Crisp French baguette covered in a butter mixture with fresh garlic topped with melted mozzarella cheese. This homemade garlic bread recipe is baked to golden brown perfection and is the perfect side dish to serve with any and all pasta meals.
I consider a side of garlic bread to be a textbook comfort recipe. It is perfect to serve with your favorite pasta dinner or any meal with Italian flavors.
This was inspired by my Salted Honey Butter Parker House Rolls on this site, and pairs well with this Roasted Tomato Spinach Gnocchi in a Creamy Blush Sauce.
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Ingredients
With the amount of flavor packed into this dish, it may be surprising that you only need 4 ingredients.
- loaf of Italian bread
- garlic cloves
- salted butter
- shredded mozzarella cheese
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
On top of only needing a few simple ingredients, you also might be pleasantly surprised to learn how simple this easy garlic bread recipe is to make.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Soften butter in the microwave for about 15 seconds in a small bowl. You don't want to melt the butter completely, you just want a soft texture. You can also let your butter sit out at room temperature for about 12 hours to achieve this texture.
Add the fresh crushed garlic into the softened butter and mix. If you feel the need for more garlic, you can also add garlic powder. Slice the baguette in half. Spread the garlic butter mixture on both halves of the bread until the whole loaf is covered.
Spread the shredded mozzarella over both halves of bread. Transfer the bread to a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted. For a soft garlic bread, remove from the oven at this point. If you want a more crisp bread with slightly browned cheese, broil on low for 1-2 minutes. Slice the bread into thick slices. Top with fresh parsley if desired.
Hint: cook your garlic bread until you see the cheese start to slightly bubble. This means that your cheese is melted enough but the bread is not too crisp. That is my perfect easy baguette garlic bread. You can also mix the mozzarella cheese with some parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
Substitutions
- Butter - if you are not an extreme salt lover like myself, you can also use unsalted butter. Don't worry, the garlic will provide you with plenty of flavor.
- Type of bread - while I prefer a large french baguette, there are a few options to choose from. Another absolute classic is to use Texas Toast. You get nice thick 1-inch slices and you still get that soft bread if that is what you desire.
Variations
Now let's talk about how we can kick this recipe up to the next level!
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes on top of the cheese to imbue heat in the dish. You can also mix some hot sauce in with the butter for a buffalo garlic bread.
- Deluxe - add caramelized onions on top when finished. It is kind of like a deconstructed French Onion Soup.
See this French Onion Provolone Grilled Cheese on my website! It is another version of a deconstructed French Onion Soup.
Equipment
All you need for this recipe is a bowl to mix the butter and garlic in along with a baking sheet.
Storage
The extra slices of garlic bread can be stored in a container. You can store it in the fridge for about 2-3 days. After this point the bread will get stale. You can freeze the garlic bread in a freezer bag for up to one month.
Top tip
Slice the garlic bread into smaller pieces and add it to a salad. The soft yet crisp bread along with a lot of garlic adds a delicious burst of flavor on top of your salad dressing of choice.
If you love this recipe, you might also love:
Cheesy Garlic Bread Baguette
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 large Italian Baguette
- 8 tablespoon butter
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Soften butter in the microwave for about 15 seconds in a small bowl. You don't want to melt the butter completely, you just want a soft texture. You can also let your butter sit out at room temperature for about 12 hours to achieve this texture.
- Add the fresh crushed garlic into the softened butter and mix. If you feel the need for more garlic, you can also add garlic powder. Slice the baguette in half. Spread the garlic butter mixture on both halves of the bread until the whole loaf is covered.
- Spread the shredded mozzarella over both halves of bread. Transfer the bread to a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted. For a soft garlic bread, remove from the oven at this point. If you want a more crisp bread with slightly browned cheese, broil on low for 1-2 minutes. Slice the bread into thick slices. Top with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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