The BEST Garlic Bread Recipe

This garlic bread recipe with cheese is easy to make, ultra buttery, and features fresh garlic for the best garlic bread recipe from scratch.

I challenge you to name a more intoxicating smell than the aroma of butter and garlic intermingling–it’s about as intoxicating as it gets. And there’s no better way to sop up soup or swipe that last lick of pasta sauce from the bowl than a slice of crisp, buttery, garlic bread, and this garlic bread recipe is the ultimate, folks. The familiar scent of garlic bread wafting out of the oven transports me to coming home from school as a kid to the entire house perfumed with my Mom’s spaghetti with meat sauce. Talk about scent memory. It’s comforting, it’s welcoming, it’s dinner time!

Why You’ll Love It

• This easy garlic bread only takes 15 minutes to make
• It’s savory, buttery, garlicky, perfectly crispy, lip-smacking-good
• All you need is 6 simple ingredients

What is Garlic Bread Made of?

Garlic bread is kind of like pizza in the sense that even bad garlic bread is good garlic bread. I make buttery garlic knots out of pizza dough, and they are delish, but I’m here to tell you about the BEST homemade garlic bread recipe.

It couldn’t be simpler to make, and chances are you already have everything you need to throw it together.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Garlic—in my opinion, the best garlic bread has fresh garlic and plenty of it
• Salted butter—and don’t be shy! (If using unsalted butter, just add more salt)
• Olive oil—you can exclusively use butter if you prefer, but I like the subtle grassy notes the olive oil adds
• Parmigiano Reggiano—cheese, please, it’s non-negotiable
• Fresh parsley—Fresh is best (the dried stuff doesn’t have any flavor and doesn’t add color). If you’re not a fan of parsley though, feel free to use other fresh herbs, like basil, thyme, or oregano. You could also use a (dried) Italian seasoning blend.
• Italian bread or French bread—either one works great and you can also use a ciabatta or a baguette

Tip: To add a little pepp to your garlic bread, sprinkle some red pepper flakes on top, or some freshly ground black pepper.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make The BEST Garlic Bread

There are so many different ways you can make this. Some recipes have you slice up a loaf or baguette, not cutting all the way through, and spreading the garlic butter in between. Some have you toast the bread under the broiler. Here’s my method, and it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3.

• Mix your butter. In a small bowl, mix the pressed garlic with the softened butter, olive oil, grated Parmesan cheese, parsley, and kosher salt until smooth.
• Prepare your bread. Cut the bread in half lengthwise (I like to use a serrated knife, for ease), and spread each cut side with the garlic butter. We’re not messing around here.
• The magic happens in the oven. Place the two pieces of bread on a sheet pan or directly on an oven rack, cut-side up, and bake until toasted about 8-10 minutes. I don’t bother with aluminum foil, but you could always line your pan with that for an easier cleanup if you want. Remove the garlic bread from the oven cut it into 2-inch pieces, and serve warm, eating with no inhibitions, preferably with a saucy pasta and a glass of wine.

Garlic Butter Mix-Ins

Do you know what the real secret to making better garlic bread is? Keep it simple. It’s hard to improve upon something so wonderful, I mean, it’s arguably a perfect food and we’re really not trying to reinvent the wheel here.

But, if you feel inclined to gussy up your garlic bread, here are some variations you can try:

• To make this small-scale, use ciabatta rolls or small French bread rolls instead of a whole loaf
• Grill the bread for a nice charred flavor
• If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, use 1 tablespoon garlic powder instead
• Add more seasonings like red pepper flakes, garlic powder, oregano, basil, or rosemary
• Try Asiago cheese instead or in addition to the Parmesan, or leave the cheese out entirely if you’re a purist
• Add sun-dried tomatoes or olives for a briny bite

FAQ and Recipe Tips

• Is garlic salt or garlic powder better for garlic bread? In my opinion, fresh garlic is the only way!
• Make the garlic butter ahead of time. The garlic butter lasts in the fridge for at least 1 month, so make a batch and keep it refrigerated for when the craving hits. Bring the butter to room temperature or give it a quick blast in the microwave to soften before spreading.
• Why is my garlic bread not crispy? Your garlic bread should definitely be crispy if you follow this recipe. If you use too much butter or oil, your bread can get soggy.

Storage Tips

• Leftover garlid bread can be wrapt in foil and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to reheat it, simply keep it wrapped in the foil, place it on a sheet pan, and warm in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes or so.
• You can actually freeze this garlic bread as well. After spreading the bread with the garlic butter mixture, carefully wrap it in foil and place it inside a freezer-safe bag (in a single layer). It will keep frozen for about 3 months. To bake it from frozen, just place it on the baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes (or until warm, golden brown, and toasty).

What to Serve With The BEST Garlic Bread

• My Mom’s Homemade Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
• Easy Chicken Piccata
• The Cheesiest Spinach and Cheese Lasagna
• Pasta Puttanesca
• Easy Chicken Marsala
• Turkey Bolognese Lasagna Toss

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

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