Garlic Bread

This homemade Garlic Bread recipe is the best you will ever taste. And I stand by that boos! It’s buttery and garlicky with a crispy crust on the outside and a fluffy center, and it’s absolutely addictive. The best part is that making garlic bread from scratch couldn’t be easier. If you can mix, spread, and bake, you can make this recipe ya dig?

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Homemade garlic bread recipe slices on a white plate on a white background

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I didn’t grow up eating garlic bread from scratch. My mama didn’t have time for that. Between a 9 to 5 (sometimes 9 to 6 or 7) job, a husband, and two demanding kids, she was spread thin. If garlic bread was served, it was served from a frozen box. Then, one day, everything changed. Our local grocery store started selling homemade garlic bread in their bakery section. My mom decided to try it out. She popped it in the oven as she was finishing her famous spaghetti and meatballs, and something magical occurred at dinner. I was totally changed! Frozen garlic bread was kicked to the curb.

I worked on this easy garlic bread recipe until it was perfect. It is legit reminds me of the version we grabbed at our grocery store, but better, of course! Once you try this recipe, you won’t go back to the frozen box again boos!

The Lowdown on This Garlic Bread

Closeup of Jocelyn in pink dress smiling

Cuisine Inspiration: Italian-American

Primary Cooking Method: Baking

Dietary Info: Vegetarian. Can be made Gluten-Free with an adjustment

Key Flavor: Garlicky, Buttery, and Herbaceous

Skill Level: Easy (No Sweat, Fam!)

Nothing beats the aroma and taste of garlic bread made from scratch. You control the freshness and know exactly what’s going into your food.

With both garlic cloves and garlic powder in the mix, you can adjust the garlicky punch to your preference.

This garlic bread goes with everything! Whether it’s Baked Ziti, a Classic Lasagna Recipe, or a Homemade Tomato Basil Soup Recipe, this side is an Italian dish’s BFF.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Garlic Bread

  • Bread: Make sure you grab a crusty bread from the bakery section of your grocery store. I use baguette, but you can also use French or Italian baked bread. Fresh is key!
  • Butter: This creates the rich and delicious base of our spread. I use salted butter since it is already flavorful and cuts down on the ingredients we need. Grab a French-style butter that has more fat because it is creamier and more decadent in taste.
  • Garlic: Grab a bulb and mince that baby down. We need ample garlic flavor in this recipe!
  • Garlic Powder: I double on the garlic flavor by also added the granulated version. This way, you get a taste of garlic in each bite wherever minced garlic doesn’t reach.
  • Parsley: Fresh parsley doesn’t just add color. It gives subtle earthiness that complements the robust garlic flavor.
  • Olive Oil adds moisture and richness to the spread, making it easier to spread and giving it a great mouthfeel.
  • Parmesan: Optional, but I love the salty, tangy touch it gives to the garlic bread.
Butter, a baguette, garlic, parsley, parmesan, garlic powder, and olive oil on a white background

How to Make Garlic Bread

A mixing bowl containing the ingredients to make garlic bread, ready to be mixed
1
Add butter, minced garlic, garlic powder, parsley, olive oil and parmesan cheese (if using!) to a medium sized bowl.
A bowl of smooth, well-mixed garlic butter
2
Whisk together until well combined.
A loaf of bread sliced lengthwise, showing the inside of each half
1
Cut bread roll in half lengthwise.
The two bread halves spread with the garlic butter mixture, ready for baking
2
Liberally spread garlic butter mixture on each half of bread.
The bread halves after being baked, golden and crispy on top
3
Bake bread for 10-14 minutes or until bread is crisp and top is golden brown.
Slices of garlic bread, golden brown and topped with garlic and parsley, laid on a white parchment paper
4
Cut bread into slices and serve.

What to serve with homemade garlic bread

A large spoon lifting Millionaire Baked Spaghetti with delicious layers
This Southern baked spaghetti contains several indulgent layers of rich and meaty Bolognese, pasta and luscious cheesy creamy filling
A delicious cobb salad with jerk shrimp and dressing in a pink bowl ready to enjoy
This cobb salad is LOADED with juicy shrimp, smoky bacon, and tangy goat cheese.
overhead of a bowl full of roasted brussels sprouts and a spoon
My balsamic glazed brussels sprouts are beautifully tender and generously seasoned. They will pack a punch of delicious flavor at your next dinner!
Three mango carrot cake swirl bars sitting on a square, white plate on top of a colorful cloth.
These carrot cake bars are perfectly moist, gently spiced, and swirled with cream cheese.

Recipe Substitutions

  • Baguette: Feel free to get down on whatever you prefer here. Italian bread, french bread, and ciabatta are all great.
  • Butter: You can totally use unsalted butter here. Just add a pinch of salt. If no butter is around, you can just use all olive oil but you will miss that creamy richness.
  • Garlic: No garlic cloves? Just use all garlic powder. And vice versa. It will still turn out super yum boos.
  • Parsley: You can substitute with other herbs like thyme, basil or oregano.
  • Cheese: If you want to use a little cheese (totally optional) in this garlic bread and parm is out of the question, try pecorino romano for a nice sharp and salty contrast. Asiago has a lovely nutty vibe too!

Recipe Variations and Additions

  • Make it Cheesy: I’ve added parmesan to this recipe but you can totally sprinkle on an extra layer of cheese. Before baking, layer the top of the garlic spread with a cup or so of shredded mozzarella or your fave cheese. For those golden-brown bubbles, turn the broiler on for the last minute but watch carefully.
  • Make it Vegan: All you gotta do is replace the butter with your favorite vegan margarine or butter substitute.
  • Make it Gluten-Free: Just use your fave gluten free bread in place of the baguette.
  • Spice it Up: Add a light pinch of red pepper flakes to the spread for a bomb kick.
  • Bruschetta it Up: After you bake, top with some chopped tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and a little balsamic drizzle ya dig?
  • Upgrade: Replace the olive oil with some truffle oil for a sophisticated touch.
  • Top It Up: Add some caramelized onions and a bit of fresh thyme and serve it up. That’s good eatin y’all!
Slices of easy garlic bread recipe on a white background

Expert Tips and Tricks for making the best easy garlic bread recipe

  • No Store-Bought Minced Garlic: Do not, I repeat, do not use the pre-packaged minced garlic in the grocery store. The bottles have additional chemicals and aren’t as fresh. Make sure you grab fresh garlic and mince it yourself. 
  • Mince Finely: Nobody wants to bite into big ole chunks of garlic. It can be too overpowering so make sure you mince that garlic as fine as possible.
  • Keep that Butter Soft: Get that butter to room temp so you can really mix all of the ingredients together well. We want a nice smooth spread.
  • Toast Perfectly: If you want to brown the top even more, turn your broiler on for 1-2 minutes but watch carefully so your bread doesn’t burn!

How to store & reheat Garlic Bread

If you somehow manage to have leftovers (I’m impressed, boo!) simply wrap that garlic bread in foil or put it in an airtight container. If you want to refrigerate it, make sure the bread has cooled completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap before popping in the fridge.

To reheat, you can just pop back in the oven at about 350 F for 10-15 minutes or until warmed and crispy again. Or wrap a slice in a damp paper towel and heat it for about 20 seconds.

How long will Garlic Bread last in the fridge?

At room temp, your garlic bread will stay fresh for up to 2 days. After that, it starts to lose that golden magic. If you pop it in the fridge, you can stretch it out for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze homemade garlic bread?

Yes! It’s actually best to freeze your garlic bread BEFORE you bake it. Just assemble with the garlic spread and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 months. You can also freeze after baking the same way, and it should last about 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before heating.

A close up of the inside of garlic bread from scratch on a white plate with parsley in front of it

Frequently Asked Questions

Help! I forgot to soften my butter to make the homemade garlic bread spread. What can I do?

You can either soften the butter quickly by cutting it into smaller cubes and letting it sit for about 15 minutes or popping in the microwave for 5 second intervals until it softens. Just keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t melt boos.

Can I make this easy garlic bread recipe ahead?

For sure boos! Just assemble the bread with the garlic bread spread, wrap super well and pop in the fridge or freezer. Follow the rest of the baking instructions when you are ready to bake. It will need to bake a bit longer if you are baking from frozen however.

Help! Why is my garlic bread from scratch soggy?

Y’all gotta make sure you bake it long enough so it gets crispy. Check to make sure the bread is super toasty on the sides and golden brown on top before removing from the oven.

Overhead shot of the inside of garlic bread from scratch on a white plate with parsley in front of it, a head of garlic behind and a bowl with parmesan cheese next to it

This Garlic Bread is so good, you might just forget about the main dish. Trust me boos, once you try it, you’ll be finding excuses to make it with everything. I mean, is there such a thing as too much garlic bread? (Spoiler: nope!). Now go ahead and get that bread, y’all!

More Garlic Bread Recipes

Homemade garlic bread recipe slices on a white plate on a white background

Garlic Bread Recipe

This homemade garlic bread is buttery, garlicky, crunchy and addictive and not to mention super easy to make! The butter spread comes together in minutes!
4.43 from 88 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course: Bread
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

  • baguette
  • 1/2 cup salted butter room temperature (1 stick)
  • 4 tsp garlic minced
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp parsley chopped
  • 1/2 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup parmesan optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Cut bread roll in half lengthwise.
  • In a medium sized bowl, whisk together butter, minced garlic, garlic powder, parsley, olive oil and parmesan cheese if using until well combined.
  • Liberally spread garlic butter mixture on each half of bread.
  • Bake bread for 10-14 minutes or until bread is crisp and top is golden brown.
  • Cut bread into slices and serve.

Video

Notes

How to store & reheat Garlic Bread

If you somehow manage to have leftovers (I’m impressed, boo!) simply wrap that garlic bread in foil or put it in an airtight container. If you want to refrigerate it, make sure the bread has cooled completely then wrap tightly in plastic wrap before popping in the fridge.
To reheat, you can just pop back in the oven at about 350 F for 10-15 minutes or until warmed and crispy again. Or wrap a slice in a damp paper towel and heat it for about 20 seconds.

How long will Garlic Bread last in the fridge?

At room temp, your garlic bread will stay fresh for up to 2 days. After that, it starts to lose that golden magic. If you pop it in the fridge, you can stretch it out for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze homemade garlic bread?

Yes! It’s actually best to freeze your garlic bread BEFORE you bake it. Just assemble with the garlic spread and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 months. You can also freeze after baking the same way, and it should last about 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before heating.

Nutrition

Calories: 384kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 586mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 710IU | Vitamin C: 0.9mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1.9mg
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Filed Under:  Bread, Oven

Comments

  1. We had a small dinner party last night and I used your recipe for the garlic bread spread and it was perfect. Easy to make and not overpowering. Will definitely use again.

  2. My go-to side dish, afternoon or late night snack… heck, I’d even eat this stuff for an entire meal! LOVE this crispy, garlicky goodness!

  3. I made this garlic bread last night and it was delicious! I will make it this way from now on. It definitely beats the already-made garlic breads in the stores! Thank you!

    1. Hooray I am so so glad you enjoyed this recipe. It is one of my absolute favorites!

  4. Thank you for sharing your recipe for garlic bread made from scratch! I too am a working mom and have used the Texas Toast for years. One evening I forgot the Texas toast . So..just tried to make garlic bread with regular light bread on hand. My ingredients were similar to yours, except I did not include the olive oil. Since I have repeated on occasion , knowing something not quite right. After finding your recipe, I have included the olive oil and it has seriously made a difference at home. The texture and flavor so much better. Also, I love reading your posts which have inspired me to try other breads. I loved reading that it is good with sourdough bread. One of our favorites now! I find that is actually less expensive to make the homemade garlic bread. Now on pasta night, the question is…which kind of garlic bread are we having mom? Lol. Thank you so very much for sharing!!!

  5. So excited to make this tomorrow night with my daughter’s favorite pasta dish for her birthday! Thanks for sharing it with all of us:-). Have you ever posted your mom’s famous spaghetti recipe? Wouldn’t mind trying that out (hint, hint) since I haven’t come across one that we consider to be the “bomb”.

4.43 from 88 votes (47 ratings without comment)

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