Cheesy Corn Garlic Bread Is the Summer Upgrade You Need
This recipe is part of Kitchn 100 — the hundred recipes you need right now. Check out all of the amazing dishes, from Kitchn and beyond, here.
When I was a kid growing up in Venezuela, there was an Italian restaurant I’d go to with my family. It had a yellow and white striped awning, and walking in filled me with excitement. Every time we went there I remember getting this bubbling corn dish delivered to the table in a hot ceramic boat-shaped dish. To this day I still think about its cheesiness and creaminess, how buttery and garlicky it smelled and tasted, and how golden the cheese was on top. I have flashbacks of it often, even though I haven’t eaten it since I was 9, when my family and I moved to the United States. I’d move mountains to be able to taste it again.
Enter: this cheesy corn garlic bread. It’s not a direct copy of the dish of my youth, but rather my interpretation of this delicious culinary flashback to satisfy my corn-and-cheese cravings. It’s buttery, fragrant, incredibly cheesy, and loaded with corn.
How to Make Cheesy Corn Garlic Bread
Traditionally, you’d make a garlic butter for garlic bread either with softened or melted butter. Here, I take things a step further by making a corn garlic butter by infusing the corn kernels in melted salted butter before adding a generous amount of grated garlic. A showering of parsley and chives adds a layer of freshness and bite, while Parmesan seasons the butter further. It’s as simple as that.
Before it hits the oven, make sure the butter has reached the edges of the bread, soaking into all the nooks and crannies to avoid any dry spots. I prefer the creamy texture of melted fresh mozzarella on this cheesy garlic bread, but shredded mozz will work in a pinch. The bread emerges from the oven bubbling and begging to be served immediately — although, like hot pizza, you might want to wait just a second before digging in. Serve as an appetizer at a cookout or as a side to a bright pasta with a zingy salad.
Cheesy Corn Garlic Bread Recipe
Prep time 30 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes to 20 minutes
Serves 6 to 8
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 loaf
French bread or baguette (about 12 ounces)
- 4 large cloves
garlic
- 1 1/2 sticks
unsalted butter
- 2 cups
fresh or unthawed frozen yellow corn kernels (about 10 ounces)
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 bunch
fresh parsley (need 1/2 cup)
- 1 bunch
fresh chives (need 1/4 cup finely chopped)
- 3 tablespoons
grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 ounce)
- About 8 ounces
fresh mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a serrated knife, cut 1 loaf French bread or baguette in half crosswise. Cut each piece in half lengthwise. Place on the baking sheet cut-side up. Finely grate 4 large garlic cloves (about 1 tablespoon).
Cut 1 1/2 sticks unsalted unsalted butter into 6 pieces total. Melt in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups corn kernels and 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Cook, stirring often, until tender and corn turns a deep yellow, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the garlic and remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant and combined, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, pick the leaves from 1/4 bunch fresh parsley until you have 1/2 cup, then finely chop. Finely chop 1 bunch fresh chives until you have 1/4 cup.
Add the parsley, chives, and 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese to the pan and stir to combine. Reserve 1/2 cup for garnish.
Evenly spoon the remaining corn mixture onto the bread, spreading to the edges. Drizzle or spoon any remaining butter around the edges of the bread to avoid any dry spots if needed.
Thinly slice about 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese. Arrange in an even layer on top of the corn mixture. Sprinkle with the reserved corn mixture, about 2 tablespoons per piece.
Bake until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown around the edges, 6 to 8 minutes. If you’d like a browner top, turn on the broiler and broil until the cheese is browned in spots, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a clean cutting board. Cut on a diagonal with a serrated knife into 12 pieces.
Recipe Notes
Parsley substitute: An equal amount of fresh basil leaves can be substituted for the parsley.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 425ºF oven until warmed through, 6 to 8 minutes. You can also freeze the bread and reheat from frozen in a 375ºF oven until the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.