This homemade garlic bread is easy to make, ultra buttery, and features fresh garlic and a light sprinkling of parmesan cheese for an extra pop of Italian flavor.
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.
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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 scratch 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!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
- Cut the butter into small cubes to speed up the softening process if you’re an impatient cook like I am.
- 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.
- Choose a crusty white bread that’s fluffy and tender in the middle. Italian or French bread are your best friends here, but a quality ciabatta works in a pinch.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
- Garlic — Fresh garlic is the only move here. Skip the powdered stuff for this one recipe.
- 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 — Just a sprinkling transforms this recipe for garlic bread from “good” to “the BEST.”
- Fresh parsley — The dried stuff doesn’t have any flavor and doesn’t add color, so stick with fresh. 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.
Heidi’s Tip: To add a little pep to your garlic bread step, sprinkle some red pepper flakes on top, or some freshly ground black pepper.
How to Make The BEST Garlic Bread
- 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.
★★★★★
Best homemade garlic bread EVER! I’ve tried a bunch of them in the past and this is the only one worth making over and over.
~Angela, FoodieCrush reader
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
FAQs
Yep, you can freeze this garlic bread to bake off later.
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).
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 and Reheating Tips
Leftover garlic 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.
What to Serve With Garlic Bread
- My Mom’s Homemade Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
- Easy Chicken Piccata
- The Cheesiest Spinach and Cheese Lasagna
- Pasta Puttanesca
- Easy Chicken Marsala
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Classic Lasagna
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.
The BEST Garlic Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic , peeled and minced or pressed
- ½ cup salted butter , softened
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 loaf Italian or French bread
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- In a small bowl, mix the pressed garlic with the softened butter, olive oil, grated Parmesan, parsley, and kosher salt until smooth.
- Cut the bread in half lengthwise and spread each cut side with the garlic butter. Place the two pieces on a sheet pan or directly on an oven rack, cut side up, and bake until toasted, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven, cut into 2-inch pieces, and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
More Easy Italian Side Dishes
- Italian House Salad
- Italian Chickpea Salad
- Antipasto Pasta Salad
- Caprese Salad
- Sun-Dried Tomato Arugula Salad
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Cindy
So yummy!!!!
Glad you enjoyed Cindy!
James
Hi Heidi – thanks for this recipe, it was really fun to try. I used my mortar and pestle to make a garlic paste, then I added it to the butter. i liked the result but it took too long. For me the end result was too salt forward so I’m trying to determine whether to use unsalted butter or just less salt. Anyway I really appreciate it as I wanted to try making it from scratch instead of the pre-made frozen kind.
Sounds delicious James! I’m glad you enjoyed :)
Tami Varnes
Hi! Havent tried this yet but it is on my menu for February because it looks delicious.
I wanted to come on here and comment that the picture you took of your “ingredients needed” is stunning! It looks like it should be a picture on the wall in someone’s kitchen or a really pretty puzzle!!
Thank you so much Tami! I hope you enjoy :)
Sabrina
I “veganized” this by using earth balance butter and follow your heart shredded parm and it was delicious! We’ve made it twice in three days. Thanks for the recipe!
Glad you enjoyed Sabrina!
Angela
Best homemade garlic bread EVER! I’ve tried a bunch of them in the past and this is the only one worth making over and over. I put this on my homemade sourdough French bread and it’s just perfect!
Angela! So glad you liked the recipe. I agree, the balance of garlic and butter is on the nose :) Thanks for the comment!
Cathy
Thank you for making this printable with no adds on the print page.
Robin Starr
It was all gone so people liked it. It left a lot of oil/utter in the pan and was quite salty. I might used less oil/butter and halve the salt. But MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Glad it was a hit Robin!
Traci McBride
Made it tonight with 1/2 T garlic powder & less butter, oil & parsley but it baked nicely & had a great flavor. Thx for sharing it!
Sounds great Traci!
Jeanine
This is my go to recipe for garlic bread! Always a winner! Though I admit I always cheat and use dried parsley.
Glad you enjoyed Jeanie!
Stephanie
Take note, it’s 1/4 cup FRESH parsley…not dried. That’s too much dried parsley
Good point Stephanie. Thanks!
Kimberly
This is the best garlic bread I have ever had! Delicious
Hayley
Thank you so much, Kimberly! We’re so happy it’s your favorite!
Ang S
Very garlicky 4 cloves were too much for me
Hayley
We’re sorry it wasn’t your cup of tea! Feel free to use less garlic next time. We appreciate you giving the recipe a try!
Allison
I have made this recipe three times & it has become my “go to” for homemade garlic bread. So easy & a real crowd pleaser
Hayley
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Allison!
Ann
Love this and make often!
Hayley
We’re so glad you’re a fan!
Kathy
Excellent, I added one more clove of garlic because I like it extra garlicky
Glad you enjoyed Kathy!
Maria
Hi and happy Easter thanks for the good recipes !! You are the best chef
Liz
Easy and delicious! Next time I’ll try it without the kosher salt as I thought it was a little too salty. My daughter didn’t think so, however.