Here’s the BEST recipe for homemade garlic bread (with baguette or Italian bread)! Fresh bread is spread with an easy to whip up garlic butter, and baked until just crispy. Ready in 15 minutes! Your whole house smells amazing while it's baking away!
Jump To
- Why you'll love homemade garlic bread:
- What ingredients are in the best garlic bread?
- What kind of bread is the best bread to use for garlic bread?
- How to make garlic bread spread recipe?
- How to make easy Italian garlic bread?
- Expert tips:
- Variations and substitutions:
- What to serve with this homemade garlic bread:
- How to store and reheat leftovers
- Frozen garlic bread instructions
- Truly the best garlic bread ever?
- Here are some simple pasta recipes to enjoy with this garlic bread:
- The BEST Homemade Garlic Bread
Why you'll love homemade garlic bread:
- Irresistible Aroma: The combination of garlic, butter, and fresh parsley creates an enticing aroma that fills your kitchen and while it's baking away.
- Buttery Goodness: The generous amount of butter used in this recipe gives the bread a rich and indulgent flavor that melts in your mouth.
- Perfectly Crispy: The baking process ensures that the edges of the bread turn golden brown and become wonderfully crispy, adding a satisfying crunch to every bite.
- Versatile Accompaniment: This homemade garlic bread pairs well with a variety of dishes, from pasta to soups, adding a delicious garlic-infused element to your meal.
- Freezer-Friendly: You can prepare a batch of this garlic bread and freeze it for later use. It comes in handy when you need a quick and tasty side dish.
There is nothing better than crispy and chewy bread, toasted with softened butter and garlic. This is the bread my mom (AKA nonna to my kids)made when I was a kid. Her Sicilian-American friends taught her how to make it.
I never had the store-bought version growing up, and I know there are so many versions out there now. When you see how easy it is to whip up the garlic butter spread and toast this up, you'll never buy a frozen garlic bread again.
This garlic bread can even be prepped and baked up at the last minute, or even ahead of time and frozen. Quick and simple to make, once you learn how easy it is to make this, you'll be making it all the time! Are you making pasta tonight? Enjoy it with this garlic bread! Yes, carbs with carbs is sometimes a good thing!
Crispy and chewy bread, toasted with softened butter and garlic in every bite. Now do I have your attention? Let's get onto this recipe and bake some delicious garlic bread!
What ingredients are in the best garlic bread?
- Italian bread: Choose a fresh and crusty loaf to provide the ideal base for the garlic bread.
- Butter: The creamy and rich butter adds a lusciousness to the bread, making it irresistibly savory.
- Extra-Virgin Olive oil: A touch of olive oil makes the softened butter easier to spread. It also slows it from browning too quickly as it's baking.
- Garlic: The aromatic and pungent garlic infuses the bread with its distinct taste and tantalizing aroma.
- Fresh Italian parsley: The vibrant green parsley adds a touch of freshness and visual appeal to the garlic bread.
- Sea salt: A pinch of salt balances the flavors and elevates the taste of the bread.
What kind of bread is the best bread to use for garlic bread?
- Homemade Italian Filone bread
- French bread
- Focaccia
- Sourdough bread
- Ciabatta
- Sesame seed loaf
These are just ideas. You can use any kind of bread you want! The higher quality it is, the better your garlic bread will be!
How to make garlic bread spread recipe?
You can find the full recipe below at the end of this post. But let's talk BUTTER! Here's how to make the amazing garlic butter for your delicious garlic bread.
If you have a stick of butter, that's all you need to make the garlic butter. The secret to the garlic butter being amazing is to use very good quality butter.
I used Kerry Gold butter, but go ahead and use your favorite brand.
The butter needs to soften to room temperature, and if you cut into cubes, it will soften very quickly. In my hot kitchen, it only takes a few minutes. Melted butter is not recommended. It will not spread.
The olive oil gets add in and a little bit of salt gets added in. I used sea salt and I used 1/2 teaspoon, since my butter was unsalted. If you use salted butter, use about 1/8 teaspoon. Kosher salt is also fine to use. If all you have is table salt, use less salt.
You'll find some recipes to use high quality garlic powder. You could add 1/4 teaspoon of a high quality garlic powder (if you have it on hand).
Next part is to mince the garlic. I have a jar of minced garlic in the refrigerator that I make every week, which makes it super convenient for when we crave some garlic bread. To mince the garlic, smash the individual cloves with side of the knife. It loosens and you can easily peel it off.
How much garlic to use depends on how much garlic flavor you like and how big the cloves are. I used about 2 tablespoons, about 4 cloves minced. You could use even more! Fresh Italian chopped parsley gets stirred in. It all gets spread on the bread slices.
How to make easy Italian garlic bread?
Full printable recipe is below, but this is the summary. Be prepared because your kitchen will smell INCREDIBLE!
Gather up all your ingredients. There are only a handful and you maybe have them on hand.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and prep your pan and your bread.
- Divide the loaf into two equal halves, and slice the halves open.
- Place the bread on the prepped baking sheet cut sides facing up.
- Arrange the bread on a baking sheet, ensuring that the cut sides are facing up.
- Combine the softened butter, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped parsley, and salt. Stir until the mixture is smooth, allowing for a few small lumps of butter.
- Spread the garlic butter mixture over the top of the bread, coating all the way to the edge.
- Bake bread for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges turn a delightful golden brown and become crispy.
- If you prefer a softer garlic bread, bake for less time, and and if you like it crispier, bake longer. Slice and DEVOUR!
Expert tips:
- Use high-quality bread to elevate the taste and texture of your garlic bread.
- Experiment with different herbs and spices to customize the flavor profile to your liking.
- For an added kick, sprinkle some chili flakes or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top before baking.
- Don't skimp on the garlic! The more, the merrier.
- Experiment with different herbs and spices, such as oregano or thyme, to customize the taste to your liking.
- If using salted butter, adjust the amount of additional salt added to the mixture accordingly.
- To save time, you can prepare the garlic butter in advance and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Leftover garlic bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Simply reheat in the oven for a few minutes to restore its crispy texture.
Variations and substitutions:
- For a cheesy kick, sprinkle grated Parmesan or mozzarella cheese over the garlic butter before baking.
- Stir grated Parmigiano-Reggiano right into the garlic butter.
- Experiment with different herbs like oregano, basil, or thyme to enhance the flavor profile. If you have fresh basil in the garden, chop some up and add it in.
- If you have roasted garlic on hand, use that with the butter mixture. Add more fresh garlic, if you like. Or just use roasted garlic for a more mild garlic flavor.
- Add a hint of spice by incorporating crushed red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne pepper.
- For a touch of freshness, drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil.
- Elevate your garlic bread by topping it with sliced tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, or even a handful of arugula.
What to serve with this homemade garlic bread:
You may already know that I will be suggesting any dish that has some good sauce to do "la scarpetta"...basically, you'll be taking this garlic bread and sopping up that tasty sauce right from your plate! No shame, that's what my family does!
- Easy Homemade Tomato Sauce >> Our favorite way to enjoy it! An easy plate of spaghetti with this simple + delish sauce, garlic bread, and a big salad!
- Slow Cooker Turkey Bolognese >> Dust off your slow-cooker, and try this AMAZING sauce!
- The Best Baked Ziti >> This will feed your whole family, and you'll have leftovers! It's delicious!
- French Onion Soup >> I can't explain how heavenly this soup is and how wonderful it is to dip the garlic bread right into a bowl...dreamy!
- The Best LASAGNA >> Oh, this lasagna is super cheesy and everyone loves it!
- Pasta e Ceci >> Total Italian comfort food in every bite! Dip your garlic bread into this flavorful and simple to make soup.
How to store and reheat leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container or a large zipped lock bag. It will keep for about 3-4 days. To reheat, especially if it’s a whole loaf or most of a loaf, wrap in foil and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes until warmed all the way through. If you want the outside to be extra crunchy, take the foil off the last few minutes.
Frozen garlic bread instructions
As soon as you prep the halves of bread with the garlic bread, place them in freezer (somewhere flat like a cookie sheet and where they won't dirty your freezer with the butter). When they're frozen solid, stack the halves up and keep them in airtight in a large zipped lock freezer bag.
To bake, heat the oven (following recipe)and place them cup side up on a a cookie sheet. You'll need most likely an extra 5 minutes to bake. You could also thaw overnight in fridge and bake next day (may not need that extra 5 minutes, just keep an eye on it towards the end).
Garlic bread is American, created by Italian immigrants in the late 1800's. There is a very long story to go with us, but to keep it short, the immigrants couldn't find extra-virgin olive oil and tomatoes to make bruschetta, so they invented garlic bread with butter.
Yes, you can!Just substitute the regular butter with vegan butter/margarine. I like Earth Balance sticks.
The main differences between garlic bread and garlic toast lie in the cutting technique, the butter mixture, and the cooking method. Garlic bread can be sliced accordion style or lengthwise into two long pieces, brushed with a delectable blend of fresh garlic butter, and baked in the oven. On the other hand, garlic toast involves slicing the bread, spreading it with garlic butter, and toasting it under the broiler.
If you want your garlic bread to be very crispy, you could put it under the broiler for the last few minutes. Make sure to keep a good eye on it, as it could burn rather fast.
Yes, you could use garlic powder along with the fresh minced garlic.
Yes, go ahead and use your favorite gluten-free bread?
Every oven is different, but plan on baking your garlic bread for about 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Any leftovers can be wrapped in foil and baked at 350 F for 15 minutes until warmed through. To get an extra crunchy bread, remove foil during the last minutes. A quick method is you could even use your air fryer to reheat the garlic bread.
In the States, a stick of butter is typically 1/2 cup, or 8 tablespoons. Which is around 113.4 g.
Yes, if you're a fan of cheesy garlic bread, go ahead and add about 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (or even pecorino) or 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella! It gets sprinkled on the final 2 baking minutes.
Yes, you can double the garlic butter ingredients and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature before spreading on your sliced bread. Prepped garlic butter will keep in fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Yes, you can! Slice the bread and spread with the garlic butter. Wrap it tightly and store in an airtight container or in a zipped lock freezer bag until ready to bake. Let it thaw overnight in fridge before baking. Will keep for up to 2-3 months.
Make this homemade garlic bread soft or crispy. If you prefer softer bread, wrap it in some foil paper. Be sure to check that the butter melts completely before you slice and serve.
Garlic bread is typically made with a white bread and lots of butter. It is comfort food and you should eat it in moderation. It's not meant to be something to eat every day and if you watch overall what you eat, make your own judgement on how many pieces to enjoy!
French bread is a hard crust and the texture is distinctively chewy. Italian bread has a softer crumb and sometimes more fluffy. Although, there are Italian breads with a hard crust.
Truly the best garlic bread ever?
Since this is my mom's recipe, I can't take all the credit. THANK YOU, mom (AKA nonna). My kids think nonna's recipe is the BEST garlic bread ever. They are quite picky about what they like. And I have to completely agree with them! It's amazing. But, you try it! Let me know what you think!
Here are some simple pasta recipes to enjoy with this garlic bread:
- Caramelized Shallot Pasta
- Easy Pasta Puttanesca Recipe
- Quick and Easy Shrimp Scamp with Linguine
- Vegan Mushroom Coconut Pasta
The BEST Homemade Garlic Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound French or Italian bread
- ½ cup softened unsalted butter can also use salted
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic about 4 large cloves
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley optional
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Heat oven: Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Prep baking sheet and bread: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Cut the bread: Slice the loaf into two equal halves, creating two pieces that are each 12 inches long. Next, carefully slice each piece open lengthwise (you'll end up with 4 pieces). Place the bread on the prepped baking sheet cut sides facing up.
- Make the garlic butter: In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped parsley, and salt. Stir until the mixture is smooth, allowing for a few small lumps of butter.
- Spread on the garlic butter: Use a spatula to evenly spread the garlic butter mixture over the top of the bread, coating all the way to the edges of the bread.
- Bake garlic bread: Place the baking sheet with the bread in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the edges turn a delightful golden brown and become crispy. If you prefer a softer garlic bread, reduce the baking time, and if you prefer a crispier texture, extend the baking time accordingly.
- Slice bread: Once done, carefully slice the bread into 2-inch sections and serve it piping hot. Enjoy!
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
- Bread: Use whatever bread you like. A nice baguette or long rustic Italian loaf works perfectly.
- Butter: Use salted or unsalted. The better the quality, the better the flavor of the bread. If you use salted butter, decrease amount of salt you put in the garlic butter. Use margarine to make it dairy-free.
- Olive oil: I used extra-virgin olive oil. If you don't have any oil on hand, you could use just butter. The olive oil mixed with the butter makes the mixture a nice texture to spread and adds a bit of depth to the bread. Use just butter, if you prefer.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves are ideal. Depending on the size, you may use 2 large cloves or 4 smaller ones. Also, depends on how much garlic you like. Go ahead and add more, if you love it!
- Salt: I used sea salt. Use kosher salt, if that's what you have in your pantry. Table salt will be more salty, so use unsalted butter if that what you end up using.
Nutrition
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