Many ago Tony and I started making homemade garlic bread to go with my favorite turkey meatballs.
Of course, a classic, easy spaghetti and meatballs dinner needs garlic bread for dipping so I went on a quest that involved several loaves of bread, chopped garlic, real butter and herbs. It also involved a few stomach aches (hey I’m I’m human and sometimes you can’t stop at one slice)!
But alas, we landed on a delightful, mouth-watering garlic bread recipe that’s 1000x better than the store-bought kind and that I can’t stop making.
Everything you need to make the best garlic bread
This homemade garlic bread recipe requires super simple ingredients, so trust me when I say you’ll back to it time and time again. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Bread: I like to use Italian bread or a loaf of French bread (instead of a baguette) to get those nice thick slices.
- Butter: gotta have plenty of softened butter, which will melt into all of the bread nooks & crannies. Feel free to use salted or unsalted butter. I use 1/2 cup of butter, but you can also get away with using 1/3 cup!
- Garlic: fresh garlic cloves (rather than garlic powder) are KEY for that true garlic flavor. The minced garlic gets roasted to perfection in the oven.
- Herbs & spices: instead of Italian seasoning we’re adding a little fresh parsley and sea salt to bring it all together. Feel free to garnish with extra parsley or chives, too!
Get a little cheesy
If you like cheesy garlic bread, feel free to add 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese or 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella! You’ll sprinkle it on in the last 2 minutes of baking (so that it doesn’t get too crispy on top).
Can I make it vegan?
Of course! Simply substitute the regular butter with vegan butter and use your favorite vegan cheese (if you’re cheese-ing it).
Easy homemade garlic bread in 3 steps
- Prep your pan & bread. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or tinfoil, slice your bread in half lengthwise, and place the bread cut side up on the baking sheet.
- Make the garlic butter. In a small bowl mix the herbs and salt together with the softened butter. Spread it evenly over the top of the bread halves.
- Bake & serve. Bake the bread for 10-15 minutes at 425 degrees F until it’s slightly golden brown on the edges. If you’re adding cheese, add it in the last 2 minutes of baking. Then cool, slice into 1-inch pieces, and devour!
Don’t forget to dip it in this AMAZINGGarlic Olive Oil Dip, or your favorite marinara sauce!
Choose your bread crispiness
If you like crispier garlic bread, bake it for 3-5 minutes more (but watch it carefully so that it doesn’t get too toasted). If you like it softer, take it out closer to 10 minutes. You can also wrap the bread in aluminum foil before baking it if you like softer garlic bread.
Storing tips
Store any leftovers covered at room temp for 1-2 days. Simply reheat it in your oven by wrapping it in foil and warming it for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Freeze it for later
That’s right, this homemade garlic bread is freezer-friendly! It’s such a great way to have a delicious side on hand at any time. Here’s how to freeze it:
- After slathering the bread in the garlic butter mixture, place the bread halves in a single layer in a freezer-friendly bag and store them in the freezer.
- Freeze the garlic bread for up to 3 months.
- When ready to eat, add the frozen garlic bread halves to your baking sheet and bake as directed — you may just need to add 3-5 more minutes.
What to serve with this homemade garlic bread
- 30 Minute Pasta Carbonara
- Juicy Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Basil Sauce with Burrata
- Garlic Olive Oil Dip
- Roasted Garlic Cheddar Cauliflower Soup
- Bacon Parmesan Brussels Sprouts Spaghetti
- The Best Healthy Turkey Lasagna You’ll Ever Eat
Get all of my dinner recipes hereand my pasta dishes here!
I hope you love this garlic bread recipe! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
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The Best Garlic Bread You'll Ever Eat
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Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes minutes
Total Time 20 minutes minutes
ServesServes 8 servings
This is the BEST homemade garlic bread you'll ever make. It has fresh herbs, tons of flavorful roasted garlic, and is perfectly toasted. This easy garlic bread recipe is delicious served with your fav pasta dishes & comfort foods, and is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian loaf or French loaf
- 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter (can also use salted)*
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- Optional:
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- OR
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- For garnishing:
- Extra parsley and chives
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Slice bread in half lengthwise and place on a large baking sheet, cut sides up.
In a medium bowl, mix butter, garlic, parsley and salt together until well combined. Spread evenly over bread.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown on the edges. If you want to add cheese, add it the last 2 minutes of baking. If you like a crispier garlic bread, bake for 3-5 minutes more, watching carefully until it is as golden as you like.
Recipe Notes
To make vegan: feel free to use a vegan butter.
See the full post for customizations and tips for storing & freezing this garlic bread!
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by:Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on January 30th, 2018, and republished on February 13th, 2023.
