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.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Course Salads & Sides, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings

Calories 209 kcal

Equipment

cutting board
serrated knife
garlic press
foil

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Ingredients

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

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

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