Homemade Garlic Bread with Crisp Golden Edges and Cheesy Garlic Butter
By Ethan Parker
Prep
8 min
Cook
5 min
Total
13 min
Servings
12
Level
Easy
This 13-minute garlic bread starts with a bakery French loaf and uses an 8-minute garlic-butter spread before a 3-to-5-minute broil. The cut sides turn crisp and golden while Parmesan and cheddar melt into a salty, garlicky topping, making a fast side for pasta dinners.
Softened salted butter gives the spread a base that is easy to mix and spread evenly. Minced garlic and garlic powder provide two layers of garlic flavor, while parsley, salt, and black pepper season it. Freshly grated Parmesan adds a nutty salty note, and cheddar brings sharpness and a melted cheese layer over the cut bread.
Watch for bread that is brown, bubbly, and melted under the broiler; those are the signs the topping has cooked through and the edges are crisp. The main mistake is walking away, because broilers can burn the bread quickly. Move the pan if needed so both halves brown evenly rather than leaving one side pale.
Cool the bread for 5 minutes, then cut each half into 12 thin pieces and serve warm. It suits lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, baked ziti, shrimp scampi, chicken cacciatore, or Alfredo sauce for dipping. The article also suggests freezing wrapped garlic bread for longer keeping.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Finishes in 13 minutes because the garlic butter takes only 8 minutes to prepare and the bread broils for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Uses a store-bought French loaf, so the only prep is stirring the spread, splitting the bread, and coating both cut sides evenly.
- Keeps cleanup limited because the butter mixture comes together in one small bowl and the bread cooks on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Builds stronger garlic flavor without extra work by combining fresh minced garlic with a small amount of garlic powder in the same spread.
- Makes 24 skinny pieces from one loaf, giving a practical pasta side that is already portioned as two pieces per serving.
- Offers simple pantry-friendly flexibility because ciabatta, baguette, Italian bread, mozzarella, or unsalted butter can stand in when needed.
Ingredients
- •½ cup salted butter (softened)
- •1 tbsp garlic (minced, about 3 large cloves)
- •½ tsp garlic powder
- •salt (to taste)
- •black pepper (to taste)
- •1 tsp parsley (freeze-dried or fresh, chopped)
- •¼ cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
- •¼ cup cheddar cheese (freshly grated)
- •1 loaf French bread
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, stir the butter, garlic, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and parsley together until well combined.
- 2
Stir in the Parmesan cheese and cheddar cheese until well combined.
- 3
Cut the French bread evenly in half lengthwise and remove any excess crumbs.
- 4
Divide the butter mixture in half and spread it in an even layer across the two cut sides of the loaf.
- 5
Place the garlic bread on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil on high for 3 to 5 minutes, until brown, bubbly, and melted.
- 6
Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into 24 skinny pieces, 12 per side.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
178
Protein
5g
Fat
10g
Carbs
18g
Reviews
Pin this recipe
Tap an image to save it to Pinterest.
