Quick & Easy Homemade Garlic Bread

Buttery, herby, and loaded with garlic, this homemade garlic bread is perfectly crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and incredibly simple to whip up. It’s also freezer-friendly, so you can make it ahead and then bake it fresh whenever you want it (which will likely be all the time). You can use bakery-fresh bread or homemade, such as ciabatta bread or artisan bread.

I bake my artisan bread recipe all the time (a few times per month, at least!) and often turn it into garlic bread. Considering how many of you bake the artisan bread, too, I figured you’d enjoy today’s variation.

You can say goodbye to packaged frozen garlic bread because once you discover how easy it is to make at home, there’s no going back! All you need is bread, and it can be homemade or store-bought, and 5 other simple ingredients for the topping.

Whether you’re serving it alongside pasta, pairing it with soup, or enjoying it as a snack, this recipe will quickly become a go-to staple that’s fresher, tastier, and so much more satisfying than anything in the freezer aisle.

Why You Should Make Homemade Garlic Bread

• Buttery, herby, garlicky, and a little bit cheesy from fresh parmesan
• Wonderful texture: crispy, crusty edges and soft interior
• Simple to make, quick to bake
• Freezer-friendly recipe so you can make it ahead of time and bake it fresh
• Perfect for sopping up sauce from pasta dishes or slow cooker turkey meatballs
• Goes well with so many different dinners, from lasagna to soups, salads, and more (see below for suggested dinner pairings)

Best Types of Bread to Use

It’s best to make homemade garlic bread with a crusty, sturdy loaf like Italian or French bread, homemade ciabatta bread, a baguette, or homemade artisan bread. (Which is what I typically use, and pictured in these photos.)

What to Avoid: You don’t want to use a soft style of bread, like brioche or sandwich bread, because it’s too flimsy.

Once you have your loaf of bread, gather your remaining ingredients:

Just 5 Ingredients to Top the Bread

• Butter: You need an 8-Tablespoon stick of softened butter—soft enough to cream it with a mixer.
• Parsley: For fresh flavor and all those lovely flecks of green. You can use either curly or flat-leaf parsley.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic will give you the best flavor. Cloves vary in size, but you need 4 teaspoons minced fresh garlic, which is 3 or 4 regular-size cloves.
• Salt: I recommend flaky sea salt, but you can use regular salt if that’s what you have.
• Parmesan Cheese: Again, for the best flavor, freshly grate the cheese off the wedge/block of parmesan rather than using the packaged pre-grated stuff. Feel free to leave it out if you don’t have any, or want to skip the cheese.

How to Make It

Start by slicing your loaf of bread in half horizontally. I always use a serrated bread knife to do this. Lay the bread, cut side up, on a lined baking sheet.

Now mix together the rest of the ingredients. It comes together quickly with a mixer. A handheld mixer is perfect for this, but you can also use a stand mixer.

Do I Have to Use a Mixer? No. If your butter is soft enough, you can just use a fork to mash it all together.

Spread the garlic butter all over the top (cut side) of the bread. You can use the back of a spoon, a knife, or an offset spatula.

Bake until the crust is crispy and golden brown, the butter is melted, and the aroma of garlic and butter coming from the oven is almost too much to bear. You’ll know you’ve reached that point when anyone who comes into the kitchen looks exactly like the drooling face emoji. Heart eyes emoji is also acceptable. 😉

Let the garlic bread cool for a few minutes (I know, this part is absolute torture), just until it’s cool enough to handle, and slice it into pieces.

Serve This Garlic Bread With:

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Homemade Garlic Bread

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  Author: Sally McKenney
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  Prep Time: 10 minutes
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  Cook Time: 18 minutes
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  Total Time: 30 minutes
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  Yield: 1 loaf
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  Category: Dinner
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  Method: Baking
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  Cuisine: American

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Description

Buttery, herby, and loaded with garlic, this homemade garlic bread is perfectly crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and incredibly simple to whip up. It’s also freezer-friendly, so you can make it ahead and then bake it fresh whenever you want it (which will likely be all the time). You can use bakery-fresh bread or homemade, such as ciabatta bread or artisan bread. (Use 1 loaf, or half, of either recipe.)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Place both halves of bread, cut side up, on the lined baking sheet.
2. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, parsley, garlic, and parmesan cheese (if using) together on medium-high speed until completely combined and smooth. If your butter is soft enough, you can simply use a fork to mash it all together.
3. Spread the garlic butter in an even layer on top of the slices of bread.
4. Bake for 16–18 minutes, or until the edges of the bread are crispy and golden brown. Feel free to extend this time by a couple minutes for a crispier exterior.
5. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes until cool enough to handle, and then transfer the garlic bread to a cutting board. If using, sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes. Using a serrated bread knife, slice the bread into pieces and serve warm.
6. Cover leftover bread tightly and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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Notes

1. Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the garlic butter and store it tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. When ready to use, soften it at room temperature until soft enough to spread easily. Continue with step 3. You can also make the garlic bread through step 3 and then freeze it. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of one of the buttered halves, then gently put the two halves back together, with the parchment paper between them. Wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, place in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, remove from the freezer, unwrap and remove parchment, and place on a lined baking sheet. Continue with step 4, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time since baking from frozen.
2. Special Tools (affiliate links): Serrated Knife | Garlic Press | Box Grater or Microplane Grater | Glass Mixing Bowls | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Flaky Sea Salt
3. Best Bread to Use: You need a crusty, sturdy roughly 12-ounce loaf, such as 1 loaf of this homemade artisan bread, 1 loaf or half of this ciabatta bread, a loaf of Italian or French bread, or a baguette.
4. Can I Use Dried Parsley? Yes, you can skip the fresh parsley and use dried. If using dried, reduce to 2 teaspoons. You could also substitute with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend.