Garlic Bread – Platings + Pairings

This restaurant-quality Garlic Bread is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and slathered with homemade garlic butter and melted parmesan. It’s the perfect pairing for your pasta dinner!

There are endless amazing Italian side dish recipes to choose from but for me, one stands out among the rest: garlic bread. Striking the perfect balance between crunchy and soft, with loads of dreamy garlicky flavors and the right amount of cheese, how could anyone ever turn down a slice? And once you learn how to make it at home, you’ll never host another pasta night without it.

You’ll be delighted at how my homemade garlic bread recipe is surprisingly easy to make from scratch using a handful of ingredients, including a fresh loaf of bread, grated parmesan cheese, and a simple homemade garlic butter spread. I even doubled up on the garlic, using both fresh and powdered garlic in the spread because, let’s be honest, you can never have too much!

After a quick bake, you’re left with a loaf of cheesy garlic bread that’s perfectly crisp on the outside yet soft and savory inside. One bite and you’ll never settle for the frozen stuff again!

Ingredients 

• Fresh bread – The best bread to use for garlic bread is French bread or ciabatta because of their crunchy crusts and firm yet airy crumb that soaks up the garlic butter without becoming soggy. Italian bread, a baguette, or a whole-grain loaf works well, too. 
• Salted butter – Softened butter is the base of the homemade garlic butter. Unsalted butter also works, but remember to add a pinch of salt to the butter mixture. 
• Garlic cloves and garlic powder – Fresh garlic cloves add the first layer of garlicky goodness in the butter spread, and garlic powder finishes it off for the perfect garlicky punch.
• Parmesan cheese – I infused the butter with grated parmesan and used the rest as a cheesy topping. I recommend grating the cheese from the block so it melts evenly and forms a nice crust on top (you can save the rind for homemade parmesan broth).
• Fresh parsley

How to make homemade garlic bread

Combine the softened butter with minced garlic, garlic powder, half of the grated parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley in a bowl.

Slice the loaf of bread in half horizontally. 

Spread a thick layer of the garlic butter mixture over the cut sides, then place them on a rimmed baking sheet, buttered side up. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese over the top. 

Bake until the bread is golden and the edges are crispy. 

Garnish the baked garlic bread with more fresh parsley, then slice and serve with your favorite Italian-American meals. Enjoy!

Tips and tricks

• Soften; don’t melt the butter. Softened butter is easier to mix and spread, while melted butter is more likely to separate and make the bread greasy. The easiest way to soften butter is to leave it on the kitchen counter for about 30 minutes, but this easy steaming method from Preppy Kitchen is even faster.
• For softer garlic bread, cover the bread on the pan with aluminum foil during the first half of the baking time. Uncover it during the last half to let the top crisp up. 
• You can add 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time if you like extra crispy garlic bread. Just watch it closely to prevent it from becoming too hard or burnt.

Variations 

• Dairy-free garlic bread – Use non-dairy butter instead of regular butter and vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast instead of regular parmesan. Also, check the ingredients on the bread to ensure it wasn’t made with any hidden dairy ingredients (some breads use milk or butter).
• Gluten-free garlic bread – Pick up a gluten-free French loaf or a ciabatta-style bread. Be gentle when spreading the garlic butter, as gluten-free bread can be more delicate.
• Extra cheesy garlic bread – Add a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese or white cheddar cheese between the layers of garlic butter and parmesan. Or, if you’re feeling fancy, try cheeses like Gruyère, Asiago, or Fontina!

Serving suggestions

If your Italian food is feeling a little lonely, chances are it’s missing its usual side of garlic bread. There is really no better side dish! That’s why you should always pair your homemade garlic loaf with any of your favorite Italian-style meals, such as:

That’s not all… Garlic bread is a must on pasta night. It doesn’t matter what you’re serving—spaghetti, bolognese, lasagna, spaghetti aglio e olio, or penne alla vodka—you can’t forget the garlic bread! After all, how else are you supposed to sop up every drop of the sauce?

FAQs 

Storing

If you have leftover garlic bread, place it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic. Store it at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Homemade garlic bread is also freezer-friendly. Either wrap the bread in plastic wrap after coating it in the garlic butter or after it’s done baking, then freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat it from frozen when it’s time to eat but add an extra 1 to 3 minutes to the bake time.

The best way to reheat garlic bread is to warm it in a 350ºF oven or air fryer for 5 to 10 minutes or until it’s lightly toasted.

More recipes for pasta night 

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Note: The images in this post were inspired by Natalie & Holly at The Modern Proper.