Garlic Bread
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Looking for the perfect garlic bread recipe? This one delivers golden, buttery perfection with just the right amount of garlicky goodness.

Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
There is always happiness at my house 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!
“Beyond delicious. My family absolutely loves this garlic bread…so simple, but such a crowd pleaser.”
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. If you don’t have ciabatta, a baguette can be substituted.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400°F and position a rack in the middle. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the oil and butter until the butter melts. Add the garlic and cook, stirring now and then, until it’s soft and fragrant—about 1 to 2 minutes. Be careful not to let it brown!

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

Slice the bread in half horizontally. Brush or spoon the garlic, butter and herb mixture over the cut sides of the bread, covering it completely.

Put the halves back together, wrap the bread in aluminum foil, and place it right on the oven rack. Bake for about 10 minutes until it’s nice and warm. Then, unwrap it and pop it back in the oven for another 5 minutes, or until it’s toasted and crisp. Slice it up and serve!

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Crispy on the outside, buttery and garlicky on the inside—this garlic bread is the ultimate sidekick for pasta night, soups, and more!
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
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- 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.
- 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
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- 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.
I should have said, prepared up to the point of baking, wrapped in foil, then frozen.
Yup, that’s what I assumed.