Garlic Bread
by This post may contain affiliate links.
Learn how to make the best homemade Garlic Bread that guarantees every bite will be filled with garlic butter goodness! This recipe is easy to make in the oven in 30 minutes and pairs perfectly with your favorite pasta dishes or Italian recipes.
There’s just something about a loaf of fresh garlic bread. As it bakes in the oven, the aroma fills your house with the smell of roasted garlic, making everyone run to the kitchen for the first bite!
The buttery, cheesy, garlicky perfection has been a staple for many households for decades, but more often than not people settle for store-bought frozen bread. Settle no more! Learn how to make the BEST garlic bread recipe to savor around the dinner table for years to come.
This garlic bread recipe is different than most. Almost every other recipe will have you slicing a loaf of bread in half lengthwise, then smothering it with garlic butter. While this works, I like to double up on the buttery, garlic goodness! So what I’ve done here is sliced each piece of bread before it bakes, then slathered both sides with garlic parmesan butter.
This means that every slice of garlic bread, has buttery garlic herb deliciousness on both sides of the bread for maximum flavor!
Ingredients
- French bread – these loaves are ideal for big fluffy pieces. A baguette can also be used for a more crisp texture, but the slices will be smaller.
- Unsalted butter – using this allows you to control the saltiness of the garlic butter mixture. Choose a high quality butter for the best results. If you only have salted butter, I recommend omitting the added sea salt.
- Garlic cloves – fresh crushed garlic cloves are preferred for the best flavor. But if needed, minced garlic from a jar or garlic powder can be used instead.
- Parmesan cheese – freshly grated cheese is preferred for the best taste. It also melts perfectly in the bread as it bakes. However, pre-grated cheese will also work just fine in this recipe.
- Flat-leaf parsley – also known as Italian parsley, this fresh herb adds color and flavor to the garlic bread. In a pinch, you can also use dried parsley. Avoid using curly parsley, as it has a different flavor and texture.
- Italian seasoning – click the link for my easy homemade seasoning mix, or purchase pre-made Italian seasoning at the grocery store in the spice aisle.
- Sea salt – or kosher salt.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: combine melted butter, crushed garlic, fresh chopped parsley, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and salt in a medium bowl.
Step 2: cut deep slits in a loaf of french bread, approximately 1 inch apart. Make sure you don’t cut all the way through the bread.
Step 3: use a spatula to spread the garlic parmesan butter in between the slices of bread on each side and all the way to the bottom.
Step 4: wrap the bread in foil, place on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and unwrap the foil from on top of the bread, then place it back in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and slice each piece of bread the rest of the way through, then serve.
How to store and reheat
- For storage: wrap up leftover garlic bread in foil, or store it in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze garlic bread! Seal the whole loaf, or slices of garlic bread, in a freezer-safe airtight container or zip top bag and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: wrap the entire loaf, or a section of the loaf, in foil and reheat in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes. To reheat individual slices of garlic bread, place them on a baking sheet and into a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes. Or heat slices of garlic bread in an air fryer or toaster oven.
Expert tips
- Slice the bread with a bread knife or serrated knife in a sawing motion. It will cut through the bread without squishing or tearing it.
- Make it spicy! Sprinkle some red pepper flakes into the garlic butter mixture to spice up the garlic bread.
- Try adding extra fresh herbs, such as oregano, basil or thyme.
- For softer garlic bread, skip the last step of uncovering the bread for the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
- For crispier bread, cook the bread wrapped in foil for 10 minutes, remove the foil on top of the bread and cook for 10 minutes uncovered in the oven.
- To make the garlic bread in an air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 375°F. For soft bread, wrap the loaf in foil and cook for 15 minutes. If you like it crispy, unwrap the foil on top after 8 minutes of air frying, then continue cooking for 5 more minutes or until the top turns golden brown. If your loaf is too big you can split it in two and wrap each half in foil.
- To make cheesy garlic bread, add a slice of mozzarella cheese between each slice of bread.
What to serve with it
This homemade garlic bread recipe is delicious served with dozens of dishes, but is especially perfect when paired with pasta or Italian flavors. Try it with any of these recipes.
- Bolognese Meat Sauce
- Three Cheese Manicotti
- Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
- Instant Pot Chicken Stroganoff
- Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- The Best Meatball Soup
- Three Cheese Baked Ziti
- Italian Meatballs
- Pasta Fagioli Soup
Garlic Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 8 cloves garlic, crushed (or 4 teaspoons garlic powder)
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- ¼ cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, or kosher salt
- 1 loaf french bread
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, crushed garlic, parmesan cheese, parsley, Italian seasoning and salt.
- Cut deep slits in the bread, 1 inch apart, but don’t cut all the way through.
- Place the loaf on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Use a spatula to spread the garlic parmesan butter in between the slices of bread on each side and all the way to the bottom.
- Wrap the bread in the foil and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the oven and unwrap the foil from on top of the bread, then place it back in the oven for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Use a knife to cut each slice the rest of the way through, then serve.
Notes
- Slice the bread with a bread knife or serrated knife in a sawing motion. It will cut through the bread without squishing or tearing it.
- For softer garlic bread, skip the last step of uncovering the bread for the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
- For crispier bread, cook the bread wrapped in foil for 10 minutes, remove the foil on top of the bread and cook for 10 minutes uncovered in the oven.
- To make the garlic bread in an air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 375°F. For soft bread, wrap the loaf in foil and cook for 15 minutes If you like it crispy, unwrap the foil on top after 8 minutes of air frying, then continue cooking for 5 more minutes or until the top turns golden brown. If your loaf is too big you can split it in two and wrap each half in foil.
- To make cheesy garlic bread, add a slice of mozzarella cheese between each slice of bread.
Nutrition Facts
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
