Homemade Garlic Bread from Scratch

pieces of garlic bread cut from a loaf, set in a bowl, with schezwan chutney dip on the side

Homemade Garlic Bread from Scratch

a quick and easy recipe for making garlic bread in home oven (along with stovetop variation using sliced bread)

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 733kcal

Author Shantala Shenoy Nayak

Equipment

Ingredients

1 Italian loaf / French baguette midsize
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
7 garlic cloves
3 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves or coriander leaves
1.5 cup mozarella cheese shredded
1 cup parmesan cheese grated
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper optional

Instructions

Slice the loaf from the rounded side, without cutting it all the way through, so that it opens up like a book.
In a mixie, blend together extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves, and chopped parsley / coriander leaves, till it forms a semi smooth paste - some texture is okay. Set aside.
Now open up the loaf, and spread the garlic oil (liberally) - on the inside.
Close the loaf, cover it completely in foil & put it in the oven at 400 F for 10 mins. This step is important to ensure the garlic oil seeps through the warm bread.
Once the time is up, take the bread out of the oven, open it up, then first sprinkle the mozzarella cheese, followed by the parmesan cheese. Finally sprinkle a little black pepper - though this is optional.
Put the bread back in the oven, this time with the loaf spread wide open for 10 more minutes at 400 F or until the mozzarella cheese has melted and the parmesan has developed a beautiful golden/light red color.
Once it's done, take it out of the oven, set it aside to cool for a few minutes, and then serve warm.
Cut & serve this as is, or pair it with a dip of your choice.

Video

Notes

The regular Italian loaves or French baguettes are usually the best kinds of bread to make garlic bread at home, but some other kinds of breads might work, so long as they have a lighter crust that will crisp up. But I strongly advise against using the fancy artisan breads with a thick / hard crust.
If you aren't able to slice the loaf without cutting all the way through, it's okay to cut it into 2 halves and then continue with the same method, as outlined in the recipe. It's just easier to open & close the loaf when it is not cut all the way through.
Even if (like me) you are very fond of garlic, do not add more garlic cloves to this recipe for garlic oil. The taste of garlic will overpower everything else, and ruin the taste of garlic bread.
You can use coriander leaves instead of parsley leaves to make garlic oil. I almost always substitute parsley with coriander leaves. Just ensure to use fresh leaves and not dehydrated coriander or parsley flakes.
You can always make a double batch of garlic oil spread, and refrigerate the leftover garlic oil spread to use later. This is especially handy if you want to make the quick stovetop variant (shared below).
You can vary the quantity of cheese based on your preference.

Stovetop Version (using sliced bread) -

Apply the garlic oil spread to one side of the sliced bread.
Heat up a pan lightly and grease it with a little butter, and place the bread on the pan, with the garlic oil spread side facing the top of the pan. Ensure the heat is low to medium-low, so as to not burn the bottom of the slice.
Then sprinkle mozzarella & parmesan cheese on the slice & let it cover & cook for 2-3 minutes till the cheese gets all melted. Alternatively, you can only sprinkle mozzarella cheese & melt it, and sprinkle parmesan later, and broil it in the oven for 1-2 minutes. Of-course you'll need to use an oven safe pan on the stove (like a cast iron pan). But I prefer this second method more, as the cheese crisps up well.

Please note: The nutrition values are best estimates provided as a courtesy. The exact values can vary depending on the exact ingredients or brands used. If you rely on them for your specific diet and/or health issues, please consult a registered dietician or nutritionist.

Nutrition