Give your classic garlic bread a spicy twist with this delicious recipe made with loads of coriander chutney, chilies, and spices, which take the flavor to a whole new level. Simple, quick, and the perfect tea snack!
We all love garlic bread. I mean, what’s not to love? Butter + garlic + cheese – that’s literally the holy trinity of flavors. And while a classic garlic bread is amazing, sometimes I want something with a little more “character”. And that’s exactly how this chutney garlic bread was born.
Think of it like a brighter, bolder, spicier little sister of traditional garlic bread. The elements are all the same, but with a little Indian twist that comes through coriander chutney, spices, and chilies. The result? A garlic bread you won’t be able to stop eating.
Let’s get into the details of the recipe.
PS: love tea snacks? try these recipes!
The Bread
I’m personally not the biggest fan of breads that are so crusty that your jaw hurts after a few bites. Especially for this recipe, I wanted to use something that can hold its own, but still has a soft and fluffy center. For this reason, I’ve chosen to use Indian pav bread, which is very similar to King’s Hawaiian rolls or slider rolls. If you like a crustier bread, you can use ciabatta or sourdough.
You can choose to make them at home, but as this is a quick and simple recipe, we are going to stick with store-bought.
The Butter
The butter layer that goes on the bread is the star of the show in this recipe, as it’s jam-packed with all those delicious, spicy flavors. You can also customise it and add more or less of anything; it’s not an exact science! It’s all about your preference.
I also like using roasted garlic when making garlic bread because it really brings out the garlic flavor, and I highly recommend not skipping this step!
Here are the steps for making the butter mixture.
- Roast the garlic: Slice the top of a whole garlic head and place it on a piece of foil. Top it with olive oil and salt, cover tightly, and let it bake in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes or until soft.
- In a bowl, add the softened butter, green chutney, finely chopped green chilies, salt, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and garlic powder.
- Squeeze the roasted garlic into the butter, then whisk until everything is well combined and the butter is smooth and fluffy.
Assembly & Cooking
- Cut the pav or slider bread in half, removing the top part.
- Spread the butter mixture generously on the bottom half, as evenly as possible, then top generously with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Place the bread in a baking tray and in the oven. Initially, switch on only the top broiling flame, allowing the cheese to melt and broil. You may have to turn the tray around a few times for even cooking.
- Once the cheese is 70% broiled, turn the bottom flame on at 160 degrees Celsius to crisp the bottom of the bread. You can skip this step if you prefer a softer bottom.
- Once the cheese is fully melted and broiled, take it out and top with tamarind chutney (optional), chat masala, and chopped coriander. Serve immediately.
This recipe is also easily preppable in advance. You can prepare the bread completely, along with the cheese, cover it well, and place it in the fridge until ready to bake, then bake it fresh when you want to serve. It’s low effort, but no one will be able to tell that.
Ready to get started? Let’s go!
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are unreliable and can give different measurements, so I suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups; however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
Chutney Garlic Bread
Equipment
- Hand whisk
- Baking tray
Ingredients
- 1 head of garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil or any neutral oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 pack of 6 indian pav or slider rolls
- 200 grams butter room temperature
- 50 grams coriander chutney
- 1 tsp salt as per taste
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1/4 th tsp turmeric powder
- 1.5 tbsp garlic powder
- 3 green chilies finely chopped
- 150 grams mozzarella cheese more or less based on your preference
- 1 tbsp tamarind chutney optional for topping
- 1 tsp chat masala optional for toppimg
- 1 tbsp chopped coriander for topping
Instructions
- Roast the garlic: Trim off the top of a whole garlic bulb and set it on a sheet of foil. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle a little salt, wrap it tightly, and bake at 180°C for about 20 minutes, or until the cloves are soft and jammy.
- In a mixing bowl, combine softened butter with green chutney, finely chopped green chilies, salt, cumin, coriander, red chili powder, turmeric, and garlic powder.
- Squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves and add them to the butter mixture. Whip everything together until it turns light, smooth, and well blended.
- Slice your pav or slider rolls horizontally and remove the top section.
- Spread a thick, even layer of the chutney-garlic butter over the base, then top it with plenty of shredded mozzarella.
- Transfer the bread to a baking tray and place it in the oven. Turn on only the top broiler/grill setting first so the cheese melts and browns. Rotate the tray as needed to ensure it broils evenly.
- When the cheese is about 70% browned, switch on the bottom heat at 160°C to crisp up the base. If you like a softer bottom, you can skip this step.
- Once the cheese is fully melted and golden, take the bread out and finish with tamarind chutney (if using), a sprinkle of chaat masala, and fresh coriander. Serve right away while it’s hot and gooey.
Notes
- Roast the garlic properly: If you want a deep garlic flavor, let it roast until it’s caramelized and buttery. Soft, jammy cloves blend into the butter much more smoothly.
- Use room-temperature butter: Cold butter won’t mix well with the chutney and spices. Make sure it’s soft so you get a fluffy, spreadable mixture.
- Adjust the spice level: Green chilies and red chili powder can be increased or reduced based on your spice tolerance. You can even skip the chilies entirely for a milder version.
- Cheese matters: Mozzarella melts beautifully, but you can mix in a little cheddar for extra flavor and color.
- Even spreading = even toasting: Try to cover the bread edge-to-edge with the butter mixture so every bite tastes the same and the bread browns evenly.
- Broil with attention: The top heat works fast, so keep an eye on the cheese and rotate the tray if your oven browns unevenly.
- Crispy or soft base-your choice: Turning on the bottom heat gives a crunchy bottom layer. Prefer a softer, pillowy bite? Skip that step.
- Serve instantly: This garlic bread tastes best straight out of the oven when the cheese is melty, and the edges are crisp.
- Make it your own: Chaat masala and tamarind chutney add that chatpata kick, but you can also drizzle some chili oil or add finely chopped onions for extra texture.
If you give this recipe a try, don’t forget to let me know how you liked it in the comments. And of course, share it with me on Instagram!
Until next time!
