Garlic Bread Recipe

Garlic Bread also known as garlic toast is a popular Italian recipe which is usually accompanied with pasta recipes. Making a perfect garlic bread is super easy and uses simple ingredients like butter, garlic, herbs & bread. In this recipe for garlic bread I have shared garlic toast made four ways with includes cheese version, stove top garlic bread, olive oil version and classic garlic bread recipe. Learn how to make best garlic bread recipe with step by step pictures and video.

Garlic Bread

Whenever I make pasta for dinner, I make sure to make a batch of garlic bread or toast. I make it quite a few ways, I have included all the version of garlic bread recipe in this blog post. The main thing you have to remember when making garlic bread is to get the bread crunchy on the exterior and soft inside. I served it with my spaghetti and meatballs and it was delicious.

About Garlic Bread

Garlic bread also known as garlic toast is a popular Italian bread dish served along side pasta. Traditionally garlic bread is dunked in the tomato sauce served with pasta or goes well with a hot bowl of soup or on its own. Some of our favorite pasta dish to serve this is Italian pasta, mac and cheese, tomato pasta or white sauce pasta.

Garlic toast is made with Texas style toast which is a thick cut of white bread. The mixture or butter is made with good quality butter, minced garlic, coriander or parsley and herbs. Sometimes cheese like parmesan is added into the butter.

The garlic butter is smeared all over the bread slices and cooked in oven, wood fired oven or stove top to create a crusty garlic bread.

Using homemade bread is best for making garlic bread. But you can use store bought or bakery bread as well. But for best taste white bread is a good choice. French bread also known as baguette is traditionally used. You can use wholemeal bread or multigrain bread for healthier option.

A day old bread is best for garlic bread since it soaks up the butter better. Try it with ciabatta, sour dough bread, french bread or leftover dinner rolls for this recipe.

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French Toast

Milk Toast

Watch Garlic Bread Video

Garlic Bread Ingredients

Bread - For making garlic bread or toast you can use any bread that you prefer. But for best taste white bread is a good choice. French bread also known as baguette is traditionally used. You can use wholemeal bread or multigrain bread for healthier option.

Butter - since garlic bread has minimum ingredients, using the finest quality butter makes it taste delicious. if you are using salted butter, make sure you skip using salt.

Garlic - the amount of garlic you add in this recipe totally depends on how garlicky you prefer your garlic bread to be.

Fresh Herbs - as far as the herbs, I like to use fresh coriander leaves or parsley. You can use basil as well.

Seasonings - I used Italian seasoning which has all the herbs like basil, oregano, red chilli flakes added.

How to Make Garlic Bread Taste Better

Confit garlic - for a caramelised garlic taste use confit garlic instead of raw garlic.

Parmesan - add in few tbsp of parmesan cheese for more umami taste.

Make it Cheesy - add in grated cheese on top when baking the garlic bread for a cheesy taste.

Spice it up - experiment with different herbs and spices as per your taste.

Pesto garlic bread - mix a tbsp of pesto into the garlic butter and apply over the bread and bake.

Pizza garlic bread - Once garlic butter is spread over bread. Top with pizza sauce and sprinkle cheese on top and bake.

How to Make Garlic Bread in 3 Easy Steps

Making Garlic Butter

Mix butter, minced garlic, chopped coriander or parsley. Add in dried herbs as per your liking. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Garlic butter is ready to use.

Assembling garlic bread

For making garlic bread or toast you can use any bread that you prefer. But for best taste white bread is a good choice. French bread also known as baguette is traditionally used. You can use wholemeal bread or multigrain bread for healthier option.

Spread the garlic butter over the bread generously.

Cooking or Baking

You can cook the garlic bread in oven or stove top as per your requirements. For baking in oven, place the garlic bread in oven and bake at 250 degree C on grill or broil mode for few minutes.

Instead of baking in oven. You can place the garlic bread in tawa on low heat and cook.

How to Make Garlic Bread (Stepwise pictures)

Making Garlic Bread Butter (Garlic butter)

1)Take whole garlic and peel garlic cloves. Use a grater or mincer to grate garlic. Set aside.

Pro-tip: If you are making big batch, you can add them to a blender or food processor and pulse few times till finely minced.

2)Take soft butter in a bowl. mash it lightly using a spoon.

Pro Tip: If you forget to take the butter out of fridge earlier. You can place the butter into the microwave for 10 seconds till it is softened. Make sure you keep a close eye when softening butter in microwave else the butter may melt.

3)Add in minced garlic, finely chopped coriander leaves or chopped parsley. You can flavour the butter with any of your favorite herbs. Some options are finely chopped parsley, basil, chopped jalapenos, rosemary.

4)Add salt, black pepper powder, Italian seasoning and mix well. If you are using salted butter you can skip adding salt.

Pro Tip: experiment with the dried herbs too. Red chilli flakes, dried basil, dried thyme, cayenne, paprika can be used.

5)Mix this butter really well. This is your garlic butter.

You can make a double batch and store this butter in containers for later use. Check storage section for how to properly store garlic butter.

Baking Garlic Bread

6)Take bread slices in a baking tray. Spread the butter generously on the bread. You can be creative and use any bread of choice. Brown bread, multigrain bread or ragi bread can be used.

7)Once the bread is spread with the garlic butter. Place it in a 220 degree C preheated oven (grill mode) and bake for 1 to 2 minutes on top rack. Make sure you keep an eye on the bread else it may burn.

Cooking on stove top: Alternatively you can place the butter side down on a nonstick pan and cook on low till golden brown.

8)Now garlic bread is done and ready to serve.

Garlic Cheese Bread

Garlic bread is wonderful on its own, but it gets even more delicious once you add cheese to it. The garlic butter which I made here is quite simple and delicious. I added some dried rosemary for extra flavour. And I used my homemade focaccia bread which made this so delicious.

Ingredients Used

• Focaccia Bread or Any Bread
• ½ cup Butter
• 10 cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp Dried Rosemary
• Salt and Black Pepper Powder to taste
• ½ cup Mozzarella Cheese

How to Make Garlic Cheese Bread

1)Preheat the oven to 220°C(450°F) in broil mode.

Take soft butter in a bowl. My butter may looks melted because I kept it out longer. Actually it is best to use soft butter in this recipe. Add in lots of crushed garlic.

2)Add in dried rosemary. You can flavour your garlic butter with any of your favorite herbs. Add in black pepper powder also.

Pro Tip: You can use dried oregano, basil or Italian herbs.

3)Add in salt to taste. If you are using salted butter, you can skip adding salt. Mix the butter really well. Your garlic butter is ready.

4)Now take your bread of choice. I used focaccia bread, I slit it in half and spread generously with the garlic herb butter.

5)Place the bread into the oven on the top rack. Grill it for 3 to 4 minutes until it looks golden brown.

6)Take it out of the oven and sprinkle generously with cheese. Return back to oven and grill it for 1 minute or until the cheese is melted.

7)Remove it from oven, let it cool for few seconds. Slice and serve.

8)Garlic cheese bread is ready to serve with pasta.

Stove Top Garlic Bread

This is the garlic bread recipe which can be made on stove top. You can easily make them on stove top by placing the garlic buttered side down on a non stick tawa and cook it on very low heat till it is browned and cooked.

Ingredients Used

• French Bread as needed
• 3 tbsp Butter
• 5 cloves Garlic minced
• 1 tsp Red Chilli flakes
• ½ tsp Oregano
• Salt to taste

How to Make Stove Top Garlic Bread

1)Take french bread in a cutting board, slice it into thin slices. You can toast the bread in a tawa, grill pan or oven till crispy. Remove and set aside.

2)Take butter in a small frying pan. Add in crushed garlic in the butter.

3)Add in oregano and red chilli flakes.

4)Add salt and mix well. This is your garlic butter.

5)Take the toasted bread and brush with this garlic butter generously. The toasted bread will absorb the butter.

6)Serve

Variations

Garlic Bread with Olive Oil

Ingredients Used

• Bread Slices as needed
• 6 Garlic minced
• ¼ cup Coriander leaves a handful
• Salt & Black Pepper to taste
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano
• ¼ cup Olive Oil
• 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese Grated

How to Make

1)Preheat oven to 250 degree C on grill mode. Take garlic, coriander leaves in a blender.

2)Add in oregano, salt and black pepper and crush this coarse. Add in olive oil into the ground mix and blend one more time till combined.

3)You can see the oil herb mixture is now ready. In this recipe, instead of olive oil you can use butter as well.

Now take your bread slices and arrange on a baking tray. Wheat bread, white bread or multigrain bread can be used.

4)Spread the herb garlic oil over the bread slices generously. Sprinkle top with grated cheese. Place it into the oven near the rod on top. Grill on high for 2 to 3 minutes.

5)Serve the herb garlic bread with pasta.

Expert Tips

• You can use any bread of your choice. White bread, brown bread, multigrain bread can be used. You can use french bread, ciabatta, sour dough bread.
• You can use salted or unsalted butter for making garlic bread. Use good quality butter for best taste,.
• Any spices, seasoning or herbs can be used. You can use dried oregano, basil or Italian herbs.
• Cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese can be used.

Serving Suggestions

Garlic bread can be served with pasta or soups. It can be served on its own as a snack. If you prefer you can serve it with salads too. Here are few ideas for you how you can serve garlic bread.

On the Side of Pasta - Try with my red sauce pasta, white sauce pasta , hidden veggie pasta, Italian pasta and Ketchup pasta.

Serve with Soups - Enjoy with steaming bowl of tomato soup, pumpkin soup, cream of broccoli soup, chicken soup & veg milk soup.

Salad Toppings - Enjoy with this Greek Salad, Italian Chicken Salad, Spicy Grilled Chicken Salad, Caesor Salad, Potato Salad.

Storage Suggestions

Leftover garlic bread can be stored in an air tight container in fridge. Garlic bread can be reheated in an air-fryer for a minute, microwaved for about 30 seconds, or wrapped tightly in foil and baked at 350ºF for 10 minutes or until heated through.

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