This Italian Cheese Bread recipe is the Best Bread for Grilled Cheese and tastes like Cheddar Bay Biscuits from Red Lobster but in loaf form. The perfect addition to any meal. Just wait until you try it.
If you’ve ever been to Red Lobster, you’ve probably had their Cheddar Bay Biscuits. They’re something that you just have to have whenever you go there. At least I do. I have to say, I honestly love those biscuits more than anything else on the menu.
One day, I decided that someone who’s been cooking as long as I have should be waiting to go to a restaurant to enjoy a dish that could easily be made at home. So I got to work sussing out exactly what made those biscuits I love so much taste the way they do.
After several failed attempts, I came up with this recipe. This Italian cheese bread recipe is overflowing with the cheesy, herb-filled goodness that I love about Cheddar Bay Biscuits, but they’re all contained in an easy-to-cut, easy-to-serve loaf.
It’s a rich, deep flavor of cheese throughout the dough accented by herbs and jalapenos, if desired. It’s a combination that goes perfectly with almost any lunch or dinner. I’ve even served it at breakfast with eggs and bacon!
Then we tried making grilled cheese with this bread and it was the BEST and I kid you not. To a cheese lover this Italian cheese bread is out of this world good. Especially crispy with some melted cheese in the middle.
That’s how deliciously versatile this grilled cheese bread recipe is. I’m super pleased with the results, and I can’t wait to share it with all of you.
Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Before we get into making the best grilled cheese bread, I want to talk about the history of the venerable Cheddar Bay Biscuits at Red Lobster. After all, without that delicious side, I’d have never come up with my recipe.
Say what you will about Red Lobster’s seafood—and many foodies say a lot—their Cheddar Bay Biscuits are amazing. In fact, they are, quite literally, Red Lobster’s bread and butter.
Although most of us associate these biscuits part and parcel with the restaurant, these bites of cheddar Heaven actually weren’t offered until about 20 years after the restaurant started.
Cheddar Bay Biscuits aren’t the result of culinary inspiration, they’re the product of capitalism. Red Lobster’s hush puppies weren’t a great seller. They needed something to replace the flailing side that would be an addition to the restaurant’s lineup that people couldn’t resist.
In the early 90s, the head of the culinary development department, Kurt Hankins, was tasked with finding that replacement. He began by experimenting with Texas toast style French bread, but he eventually settled on taking a traditional biscuit recipe, substituting the sugar with garlic, and adding cheese. Thus, Cheddar Bay Biscuits were born.
The first name for this side was “freshly baked, hot cheese garlic bread,” perhaps the worst example of naming a product ever. After a couple of years, however, someone with considerably better marketing acumen gave them the name Cheddar Bay Biscuits.
The biscuits were an immediate hit, and over the years, they’ve developed an almost cult following. It’s easy to see why. They’re delicious!
Best Bread for Grilled Cheese
Italian cheese bread. Yum! Just the name makes my mouth water. This tasty herbs and jalapenos (if using) and cheese bread is a hearty bread that’s dense and so cheesy. Serve it plain or with a healthy layer of butter, and you’ve got yourself an amazing taste explosion!
This bread goes all-out on flavor. It’s filled to capacity with herbs and cheese, and it makes the perfect side for any meal from seafood to stews and everything in between.
It’s even a delicious addition to your breakfast table. I’ve lost count of all the ways I’ve served this bread, and it’s never done me wrong!
Get out your ingredients and get ready to make one of the cheesiest, most flavorful breads you’ve ever had in your life! And speaking of ingredients…
Ingredients for Cheddar Bay Biscuit Recipe
This homemade cheddar bay biscuit recipe is completely from scratch, but it’s also very easy. It only takes a few ingredients to make the bread and the herb topping for it. They’re all basic kitchen staples, so you probably have everything you need to make this recipe in your kitchen already.
There’s nothing fancy here, just a simple recipe and a ton of flavor. Here’s what you’ll need.
For the Bread
- 1 and ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup jalapenos, cleaned, seeded, and sliced or diced, if desired
For the Topping
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Pinch teaspoon onion powder
- Pinch teaspoon dried parsley
See? That’s all there is to it. All the ingredients here are things that you most certainly have in your pantry and refrigerator. The only thing you might have to buy is the fine sea salt. Other than that, everything you need is most likely right in your kitchen.
Making the Cheddar Bay Biscuits Mix
Making this Italian cheese bread is no more difficult than gathering up the ingredients for it. It’s a very simple recipe that comes together quickly. You’ll basically just mix and bake.
That’s all there is to it! You’ll be in and out of the kitchen in no time, and you’ll have a plate of delicious, cheesy, herb-filled bread. Here’s what you do.
For the Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with baking spray, using a pastry brush brush the spray all over the loaf pan to make sure it is covered, set aside
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until combined
- Add the cheese and stir it together so the cheese is coated in the flour mixture, set aside
- In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg
- Pour this mixture into the dry and stir it until just combined, a few dry spots are okay
- Add the melted butter and mix it in until everything is combined and there are no dry patches
- If using, add your jalapenos
- Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
For the Topping
- While the bread is baking, whisk together the butter, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, and dried parsley for the topping, set aside
- Place the bread in the loaf pan on a wire rack to cool slightly
- Immediately brush the bread with the butter topping
- Let the bread cool for five minutes in the pan then take it out of the pan and cool completely on the wire rack
- Slice and serve
See? It’s super easy! It only takes four steps to make the bread and two more steps to make the topping. It’s one of the simplest recipes you’ll ever make, and it’s so full of flavor, no one will ever realize how simple it really was.
Italian Cheese Bread Variations
This Italian cheese bread recipe is almost perfect exactly as it is. In fact, I don’t recommend changing much about it at all. Perhaps the only thing that you might change would be giving this recipe a bit more of a Southwestern flair by adding some extra jalapeno.
That’s it, though.
This is not a recipe that can easily be tweaked. It’s one of those recipes that builds upon itself in every area. One change can affect the flavor of the entire loaf—and not in a good way.
Serving Copycat Cheddar Bay Biscuits
This best bread for grilled cheese is the perfect side for almost any meal. It’s great with everything from seafood to steak and even breakfasts. Serve it along with eggs and bacon for a delicious twist on classic breakfast.
It’s so easy to make and makes an excellent weeknight side. Plus it’s so delicious, it’s perfectly at home at any get-together from potlucks to holiday gatherings. No matter where you serve it or when everyone always loves it!
Storing Best Bread for Grilled Cheese
This Italian cheese bread will keep well for three to four days in an airtight container at room temperature. The easiest way to keep air away from your bread is to put it in a large resealable bag and then press the bag down around the bread, moving your hands toward the top of the bag to push out as much air as possible.
For longer storage, you can freeze this bread for a few weeks. Don’t store it any longer than that, as even the most tightly wrapped bread can get freezer burned.
To defrost, place your bread in the oven and bake for about five minutes at 325 F. Never defrost your bread on the counter.
Try This Italian Cheese Bread for Yourself
If you love Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits, then you’ll love this delicious jalapeno herbs and cheese bread recipe. It’s bursting with all the delicious flavors we love about those famous biscuits, and it’s super easy to make.
It only takes a few ingredients and a few minutes to go from some simple pantry staples to a love of cheesy, herb-infused bread. Give it a try, and I know you’ll love it as much as we do!
Best Bread for Grilled Cheese
Equipment
- bread or loaf pan
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
For the topping
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- pinch teaspoon onion powder
- pinch teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- Get out and measure all of your ingredients.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with baking spray, using a pastry brush brush the spray all over the loaf pan to make sure it is covered, set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt,
- Stir until combined.
- Add the cheese.
- Stir it together so the cheese is coated in the flour mixture, set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg.
- Pour this mixture into the dry.
- Stir it until just combined, a few dry spots are okay.
- Add the melted butter and mix it in until everything is combined and there are no dry patches.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the bread in the loaf pan on a wire rack to cool slightly.
- While the bread is baking, combine butter, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, and dried parsley for the topping.
- Whisk until blended. Set aside.
- Immediately brush the bread with the butter topping. Let the bread cool for 5 minutes in the pan.
- Take it out of the pan and cool completely on the wire rack.
- Slice and serve.
- Enjoy every bite and wait until you make your first grilled cheese! Heavenly!
Notes
- This bread tastes exactly like Cheddar Bay Biscuits but in loaf form. Extremely moist and flavorful with tons of cheese flavor.
- It is really good warming a slice in the microwave for 15 seconds then adding more salted butter on top, truly amazing.
- Try making a grilled cheese sandwich.
Other Recipes to Try
Italian Herbs and Cheese Bread Recipe
Blueberry Honey Cornbread Muffins
Brazillian Cheese Bread
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