Homemade Garlic Bread
Nothing brings people to the table faster than a fresh batch of garlic bread right from the oven! As simple and easy as it is, it can be tricky to get the perfect balance of crispy, buttery texture and rich garlic flavor. My foolproof homemade garlic bread recipe uses the best bread and the ideal butter ratio, ensuring that you’ll love it as much as we do.
While buying garlic bread is a shortcut (and you know I love shortcuts), the homemade oven-baked version is just too delicious and I find myself creating dinner menus around it. We love it as a side to classic spaghetti with meat sauce and an Italian chopped salad, but it’s also a great side to soups and salads.
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
What You’ll Love About Homemade Garlic Bread
- Perfectly golden brown and crispy
- Rich buttery garlic flavor
- Smells SO good!
- Easy and simple to make
- Made with just 5 ingredients
- Versatile – Use as a side for salads, soups, pastas
Ingredients
- Italian bread – Look for a large soft loaf of Italian bread. It should not be sliced and is very soft and is the best bread for garlic bread. You don’t want to use a baguette or French loaf as the crusts are too tough when baked and they are harder to eat in this form.
- Butter – Use high-quality butter for the best flavor. You’ll want it to be nice and soft so take it out of the fridge a day or so in advance if you can!
- Garlic – We’re using fresh garlic for maximum garlic flavor! Feel free to adjust the number of cloves based on your own preference. I found four was about right for us. If you don’t love crunchy bits of garlic, use a microplane zester to grate it into the butter. It will impart all of the flavor but will melt into the butter.
- Garlic salt – In addition to the fresh garlic cloves, I also like to add garlic salt to the mix for double the flavor!
- Parsley – The fresh parsley adds a really nice bright flavor and color to the easy garlic bread. It could be skipped if you need to, but I highly recommend it.
Emily’s Tip
If you have an extra 10 minutes, or can plan ahead, mix the garlic butter mixture ahead and let it sit to let the flavors come together before spreading it over the bread.
How to Make Garlic Bread
This is an overview, the detailed instructions can be found below in the recipe card.
- Prep. Mash together softened butter, garlic, garlic salt, and chopped parsley. Mix together well so the flavors are evenly spread out. Slice bread in half lengthwise.
- Season. Spread both sides of bread with butter mixture generously. Place butter-side up on a baking sheet.
- Bake. Bake bread until golden brown and cut into 2-3 inch pieces.
FAQs
Of course, while using the soft Italian loaf gives you a very traditional garlic bread, you can really spread the garlic butter mixture over any slice of bread. The texture might be a bit different, but it’s still delicious. And if you really want the cheater version (aka my lunchtime garlic bread), spread butter over bread, sprinkle with garlic salt, and bake until golden.
This really comes down to the ratio of bread to garlic butter mixture. The amounts in this recipe are very balanced and use just the right amount of garlic butter for the bread. It can be tempting to slather on a ton of butter (more is often better after all!), but it can also result in a soggy garlic bread that doesn’t have the buttery crisp texture we’re going for.
Storage
Garlic bread is best eaten right away. If you have leftover you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
How to reheat
Reheat the garlic bread in a 350 degree F oven for best results. Microwaving is not recommended and will result in soggy and mushy bread.
How to prep ahead
The garlic butter mixture can be prepped up to a day in advance and is a great way to cut down on some prep when you’re cooking. Store in the refrigerator, but remember to take out to come to room temperature a few hours before using to soften! Then you just need to spread and bake.
What to Serve with Homemade Garlic Bread
Nothing goes with garlic bread quite like pasta and a salad!
- Pasta – Our favorite simple spaghetti and meat sauce, chicken parm pasta, or viral sausage and broccoli orecchiette
- Salads – Italian chopped salad, lemon kale salad, chicken Caesar pasta salad, salmon Caesar salad
Want More?
Read more about my nutrition philosophy here and follow Emily on Instagram or TikTok for family dinner recipe videos and tips for feeding kids.
Our Favorite Garlic Bread
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Our favorite homemade garlic bread is crispy on the outside, soft in the inside and has the perfect balance of garlic butter flavor.
Ingredients
- 16 oz. loaf soft Italian bread
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 4 cloves garlic*
- 1 tsp. garlic salt
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, mash together softened butter, minced garlic, garlic salt, and parsley until combined and evenly distributed.
- Slice bread in half lengthwise.
- Spread both sides of the bread with butter mixture and place onto a baking sheet, butter side up.
- Bake bread for 18-22 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into smaller pieces and serve immediately.
Notes
- Garlic strength can vary a lot from head to head, so use your best judgment. You may need to adjust to add more or less.
- Use a microplane zester to grate garlic cloves into the butter for a smooth and creamy texture.
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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