Yum! I like to also add a couple shakes of crushed red pepper to spice it up a bit. The parmesan cheese really adds a lot to the bread so I always add a bunch :)

Just wondering, can someone tell me why a cookie sheet is not durable enough for this? Is it because it sort of bends a little when you take it out of an oven that's very hot? Thanks!

Hello Elise. I love garlic bread best made with roasted garlic and olive oil - very mellow and sweet. I might even add some Parmesan next time, now the idea has been planted!

I make garlic bread a similar way, we call it killer garlic breath. Instead of using butter you use a cup of mayonaise and 3 tablespoons of garlic (I like to put mine in a garlic press) then spread it over the bread (with the fresh parmasean in it already) and then sprinkle the tops with dried basil. It is amazing!

I absolutely love garlic bread & eat it about once a week. My tip is slightly different from The Old Foodie - I buy a dozen or so long rolls and make up the garlic bread (soft method), wrap it in aluminium foil and pop into a freezer bag (suck the air out) and pop into the freezer. Whenever I want garlic bread, it's so easy to just grab one from the freezer & pop it in the oven at 200c for 15 mins. mmmmm just right for two to share!

Does anyone know how to make leftover garlic bread soft again?

This bread is Awesome Awesome Awesome !!!!!!!

Thank you so much for this recipe, it's amaizing, I was looking for it since I left the US. I'm glad that my husband "who is nagging all the time about food :)" loved it too.

A note to Jo (May 31 2007) - how YOU do garlic bread IS the traditional way. The buttery stuff you buy in the shop is a Westernised corruption of the original garlic bread called "bruschetta" where wood fired Italian bread is lightly toasted/baked, rubbed with a cut clove of garlic & drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. It's origin dates back to at least the 15th century & the name is derived from the verb in the Roman dialect "bruscare," meaning "to roast over coals." In Tuscany it is called "fettunta", meaning "oiled slice". Actually, garlic need not be used at all - bruschetta was designed to show off the new season's oil at the time of the olive harvest. It was also a good way to invigorate stale bread. Bruschetta is now served in top restaurants and may also be topped with things such as diced roma tomatoes, red onion & fresh basil. Funnily enough, it is these additional toppings alone (& not the whole dish) that many Americans refer to, incorrectly, as bruschetta as, I understand, "bottled" bruschetta can be purchased in the US from some grocery stores. Now, how do you get a loaf of bread in a jar?? That IS a conundrum.

This recipe was great for tips. I'm a college kid, so we got stuck using two Portuguese rolls, sliced them horizontally, put the mixture together (1/2 stick soft butter, three garlic cloves minced, tsp. olive oil, heaping tsp. "Italian Seasoning", and tbsp. Parmesan cheese) Mixed it up, and put it in between the slices. What couldn't fit inbetween the slices, we put a line down the top of the rolls. Then wrapped it in foil and put it in the conventional oven: 350 for 10 minutes. Was great! Thanks for this idea :)

This may sound a little wierd but I've had garlic bread with some sugar sprinkled on top, before cooking. It comes out all crystallised and it tastes so good as a snack! I guess it's like the garlicky version of French toast (without the egg).

Soft garlic bread is the best though, it has to be said. You get the best of both worlds.

Excellent recipe. I have been looking for easy to make garlic bread recipe and this really helps.

I make garlic blocks - get a French loaf, leave it a while until it is going slightly stale, smash it up into 1-inch squares then put then in a bowl and coat with the garlic butter. Heat in the oven for 10 mins and they are like big garlic bread crisps :D

Two words.....MOUTH WATERING! This is by far the best garlic bread recipe I've found. The instructions are easy to follow, the smell was amazing and the taste was incredible! THANK YOU for sharing!

According to my husband, garlic bread goes with EVERYTHING. We love any kind of garlic bread, but we LOVE to make it on sourdough (San Luis Sourdough or the Trader Joe's kind if you can get it - the two brands are actually the same thing FYI). Honestly, it's a bit like a giant buttery crouton but so, so much better!

Sounds delicious but my tummy hurts just thinking about it. Can I use olive oil instead of butter or will that be too seepy? (My stomach hates me)

Sure, why not? Try it and see if you like it. ~Elise

I always use olive oil instead of butter. What's importnat is to let soak the pressed garlic (extract from the garlic press) in the olive oil for a couple of minutes. The "garlic" increases in taste but it becomes less "hot" and spicy too.
I always add some balsamico vinegar too. As a salt substitute, I add some olive brine (the juice from an olive jar). Additionally I add some pepper and some other spices, such as "herbes de provence", oregano, basil, parsley... well just let you imagination free play. It's worth mentioning that I prepare the entire "thing" in a bowl, and I use - for convenience purpose- dried spices (see above). And sometimes I add some grinded cheese too. Parmesan goes well. A more neutral cheese is chedar for example, just as an idea.

For the bread, I agree, best is to get it nicely crispy. I prefer white bread, but basically, the quick way, just toast slices of bread and put the garlic mixture on it. Or dip the bread in it. If you wanna get it tip top, heat up the garlic mixture in a small pot (do not boil it) or microwave it (Im not a fan of microwaving).

MMM, and it smells so good. Im getting hungry again

Bon appetit

ps:
to better peel the garlic cloves, put the cloves in nearly boiling hot water for a while. Peeling becomes so much easier ....

and don't forget the red wine. Any Italian table wine goes extremely well with it ...

This was so simple and tasty that I had another piece of bread. I will have to try it with olive oil next time as well since it has less saturated fat. Thanks!

delicious !!

Had company and made lasagna and was looking for a different garlic bread recipe.... I will not look any longer this got raves !!!!

Enjoy !!!

Elise, I love your blog! I have tried a ton of your recipes and this one is a favorite. Thanks for putting out a great site. I wish I lived near you and could come for dinner!

DH and I prefer the best of both worlds: slice and spread (per method 1); bake (per step 3 of method 2) but at a much higher temp -- 500° -- and for twice as long (20 minutes) to get the flavors thoroughly incorporated THROUGHOUT the bread (not just on the surfaces of the slices); then finally broil (per method 1) both to "crisp it up" and to create a nice browned appearance that baking alone cannot impart.

Caveat emptor: DO NOT try this with typical overprocessed supermarket "cotton candy" loaves! You need a sturdy, whole-grain artisan loaf to stand up to the double application without becoming "mushy." If you're not already friends with your local sustainable artisan bakery, let this be your excuse to start :)

A tad bit more work, but well worth the effort!