North American Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Garlic Bread
A crusty baguette split and baked with garlic-herb butter until golden and fragrant.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- Crispy
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: crispy recipes30-minute meals
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Preheat: Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- 2
Make Garlic Butter: Mash the softened butter with the garlic, parsley, and a pinch of salt.
- 3
Split: Slice the baguette lengthways (or into thick slices most of the way through).
- 4
Spread: Spread the garlic butter over the cut surfaces and scatter with Parmesan cheese if using.
- 5
Bake: Wrap in foil and bake 10 minutes, then open the foil for 3-5 minutes to crisp the top.
- 6
Serve: Slice and serve warm alongside pasta or soup.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
74/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving200
Calories
5 g
Protein
2 g
Carbs
20 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Garlic bread as North Americans know it is an Italian-American invention that evolved in mid-20th-century restaurants, far removed from Italian bruschetta. Postwar Italian immigrants working in diners and pizzerias began spreading garlic butter on surplus bread and toasting it in ovens already running for pizza, creating a shareable table item that became standard across the country.
Listahan note
This version spreads a parsley-garlic butter generously so it soaks into the crumb rather than just coating the surface, and finishes under the broiler for a moment to get a few golden edges.
Technique cues
- Softened butter is non-negotiable; cold butter tears the bread and spreads unevenly, leaving dry patches that do not absorb the garlic flavor.
- Raw minced garlic gives the sharpest flavor; if you want a mellower result, briefly cook the garlic in the butter on the stovetop before mashing it together.
- The last 90 seconds under the broiler rather than finishing in a standard oven gives a slightly blistered, caramelized crust that a normal bake cannot replicate.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Mix the garlic butter while the oven preheats; it takes about 2 minutes and the butter is ready the moment the oven is.
- Make-ahead
- Spread the garlic butter on the bread, wrap tightly in foil, and refrigerate for up to a day; bake from cold, adding 3 extra minutes.
- Leftover move
- Cube leftover garlic bread and toast in the oven to make croutons for soups or Caesar salad.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Line the baking sheet with foil before putting the bread on it; butter drips bake onto bare metal and are difficult to scrub off.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
1 baguette or Italian loaf
Carrier
Purpose: An open, airy crumb absorbs the garlic butter and crisps at the edges while staying soft inside; dense bread turns uniformly hard.
Handling: Cut lengthways for maximum surface area and press gently to expose the crumb before spreading.
Adaptation: Ciabatta or a sourdough demi-baguette both work well; thicker breads need a longer bake at a lower temperature to warm through.
80g butter, softened
Fat and flavor carrier
Purpose: Butter carries the garlic flavor evenly across the bread and creates the golden crust during baking.
Handling: Leave butter at room temperature for at least an hour before mixing; it should yield easily to a fork.
Adaptation: Good-quality olive oil whisked with the garlic and parsley gives a lighter, more Italian-adjacent result with a different texture.
4 cloves garlic, minced
Primary flavor
Purpose: Freshly minced garlic provides a sharper, more aromatic punch than garlic powder, which tastes flat by comparison.
Handling: Mince finely or press through a garlic press so there are no large pieces that char before the bread is hot through.
Adaptation: Roasted garlic mashed into the butter gives a sweeter, more mellow result that works well for guests who find raw garlic too sharp.
50g grated Parmesan cheese
Savory topping
Purpose: Parmesan added to the surface toasts into a lacy, salty crust that makes the bread more substantial and adds umami without overwhelming the garlic.
Handling: Sprinkle evenly over the buttered surface in the last 2 minutes of baking rather than at the start so it toasts golden rather than turning greasy.
Adaptation: Pecorino Romano gives a sharper, saltier result; skipping the cheese entirely gives a lighter, more traditional garlic bread.
Technique notes
- Wrap the loaf in foil for the first 8 minutes to steam the interior, then open it for the last few minutes to crisp the surface; this prevents the edges from browning before the center is warm.
- Add Parmesan in the last 2 minutes of baking rather than at the start so it toasts to a golden crust instead of turning greasy.
- Use the broiler on high for 60 to 90 seconds at the end, watching constantly; the difference between golden and burnt at broiler heat is about 30 seconds.
Ingredient swaps
- Dairy-free direction
- Use a high-quality vegan butter block (not a spread) mashed with the garlic and parsley; the result is nearly indistinguishable.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Use unsalted butter and skip any added salt; Parmesan already adds enough sodium and the garlic carries the flavor.
Serve alongside
- Spaghetti marinara or bolognese
- Caesar salad with shaved Parmesan
- Minestrone soup
- Simple green salad with vinaigrette
- Chianti or medium-bodied red wine
- Sparkling water with lemon
- Light Italian lager
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Wrap leftover baked garlic bread in foil and keep at room temperature for up to 1 day; refrigerating makes it stale faster.
- Reheat wrapped in foil in a 180C oven for 8 to 10 minutes to restore the crust without drying out the crumb.
- Unbaked garlic-buttered bread can be frozen on a baking sheet and then wrapped; bake from frozen at 200C for 15 to 18 minutes.
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet or oven-safe pan lined with foil
- Fork or small bowl for mashing and mixing the garlic butter
- Bread knife for splitting the loaf cleanly without crushing it
Make this household-aware
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