Homemade Garlic Bread (That’s Better Than a Restaurant!)
Updated Mar 28, 2025
Here’s my ultimate homemade garlic bread recipe that’s buttery and bursting with garlic flavor. I’m a food scientist with secrets to making it irresistible!
Homemade garlic bread with crispy edges and soft middles dripping with rich garlic flavor is the best comfort food. I’m sharing the best tips from my science degree in food to make it extra delicious!
- It’s quick, easy with less than a handful of ingredients.
- Add mozzarella adds an extra bit of indulgence with its gooey texture.
- It’s the perfect side to everything.
I love this as a side to my best meatball recipe or lazy lasagna.
Avoid These 3 Mistakes for the BEST Homemade Garlic Bread
As a food science expert, here are my top mistakes to avoid:
- Cold or melted butter – Cold butter won’t spread evenly, and melted butter soaks in instead of coating the bread.
- Skimping on butter – More butter = restaurant-quality garlic bread. Trust me, it’s worth it!
- Skipping double garlic: Fresh garlic adds sharp, punchy flavor, while garlic powder gives a warm, toasty depth. The combo makes the best garlic bread!
- Baking too hot: High heat can make garlic burn before the bread is done. Stick to a moderate 375°F.
Homemade Garlic Bread Ingredients
You really only need 4 ingredients plus a little garnish to make this:
- Loaf of French bread: Just your good old store-bought baguette will do.
- Salted butter: You’re going to need butter at room temperature to make this recipe. If you only have unsalted butter, just add a good pinch of salt and mix it in.
- DOUBLE Garlic: Fresh garlic is fragrant and sharp and dried garlic is rich and toasty.
- Fresh parsley: This is optional, but I love the little pop of freshness and green. You could use dried parsley, too.
Variations
Make a few swaps and add in other ingredients to take this recipe in another direction:
- Bread: Swap the French bread with ciabatta, baguette, or any crusty loaf of your choice.
- Butter: For a dairy-free option, use room-temperature vegan butter or olive oil.
- Cheese: Add mozzarella for a cheesy, melty topping.
- Herb and garlic bread: Add dried Italian seasoning or fresh oregano, basil, or rosemary to the butter mixture.
- Spicy kick: Sprinkle red pepper flakes over the cheese before baking for a bit of heat.
How to Make Homemade Garlic Bread
Here are the (totally) easy steps to making this recipe:
Prepare the ingredients
Combine the minced garlic with the softened butter in a small bowl. Spread the garlic butter mixture evenly on the cut side of the bread. Top with shredded cheese.
Arrange and bake
Arrange the bread on a lined baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes at 375°F or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the bread turns golden brown.
Related: Garlic Butter Sauce
Make Ahead and Storage
I do not recommend preparing garlic bread in advance due to the risk of botulism when garlic is stored in oil at room temperature. You could prep it and refrigerate it, but the refrigerator makes the bread stale faster.
Freezing
- Assemble the bread fully, then wrap it securely in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.
- When you’re ready to bake, you can place the bread directly in the oven from the freezer. Add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Storing Leftovers
- Store any leftover garlic bread in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in foil. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
How to Serve Homemade Garlic Bread
- Serve warm garlic bread alongside shrimp pasta or slow cooker lasagna.
- It’s great with casseroles like chicken broccoli casserole or cheeseburger casserole.
- French onion soup with a warm side of garlic bread is the ultimate rainy-day meal.
FAQs about Homemade Garlic Bread
Just whizzing through this article? Check out these key takeaways:
Absolutely! You can make garlic bread on a stovetop or in an air fryer. For stovetop, use a large skillet over medium heat, cooking the bread face-down until golden and the cheese is melted. For air frying, set the temperature to 350°F and cook for about 5-8 minutes.
Yes, pre-sliced bread works great for single-serve portions or faster preparation. Just be sure to watch the baking time, as thinner slices will bake more quickly.
For best results, reheat garlic bread in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes. You can also wrap it in foil to retain moisture. Steer clear of microwaving as it can make the bread soggy.
Definitely! Use vegan butter and dairy-free cheese. Olive oil is also a good alternative if you don’t have vegan butter.
Other Bread Recipes You’ll Love
If you’re into making homemade breads, here are a few other easy recipes to try:
- My Turkish bread recipe is soft and fluffy and the perfect base to top.
- Cheese naan is a garlicky cheese-stuffed flatbread and it’s insanely delicious as a side to Italian food.
- Try these no-knead cheese bread fingers as a yummy side.
- Make my 5-minute prep crusty bread that has a bakery look.
Homemade Garlic Bread (That’s Better Than an Italian Restaurant!)
Ingredients
- 1 12-oz loaf of French bread (or ciabbata/baguette)
- 12 tbsp salted butter softened
- 4 cloves fresh garlic minced
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp finely-chopped fresh parsley or 2 tsp dried
- Optional: 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese for cheesy garlic bread
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cut the bread in half lengthwise and place it on a baking sheet.
- In a bowl, mix together the softened butter, minced garlic, garlic powder and parsley.
- Spread the garlic butter mixture evenly on both halves of the bread.
- If making cheesy garlic bread, sprinkle mozzarella on top.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are crispy and golden. For extra crispiness, broil for 1-2 minutes at the end (watch it closely!).
- Slice and serve hot.
Notes
-
- Don’t use cold or melted butter – Cold butter won’t spread evenly, and melted butter soaks in instead of coating the bread.
- Use the full amount of butter – More butter = restaurant-quality garlic bread. Trust me, it’s worth it!
- Don’t bake too hot: High heat can make garlic burn before the bread is done. Stick to a moderate 375°F.
- Use both fresh and dried garlic – Fresh garlic adds bold, punchy flavor, while garlic powder gives a warm, toasty depth. The combo makes the best garlic bread!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is really the best garlic bread recipe I’ve come across. It’s great as is but I added a tsp. of Scott’s Santa Maria style seasoning for added flavors. Really good!
This garlic bread’s a hit!
Made the garlic bread recipe this weekend for my dinner party. Simple and tasty!
Absolutely thrilled to find this easy recipe. Exactly the garlic bread I was looking for.
Thanks for the good recipe!
Loved the garlic bread! I used baguette.