Homemade Garlic Bread - Budget Bytes (original) (raw)

Garlic bread makes every meal better, especially if it’s this buttery, crispy, extra garlicky homemade garlic bread. I’ve been obsessed with this recipe for years now and probably make it more often than I should. Why? Because it really couldn’t be easier to make, it’s SO good, and it’s very freezer-friendly so you can keep some on hand for whenever that craving hits. …Which for me is pretty much every night. 😏

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My husband loved this bread, and so did I. It was so easy to make and with ingredients that I always have on hand. The bread was light, tasty, and crispy. I’ll never buy frozen garlic bread again.

Donna Bishop

Homemade garlic bread with real butter and fresh garlic is incredibly simple to make and so much better than what you’ll find in the freezer aisle at the grocery store.

The basic recipe above is divine on its own (IMHO), but you can make it even more epic by adding any of the following ingredients:

• Stir a tablespoon or two of pesto into the garlic butter mixture for a fun twist.
• Try stirring a couple of tablespoons of grated Parmesan into the garlic butter mixture for a crispy umami finish.
• Top with whole milk mozzarella before baking to make it into an easy cheesy garlic bread.
• Use roasted garlic instead of or in addition to the fresh garlic for a milder, roasted flavor.
• Add more herbs. Try stirring an Italian herb blend or a pinch of red pepper flakes into the garlic butter for even more flavor. Or, if you have an herb garden, add in some chopped basil or oregano.

Cost 4.63recipe/4.63 recipe / 4.63recipe/0.39 serving

Buttery homemade garlic bread is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients! It's freezer-friendly and is a great side dish for any dinner.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

• ▢ 1 loaf French or Italian bread (approx. 24" long) ($2.99)

• ▢ 6 Tbsp (85 g) butter, room temperature ($0.75)

• ▢ 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)

• ▢ 4 cloves garlic, minced ($0.32)

• ▢ 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley ($0.22)

• ▢ 1/8 tsp salt ($0.01)

• ▢ 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)

• Preheat the oven to 400ºF / 200C / 180C fan or Gas Mark 6. In a bowl, stir together the room-temperature butter, olive oil, minced garlic, garlic powder, chopped parsley, and salt until relatively smooth (a few small lumps of butter are okay).

• Cut the loaf in half, into two 12" long pieces, then cut each piece open lengthwise. Lay the bread on a baking sheet cut sides facing up. Spread the garlic butter mixture evenly over the open surfaces of the bread.*

• Bake the bread for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and crispy. Bake for less time if you prefer a softer garlic bread, and more time if you prefer a crispier garlic bread. Cut the bread into 2-inch sections and serve hot.

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*The best bread is a large soft loaf of French bread or Italian bread. It soaks up the garlic butter well without getting too tough or crispy as it bakes. Baguettes tend to get really hard and don’t soak up the butter as readily as a slightly softer loaf.

**Salted butter is the vehicle for all that garlicky flavor and makes the bread extra rich and delicious. You can use unsalted butter if you have it, but you’ll need to add extra salt to the garlic butter mixture to make sure all the flavors pop.

***A little bit of olive oil helps make the butter more spreadable AND helps keep the butter from browning quite as fast while it bakes.

****Fresh garlic helps keep the garlic flavor front and center with a nice punchy finish. A little bit of garlic powder in addition to the fresh garlic adds a really deep garlicky base note, so you’re getting a full one-two garlic punch.

*****Once the garlic butter is spread over the surface of the bread it can be frozen in gallon-sized freezer bags and baked at a later date. The bread can be baked straight from the freezer, although it may take a minute or two longer to brown.

Serving: 2slicesCalories: 163kcal (8%)Carbohydrates: 18g (6%)Protein: 4g (8%)Fat: 9g (14%)Sodium: 271mg (12%)Fiber: 1g (4%)

The nutrition data is automatically calculated using all ingredients listed on the recipe card, including any listed as optional. Percentages are of daily value.

How to Make Garlic Bread – Step By Step Photos

Begin by preheating the oven to 400ºF. In a bowl, combine 6 Tbsp room temperature butter, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 4 minced cloves of garlic, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, and ⅛ tsp salt.

Mix the garlic butter ingredients together until they’re evenly combined. It’s okay if there are some small butter lumps left in the mixture.

Cut one large French loaf (24 inches) into two 12-inch sections, then cut each section open lengthwise.

Spread the garlic butter mixture evenly over the open surfaces of the bread, making sure to get all the way to the edges.

If you want, you can freeze some of the unbaked garlic bread for later! Bake the frozen garlic bread as usual, no need to thaw, adding just a couple extra minutes to the bake time.

Place the garlic bread on a large baking sheet (using parchment is optional, but makes clean up easier). Bake the garlic bread in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until it is golden brown and crispy on the edges. Bake less time for softer garlic bread and longer for crispier garlic bread.

Cut the garlic bread into 2-inch wide pieces and serve!

Yaassssssss. Garlic bread ❤️ forever.

Serving Suggestions

This delicious homemade garlic bread was made for Italian food. It goes so great with almost any meal, but here are some of my favorites:

• The Best Weeknight Pasta Sauce
• Easy Homemade Lasagna
• Stuffed Bell Peppers
• Baked Ziti
• Cabbage Soup
• Tuscan White Bean Pasta
• Tuscan Chicken in Parmesan Cream Sauce

And don’t forget to make some Homemade Pizza Sauce for dipping!

Storage Instructions

This garlic bread is perfect for freezing. After spreading the delicious garlic butter mixture onto your loaf, freeze it in an air-tight container, like a gallon-sized freezer bag. It can then be baked straight from the freezer, with just a couple of extra minutes of baking time added.

To store leftover garlic bread that has already been baked, make sure to allow it to cool completely to room temperature before packing in an air-tight container to avoid condensation. The garlic bread will stay good at room temperature for about a day, or in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in an air-fryer for a minute or two, microwave for about 30 seconds, or wrap tightly in foil and bake at 350ºF for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.

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Beth MoncelI’m a food lover, number cruncher, and meticulous budgeter. I love science and art, and the way they come together when I cook. I love to create, problem solve, and learn new things. Making great food is my passion, my purpose, and my favorite thing to share with others.More About Beth