Garlic Bread
Crusty bread slathered with garlic butter and baked until golden and crisp. The five-minute side every pasta night needs.
Garlic bread is the side that turns a bowl of pasta into a meal, and it’s almost embarrassingly easy: mash softened butter with garlic, slather it on a split loaf, and bake until golden. Five minutes of work, and the whole kitchen smells incredible.
Keep it as a reliable partner to spaghetti, lasagna, or a big bowl of soup. And don’t skip the parmesan, the salty crust it forms in the oven is half the appeal.
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French or Italian bread
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Slice the loaf in half lengthwise and place both halves cut-side up on a baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, mash together the softened butter, minced garlic, parsley, parmesan, and salt.
- Spread the garlic butter evenly over the cut sides of the bread, all the way to the edges.
- Bake 10–12 minutes, until the butter is bubbling and the edges are golden and crisp.
- For extra-toasty tops, broil for 1–2 minutes at the end, watching closely so it doesn't burn.
- Slice into pieces and serve warm.
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Serrated knife
- Small bowl
Tips
- Use softened butter, not melted. It spreads in an even layer instead of soaking into one spot.
- Spread the butter right to the crust edges so every bite gets garlic flavor.
- A quick broil at the end gives you that golden, crackly top, but it goes from perfect to burnt in seconds.