RECIPE: Cheesy Garlic and Herb Pull-Apart Challah

Are you on Pinterest? If not, you might have missed some of the mouth-watering, drool-worthy photos of cheesy pull-apart breads, often made with a load of crusty sourdough bread. Since I am always dreaming up new ways to add challah bread to everyday life, I recently thought: Why not try this with a round loaf of challah? You might even already have a leftover loaf in your freezer or sitting on your counter.

This kind of recipe is a perfect party appetizer to enjoy during football-viewing or movie night. Get creative with your cheese and topping–you can add jalapeños to go with cheddar cheese, or mozzarella and Italian seasoning to go with tomato dipping sauce, feta, oregano and chopped spinach for a Greek-inspired version, or even a sweet cheesy bread made with with thinly sliced apples and brie.

RECIPE: Leftover Challah Recipes

Note: Depending on the size of your challah, you may need a few extra tablespoons of melted butter and a few extra ounces of shredded cheese. I used a challah from Trader Joe’s and found it was definitely on the larger side, and required slightly more butter and cheese.

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Need help figuring out how to cut the bread? I liked this tutorial from The Kitchn.

INGREDIENTS

1 loaf of round store-bought challah

8-12 oz shredded cheese such as cheddar, gruyere, mozzarella, Colby jack or another cheese that melts well

1 tsp jarred, chopped garlic

4 Tbsp butter, melted

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, thyme, rosemary or basil

Thick sea salt (optional)

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DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Using a serrated knife, cut horizontal and vertical lines in the challah, making a criss-cross pattern so that there are small squares throughout. Make sure not to cut all the way through the loaf.

Place challah on a baking sheet.

Stuff cheese in between crevices of the bread. If you think you might need more cheese, go ahead and add some more.

Mix together the melted butter, salt, pepper, garlic and herbs. Pour over the top of the bread, making sure to get it inside the bread as well.

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Cover the bread tightly with tin foil. Bake for 20 minutes covered. Remove cover and bake for another 10 minutes.

Serve hot out of the oven.

Shannon Sarna

Shannon Sarna is Editor of The Nosher. Born to an Italian mother who loved to bake, a Jewish father who loved to experiment, and a food chemist grandfather, loving and experimenting with diverse foods is simply in her blood. Her writing and recipes have been featured in Tablet Magazine, JTA News, New Jersey Monthly Magazine, The Jewish Week, Joy of Kosher Magazine, Vinepair, Modern Loss and Buzzfeed. She graduated from Smith College in Northampton, MA with a degree in Comparative Government and Spanish Language and Literature and lives in South Orange, NJ with her husband, daughters and rescue dogs. To see what Shannon is cooking and eating, follow her on Twitter and Instagram.