This homemade garlic bread recipe is easy to make and SO delicious. The crispy, buttery slices are topped with flavorful garlic and fresh herbs.
What’s better than homemade garlic bread? If you ask me, not much. Crisp around the edges, soft and buttery in the middle, and packed with rich flavor from garlic and herbs, this Italian-American staple is comforting and delicious. It’s also very easy to make.
I’m sharing my best garlic bread recipe below, along with tips for storing it and making it ahead. If you’re used to eating garlic bread from the grocery store, get ready—this homemade version is on another level. Serve it as a side dish with your favorite pasta recipes, or devour it warm from the baking sheet. This garlic bread recipe is irresistible…I won’t judge!
What You Need to Make The Best Garlic Bread
Here’s what you’ll need to make this garlic bread recipe:
- Bread, of course! Look for a good baguette or soft French bread. A nice Italian loaf works well too!
- Garlic butter – I make this simple spread with softened butter, fresh garlic, parsley, and salt. It infuses the bread with buttery garlic flavor.
- Parmesan cheese – For savory, cheesy flavor.
- Flaky sea salt – It helps season the bread and gives the topping a nice crunch.
- Chopped fresh parsley – For fresh flavor and pretty flecks of green. Chives are also great here!
- And red pepper flakes – Optional, for heat.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Garlic Bread
If you’re learning how to make garlic bread for the first time, you won’t believe how easy it is! You can find the complete recipe at the bottom of this post, but for now, here’s a quick overview of how it goes:
Start by making the garlic butter. In a small bowl, mix the butter with the parsley, salt, and grated or finely minced garlic.
Then, prepare the bread. Use a serrated knife to slice the loaf in half lengthwise. Generously slather the cut sides with the garlic butter mixture.
Next, bake. Place the bread cut side up on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven until the butter is melted, about 8 minutes.
Turn on the broiler and broil the bread until the edges are golden brown and crisp, 2 to 5 minutes.
Finally, season and serve! Remove the bread from the oven, and top it with the Parmesan, more parsley, flaky sea salt, and red pepper flakes, if desired. Slice it into 3-inch chunks, and devour it hot, either on its own or as a side dish.
Enjoy!
Storage Tips
This recipe disappears fast in our house. If you have leftovers, I’ll be impressed!
If you do, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a day.
To reheat, wrap the bread in aluminum foil and bake at 350°F until heated through, for about 10 minutes. A few minutes in an air fryer or toaster oven would also do the trick!
Freezing
You can also freeze homemade garlic bread before baking it.
- Slather the garlic butter onto the bread.
- Cut the bread into pieces that will fit in an airtight container or large freezer bag in a single layer.
- Seal them in the container or bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Bake the bread directly from frozen (it might need a few extra minutes in the oven). Sprinkle with cheese and more herbs after baking. Then, slice and serve!
What to Serve with Homemade Garlic Bread
This easy homemade garlic bread is a quick, delicious side dish!
Serve it with a simply cooked protein and roasted broccoli for a weeknight dinner, or pair it with a bowl of soup. It also goes nicely with Italian dishes. I love it with these:
- Vegan Meatballs with Marinara Sauce
- Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
- Stuffed Shells
- Easy Baked Ziti
- Eggplant Lasagna
- Pasta e Fagioli
What do you like to serve with it? Let me know in the comments!
Garlic Bread
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley or chives, plus more for garnish
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 (15-ounce) loaf French bread, or Italian bread or baguette
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Flaky sea salt
- Red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange an oven rack in the top third of the oven.
- In a small bowl, stir together the softened butter, parsley, garlic, and salt.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the bread in half lengthwise. Slather the cut sides with the garlic butter. Place the bread, cut side up, on the baking sheet.
- Place on the high oven rack and bake for 8 minutes, then broil for 2 to 5 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown around the edges. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, flaky sea salt, parsley, and red pepper flakes, if desired. Slice and serve hot.
very nice version, love garlic bread when I allow myself to eat it, thank you!
Love this! I like to use a combination of butter and mayonnaise! It adds a little flavor and creaminess!
Hi Jeanine and Jack. My name is Rand and I’m on the board of a non-profit org. We’re throwing an Italian-themed appreciation dinner for our volunteers. We want it to be super delish to show how much we appreciate them. Your “Best Garlic Bread Recipe” sounds like a perfect accompaniment! We definitely need to make it ahead. In the second paragraph of the recipe post you mention a make-ahead option. Am thinking that the make-ahead option might be indirectly addressed in the “Storage Tips” section where you write about how to reheat leftover bread. It sounds totally plausible, however I’m a novice cook, without tons of confidence. Would be making this for 100 folks, and just want to make sure I get it right. Am I correct in thinking that making ahead is the same process as reheating?. Thank you so much. I have two of your cookbooks and really enjoy your recipes.
Another delicious and easy recipe from your website. Thanks!
I don’t see butter listed on the recipe.
It’s in the Garlic Butter recipe, that’s linked: https://dailycove.info/garlic-butter/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv class=reply>