Garlic bread is a classic for good reason, and making it in the air fryer takes all the guesswork out of getting it right – no soggy middle, no burnt edges, just perfectly golden and crisp in a matter of minutes. This variation swaps the usual baguette for Turkish bread, giving you a softer, pillowy base with plenty of surface area for garlic butter, loads of melted cheese, and a gentle chilli kick. It’s the kind of side dish that disappears from the table before the main course even arrives.

Cheesy Chilli Garlic Turkish Bread
Serves 4 as a side | Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 8 minutes

Ingredients

1 loaf Turkish bread, halved lengthways
100g butter, softened
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes, plus extra to serve
1/4 cup grated parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra to serve
1 cup grated mozzarella
Pinch of salt

Method

Preheat your air fryer to 180°C.

In a bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, chilli flakes, parmesan, parsley and a pinch of salt, mixing until well combined.

Spread the garlic butter mixture generously and evenly over both halves of the Turkish bread, right to the edges.

Scatter the grated mozzarella evenly over the top of both halves.

Working in batches if needed, place the bread halves into the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they’re not overlapping so air can circulate properly.

Air fry for 6–8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the edges of the bread are golden and crisp.

Remove carefully, scatter with a little extra parsley and chilli flakes, then slice into pieces and serve immediately while hot.

Tips

Turkish bread can brown quickly given its softer texture, so keep an eye on it after the 6-minute mark to avoid over-crisping the edges.

If your air fryer basket isn’t large enough to fit a full half of Turkish bread, cut it into smaller pieces before adding the toppings – just reduce the cooking time slightly.

For a milder version, simply leave out the chilli flakes, or add them only to half the loaf if you’ve got mixed spice tolerances at the table.

This also works brilliantly with ciabatta or a crusty baguette if Turkish bread isn’t available — just adjust the cook time down slightly, as those breads crisp up a little faster.