Caprese Garlic Bread
on Aug 20, 2021, Updated Jul 17, 2025
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An open-faced marriage of garlic bread, ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, basil, with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Caprese Garlic Bread is a marriage of garlic bread, ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and basil finished with a drizzle of balsamic glaze or vinegar. It’s a divine twist on garlic bread when perfectly ripe tomatoes are available at the height of the summer. It’s like a warm open-faced Caprese sandwich (but you can also enjoy this at room temperature!).
Like any garlic bread, this makes a fabulous appetizer, and you can fill yourself up snacking on these alone, maybe with a side salad. That is one of my favorite summertime meals. If you want to make a more “well-rounded” meal, serve this up with Chicken Piccata, Chicken with Arugula and White Wine Pan Sauce, or Shrimp Scampi.
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What's In This Post?
How to Make Balsamic Glaze
Balsamic glaze is balsamic vinegar that has been reduced until it is thickened and concentrated, with even more of that rich, sweet-tart flavor characteristic of balsamic vinegar.
The only thing you need to do to make balsamic glaze is to place twice the amount of balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan as you want to have in the end and cook it over low heat until it reduces by half. If you want to add a pinch of sugar to enhance the sweetness, you can, but I prefer to leave it as is. Try to find real balsamic vinegar from Modena.
Balsamic Glaze can be drizzled over pretty much anything that is simply cooked or Italian. That’s probably an overstatement, but once you try it, you will be thinking of all kinds of ways to incorporate it into your meals. It’s great drizzled over cheese, fish, chicken, pork, beef, crostini, bruschetta, and, for sure, Caprese salad.
Kitchen Smarts
You can use a purchased balsamic glaze instead of making our own. With commercial balsamic glazes, sometimes, a sweetener is added, like honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar. The best balsamic glazes are made from balsamic vinegar from Modena, Italy, with nothing added. If yours has a sweetener, ensure it’s not high fructose corn syrup.
How to Make Caprese Garlic Bread
- Prepare the ingredients: Blend the butter, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Halve the baguettes and spread the garlic butter mixture on the bread halves. Bake the baguette and make the balsamic glaze (see above for tips).
- Add the toppings: Top the toasted baguette with the tomato slices and the mozzarella (fresh if possible) and bake until the cheese melts and starts to turn brown in spots.
- Finish the baguette: Drizzle the garlic bread with the balsamic glaze and sprinkle with chiffonaded basil. Season lightly with salt and pepper and slice into pieces while still warm.
What to Serve With Caprese Garlic Bread
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Caprese Garlic Bread
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread (baguette)
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar (or 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze)
- ½ pound sliced fresh mozzarella
- 3 plum tomatoes (cored and sliced lengthwise)
- 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Halve the baguette crosswise, then slice each one in half horizontally lengthwise. Place the bread, cut side up, on a large baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, blend together the butter, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Spread on the baguettes and bake until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, simmer the balsamic vinegar over medium-low heat until reduced by half, about 8 minutes, unless you are using the glaze. If you are using the glaze, no need to reduce it. Let cool.
- Top the toasted baguette with the tomato slices and the mozzarella and bake until the cheese melts and starts to turn brown in spots, about 8 minutes.
- Drizzle the garlic bread with the balsamic glaze, sprinkle with the basil, season lightly with salt and pepper, and slice into pieces while still warm.
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