These Garlic Parmesan Bread Bites are the perfect appetizer for almost any occasion. Pizza dough is brushed with garlic oil, topped with parmesan cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces, and then baked to a perfect golden brown and served with a side of marinara sauce or garlic butter for dipping. Better than Domino's Parmesan Bread Bites! Today, you’re the pizzeria chef making the best addictive garlic bites in town!
If you like making pizza at home, you may enjoy this Sheet Pan Pizza with Sausage or BBQ Chicken Pizza.
📖 The history behind this recipe
This was one of my recipes from my pizza restaurant! I'm excited to share this recipe with you and some tips for making these Garlic Parmesan Bread Bites just like the pizza pros!
🥖 Ingredients + Equipment Needed
Equipment Needed:
- Pizza cutter or sharp knife
- Plastic Wrap
- Airtight container or medium bowl (to proof/rise dough)
- Large baking sheet or cookie sheet
- Pastry brush
- Microplane
- Small Saucepan (for melting if using butter)
- Tea towel
Ingredients Needed:
- Store bought pizza dough ball (not canned) or homemade pizza dough - If you have a great pizza dough recipe, use it! If not, I recommend buying fresh pizza dough for this recipe. You can find fresh pizza dough at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or most gourmet grocery stores.
- Olive oil or melted butter - We used olive oil at the pizza place but melted butter would be delicious!
- Fresh Parmesan Cheese - Asiago also works well in the recipe.
- Minced Garlic - Fresh garlic is best for this recipe. I don't recommend garlic powder if you're going to brush the bread with garlic oil/garlic butter after baking. It may taste a little too gritty and raw.
- Italian Seasoning - Use dried herbs in this easy recipe instead of fresh herbs. Fresh herbs will not flavor the bread bites as well as dried.
- Marinara Sauce or garlic butter for dipping
- Red Pepper Flakes(optional) - If your taste buds like a bit of spice red pepper flakes are a great addition to this delicious parmesan garlic bread bites recipe.
🔪 How to make these simple parmesan bread bites
To make the best bread bites like the pizza pros, you'll need to prep your pizza dough like a pizzeria. Here's how to make fresh store-bought pizza dough rise for the best texture and flavor:
Pull the fresh pizza dough out of the package. With clean hands, fold the dough over itself a few times and roll it into a ball. Until I get my how-to video made, please check out this video from Vincenzo's Plate for detailed instructions.
- Drizzle some olive oil in a medium mixing bowl, then place the dough ball in the bowl and roll around the oil to coat. Using your hands, be sure the entire dough ball is coated in olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then cover it with a clean kitchen towel or tea towel. Store in a warm place for 4-8 hours until risen. (Dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days at this stage)
- When dough has doubled in size and is soft to the touch, it's ready to use.
Fast dough proofing methods:
Oven - How to proof dough in an oven from Culinary Hill.
Instant Pot - Proofing bread in an Instant Pot from Cooking with Karli.
Preheat the oven to 450F degrees.
3. Using a microplane or fine grater, grate garlic into olive oil.
4. Mix until well combined.
5. Lightly brush a cookie tray or baking sheet with regular olive oil (not garlic oil).
6. Carefully remove the risen dough from the mixing bowl and place on the cookie sheet. Using your hands, gently press the dough into an even layer about ½" thick.
7. Brush the dough with ½ of the garlic oil.
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8. Evenly sprinkle with parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes (if using). Gently press cheese and seasonings into the dough with your hands.
9. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, horizontally cut the dough into 1-inch strips.
10. Then vertically cut dough into 1-inch pieces.
Bake for on center rack for 10 minutes. Rotate 180 degrees and bake another 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Remove from the oven and immediately brush with the remaining ½ of the garlic oil.
12. Allow the parmesan bread bites to cool for 5 minutes. Slice again with a knife or pizza cutter. They are ready to eat!
🍕 Pizzeria Tips, Tricks + Variations
👩🍳 Chef's Tips + Tricks
- Allow your dough to rise at room temperature for a few hours - overnight before making the bread bites. Dough rise is important because the soft dough will give you a crispy crust with a soft middle. Using cold dough will result in harder bread bites with hard middle.
- Coat the dough ball in olive oil or cooking spray to prevent cracks as it rises.
- Place the dough ball in an oiled medium bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and a tea towel or kitchen towel, and place it in a warm spot to rise.
Bread Bites Variations:
- Top with Fresh Garlic Oil, sliced Jalapenos (fresh or pickled), and Jack or Cheddar Cheese
- Top with Garlic oil, thinly sliced red onion, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning.
- Top with Garlic oil, chopped walnuts, and blue cheese
🍽 What to serve with these bread bites
- The perfect compliment for these parmesan bread bites is warm pizza sauce, marinara, or a healthy dose of this 3 ingredient garlic butter.
- Ranch Dressing, Blue Cheese Dressing, and Caesar Dressing were also very popular dips at the pizza parlor.
- These parmesan bread bites are a great appetizer for pizza night!
- Serve them as a side dish with soup, salad, or chicken parmesan.
- Makes a delicious finger food for a kid's party or game day snack.
- The bite-size pieces make a perfect snack for a grazing table or charcuterie board.
- These parmesan bread bites are great served warm or room temperature. Such an easy appetizer to take to parties!
🥡 Storage + Reheating Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. After 3 days they will start to get tough.
Reheating Bread Bites in the Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 380F for 2 minutes. Add the bread bites to the basket and cook for 2 minutes at 380F.
Reheating in the Oven
Preheat oven to 450F. Place bread bites on a baking sheet and place on the center rack for 4-6 minutes or until heated through.
Recipe
How to make Garlic Parmesan Bread Bites
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*Easily adjust serving size to your liking by clicking the number under servings or with the boxes below in the ingredients section.
Equipment
- Cookie Sheet or baking sheet
- Pizza Cutter or sharp knife
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Fresh Pizza Dough store-bought or homemade
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil plus some to proof dough and grease baking sheet
- 2-3 Cloves Fresh Garlic
- ½ Cup Fresh Parmesan Cheese grated
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes optional - if you like some heat
- Marinara or Garlic Butter for dipping
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Instructions
To Proof the dough
- Pull the fresh pizza dough out of the package. With clean hands, fold the dough over itself a few times and roll it into a ball. Until I get my how-to video made, please check out this video for detailed instructions.
- Drizzle some olive oil in a medium mixing bowl, then place the dough ball in the bowl and roll around the oil to coat. Using your hands, be sure the entire dough ball is coated in olive oil.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then cover with a clean kitchen towel or tea towel. Store in a warm place for 4-8 hours until risen. (Dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days at this stage). When the pizza dough has doubled in size and is soft to the touch, it's ready to use.
To Make the Parmesan Bread Bites
- Preheat the oven to 450F degrees.
- Using a microplane or fine grater, grate garlic into olive oil.
- Mix until well combined and set aside.
- Lightly brush a cookie tray or baking sheet with plain olive oil (not garlic oil).
- Carefully remove the risen dough from the mixing bowl and place on the cookie sheet. Using your hands, gently press the dough into an even layer about ½" thick.
- Brush the dough with ½ of the garlic oil.
- Evenly sprinkle with parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes (if using). Gently press cheese and seasonings into the dough with your hands.
- Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, horizontally cut the dough into 1-inch strips.
- Then vertically cut dough into 1-inch pieces.
- Bake on the center rack for 10 minutes. Rotate 180 degrees and bake another 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and immediately brush with bread bites with the remaining ½ of the garlic oil.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Slice bread bites again with a knife or pizza cutter. They are ready to serve and eat!
Notes
- Allow your dough to rise at room temperature for a few hours - overnight before making the bread bites. Dough rise is important because the soft dough will give you a crispy crust with a soft middle. Using cold dough will result in harder bread bites with hard middle.
- Coat the dough ball in olive oil or cooking spray to prevent cracks as it rises.
- Place the dough ball in an oiled medium bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and a tea towel or kitchen towel, and place it in a warm spot to rise.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. After 3 days they will start to get tough.
- The perfect compliment for these parmesan bread bites is with warm pizza sauce, marinara, or a healthy dose of garlic butter. Ranch Dressing, Blue Cheese Dressing, and Caesar Dressing were also very popular dips at the pizza parlor.
Fast dough proofing methods:
Oven - How to proof dough in an oven Instant Pot - Proofing bread in an Instant Pot
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