Our homemade garlic bread recipe should come with a warning: It might just overshadow everything else on the table. This recipe makes thick slices of buttery, rich bread, laden with enough minced fresh garlic to satisfy even the most ardent garlic lover. Best of all, it’s simple to make, thanks to a very clever shortcut.
Rather than painfully dragging cold butter across delicate, soft slices of bread, you melt the butter first, infuse it with garlic (fresh or powdered), then brush it onto the loaf. As a bonus, the melted butter absorbs thoroughly into the bread, making every morsel of the loaf succulent and flavorful. Now it’s ready to dip into your favorite marinara sauce for an appetizer, or flank your favorite ravioli recipes or steak recipes.
Ingredients for Garlic Bread
- Fresh garlic: This recipe calls for four cloves of fresh garlic. Of course, as a perk of homemade garlic bread, you can use more or less, per your preference. If you don’t have (or don’t like) fresh garlic, substitute 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic per fresh clove. Of course, if you love garlic recipes, go crazy and bump up the clove count.
- Butter: Using a full stick of butter ensures that the entire loaf is lavishly spread, making for a rich, full-flavored garlic bread. If you prefer vegan garlic bread, use your favorite vegan butter brand.
- French bread: For the best garlic bread recipe, you want a loaf with a crackly crust and airy, light crumb that can absorb plenty of butter. You can make garlic bread with other types of bread, including baguette or Italian bread, or use homemade crusty French bread.
Directions
Step 1: Make garlic butter
In a small bowl, combine butter and garlic. Brush the garlic butter generously across the cut sides of the bread. Sprinkle with parsley. Place the bread, cut side up, on a baking sheet.
Step 2: Bake
Bake at 350°F for 8 minutes. Turn on the broiler and set the pan 4 to 6 inches from the heat for two minutes, or until golden brown. Slice and serve warm.
Editor’s Tip: If you can’t serve right away, keep warm in a bowl covered with a towel, or wrapped in foil.
Recipe Variations
- Make cheesy garlic bread: Gild the lily by topping the garlic bread with cheese. A heavy sprinkle of grated Parmesan (in a pinch, the stuff in the green shaker will work) adds lots of flavor. Shredded mozzarella melts wonderfully, making a nice contrast of textures with the crisp bread.
- Swap in herbs: Plenty of herbs taste delicious with buttery garlic bread. Match your meal, or sprinkle with your favorite herb mixes. Basil, oregano, chives, homemade Italian seasoning, pizza spice and blends taste great.
How to Store Garlic Bread
Wrap leftover garlic bread tightly in foil and store in the refrigerator for up to three days. To reheat, bake the wrapped bread at 350° for 10 to 15 minutes. (You can microwave it, but that will make it harden as it cools.)
How to Freeze Garlic Bread
You can freeze garlic bread, and your future self will thank you for it! It’s especially delicious frozen unbaked, but you may also freeze leftover garlic bread.
- To freeze unbaked garlic bread: Follow Step 1 of the recipe. You can freeze the entire loaf, a smaller portion or individual slices. Set the bread on a baking sheet in the freezer for about half an hour to let the butter firm up, then wrap the bread in plastic wrap and again in foil. Freeze for up to three months. When ready to bake, set slices or the entire loaf on a baking sheet and bake as directed in Step 2, adding a few extra moments to the baking time.
- To freeze baked garlic bread: If you can’t eat leftover garlic bread right away, pop it in the freezer! Seal in a freezer bag and stash for up to three months. When ready to eat, wrap the frozen loaf in foil, then bake at 350° for 10 to 15 minutes.
Garlic Bread Tips
What goes with garlic bread?
Garlic bread is a natural fit with many classic Italian dishes, especially saucy recipes, like our best-ever lasagna or spaghetti. Garlic bread can also turn a lighter dish into a meal: Think tomato soup plus garlic bread, or a big Italian chopped salad and bread.
How can you use up leftover garlic bread?
There’s no need to confine garlic bread to a side dish. We have lots of recipes with garlic bread, including transforming slices into tiny pizzas, or using them instead of plain buns for Sloppy Joes.
Can you make a single slice of garlic bread?
Garlic bread is very versatile, as our favorite garlic bread recipes prove. If you like, you can make a single slice, though you’ll use this recipe only as a template. Mix garlic with melted butter and spread over as many slices of bread as you like. If you’re making a small batch, use a toaster oven to bake.
