Garlic Bread Recipe
Make Garlic Bread Recipe: warm, garlicky slices with optional cheese in under 25 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 large French baguette or Italian loaf (about 12 oz / 340 g), cut in half lengthwise
- 1/2 cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 large garlic cloves, very finely minced or pressed (about 2 tablespoons / 18 g)
- 1/4 cup (10 g) finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, loosely packed
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for a mild heat)
- 1/4 cup (25 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for a cheesy version)
- 1 cup (100 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (optional, for extra-cheesy garlic bread)
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven and make the garlic-herb butter
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a rectangular baking sheet with a sheet of aluminum foil so everything that follows stays tidy. In a medium matte grey ceramic mixing bowl, place the very soft unsalted butter and drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil; mash them together with a fork or offset spatula until the mixture becomes completely smooth and glossy. Fold in the very finely minced garlic, the finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes until the butter shows tiny green herb flecks and pinpricks of garlic throughout. Taste a tiny smear and adjust with a pinch more salt if needed — the compound butter should be boldly garlicky, silky and spreadable.
Step 2: Arrange the bread and spread the compound butter
Place the baguette or Italian loaf halves cut-side up on the foil-lined rectangular baking sheet; if the loaf is long, cut each half into 2–3 shorter, manageable pieces so they sit comfortably on the sheet. Using the same offset spatula or butter knife, smear a thick, even layer of the garlic-herb butter all the way to the edges of each cut surface so the crust won’t dry out, leaving visible peaks and glossy ridges of butter that have started to melt into the open crumb. Keep the unused portion of compound butter in the same ceramic bowl nearby so the utensil stays relevant to the scene.
Step 3: Add the optional cheeses and tent with foil
If you’re making the cheesy version, evenly dust the buttered surfaces with the finely grated Parmesan first, letting the powder settle into the butter, then top with a uniform layer of shredded low-moisture mozzarella so the strings will form when melted. The cheese should sit as a textured, slightly mounded layer over the butter, white and creamy against the pale crumb. Lightly tent the whole baking sheet with a loose sheet of aluminum foil — not wrapped tight — to allow the butter to melt fully into the bread while protecting the garlic from browning too fast.
Step 4: Bake, broil briefly for color, then rest and slice
Slide the sheet into the preheated oven and bake until the butter is fully melted, the edges are beginning to crisp, and any cheese is melted and cohesive — typically 10–12 minutes. For a golden, bubbly finish, remove the foil and broil on high for just 1–2 minutes while watching closely until the top shows bubbly, golden-brown patches and the crust edges deepen to a warm amber. Remove the baking sheet and let the garlic bread rest for 2–3 minutes so the butter and cheese set slightly; then transfer back to the surface and slice crosswise into 1–1 1/2-inch (2.5–4 cm) pieces with a serrated knife, revealing a soft, butter-saturated crumb and crisp, caramelized edges.
Step 5: Plate and finish with fresh parsley
Arrange the warm slices in a neat linear row on the same rectangular sheet (or keep them aligned on a similarly shaped warm rectangular board) so the geometry remains consistent — the slices should show melted cheese strands, shiny butter pockets, and golden, crisped crusts. Sprinkle a little extra finely chopped parsley over the top for a bright, herb-flecked contrast and serve immediately while still warm and fragrant.
Notes
- Soften butter fully to make the compound butter easy to spread.
- Taste the butter before spreading and adjust salt and garlic.
- Tent with foil while melting to avoid burnt garlic.
- Broil only briefly to achieve golden color without burning.
- Store leftovers wrapped in foil and re-crisp in a hot oven.