Homemade Garlic Bread

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Homemade Garlic Bread should never be boring, and this one delivers…BIG TIME. It’s buttery, cheesy, loaded with real garlic flavor, and broiled until crisp and golden. We start with a store-bought French loaf, and add a bold, balanced homemade garlic spread (that I’ve made more times than I can count!). It’s everything bland garlic bread wishes it could be and the perfect sidekick to the World’s Best Lasagna or Spaghetti and Meatballs!

Ingredients Needed For This Easy Garlic Bread Recipe

Here’s what you’ll need to make the best garlic bread recipe using simple ingredients you can grab at any grocery store:

• French bread – a standard loaf of French bread from the bakery section is perfect, but Italian bread, ciabatta or a baguette works too.
• Salted butter – softened butter spreads easily and brings a rich, salty base to the garlic butter mixture.
• Minced garlic – use fresh garlic cloves for the strongest flavor, or try roasted garlic for a softer garlic bread experience.
• Garlic powder – just a pinch gives that deep, toasty garlic flavor.
• Salt & black pepper – season to taste for balance.
• Parsley – freeze-dried works great, but fresh chopped parsley or fresh basil can add brightness.
• Parmesan cheese – finely grated for that salty, nutty boost.
• Shredded cheddar cheese – adds sharpness and helps with meltiness (no, that’s not a word).

Variations

This is a versatile recipe, so feel free to make it your own:

• Swap cheddar for mozzarella for a gooier, more traditional cheesy garlic bread.
• Use unsalted butter and add a pinch of salt if that’s what you have on hand.
• Add red pepper flakes to the spread if you want some heat.
• Try olive oil spread instead of butter if you’re dairy-free.
• Sprinkle in fresh rosemary for an earthy twist.
• For a softer garlic bread, wrap in plastic wrap and foil and bake at medium heat instead of broiling.

How to Make Garlic Bread

This might be the easiest recipe for the best garlic bread on the planet. You just have to be careful not to burn the bread under the broiler. For full recipe details, including ingredient measurements, see the printable recipe card down below. Here is what you expect when making this easy garlic bread recipe:

1. Make the Garlic Butter

Stir butter, garlic, garlic powder, fresh chopped parsley, salt, and black pepper together in a small bowl until well combined.

Stir in both cheeses until also well combined.

Pro Tip: I love garlic bread with cheese which is why I added a healthy half cup of it to this recipe. However, you absolutely can omit it if cheese isn’t your thing.

2. Cut French Bread in Half + Spread Garlic Butter on Bread

Cut French bread in half lengthwise. Spread the garlic butter mixture generously onto the bread, being sure to spread evenly as you go.

Pro Tip: Don’t want to use French bread? No problem! You can use just about any loaf of bread as long as it’s crispy. Two great substitutes would be ciabatta or baguette. I have even spread this on just regular sliced bread when in a pinch.

3. Broil – Keeping a Careful Eye On It

Place bread onto foil lined baking sheet and broil on high for 3-5 minutes or until bread is crispy, golden brown, and bubbly.

Pro Tip: You may have to move the pan around to get it to broil evenly. Keep a close on it – do not walk away. Broilers can burn your bread very quickly. 

Cool for 5 minutes before slicing into 12 thin strips on each side and serve warm.

My bread isn’t crispy, and I want it crispy. What do I do?

I’ve noticed that some store-bought garlic bread loaves of French bread and “artisan” kinds of bread are being wrapped completely in plastic and then set neatly into their paper bags, making the previously crispy edges softer. If you fall into this camp, I’ve got you covered! Broiling the bread alone won’t give you crispy edges. Here’s how you remedy this problem:

Slice the bread in half lengthwise, keeping the loaf together. Brush the crust with a little melted butter or olive oil. Bake at 375° F for 10 minutes or until the edges are as crispy as you’d like. Then open up the already cut loaf, spread your garlic butter generously, and broil as the recipe states. Voila! You got yourself the perfect garlic bread that is soft on the inside and has those delicious crispy edges.

What to Serve With Garlic Bread

Garlic bread is a humble side dish to go with Italian food, mainly pasta. In addition to my aforementioned lasagna and spaghetti with meatballs, here are some of my other favorites to serve together with my garlic bread.

• Baked Ziti
• Crockpot Italian Chicken Pasta
• Baked Spaghetti Recipe with Cream Cheese
• Classic Stuffed Shells with Cottage Cheese
• Quick and Easy Shrimp Scampi (20-minute meal!)
• Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
• 3-Ingredient Alfredo Sauce – for dipping!

Storing Garlic Bread

Garlic bread is best stored at room temperature and will stay fresh for 3-5 days.

If you would like it to keep longer, freezing is a good option. To freeze, wrap your bread in aluminum foil and place it in a freezer-safe airtight bag. Bread will stay fresh in the freezer for 2-3 months.

How do I reheat garlic bread?
Reheat in a 350° F oven for about 10–15 minutes, or air fry for 3–5 minutes to crisp it back up.

Can I make it ahead of time?
Totally. Prep the garlic butter mixture and spread it on the bread. Cover and refrigerate. When you’re ready, just bake or broil.

Can I freeze garlic bread before I bake it?
Yes! After assembling but before baking, wrap in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze. When ready, bake straight from frozen at 375° F until golden and heated through.

Love Garlic? Me too! Here are Some of My Favorite Garlicky Recipes:

• Linguine (with Parmesan & Garlic)
• Hasselback Garlic Cheesy Bread
• Garlic Butter Fries
• Garlic and Herb Baked Cod (reader favorite!)
• Parmesan Bread Bites

If you’re ready to make great garlic bread with gooey cheese, bold garlic flavor, and those perfect golden brown edges, scroll down to the recipe card. This is hands-down my personal favorite, and I bet it’ll be yours too. Just be warned: next time, you might want to make two loaves of bread—it disappears fast. The printable recipe card is below. Have a great day, friends! 🙂

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.