Garlic Bread Recipe
This Garlic Bread is slathered with a simple homemade garlic butter and then baked until it’s toasty and golden brown. This crowd-pleasing side dish will have everyone going back for seconds!
For me, bread is the ultimate comfort food. I’ll never pass up a homemade dinner roll, a flaky biscuit, or slice of sourdough.
So when buttery, crispy-edged garlic bread is on the table? I am powerless to resist.
Like our favorite Garlic Knots recipe, this homemade garlic bread is a regular on our dinner table. It’s fast and easy to make, and packs a punch of fresh garlic flavor. The flavor is amazing and it is especially delicious warm from the oven.
This Italian bread recipe is the perfect side dish to serve with Lasagna or spaghetti and Meatballs. Round out the meal with an Italian Salad and enjoy!
Ingredients
- French Bread: I prefer to make this recipe with a loaf of French bread, but you can also use a loaf of sourdough bread or a baguette.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter, or omit the added salt in the recipe. You’ll want the butter to be very soft and spreadable, so plan ahead and let it soften to room temperature before beginning the recipe.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic makes the best garlic bread with lots of garlic flavor. If you want to use garlic powder, I’ve included directions for that below.
- Salt: Adding salt to the garlic butter enhances the flavors and makes this side dish ultra addictive.
- Parmesan Cheese: The grated Parmesan cheese in this recipe is optional, but highly recommended. The bread will be the most delicious and flavorful if you add the Parmesan.
- Fresh Parsley: Chopped fresh parsley sprinkled on the bread after baking adds a pop of color and flavor. If you prefer, you can skip the parsley.
Find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.
How to Make Garlic Bread
Since you’ll need softened butter for this recipe, start by taking the butter out of the refrigerator to let it soften on the counter. I usually do this about an hour before I want to make the garlic bread. If you need the butter to soften more quickly, the best way is to place it in a medium bowl and cut it into smaller pieces. Unless your kitchen is really chilly, the smaller pieces should soften in about 20 minutes. You can also heat the butter for a few seconds in the microwave, but be careful to not melt it.
Once the butter is soft, it’s time to slice the French bread. First, cut the loaf in half lengthwise. You may want to cut the two halves crosswise as well to help them fit on the baking sheet. Then, being careful to not cut all the way through the bottom crust of the bread, cut the loaves partway into slices that can be pulled apart after baking.
Make the Garlic Butter
In a medium bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, salt and Parmesan cheese. Stir these together until everything is well combined. Then spread the garlic butter over the top of the bread. Alternatively, use my garlic butter recipe.
How Long to Cook Garlic Bread
Bake garlic bread on a baking sheet in a 400° F oven for 8 minutes. Then turn on the broiler and broil the bread for 1-2 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.
If you’d like to add chopped fresh parsley, sprinkle it on when the bread comes out of the oven.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
Garlic bread is best served right after baking, when it is fresh. If you have leftovers, you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To reheat, wrap the garlic bread in foil and bake at 350° F for about 10 minutes, until warm.
Recipe Variations
- Dried herbs: Add a teaspoon of dried oregano or Italian seasoning to the garlic butter mixture.
- Cheesy garlic bread: Sprinkle 1 to 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the bread after spreading on the garlic butter, then bake as directed in the recipe.
- How to make garlic bread with garlic powder: You can substitute 1 teaspoon of garlic powder for the fresh minced garlic in this recipe. The garlic flavor will be more subtle if using garlic powder.
- Double the garlic: For an extra punch of garlic flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder in addition to the fresh garlic in the butter mixture.
- How to make garlic bread with sliced bread: If you don’t have French bread but are craving garlic bread, you can spread the garlic butter over sliced bread and bake as directed in the recipe, or until golden brown. Alternatively, make garlic toast by toasting sliced bread and then spreading on roasted garlic.
What to Serve with Garlic Bread
Just about any meal is made better with garlic bread! It’s a classic to serve with Italian favorites such as Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Piccata, Instant Pot Spaghetti, Stuffed Shells, Instant Pot Lasagna and this Chicken Florentine Pasta Bake.
Fresh garlic bread is an ideal side dish for many soups, including Instant Pot Minestrone, Potato Soup, Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup and Slow Cooker Beef Stew. Or enjoy it with Crock Pot Pork Chops, Air Fryer Chicken Breast or Stuffed Peppers.
We also love this garlic bread as an appetizer, served with Marinara Sauce for dipping.
More Bread Recipes
- Honey Yeast Rolls
- Cornbread Recipe
- Whole Wheat Bread
- Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
- Homemade Croutons
- Drop Biscuits
Garlic Bread
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread*
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter*, softened
- 4 medium cloves fresh garlic, minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Slice French bread in half lengthwise. Then, without cutting all the way through the bottom crust of the bread, cut the loaves partway into slices that can be pulled apart after baking. Place bread on a large baking sheet, cut side up, and set aside.
- Place the softened butter in a medium bowl. If the butter is not very soft, you can heat it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it more, but do not melt it.
- Add the minced garlic, salt and Parmesan cheese to the bowl with the softened butter. Stir together until very well combined.
- Spread the garlic butter over the top of the bread.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Then, broil for 1-2 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, if desired, and serve.
Notes
- If using salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe.
- The Parmesan cheese is optional but adds delicious flavor.
- For an extra punch of garlic flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder to the butter mixture in addition to the fresh garlic.
- Recipe is for a large loaf of French bread. If your loaf is smaller you may not need all of the butter mixture.
- Garlic bread is best served right after baking, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To reheat, wrap in foil and bake at 350° F for about 10 minutes, until warm.
I will be trying your garlic bread