This Mushroom and Thyme Cheese Bread is super addicting and loaded with flavor! Perfectly sautéed mushrooms with fresh thyme on cheesy, crunchy toast!
This might look like your run of the mill cheesy bread, but I’m telling you that the flavors here are literally out of this world! We like serving this appetizer with these marinated Fiesta Steak Tips and this 15 minute Garlic Butter Shrimp that really turns happy hour into a meal!
A Mushroom & Cheese Bread Appetizer That Can Easily Become A Meal!
I’m telling you guys, when we make this Mushroom and Thyme Cheese Bread appetizer we eat it until it’s gone. That and a few glasses of wine or a champagne cocktail and you’re all set for the night.
Instead of just adding cheese to this cheese bread, we used a mixture of mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and mayonnaise to make it more like a spread. A cheesy spread that melts onto garlic rubbed bread and turns into the most delicious appetizer you’ve ever eaten. I mean, if cheese and bread is your thing…you’re going to love this recipe.
Ingredients For Mushroom and Thyme Cheese Bread
We’ll list here the basics that you need to make this cheese bread appetizer and also give you a few other options!
- Thin, round Italian bread (like a panella): We often find sliced Italian bread right in our regular grocery store. This is the kind of bread you would use for sandwiches or toasting. Many Italian bakeries also carry sliced bread like this called Panella, but you can use any crunchy bread that toast up nicely.
- Garlic cloves: Whole garlic cloves that are going to be rubbed onto the bread after it toasts so that all you get is a clean garlic flavor, not pieces of garlic.
- Butter: Because butter is the best way to get the most flavorful, sautéed mushrooms.
- Mushrooms: Button mushrooms are our go to for this recipe but you can use any mushroom you like.
- Shallots: Shallots have a more mild flavor than an onion but if an onion is all you have that will be fine too.
- Fresh thyme: Fresh thyme adds such a great flavor to this mushroom toast! Also try fresh rosemary, basil or just regular chopped parsley!
- Shredded mozzarella cheese: Part skim or whole milk is fine. Other cheese to try in this recipe are smoked gouda, gruyere, asiago, Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack is you want a little spice.
- Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise binds the cheese mixture together and also adds a ton of flavor.
- Grated parmesan cheese: Nutty parmesan cheese goes in the cheese spread and also on top for garnish.
How To Make Mushroom Cheese Bread
Start out by toasting the bread. Place the bread on a sheet pan and season with salt and pepper. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes, turning over in between cooking. When the toast comes out of the oven, rub each slice with whole garlic cloves.
While the bread is in the oven, start cooking the mushrooms with shallots and fresh thyme. Let the mushrooms get nicely browned so that they have the most flavor, this should take about 10 minutes.
To make the cheese spread, mix mozzarella and parmesan cheese together in a bowl with mayonnaise then season with salt and pepper. Spread the cheese onto the toasted bread slices and then top with the mushrooms and shallots.
Broil for 5 minutes until the cheese has melted and the edges of the toast are slightly browned and crispy. Slice each piece of bread in half, or thirds depending on how big the bread is that you’re using.
Garnish the cheese bread with more grated parmesan cheese and more fresh thyme.
Can You Freeze This Cheese Bread?
Yep! You can make this recipe up until the end, let it cool and then freeze it! When you’re ready to heat it up, place the frozen cheese bread onto a sheet pan and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees until warmed through. This makes party planning super easy and is also a great way to save leftovers!
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Mushroom and Thyme Cheese Bread
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
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Pin RecipeThis crunchy cheese bread is so easy to make – you can even make it ahead of time and freeze it for a quick appetizer or snack!
Ingredients
- 8 round slices of Italian sandwich bread (like a panella)
- 2 cloves of garlic, whole
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 4 shallots, sliced thin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the sliced bread onto a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.
- When the toast comes out of the oven, rub each slice with the garlic cloves and set aside. Turn the oven to broil.
- Add butter to a large skillet. Once the butter is melted add the mushrooms and shallots, stirring into the butter to coat. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the mushrooms have released their juices and browned and the shallots have softened. Stir in the fresh thyme, salt and pepper.
- Mix the mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and mayonnaise in a bowl. Season the cheese mixture with salt and pepper.
- Spread the cheese mixture onto each slice of toast and then top with the mushrooms and shallots.
- Place the cheese bread into the oven under the broiler for 5 minutes. Watch carefully so the toast doesn’t burn as broilers are all different.
- Remove from the oven, slice in half or thirds, depending on how large your bread is, and garnish with more parmesan cheese and fresh thyme.
Recipe Notes
This cheese bread can be made, cooled and frozen for a quick appetizer or snack! Just place the frozen bread onto a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees.
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Stove Top / Oven
- Cuisine: American
