No-Fuss Homemade Garlic Bread (w/ Garlic Powder)

Prepare for your family to be obsessed with this amazing homemade garlic bread recipe! With just 5 simple ingredients, 5-minutes of prep, and no chopping; it’s made from scratch with French or Italian loaf bread, butter, garlic powder, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning; and comes together with almost no effort. Be warned, though, you’ll need to make enough for seconds!

The Only Garlic Bread Recipe You’ll Ever Need

Homemade garlic bread is one of those recipes that feel both retro and modern in the best possible ways. It represents the ultimate in simplicity, yet packs a punch in the flavor department via classic ingredients like butter, garlic, and just the right amount of cheese. What’s more, it makes the perfect side dish for so many recipes. 

Spaghetti and meatballs? Check. Baked shells? Of course. Ground turkey and shells? Check, check, and check. I mean, just imagine dunking warm, crusty garlic bread into a bowl of creamy lasagna soup — pure heaven! When I set out to create the homemade garlic bread using loaf bread, I wanted to accomplish two things: 1) ease of prep, and 2) classic, cravable flavors that will cause people to demand seconds.

Especially when store bought garlic bread is so easy to come by, I knew I needed to make this homemade version so effortless that you can skip the premade stuff in favor of making it from scratch. I did this by using garlic powder (so you don’t need to cut or mince a thing), pre-grated cheese (again, no prep work), and dry Italian seasoning (ditto, no chopping or sourcing fresh herbs). The fantastic thing is that these 4 ingredients combine to create the classic garlic bread flavor, and my testers (ahem, my family) liked the version with garlic powder and dried herbs even better than the version with minced fresh garlic and chopped fresh herbs.

And when I say they liked it, I mean they absolutely devoured it, and begged me to add it to the weekly menu indefinitely. All in all, this recipe saves you time but doesn’t sacrifice on taste and flavor. And since it’s so easy to make, you might just want to double the recipe, because when I tell you to make enough for seconds, believe me. Your family will definitely be going back for more, and then demanding (in the nicest possible way) that you make this one all the time. 

Step-by-Step Visual Guide: Making Homemade Garlic Bread

Make it Ahead and Freezing Notes for Garlic Bread

You have two options when it comes to making this garlic bread ahead. First, you can make the garlic butter mixture, then cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. When ready to make the bread, allow the butter to come to room temperature, then proceed with the recipe. You can also make the garlic bread as written, then sandwich the two pieces together, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months. You can cook directly from frozen, just add an additional 10-15 minutes for the bread to come to temperature.

Ingredients and Elaborations

• French bread or Italian bread loaf: Look for a 1-pound French bread loaf or Italian bread loaf (not a baguette) near the prepared garlic bread at your local grocery store. You can use any wide, soft, bakery-style bread in this recipe, but avoid anything with a super hard crust, as it will be too hard to bite into after cooking in the oven. See the step-by-step photo section for an example of the ideal loaf for this recipe.
• Butter: Allow the butter to come to room temperature for best spreadability. If you need to speed the process, place the butter in the microwave and heat in 15 second increments until the desired consistency is reached. I used unsalted butter, but if you salted butter will also work.
• Garlic powder: Feel free to add additional garlic powder if you love a strong garlic flavor, or less if you are very sensitive to garlic. You can use fresh minced garlic as well (use 1-3 cloves), but I found fresh garlic to be a little too strong and overpowered the other ingredients. Again, it’s personal preference so feel free to adjust to taste.
• Italian seasoning: I always have a good quality Italian seasoning on hand, as it’s so versatile and adds ease to many recipes. You can swap in freshly minced parsley if you prefer, or add a handful of fresh chopped herbs along with the dried herbs if you like.

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