Homemade Garlic Bread

Ingredients

The Garlic Butter

• 113g (½ cup (1 stick)) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 15g (4-5 cloves) fresh garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
• 15g (1 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
• 8g (2 tbsp) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 25g (3 tbsp) finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 2g (¼ tsp) fine sea salt
• 1g (⅛ tsp) freshly ground black pepper

The Bread

• 340g (1 loaf) crusty Italian or French bread loaf (about 12 oz)

Pro tip: Softened butter is non-negotiable. Cold butter doesn't blend smoothly with the garlic and parsley, and you'll end up with uneven flavoring. Pull it out of the fridge 90 minutes before you start.

Equipment

Method

Make the Garlic Butter

The garlic butter is the whole recipe. Get this right and you're done. Fresh garlic, not powder. Softened butter, not melted. Parmesan is optional but takes it from good to great.

1. Bloom the Garlic (Optional but Recommended). For a mellower, more rounded garlic flavor — especially if you're sensitive to raw garlic — warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook gently for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until soft and fragrant but not browned. Let it cool for 5 minutes before adding to the butter. If you want a sharp, punchy garlic hit, skip this step and use the garlic raw.
2. Mix the Compound Butter. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, garlic (and oil if you bloomed it), parsley, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Use a fork to mash and blend everything together until smooth and uniform. Taste it. If it needs more salt, add a pinch. This is the moment to fix it.

Tip: You can make the garlic butter up to a week ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Let it soften to room temperature before spreading.

Prep the Bread and Spread

1. Preheat the Oven. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Slice the Loaf. Using a serrated knife, slice the bread in half lengthwise. You should have two long halves, cut sides up.
3. Spread the Butter. Spread the garlic butter evenly over both cut sides. Be generous and get it all the way to the edges — every bite should have full garlic coverage.
4. Reassemble and Wrap. Press the two buttered halves back together. Wrap the whole loaf tightly in aluminum foil.

Bake

The foil phase steams the bread and drives the butter all the way through. The open phase crisps the exterior.

1. Wrapped Bake. Place the foil-wrapped loaf on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes. The steam inside the foil softens the bread and lets the garlic butter fully penetrate.
2. Open and Crisp. Open the foil and fold it back to expose the cut sides. Continue baking for 5-8 more minutes until the edges are crispy and golden. For a darker, more toasted top, switch to the broiler for 1-2 minutes — but watch it closely.
3. Slice and Serve. Let it cool for 2-3 minutes (it's hot), then slice into serving pieces and get it to the table while the butter is still sizzling.

Bake

Two-stage bake: wrapped first for steam and butter penetration, then open to crisp.

Oven: 200°C / 400°F. Internal temperature when done: 74°C / 165°F.

Foil-Wrapped Method (recommended)

The two-stage method for perfect garlic bread: soft and buttery inside, crispy outside.

Equipment: Baking sheet, aluminum foil

1. Wrap. Reassemble bread around garlic butter, wrap tightly in foil.
2. Bake Wrapped. 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes.
3. Open and Crisp. Fold back foil, bake 5-8 more minutes to crisp.

Open-Face Method

Maximum crunch on every surface. Skip the foil wrap.

Equipment: Baking sheet, parchment paper

1. Prep. Place buttered halves cut-side up on a baking sheet.
2. Bake. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 12-15 minutes until golden and crispy.

Storage

• Room temperature: Best consumed immediately. Leftovers wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to 24 hours — reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes.
• Frozen: Assemble unbaked, wrap tightly, freeze up to 3 months. Bake from frozen as directed above.
• Refresh: Wrap in foil, reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 10-12 minutes to restore warmth and crunch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I prep this ahead of time?

Yes, and it freezes beautifully. Assemble the bread with the garlic butter, press back together, wrap tightly in foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen at 400°F (200°C) for 25-30 minutes wrapped, then 5-8 minutes open to crisp.

Should I use fresh garlic or garlic powder?

Fresh garlic every time. Garlic powder adds a general garlic background note but it doesn't give you that sharp, fragrant, real garlic punch. If you're nervous about the raw garlic being too aggressive, bloom it in a little olive oil on the stovetop first — it mellows the bite and adds a subtle sweetness.

What's the best bread to use?

A crusty Italian or French loaf from your bakery is ideal. You want a bread with some structure — soft sandwich loaf won't hold up. Ciabatta is excellent if you can find it. If you've got a sourdough boule sitting around, slice it up and use it. The combination of sourdough tang and garlic butter is hard to beat.

Can I add cheese on top?

Absolutely. Shredded mozzarella or additional Parmesan on top during the final open bake phase is a classic move. Spread it on during the last 5 minutes and broil briefly to melt and brown.

My garlic bread is soggy in the middle. What happened?

Either the bread was too soft to start with, or it was wrapped too long without the open crisping phase. Make sure to open the foil and bake uncovered for at least 5 minutes. The crust needs direct oven heat to crisp up.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 slice): 163 calories, 16g carbohydrates, 4g protein, 9g fat, 1g fiber, 280mg sodium. Makes 14 servings.