Don't let the lack of garlic bread ruin a good meal when it's easy to learn how to make delicious homemade garlic bread. There are several ways you can make garlic bread at home that you and your family will absolutely love!
How to Make Easy Garlic Bread With Store Bought Bread
The simplest way to make homemade garlic bread using store bought bread is a little butter and garlic. Cut a loaf of French bread into medallions by slicing the bread into individual pieces. You can also use any type of bread, even white loaf bread for this recipe.
- Set your oven to the broil setting and place the bread on a cookie or baking sheet.
- Spread softened butter onto the bread and place the slice onto the cookie sheet. Repeat for each piece of bread.
- Place cookie sheet with buttered bread slices inside the oven under the broil setting and leave until the butter has melted and the bread has toasted.
- Remove from the oven. Sprinkle garlic powder over each bread medallion.
- Turn the slices over and repeat. Don't forget to sprinkle garlic powder over the flipped side once you take the baking sheet from the oven the second time.
- Serve immediately.
Secret to Making Good Garlic Bread
The important secret to making good garlic bread like this is not to add the garlic powder to the bread until after it comes out of the oven. Otherwise, you'll burn the garlic and your bread will end up having a bitter taste. Let the bread set for few seconds to allow the garlic powder to be absorbed.
How to Make Garlic Butter Spread for Bread
Whether you're using baguette, Italian bread, French bread, or plain loaf bread, you can use a garlic butter to create delicious garlic bread for any meal. A garlic butter spread is easy to blend. You can make it very simple or you can always add your favorite Italian herbs for an added taste factor!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 to 3 tablespoons garlic, pressed or minced (use more if you like stronger garlic taste)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)
- Substitutions: 2 tablespoons of fresh garlic with 1-1/2 teaspoons or 3 tablespoons with 2-1/4 teaspoons of garlic powder
Instructions
- Use a fork to thoroughly mix butter and garlic.
- Spread onto your bread.
- Garnish your bread after you take it out of the oven by sprinkling dried or fresh/chopped parsley over the bread.
Tips for Making a Great Tasting Garlic Bread Spread
You can make garlic bread with real garlic using a garlic press, store bought minced garlic, or garlic powder. If you can't get to a grocery store to purchase fresh garlic, use the jar of minced garlic stored in your refrigerator or opt for garlic powder. If all you have is garlic salt, then you will most likely wish to use unsalted butter or opt for olive oil instead of butter.
Types of Breads You Can Use to Make Garlic Bread
You can use any type of bread to make your garlic bread. Some of the best ones are sourdough, French bread, Italian, or baguette.
- Quick breads used to make muffins can be transformed into garlic bread or cheesy garlic bread.
- Artisan breads offer a delicious rustic and fulfilling taste to garlic bread recipes.
- Homemade breads can be sliced to the thickness you desire for a hearty serving.
- Pizza dough can be rolled out, spread with garlic butter, sprinkled with cheese and baked.
How to Make Cheesy Garlic Bread Using Individual Slices
You can use plain loaf bread to make cheesy garlic bread. Just toast the bread slices first to prevent the cheese oils and butter from making it too soft.
Ingredients
Select the measurement to suit your preferences.
- 4 to 6 garlic cloves, finely grated or chopped (or 1 garlic clove with 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1/2 to 3/4 stick of butter, softened
- 1-1/2 to 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 loaf of bread
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add all ingredients (except bread) together in a bowl and mix with a fork until the cheeses, butter, garlic, and parsley are blended.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Slice the loaf of bread either horizontally into two long halves or into individual medallion slices.
- Place bread halves with crust side down on aluminum foil.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese bubbles and browns around the edges.
Crescent Roll Variation for Cheesy Garlic Bread
A thin slice of mozzarella cheese placed in the center of a crescent roll triangles gives you cheesy bread. Just brush melted garlic butter spread over the rolls when you take them out of the oven. Garnish by sprinkling chopped parsley or dried parsley and you have great cheesy garlic bread.
Cheese Substitutes for Cheesy Garlic Breads
If you don't have mozzarella and/or Parmesan cheese on hand to make cheesy garlic bread, you can substitute with other cheeses. Keep in mind that each cheese will have a different melting factor as well as flavor. For example, if you're a fan of Asiago cheese and want to add depth to your cheese taste, you can substitute half of the Parmesan cheese with finely grated fresco Asiago cheese that will melt easily. You can also use cheddar, gouda or Gruyere cheese.
How to Make Cheesy Garlic Bread With Loaf Halves
You can make cheesy garlic bread with loaf halves by cutting a loaf of French bread or Italian bread in half lengthwise.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup softened butter, salted
- 2 to 3 tablespoons garlic, pressed or minced
- 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 loaf of French or Italian bread, halved
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F.
- Mix garlic and softened butter in a bowl until well blended, and set aside.
- In another bowl, mix mozzarella and Parmesan cheese together, and set aside.
- Place the bread in a shallow baking dish so you can cover with aluminum foil without touching the bread.
- Use a flat knife or spoon to spread softened butter/garlic mixture over the bread. Repeat for each bread half.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 5-8 minutes, (adjust as needed depending if your oven cooks fast or slow).
- Remove pan from oven and lift the aluminum foil being careful of venting one corner to release heat/steam.
- Generously sprinkle the blended cheese over each bread half.
- Leave the pan uncovered and return pan to oven for another 5-8 minutes (adjust as needed depending if your oven cooks fast or slow).
- Remove pan from oven and change the oven setting to broil.
- Return pan to oven to allow bread to brown according to personal preference (2 to 3 minutes).
- Once bread has browned, remove from the oven, sprinkle with fresh or dried parsley, and serve immediately for best results.
Substitute Olive Oil for Butter When Making Garlic Bread
If you don't have butter or your amount of butter isn't enough to make delicious garlic bread, you can substitute butter with olive oil. The olive oil will add a depth of taste to you bread that is pleasing, depending on your palate.
How to Swap Olive Oil for Butter
Since softened butter is slowly absorbed into bread as it cooks, but olive oil is immediately soaked up by the bread, you need to prepare the bread to receive the olive oil.
- Place the two bread halves in a shallow baking dish or pan.
- Set the oven to broil.
- Place pan with bread halves into the oven and allow bread to lightly toast (1-2 minutes).
- Remove pan from oven and drizzle olive oil over the halves.
- Add garlic powder or minced garlic to taste.
- Set oven back to 350°F.
- Cover bread with aluminum foil.
- Return bread pan to oven for 5-8 minutes to allow the olive oil and garlic flavors to set in the bread.
- Remove bread pan from oven and serve immediately.
It's Easy to Improvise and Make Homemade Garlic Bread
It's easy to make homemade garlic bread whether you're prepared, and your pantry is stocked up. You can always use various substitutions to achieve a delicious garlic bread for your meal!
