Garlic bread with herb butter (Print Page)

Golden bread brushed with garlic herb butter, crisped to perfection, ideal as a savory side.

# What You Need:

→ Bread

01 - 1 baguette or Italian loaf, sliced into 8 pieces (3/4 inch thick each)

→ Garlic Butter

02 - 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
03 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped (optional)
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Optional Topping

08 - 1.5 ounces grated Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F or heat a grill to medium-high.
02 - Combine softened butter, minced garlic, parsley, chives (if using), salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
03 - Place the bread slices on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
04 - Generously spread the garlic butter mixture over each slice of bread.
05 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the buttered bread slices if desired.
06 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the bread is golden and crispy, or grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side until toasted.
07 - Remove from heat and serve warm as a side or appetizer.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 20 minutes and tastes like you fussed for hours.
  • One batch disappears before anything else on the table gets touched.
  • The aroma alone converts skeptics into believers.
02 -
  • The thickness of your bread slices matters—too thin and they'll char before the butter melts in, too thick and the inside stays pale while the outside burns.
  • Fresh garlic is worth the extra 30 seconds of mincing; jarred garlic has a tinny taste that no amount of herbs can hide.
03 -
  • Make the garlic butter ahead of time and store it in the fridge—it actually develops better flavor and you can spread slices whenever you need them in minutes.
  • If your bread is fresh from the bakery and too soft, let it sit for a few hours or buy it the day before so it has structure to hold the butter without collapsing.
Go Back