Crisp, buttery and full of garlic flavor! This post shows you how to make Garlic Bread at home in just minutes. It's the perfect side dish to serve with spaghetti, chicken, or a bowl of tomato soup -- and you only need 4 ingredients!
Easy Garlic Bread Recipe
Homemade garlic bread toast is so easy to make at home! While there's nothing wrong with the frozen slices of garlic Texas Toast or those foil-wrapped loaves that you can grab in the deli section, one bite of this homemade version will convince you that there's just no comparison. You can control the type and quality of the bread, you can control the flavors and amount of your spread, and you can decide just how toasty (or soft) you like it!
Which Type of Bread is Best?
Look for a 1-lb. loaf of soft Italian or French bread in the bakery section at your grocery store. You can also use a baguette, but I find that the baguette can almost get too crunchy when toasted. The softer Italian bread has a larger surface area for the garlic butter spread, and stays soft and chewy in the center while getting crisp and toasty on the edges.
How to make Garlic Bread with Regular Bread
Sometimes you just don't want to make an extra trip to the grocery store! In that case, you can make homemade garlic toast with regular sandwich bread or even with split hamburger and hotdog buns. Just prepare the butter mixture as instructed in the recipe, spread on your bread of choice, and toast it until golden brown.
Which Cheese?
If you like cheesy garlic toast, try sprinkling the top of the bread with grated Parmesan cheese. You can also use cheddar cheese, or try a combination of multiple cheeses. Anything goes when you make it at home!
How to make Garlic Bread at Home
This simple side dish requires just 4 ingredients and about 10 minutes of prep. Your house will smell amazing, and your family will be in heaven!
Ingredients
- Loaf of soft Italian or French bread
- Salted butter
- Garlic
- Parsley
Step 1: Make Garlic Bread Spread
In a small bowl, stir together the softened butter, garlic and parsley.
Step 2: Place Bread on Baking Sheet
Arrange the bread halves, cut-side-up, on a rimmed baking sheet.
Step 3: Spread Butter
Spread the garlic butter all over the tops of the bread, making sure to cover from edge-to-edge. The more, the merrier!
Step 4: Toast
Toast the garlic bread in a 400 degree F oven for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Depending on your bread, this may take even longer.
Step 5: Slice and Serve
Cut the bread into individual slices and serve warm!
What to serve with Garlic Bread
This classic Italian side dish isn't just reserved for spaghetti night! The bread goes well with any of these easy entrees for a filling and satisfying meal:
- Spinach and Ground Beef Casserole
- Eggplant Caponata
- Crock Pot Vegetable Soup
- Baked Penne
- Pesto Pasta
- Chicken Caesar Salad
- Shrimp and Sausage Pasta
- Baked Ziti
- Lasagna
- Minestrone Soup
- Lemon Chicken Piccata
- Eggplant Parmesan
- Chicken Parmesan
- Stuffed Shells
- Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Pasta Fagioli Soup
Storage
This is a nice make ahead side dish. You can assemble the bread in advance and freeze before baking. Then you've got some bread stashed away to enjoy whenever the craving strikes!
How to Freeze
Spread the garlic butter on your bread, according to the recipe instructions. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet and then place them in the freezer for about 30 minutes to allow the butter to firm up. Once firm, transfer the garlic bread to a large freezer bag for longer storage. The bread will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the frozen garlic bread on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Leftovers
Wrapped tightly, leftover bread will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
How to Reheat
Wrap the leftover bread in foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F until warmed through -- about 8 minutes.
Tips for the Best Garlic Bread Recipe
- Use a large, soft loaf of Italian or French bread. If you prefer, you can make garlic toast with thick slices of crusty bread, spread both sides of each slice with the garlic butter, and toast in the oven flipping halfway through.
- Use a microplane to grate the garlic cloves (or press to a fine mince). This helps evenly distribute the garlic throughout the spread so that you don't bite into a large chunk of garlic on your toast.
- Herbs: The parsley here is optional. If you don't have fresh parsley, substitute with 1 teaspoon of dried parsley flakes, or omit the parsley altogether. You can also try adding other herbs that you enjoy, such as thyme, oregano, chives, or basil.
- Cheese: top the buttered garlic bread with grated Parmesan or cheddar cheeses before toasting.
- Garlic Powder: if you don't have fresh cloves of garlic, substitute with about ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Soft or Crunchy: This recipe yields bread that's soft and chewy on the inside, but toasted and crisp on the edges. If you prefer soft garlic bread, wrap the loaf in foil before baking.
More breads that you might enjoy:
How to Make Garlic Bread
Ingredients
- 1 loaf (about 16 ounces) soft Italian or French bread, halved lengthwise
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated or minced
- 1 heaping tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley
- Optional: grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, stir together butter, garlic and parsley.
- Place bread, cut-side up, on a baking sheet. Spread each half of bread with the garlic butter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if using.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until toasted and golden brown. Cut into pieces and serve warm.
Notes
- Use a large, soft loaf of Italian or French bread. If you prefer, you can make garlic toast with thick slices of crusty bread, spread both sides of each slice with the garlic butter, and toast in the oven flipping halfway through.
- Use a microplane to grate the garlic cloves (or press to a fine mince). This helps evenly distribute the garlic throughout the spread so that you don't bite into a large chunk of garlic on your toast.
- Herbs: The parsley here is optional. If you don't have fresh parsley, substitute with 1 teaspoon of dried parsley flakes, or omit the parsley altogether. You can also try adding other herbs that you enjoy, such as thyme, oregano, chives, or basil.
- Garlic Powder: if you don't have fresh cloves of garlic, substitute with about ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Soft or Crunchy: This recipe yields bread that's soft and chewy on the inside, but toasted and crisp on the edges. If you prefer soft garlic bread, wrap the loaf in foil before baking.
Malcolm Livingston
I Want to try
Malcolm Livingston
I want to try