Garlic Bread

Tested & Perfected Recipes Cookbook Recipe

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The ultimate garlic bread starts with ciabatta drenched in rich, herb-infused garlic butter—the aroma alone will have everyone circling the kitchen, eager to dig in!

sliced garlic bread

Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)

There is always happiness chez moi when garlic bread is on the menu, so this easy recipe is in the regular rotation. I use a store-bought Italian ciabatta (pronounced cha-bah-tah) because it has a crisp crust and soft, porous texture ideal for soaking up indecent amounts of garlic butter. To mellow the raw garlic flavor, I cook the garlic butter on the stovetop before spooning it onto the bread. Garlic bread should pack a punch, but it shouldn’t knock you out!

What You’ll Need To Make Garlic Bread

what you'll need to make garlic bread
  • Extra-virgin olive oil and unsalted butter: Together, they add richness and flavor to the garlic butter mixture.
  • Garlic: Infuses the bread with aromatic flavor; fresh minced garlic is key for the best taste.
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper: A little salt enhances all the flavors, while freshly ground black pepper gives it a nice kick.
  • Finely chopped fresh parsley: Offers a pop of color and fresh flavor.
  • Ciabatta bread: The perfect base! Its crusty exterior and soft interior hold up beautifully against the garlic butter topping.
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. In a small saucepan, heat the oil and butter over low heat.

heating butter and oil

When the butter is melted, add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes.

Person adding garlic to a pan of melted butter.

Off the heat, stir in the salt, pepper, and parsley.

stirring in the salt, pepper, and parsley

Slice the ciabatta in half horizontally.

Sliced ciabatta on a marbled surface.

Brush or spoon the garlic butter mixture over the cut sides of the bread, covering completely.

spooning the garlic butter mixture over the cut sides of the bread

Place the halves back together again.

ciabatta halves back together again

Wrap the bread in aluminum foil.

garlic bread wrapped in aluminum foil

Place directly on the oven rack and bake until warm, about 10 minutes. Unwrap the bread and place it back in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until toasted and crisp.

baked garlic bread on foil

Cut into slices and serve.

sliced garlic bread

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Garlic Bread

The ultimate garlic bread starts with ciabatta drenched in rich, herb-infused garlic butter—the aroma alone will have everyone circling the kitchen, eager to dig in!

Servings: 4 to 6
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 (1-lb) loaf ciabatta bread

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
  2. In a small skillet, heat the oil and butter over low heat. When the butter is melted, add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the salt, pepper, and parsley.
  3. Slice the ciabatta in half horizontally. Brush or spoon the garlic butter mixture over the cut sides of the bread, covering completely. Place the halves back together again and wrap in aluminum foil. Place directly on the oven rack and bake until warm, about 10 minutes. Unwrap the bread and place it back in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until toasted and crisp. Cut into slices and serve.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (6 servings)
  • Calories: 346
  • Fat: 18 g
  • Saturated fat: 9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 37 g
  • Sugar: 5 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 8 g
  • Sodium: 387 mg
  • Cholesterol: 31 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • I should have said, prepared up to the point of baking, wrapped in foil, then frozen.

    • — S Harvey on September 25, 2024
    • Reply

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