Homemade garlic bread is the ultimate comfort food that transforms simple bread into something absolutely irresistible with the perfect combination of butter, garlic, and herbs. This crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside treat fills your kitchen with an incredible aroma that brings everyone to the table. Whether you’re serving it alongside pasta, soup, or enjoying it as a snack on its own, garlic bread made from scratch delivers far superior flavor compared to store-bought versions. The key lies in using fresh garlic, quality butter, and the right technique to achieve that perfect golden crust while keeping the inside tender and flavorful. This recipe creates restaurant-quality garlic bread that’s surprisingly easy to make at home.
Serves: 6-8 people (makes 1 large loaf)
What You’ll Need
- 1 large French baguette or Italian bread loaf
- 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 4-5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika (optional)
- Aluminum foil for wrapping
- Sharp serrated knife
- Mixing bowl
- Baking sheet
Getting Started
Choose a fresh, crusty bread with a good texture – French baguettes and Italian bread work perfectly because they have the right balance of crust and soft interior.
Let your butter come to room temperature naturally, which takes about 30-45 minutes. Softened butter mixes more easily with the other ingredients and spreads better on the bread.
Preparing the Garlic Butter
Mince the fresh garlic as finely as possible to distribute the flavor evenly throughout the butter. Fresh garlic gives much better flavor than pre-minced versions from jars.
In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika if using.
Mix everything together thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed and the mixture is smooth and creamy. The butter should be pale green from the herbs and aromatic from the garlic.
Cutting the Bread
Using a sharp serrated knife, slice the bread diagonally into 1-inch thick pieces, cutting about three-quarters of the way through the loaf. Don’t cut all the way through – you want to keep the loaf connected at the bottom.
These diagonal cuts create more surface area for the garlic butter and make the bread easier to pull apart when serving, while keeping it intact during baking.
Applying the Garlic Butter
Generously spread the garlic butter mixture between each slice of bread, making sure to coat both sides of each cut. Use your fingers or a small spoon to work the mixture into all the crevices.
Don’t be shy with the butter mixture – this is what creates the incredible flavor and prevents the bread from drying out during baking.
Also spread some of the mixture on the top crust of the bread for extra flavor and a beautiful golden color when baked.
Wrapping for Baking
Wrap the entire loaf tightly in aluminum foil, ensuring all sides are covered. This wrapping technique steams the bread initially, keeping it soft inside while allowing it to heat through evenly.
Place the wrapped bread on a baking sheet to catch any butter that might leak out during baking.
First Baking Phase
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Once hot, place the wrapped garlic bread in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
This initial covered baking allows the butter to melt completely and penetrate the bread while the steam keeps everything moist and tender.
Creating the Golden Crust
After 15 minutes, carefully remove the bread from the oven and unwrap the foil. The bread should be heated through and the butter should be melted and absorbed.
Return the unwrapped bread to the oven for an additional 5-7 minutes until the top becomes golden brown and slightly crispy.
Watch carefully during this final phase to prevent burning – you want a beautiful golden color and a slight crispiness on the exposed surfaces.
Serving and Presentation
Remove the garlic bread from the oven when it’s golden and aromatic. The crust should be crispy while the inside remains soft and buttery.
Let it cool for 2-3 minutes before serving – this allows the butter to set slightly and prevents it from being too messy to handle.
Serve immediately while hot, allowing people to pull apart the pre-cut slices easily. The bread should separate cleanly at the cuts you made earlier.
Perfect Timing
Garlic bread is best served fresh from the oven when the outside is crispy and the inside is still warm and soft. The contrast in textures is what makes it so appealing.
If you’re serving it with a meal, time the baking so the bread comes out just as you’re ready to sit down to eat.
Storage and Reheating
Leftover garlic bread can be stored wrapped in foil in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, wrap in fresh foil and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
You can also prepare the bread with the garlic butter mixture ahead of time and keep it wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours before baking.
Variations and Add-ins
For cheesy garlic bread, add 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella or additional Parmesan cheese between the slices before the final baking phase.
Try adding different herbs like oregano, basil, or thyme to the butter mixture for varied flavors that complement different meals.
For a spicy kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to the garlic butter mixture.
Bread Selection Tips
Day-old bread actually works better than completely fresh bread because it’s slightly firmer and won’t get soggy from the butter mixture.
Avoid overly soft sandwich breads, as they don’t hold up well to the butter and tend to become mushy rather than achieving the desired texture contrast.
Make-Ahead Options
You can prepare multiple loaves and freeze them wrapped in foil before baking. Bake directly from frozen, adding 5-10 extra minutes to the cooking time.
The garlic butter mixture can be made several days ahead and stored in the refrigerator, making assembly quick and easy when you’re ready to bake.
