Garlic Bread
Crispy-edged garlic bread with a soft buttery middle and the kind of garlic-herb butter that has you pulling apart slices before the pasta is even ready. Made from a regular baguette or country loaf — not those frozen garlic-bread loaves that taste like garlic powder and disappointment.
Prep Time
11 min
Cook Time
24 min
Servings
6
Calories
252 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Bread3 slices
- Garlic4 ½ cloves
- Butter½ cup
- Salt1 ½ tsp
- Black Pepper¾ tsp
- Cooking Oil1 ½
All quantities scaled automatically from 6 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Bread3 slices
- Garlic4.5 cloves
- Butter0.5 cup
- Salt1.5 tsp
- Black Pepper0.75 tsp
- Cooking Oil1.5
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice a baguette or wide country loaf in half horizontally. Place cut-side up on a baking sheet.
- 2
Make the garlic butter: in a bowl, combine ½ cup of softened (not melted) butter, 5 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Mash with a fork until uniform.
- 3
Spread the garlic butter generously over the cut surface of the bread — to the edges, into any holes. Don't be polite with the amount; this is garlic bread, not toast with butter.
- 4
Bake for 8-10 minutes until the surface is bubbling and the edges are golden brown. Watch closely past 8 minutes — the butter can go from melted to burnt in 60 seconds.
- 5
Optional: for extra-crispy tops, turn on the broiler for the last 90 seconds. Watch every second — broilers char garlic instantly if you turn your back.
- 6
Sprinkle with extra chopped parsley and a final grating of Parmesan. Slice into pieces and serve immediately while the butter is still bubbling and the bread is hot.
Watch how to make Garlic Bread
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Softened butter, not melted. Melted butter soaks into the bread and disappears. Soft butter sits on top and creates the crispy buttery surface.
- 2.Fresh garlic, not jarred. Jarred garlic has a slightly sour, off-note that the heat amplifies. Fresh minced garlic blooms in butter into something genuinely fragrant.
- 3.Parmesan is the secret ingredient. Even 1 tablespoon adds a savory salty depth that makes the bread taste richer than plain garlic butter would.
- 4.Watch it like a hawk past 8 minutes. The transition from golden to burnt takes about 90 seconds. Don't walk away.
🔬 Why It Works
Great garlic bread is a contrast of textures and concentrated flavors. Soft butter spreads in a thick layer that, when heated, partially melts into the bread (flavor delivery) while also crisping on top (texture). Fresh garlic in butter undergoes a chemistry change in the oven — the harsh sulfur compounds mellow into sweet-toasty notes. Parmesan adds glutamates that amplify the savory perception. The cut-side-up baking lets the open surface crisp while the bread base stays soft.
Frequently Asked Questions
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4.4
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Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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