The Best Garlic Bread You'll Ever Eat

Ingredients

• 1 lb Italian loaf or French loaf
• 0.5 cup Unsalted butter (Softened; salted butter may also be used.)
• 4 cloves Garlic (Finely minced.)
• 1 tbsp Fresh parsley (Finely chopped.)
• 0.125 tsp Sea salt
• 0.25 cup Freshly grated parmesan cheese (Optional.)
• 0.5 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese (Optional alternative to parmesan.)
• Parsley and chives (Extra, for garnishing.)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

2. 2

   Slice the loaf in half lengthwise and place the halves on the prepared baking sheet with the cut sides facing up.

3. 3

   In a medium bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, and sea salt. Mix until the garlic butter is evenly combined.

4. 4

   Spread the garlic-butter mixture evenly over the cut sides of both bread halves.

5. 5

   Bake for 10–15 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden brown.

6. 6

   If using cheese, add the parmesan or mozzarella during the last 2 minutes of baking.

7. 7

   For crispier garlic bread, continue baking for an additional 3–5 minutes, watching carefully until it reaches your preferred level of browning.

8. 8

   Let the bread cool briefly, slice it into approximately 1-inch pieces, and garnish with extra parsley and chives before serving.

Notes

For softer garlic bread, remove it closer to the 10-minute mark or wrap it in aluminum foil before baking. Serve with pasta, comfort foods, garlic olive oil dip, or marinara sauce.

Nutrition per serving

• side dish
• appetizer
• Italian-inspired
• baked
• vegetarian
• family-friendly
• comfort food