Homemade Garlic Bread With French Bread
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This Garlic Bread made with French Bread is everything you love about a homemade recipe: fast, easy, and delicious. Serve it with your favorite pasta recipe, or try it with one of the numerous recipes suggested below.
Who doesn’t love garlic bread? Buttery, crispy, and oh-so garlicky, this beloved sidekick makes even the most basic dishes something to look forward to!
Just like my famous garlic crostini, this homemade garlic bread recipe is made with a fresh loaf of French bread and comes together in minutes with just butter, garlic, and parsley.
It’s perfect alongside a warm bowl of New England clam chowder or a garlicky shrimp and pasta dish on a chilly evening. No fuss, just good, simple comfort food.
Why You’ll Love This Garlic Bread
- Fast – this easy garlic bread recipe is ready in minutes
- Versatile – Not just for pasta! Makes a delicious side dish to so many meals.
- Fan favorite– Garlic bread is loved by kids and adults alike!
- Completely Customizable – Add your favorite herbs and spices, or add some shredded mozz or parmesan for easy homemade garlic cheese bread. Enjoy as a side, as a meal stretcher, or as a great snack, just dipped in marinara sauce.
Garlic French Bread Ingredients
This easy homemade garlic bread only calls for 4 ingredients. Use fresh ingredients for the best results with your homemade garlic bread.
- French Bread – The garlic spread is enough for one 10 ounce baguette or half of a 16 ounce loaf of French Bread.
- Salted Butter – softened
- Fresh Parsley – minced
- Fresh Garlic – minced or run through a garlic press.
Tip: Freshly minced garlic is stronger than the minced garlic in the jar. Adjust the amount to suit your taste!
How to Make Garlic Bread
This is a slightly shorter form of the complete directions found in the recipe card below. Follow the full instructions on the recipe card for best results.
Step 1
Move the baking rack to the middle level of your oven and preheat the oven to 425ºF.
Step 2
Cut the baguette in half lengthwise and set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil.
Step 3
Mix together the softened butter, garlic, and parsley.
Spread evenly each half of the baguette.
Hint: Microwave the butter for 30 seconds if it’s not soft enough to mix by hand.
Step 4
Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown on the edges and the butter is bubbling.
Pro Tip
Make a batch of the garlic butter mixture and keep it in the fridge so you can whip up some garlic bread anytime.
Tips & Tricks
- Soften the butter in the microwave before adding the garlic for easier mixing and spreading.
- If you only have unsalted butter, add a pinch or two of coarse Kosher salt to the ingredients.
- Mix the minced garlic in with the softened butter to avoid it burning
- If you want a milder garlic flavor, reduce the amount called for in the recipe or roast the garlic ahead of time and blend it into the softened butter
Substitutions & Variations
- To make cheesy garlic bread, sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese on each half of the bread before baking.
- Garlic bread spread can be cut in half or doubled depending on your loaf of bread.
- Instead of a baguette, spread on slices of sourdough or even leftover hot dog buns and bake.
- The garlic spread is great on gluten-free bread.
- Double the butter spread by for a full loaf of Italian bread or French Bread (16 ounce loaves).
- Add any herbs you’d like to the butter spread for extra flavor! Dried basil and oregano or Italian seasoning are the classic choice, but this is also great with Herbs de Provence!
What to Serve with Garlic Bread
This garlic bread makes a delicious side to so many meals like spaghetti and meatballs, American Chop Suey, or my 3-Cheese Lobster Mac and Cheese. Or add it as a filling accompaniment to soup or salad. Here are even more ideas:
Mains
- Baked Ziti
- Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Bake
- Yankee Pot Roast
- Fettucine Alfredo
- Stovetop Mac and Cheese (for a kid friendly dinner idea).
Soups
Salads
How to Store Leftover Garlic Bread
Wrap leftover garlic bread in aluminum foil and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you make a cheesy garlic bread, you’ll want to refrigerate any leftovers.
How to Reheat
To reheat garlic bread, keep it wrapped in foil and heat at 350ºF for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
FAQs
You can freeze garlic butter spread or prepped bread for up to a month! Just wrap it tightly in a sealed freezer bag. When you’re ready to bake, thaw first and then bake per the recipe instructions.
Absolutely! Use a Vegan friendly loaf of bread and swap the dairy butter for plant based butter!
Yes! You’ll want to use ¾ to 1 teaspoon garlic powder in the butter, depending on how garlicky you like your bread!
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Garlic Bread With French Bread
Ingredients
- 1 loaf of French Bread see note
- 1/2 cup 1 stick salted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
- 2-3 teaspoons minced fresh garlic to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and move the oven rack to the middle shelf.
- Cut the baguette in half lengthwise and set on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or foil.
- Mix together the softened butter, garlic, and parsley. Microwave the mixture for 15 seconds, if necessary, to make the butter easier to mix.
- Spread the butter evenly on each cut side of the French bread. It will look like a lot, but this is what you want. The butter needs to seep into the bread during baking.
- Bake the garlic bread cut side up at 425 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until golden brown on the edges and the butter is bubbling.
- Transfer the garlic bread to a cutting board and slice into pieces. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- The garlic spread covers one 10-ounce baguette or half of a 16-ounce French loaf.
- This recipe uses freshly minced garlic, which is stronger than jarred garlic. Adjust the amount to suit your taste if you’re using pre-minced garlic.
