetizer.
Yes, you can customize cheese stuffed garlic rolls by adding ingredients like herbs (such as parsley or basil), cooked bacon, diced onions, or sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor.
More Easy Italian Dishes
Easy Authentic Carbonara Recipe
Basil Pesto Recipe
Chicken Cutlets with Roast Tomato & Garlic
Cheese Stuffed Garlic Roll Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 packet active yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup warm water
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced
- 1/2 cup butter, melted and divided
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup fresh flat parsley, chopped
- 7 ounces mozzarella cheese, 14 cubes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Place yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a bread hook. Mix and then pour in warm water. Allow to bloom for about 10 minutes, or until mixture becomes bubbly, swells, and is fragrant.
- Blend in garlic, 1/4 cup melted butter (reserving the other 1/4 cup for basting the rolls at the very end), olive oil, flour, salt, and parsley. Blend with bread hook for 7-10 minutes, or until dough is elastic and pulls away from the side of the bowl.
- Lightly coat a large mixing bowl with cooking spray. Turn dough into the bowl and flip one time to coat. This will prevent the dough from sticking to your bowl. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and place in a warm, draft-free place to rise for approximately 30 minutes.
- When bread has risen, cut into half and then divide each half into 7 equal pieces. Flatten each piece with your palm, place a cheese chuck in the center and then cover, pinch and roll. Make sure there are no seams for the cheese to escape while baking. Repeat with for a total of 14 Cheese Stuffed Garlic Rolls. Place onto a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray.
- Cover rolls with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rise again for 15-20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 while you are waiting.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes. Tap the top with the end of a wooden spoon, it should be hard and sounds hollow. Cheese Stuffed Garlic Rolls are a little difficult to judge and will be overcooked if you wait until they brown. By overcooked, I mean the cheese will escape and you don’t want that!
- While bread is baking, melt remaining 1/4 cup butter and mix with garlic powder. As soon as you remove your Cheese Stuffed Garlic Rolls from the oven, baste with butter and allow to sit for 2 minutes before serving. Please be careful, your Cheese Stuffed Garlic Rolls with be piping hot with melty cheese centers
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was!
I don’t know anyone in my family who could say no to garlic and cheese, yum!
Your rolls look so soft and fluffy. Any time I’ve made them they are always so dense! I’ll have to try your recipe!
These look VERY good. I love gooey melted cheese!
I am a sucker for a garlic roll! These look yummy!
Love all that gooey cheese!!
oh my cheese!!
Those look really soft and savory. Yummy!
Oh these look wonderful… If only I was 23 again and could eat a bowlful.
These sound like the perfect side to ANY dish! I need to print this out so I can make them SOON.
Oh goodness, what’s not to love? I’ll take all 12.