Garlic Bread Recipe

Sometimes, you have to choose between healthier fare or full flavor. Care to take a guess where this one falls? If you are "trying to cut down on carbs and lose a few pounds and needless to say, that [goes] out the window with this recipe" says chef and recipe developer Cecilia Ryu. Here, it's all about indulgence. But, what's so wrong with a bit of indulgence every once in a while?

This buttery, cheesy, herby bread might be meant to serve as a side dish, but it's so delicious you'll be hard-pressed not to fill up on the stuff before dinner is served. And if you're wondering what dinner is best served with the bread, Ryu has some ideas for you. "It is a classic to serve garlic bread with spaghetti and meatballs," she says, "but it [also] pairs well with your favorite steak. My favorite way is to serve it is with mussels or clams in a white wine sauce."

Also, don't be intimidated by the restaurant-quality look of the bread pictured here. Yes, you really can make this stuff yourself, have it look good, and hardly break a sweat while doing it. "Other than burning [the bread], it's hard to mess up this recipe," says Ryu. You even have some latitude with the ingredients, making this recipe wide open for riffing and interpretation. Even if you make it following this recipe to the letter, this is garlic bread so good you'll want it with everything.

If you follow this recipe exactly, you will no doubt end up with amazing garlic bread. To do that, you will need ¾ cup of softened butter (which is 1 and a ½ sticks), 4 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons of chopped basil, 1 tablespoon of chopped chives, 2 ½ tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese, a ½ teaspoon of salt, some black pepper to taste, and a French baguette.

Let's say you're feeling ready to riff on this recipe. If so, you have quite a few options! "You can definitely use different bread," says Ryu. "A ciabatta or long Italian bread would great. If you don't have all the herbs on hand, you can use whatever you have available or use dried. Dried oregano would be a nice addition. You would need to reduce the amount of dried herbs though because dried herbs are more potent than fresh. [And] adding red pepper flakes to the butter mixture would give it a nice kick as well." Once you've established mastery of this recipe — which won't take long at all — then you can be free to dream up all manner of additions and variations for this garlic bread.

In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, chopped basil, chopped chives, grated parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper to taste (if you're using it). Mix the herbs and butter well, then set the dish aside.

And if you're looking for a quick kitchen hack, here's a way to soften butter fast without melting it. Simply cut the butter into small pieces. Then, put a half glass of water in the microwave and run it for a minute and a half without the butter — remember, we're not melting it, which is of course a different state completely. Once the water has heated up and the microwave has become steamy, place the cut-up butter into the microwave and let it sit for 2 minutes. Once that time is up, you should have perfectly softened butter. And take care about superheating the water, which can make it boil over. To avoid that, let the water sit for about 30 seconds before you do anything else and don't heat it for more than 2 minutes.

Cut the baguette or your chosen loaf of bread in half and then again lengthwise. This will make 4 large pieces. Liberally spread the herb and butter mixture evenly over each baguette piece. Place the prepared baguette on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Now turn on your oven's broiler and give it a couple of minutes to heat up. 

"Also, depending on the size of the bread, you may have leftover butter mixture," says Ryu. "It should be wrapped and stored in the refrigerator. You can use it for small-batch garlic bread or add it to pasta for an extra layer of flavor." Herbed butter like this, also called compound butter, is a pretty delicious thing to keep around your kitchen, after all.

Broil the bread on medium-high for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and toasted – if your broiler does not have variable heat settings, you may want to lower the top rack slightly. "Make sure to keep a close watch while broiling," says Ryu, as "bread can burn very quickly depending on the heat."

Once it's all cooked, slice the bread into individual pieces and serve it warm. As for any pieces that might be left behind after meal time, there's a solution. "Leftover garlic bread should be stored in an airtight container," says Ryu, and "leftovers should be eaten within a day or two. Place [the bread] in a toaster oven or [regular] oven until warmed through."

That said, leftovers may not be a factor here, as Ryu adds: "It's very hard not to eat it all in one sitting!"