THE *BEST* Garlic Bread Recipe

 This garlic bread recipe is made with roasted garlic, which takes it to another level! This buttery garlic spread is made with half the butter, too. Keep in mind that roasted garlic requires 40 to 70 minutes in the oven, and you’ll need to roast the garlic first*. Recipe yields one loaf of garlic bread (about 12 slices).

roasted garlic bread recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 loaf (16 ounces) of ciabatta bread or crusty French bread

4 heads of roasted garlic

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened**

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, or a light sprinkle of dried oregano

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a serrated knife, slice through the loaf of bread horizontally to make two evenly-sized slabs. Place them on a large, rimmed baking sheet (lined with parchment paper for easy clean-up, if desired).

Remove the cloves of roasted garlic from the heads. In a shallow bowl or plate, mash the cloves with a fork until mostly smooth. Add the butter and salt and mash it all together until evenly combined. Scoop half of the mixture onto the cut side of one piece of bread, and spread it evenly across with a butter knife or spatula. Repeat with the remaining garlic on the remaining bread.

Bake for 5 minutes (for softer bread) or 10 to 12 minutes, until golden at the edges and crisp enough to resist a gentle squeeze (for toasted bread as shown in photos).

Sprinkle with parsley. Once cool enough to handle, slice into pieces about 2 to 3 inches wide with a serrated knife. Serve promptly. Bread should be consumed or refrigerated within 2 hours.

NOTES

*Prepare in advance: You can roast the garlic up to 3 days in advance. Remove the cloves when they’re cool enough to handle and promptly refrigerate.

**If you forget: I always forget to pull the butter out of the fridge in advance. Cut the butter into 1-tablespoon segments. Microwave it in a bowl for 10 to 15 seconds, just until softened. Also, if you’re using salted butter, omit the added salt in this recipe.

Make it dairy free/vegan: You could try substituting extra-virgin olive oil for the butter! Vegan butter is also an option. Miyoko’s Creamery butter would be my pick.