Any dish involving marinara sauce is better when accompanied by garlicky, crispy bread, which has a soft center to soak up the sauce.
So, we thought about picking up a garlic bread box from the freezer aisle to go with our Pesto Stuffed Shells this week… after all, it’s only $2 a box.
After that, we thought, “Well, we can buy a HUGE loaf of fresh french bread for a dollar… can we make homemade garlic bread for less?” Of course we can!
Now let’s get started with Apronese!
What Type of Bread is Best?
There are lots of grocery stores that sell giant loaves of Italian bread for $1-$2 every day. For garlic bread, we like these slightly large and fluffy loaves because they absorb all that buttery goodness really well.
You can also use French bread or a baguette if you have them on hand. Remember to take into account that the baking time may vary based on the density of your bread.
Freezing Garlic Bread
After spreading the garlic butter mixture onto your loaf of garlic bread, freeze it solid on a baking sheet, then store it in an airtight container.
Afterward, it can be baked straight from the freezer, just adding a few minutes to the baking time. If you’d like, you can slice the bread first, as I did in my recipe for Freezer Garlic Bread.
The Best Way to Make Garlic Bread
You can go over the top with garlic bread by adding a few things to make it even better. Garlic bread is pretty magical as-is, but if you want to make it even better, there are a few things you can add to it. The following ideas might help:
- Add grated Parmesan to the garlic butter mixture for a rich umami taste and crispy top layer.
- You can top your garlic bread with shredded mozzarella for more melty cheese and BAM! your garlic bread will be cheesy.
- Garlic butter mixes are better when flavored olive oil is used. It would be amazing to have chili oil or herb-infused oil!
- You can add more fresh herbs. Mix some fresh basil, oregano, or thyme into the garlic butter if you have an herb garden.
- Pesto is a good addition. Mix a spoonful of pesto (of any flavor) into the garlic butter to add an extra kick of flavor.
- Add some garlic powder to the garlic butter mix in addition to fresh garlic. As fresh garlic and garlic powder have different flavors, the flavor of garlic will be even more robust.
You should also make some homemade pizza sauce to dip your homemade garlic bread (or cheesy garlic bread) in.
Homemade Garlic Bread Recipe
The Homemade Garlic Bread Recipe contains plenty of fresh garlic, butter, and olive oil for a rich and garlicky taste that will leave you wanting more. You can store these in the freezer!
Author: Beth
Prep Time: 10 mins / Cook Time: 15 mins / Total Time: 25 mins
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 1 loaf Italian or French bread, approx. 24″ long ($1.29)
- 4 Tbsp butter, room temperature ($0.44)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced ($0.24)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped ($0.12)
- a pinch salt ($0.02)
Instructions
- The oven should be preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The butter, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped parsley, and a pinch of salt should be mixed together until relatively smooth in a bowl.
- Cut the bread into two 12″ long pieces, then cut each piece in half lengthwise. Place the cut side of the bread up against the baking sheet, and spread the garlic butter mixture evenly over the open surfaces.*
- Let the bread bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Slice the bread into 2-inch sections and serve warm.
Note
*After spreading the garlic butter on to the bread, the bread can be frozen in gallon-size freezer bags and baked at a later time. However, it may take the bread a few minutes longer to brown.
Nutritional
Serving: 1 Serving ・ Calories: 183.9 kcal ・ Carbohydrates: 24.83 g ・ Protein: 5.22 g ・ Fat: 7.24 g ・ Sodium: 349.08 mg ・ Fiber: 1.1 g
The nutritional values shown here are only estimates. Please see our nutrition disclaimer.
Step-by-Step Photos Showing How to Make Garlic Bread
Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Combine 4 Tbsp room temperature butter, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 3 cloves of minced garlic, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley in a bowl.
Stir these ingredients together until they are evenly combined.
Cut one large French loaf (24 inches) into two 12-inch sections, and then cut each section in half lengthwise. Place the bread pieces cut side up on a baking sheet. Cover the open surfaces of the bread with the garlic butter mixture.
You should bake the garlic bread in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and crispy. Slice the bread into two-inch sections and serve.
Yummyyyyyyyy. The love of garlic bread will never die.
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