Simple Garlic Bread

This simple garlic bread recipe is about to replace store-bought frozen garlic bread in your freezer for good. Made with a fresh Italian loaf, homemade garlic butter, and fresh basil, it's buttery, herby, and incredibly flavorful. With crispy, crusty edges and a soft, pillowy inside, this affordable, easy recipe tastes like something straight out of an Italian restaurant!

😍Why You Need This Homemade Garlic Bread in Your Life

Once you try this homemade garlic bread recipe, you'll wonder why you ever bought the frozen stuff. Made with real butter, fresh garlic, and fragrant fresh herbs, every bite is packed with rich, buttery flavor you just can't get from a box. It's simple enough for a weeknight dinner, yet impressive enough to serve to guests at a special holiday meal.

🍞Easy to Make and Freezer-Friendly

This simple garlic bread comes together with just a handful of ingredients and minimal prep time, making it perfect for even the busiest weeknights. Once assembled, you can wrap it in foil and pop it in the oven, or freeze it unbaked. It's the kind of easy recipe that makes homemade garlic bread as convenient as the store-bought version...but with a much better taste and texture.

🥖The Ultimate Side Dish for Any Meal

This simple garlic bread is the ultimate side dish, whether you're serving it alongside a cozy bowl of Baked Ziti or Feta Pasta, or a warm, savory soup like our Broccoli Cheddar. Its crispy, crusty edges and soft, buttery center make it the perfect match for scooping up sauce or dunking into broth. No matter how you serve it, this bread has a way of making any meal feel a little more special.

🥘Just 6 Ingredients Needed

• Large fresh Italian bread loaf: This soft loaf is the perfect base for holding all that buttery garlic goodness without falling apart.
• Salted butter: Creates a rich, flavorful base for the garlic butter spread.
• Fresh garlic and basil: These fresh ingredients bring bold, aromatic flavor that store-bought garlic bread just can't match.
• Dried garlic and Italian seasoning: These pantry staples add extra flavor depth and a classic Italian flavor to every buttery bite.

See recipe card for quantities.

🔪How To Make Simple Garlic Bread

Step 1: Slice almost through the bread in 1-inch intervals, leaving the slices attached to the bottom.

Step 2: Mash softened butter with a fork; add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Step 3: Spread the cut surfaces of the bread with the garlic butter (it's ok if some of the butter remains on top of the loaf).

Step 4: Wrap bread loosely in foil and bake; serve warm.

For step-by-step instructions, see the printable recipe card below.

Hint: Loosen the foil at the top and sides for the last 5 minutes of baking. This creates an irresistible, buttery, crispy crust on top!

Use caution as bread will be hot and steam will release.

🌿Healthy Ingredient Substitutions

• Whole Wheat Italian Bread: Swapping in a whole wheat Italian loaf adds extra fiber without sacrificing that classic crusty texture.
• Reduced-Fat Butter: Using a reduced-fat butter cuts back on saturated fat while still delivering that rich, buttery flavor and texture.

🍞Easy Recipe Variations

• Cheesy Garlic Bread: Add a few tablespoons of shredded mozzarella or parmesan to the garlic butter for a gooey, cheesy twist.
• Spicy Garlic Bread: Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the garlic butter for a subtle kick of heat in every bite.
• Herb and Parmesan Garlic Bread: Mix in extra fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme along with grated parmesan for a more robust, herby flavor.

See our honey-sweetened Easy Cornbread for another side that pairs well with soups, chilis, and more!

🍽Essential Equipment Needed

• cutting board & serrated knife
• garlic press
• bowl & fork
• foil

🍶Storing Your Garlic Bread

This simple garlic bread recipe freezes beautifully, making it perfect for prepping ahead of time. Simply spread the garlic butter mixture onto your loaf, then wrap it tightly and freeze it in an airtight container. When you're ready to bake, pop it straight into the oven from frozen. Just add a couple of extra minutes to the bake time.

If you're storing leftover garlic bread that's already been baked, let it cool completely first before storing (you don't want to trap condensation, which will make the bread soggy). It'll keep well at room temperature for about a day, or in the fridge for 2-3 days. To reheat, wrap it in foil and bake at 350ºF for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.

❓Simple Garlic Bread FAQ

🥄More Easy Side Dishes

Looking for more side dish recipes to enjoy with your meals? Try these, or head over to our Salads and Sides page:

🍴Favorite Meal Pairings For Garlic Bread

These are a few of my favorite dinners to serve with this simple garlic bread. Find more pairing ideas on our Family Dinner and Soups pages:

📋Recipe With Step-By-Step Instructions

Simple Garlic Bread

Kitchen Ready Betty

This simple garlic bread is made with a fresh Italian loaf, rich homemade garlic butter, and fragrant fresh herbs. It bakes up perfectly crispy on the edges with a soft, pillowy center, making it the ultimate easy side dish for any weeknight dinner.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Salads & Sides, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 16

Calories 209 kcal

Equipment

• cutting board
• serrated knife
• garlic press
• foil

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Ingredients

  

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• 1 large soft Italian or French loaf about 24 inches long
• 1 stick (½ c) salted butter softened to room temperature
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 tablespoon fresh basil chopped
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon dried garlic

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Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400℉.
• Slice almost through the bread at 1-inch intervals, but leave the slices attached at the bottom.
• Place softened butter in a shallow bowl and mash with fork. Then add the minced garlic, chopped basil, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Mix well.
• Spread the cut surfaces of the bread with the garlic butter mixture (it's ok if a little remains on the top of the bread).
• Wrap loaf loosely in foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Loosen foil at the top and sides and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Serve warm.*

Notes

*When loosening foil during the last step, use caution. The bread will be hot and steam will release when the foil is pulled back.

For the best results, look for a large, soft Italian or French loaf that's easy to slice without falling apart. A soft interior soaks up the garlic butter beautifully, while the crust still crisps up nicely in the oven for that perfect contrast in texture. Avoid overly hard or crusty artisan loaves, since they can be trickier to slice and won't absorb the butter as well.

You can easily prep this simple garlic bread in advance. Just mix the garlic butter, spread it onto the sliced loaf, and wrap it tightly in foil. You can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking, making it perfect for dinner prep. You can also freeze it and bake from frozen; see the storage section above.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 209kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 2gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 151mgPotassium: 67mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 192IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg

Keyword crusty garlic bread, easy garlic bread, garlic bread recipe, garlic bread with fresh herbs, garlic butter bread, homemade garlic bread, Italian garlic bread, oven baked garlic bread, side dish, simple garlic bread

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_{Please note that nutritional information is provided by a third party service and is intended for guidance purposes only. KitchenReadyBetty.com makes no claims to its accuracy.}