This ultimate garlic bread recipe features only five ingredients and is super easy to make. Enjoy the buttery, garlic flavors, crispy edges, and gooey center!
I know, I know. I hate it when folks call their recipes “the best,” too. But, y’all! This seriously is the best. I mean, it starts with a stick and a half of butter, for goodness’ sake! How can that be wrong?
Yeah, it’s a little decadent… perhaps even over-the-top. But if I’m going to eat some garlic bread, I want GOOD garlic bread. No, I want GREAT garlic bread. Scratch that… I want THE BEST garlic bread.
I made this the other night and as I was wiping the buttery goodness from my face and remarking about how delicious it was (my family hates it when I say the food I make is delicious – they call me braggadocios), I realized I haven’t shared this super easy recipe with y’all. So, here ya go…
Now, before we get to the recipe, I just want to go ahead and address the elephant in the room. First of all, nope this is not a homemade bread recipe. It’s what I like to lovingly call a semi-homemade recipe. And around here, we are never above a semi-homemade recipe.
The second thing I want to address is the gasps or whispers I sometimes hear when I mention my appreciation for Walmart. Here’s the truth of the matter, I love Walmart, and I don’t care who knows it. As a matter of fact in the test kitchen, we use what I call the “Walmart rule.” Simply put, it means that if you can’t find an ingredient at Walmart, we usually won’t use it in a recipe. Does that limit us some? Sure it does, but there’s an important reason it exists.
I want all the recipes found on Southern Bite to be approachable, easy, and accessible. I want the ingredients in our recipes to be affordable, straightforward, and easy to find. And the reality is that 90% of Americans are within 15 miles of a Walmart. So, chances are, if they sell it in Walmart, 90 percent of my readers have access to it.
This rule has its limitations. White Lily flour, though found everywhere down in this part of the country, is pretty hard to get up north. But, it’s been a pretty reliable standard up until this point.
Now that we’ve cleared the air, let’s dive into this delicious bread recipe!
How to Pick the Right Bread for Your Garlic Bread
Honestly, the only challenge in making this recipe is finding the right bread. Now, I’m sure there are plenty of different breads that will work, but for the proportions to be accurate, you need to find bread that’s close to what I describe here:
- Sometimes called French bread, but not a baguette.
- Sometimes labeled Italian bread, but not super Italian.
- Long, wide, and fluffy, but thin and crispy exterior
Clear as mud, right? The good thing is that Walmart sells this bread in the bakery section and labels it French bread. Is that a totally accurate label? Probably not. But, if you want to use what I use in this recipe, run to Walmart and buy that 14-ounce loaf of French bread in the clear cellophane bag. Even if you don’t get this at Walmart, the link above will at least show you what the bread I use looks like.
How to spice up your garlic bread
There are several ways you can easily spice up your garlic bread and really make it pop with flavor and texture. You can add all kinds of spices and herbs. You can even sprinkle a little cheese on top. But, where I think you get the most bang for your buck is in the garlic. That’s right friends… the secret is in the garlic!
- Use fresh garlic! When it comes to the garlic in this recipe, make sure to use fresh garlic. Don’t opt for the jarred, frozen, or stuff in a tube. Yeah, it will all work, but the flavor just won’t be the same.
- Use LOTS of garlic! I use 4 cloves of garlic. I want *GARLIC* bread… not garlic bread.
- Mince the garlic with a knife! While I’m a huge fan of a garlic press, for this bread, I like to use a knife to finely mince the garlic. There’s something about those little toasty chunks of garlic that just makes this taste so much better.
Recipe Card
The BEST Garlic Bread
Ingredients
- 1 (14 to 16-ounce) loaf soft French bread (not baguette)
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 4 large cloves garlic, finely minced (about 2 tablespoons minced)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Slice loaf of bread in half and place the pieces, cut side up, on the prepared pan.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the garlic and remove from the heat. Allow the garlic to steep in the butter for about 3 minutes. Add the salt and parsley and stir to combine. Use a spoon or pastry brush to coat the cut sides of the bread with the garlic butter.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. For extra crispiness, place under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, watching very carefully. Slice and serve warm.
Video
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
John Humphrey
Stacey, I followed these instructions and it turned out light and crispy and very delicious with my spaghetti!
So glad you enjoyed it, John!
Bobby Woody
Stacey, have you tried making this with the air fryer? Any tips on trying it that way? Thanks.
I haven’t tested it in the air fryer myself, but it should work just fine! Just spread the garlic butter on the sliced loaf, then air fry at 375°F for about 5 to 7 minutes or until it’s golden and crispy. Let me know how it turns out!
Michael
A it too much garlic and salt for me. Otherwise very good!
You can always scale back on those the next time. Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Liz
I only for two people (including myself), so I buy the French Bread, cut it into pieces and freeze it, so every Saturday Steak Night, I can make this into *GARLIC* bread. perfect! I melt the butter, add the garlic, let it steep and pour it over the bread in advance, so it has a chance to seep deep into the bread, before baking.
Freezing the French bread is such a smart idea, and letting the garlic steep in butter really elevates the flavor. Thanks, Liz!
Rosemary
This is the best garlic bread in the world!
Thanks so much for your kind words, Rosemary! I’m glad you love the garlic bread as much as I do. It’s definitely a favorite of mine!
Scott Meoni-Ridenour
This is a very good recipe – but I am only rating it 4 stars because I believe ‘the best’ can be a bit better 🙂 Rather than salt, I used Adobo seasoning – it’s a great substitute for many places one would use salt and adds extra levels of flavour without getting in the way. Also, I added a bit of parmesan to make is slightly cheesy but not too much (maybe a tablespoon or two to the melted butter along with everything else.) Lastly, I put in the fridge for at least an hour before baking – the butter really soaks nicely into the bread that way. A great base recipe that is very forgiving – give it a go! We’re having this alongside our spaghetti alla carbonara with a nice arugula salad tonight.
As for DS’s comment below… they are correct that this website is terrible. There is no “Jump To Recipe” button on my phone or on my PC. There is only “Pin Recipe”, “Recipe Card” and “Save Recipe”, And, wow, the videos, pop ups for signing up, etc. are super annoying – I’m looking at four different videos playing around my screen as I write this and twice I had to swipe away a pop up from SouthenBites. They didn’t completely get in my way, but you might want to reconfirm things are as you think before being a bit less kind with a commenter, Stacey (since I agree that kindness should always be required.)
Thank you so much for your feedback! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe and made it your own with those tweaks—Adobo seasoning and parmesan sound like fantastic additions! I love hearing how folks personalize recipes, and your method of refrigerating the bread before baking is such a great tip. It sounds like a delicious meal with your spaghetti alla carbonara and arugula salad!
As for the website feedback, I really appreciate you sharing your experience. I want to make sure the site is easy and enjoyable to use, so I’ll take a closer look at the issues you mentioned. However, you insinuated that I was unkind. Perhaps you misunderstood. I wasn’t being unkind in any way – simply addressing the concern. The “Recipe Card” button is the same as the commonly known “Jump to Recipe” button. Click it and it takes you right to the recipe card (or recipe). Hope that helps!
Myrna
I am not a big Walmart fan, but- raise your hand if younhave ever waited for that hot bread to come out and ate half on the way home.
Do not buy that garlic butter in a jar. Fresh garlic is the way to go.
Ha! I’m raising my hand! And I agree! Fresh garlic is best here.
Chrissy
Looks great! I often see a bread like that labeled French Country bread at Kroger, and it makes for good sandwiches.
That’s a great tip! Thanks for sharing, Chrissy!
Sha
I prefer to make my own bread so made French bread and followed your recipe! Yumm is all I can say!!!
Glad to hear it turned out great for you!
Michelle Clarkson
So delicious and easy to make. It was gone before we were done eating. That’s the biggest compliment anyone could ask for me.
That’s the best kind of compliment—when there’s nothing left! So glad it was a hit. Thanks for sharing!
Denise L Gonzalez
This is so dang good. I’m making it again and my 14 you autistic gd who’s mostly non-verbal sees me making it and it’s getting ready to go with her mom to a NYE party! I’ll have to stop tomorrow on the way home from Legoland to make a batch for my Lily. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!
That’s amazing! I’m so glad it’s such a hit, especially with your granddaughter. Sounds like Lily knows a good thing when she sees it! Have a blast at Legoland, and I hope the next batch is just as special. Thanks for sharing—it made my day!
DS
Worst web site, ranks down with the epic commercial side of the internet. Still can’t find an actual recipe! Done moving on
Well, that’s quite the review! I’m honestly not sure what you mean by not being able to find the recipe—there’s a handy “Recipe Card” button right at the top of the page. It takes you right to the recipe. But hey, if you’re moving on, safe travels on your quest for recipes!
DS did nothing wrong
I dunno, DS may have a point with the site–whew. Also, having the “jump to recipe” button actually say “jump to recipe” may help.
Colette W.
This was the best garlic bread I’ve ever made! My family raved about it all during dinner. We will definitely be having this often. We also like adding some cheese to the top and some bruschetta for another variation.
Awesome! So glad y’all enjoyed it!
Nanajee Travels
I absolutely love this garlic bread recipe! With just five simple ingredients, it delivers everything you could ask for—crispy edges, a buttery garlic flavor, and a perfectly gooey center. It’s so easy to make, yet the result is absolutely amazing. This is definitely a go-to recipe when you want something quick, delicious, and foolproof. Can’t recommend it enough!
Thanks so much, Nanjee!!
Joyce
Bread was delicious
Thanks, Joyce!
Heather
Will definitely make again! Delicious 😋
Thanks, Heather!
Jerri
I made this bread and it couldn’t be more perfect! It makes a lot so I froze the extra. Thanks so much 😊
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Jerri!
Rose
Hi!
I really want to make this!
I only have salted butter though! Can I still use that?
Should I reduce the salt to 1/4?
Thank you!!
Yes! That should work just fine.
Cheryl
I was impressed with this garlic bread! Probably the easiest recipe I’ve ever used. I did not have the right bread, though, and had to use a thick crusty Italian. I now understand the emphasis on using the right type of loaf. I had a hard time even cutting through the crust! It went over big at the dinner table, though. I’m going to hustle over to Walmart the next time I make this!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Susan
This garlic bread is EXCELLENT! The recipe is perfect. Very thankful you showed the photo of the bread – most helpful.
You’re so welcome! Glad it was helpful!
Brenda A.
So I’ll confess that I don’t shop at Walmart so instead I made my own French loaf (not baguette) absolutely awesome and the reviews from even the picky kids were it was “the best garlic bread ever”
Awesome! So glad to hear it lived up to the title!
Carolyn Cook
Thank You for sharing your recipes with us. I like the simplicity of your recipes. I usually have the ingredients in my pantry.
I love this bread from Walmart. I found it about a year ago. The only French bread I buy.
Thanks, Carolyn! That is quite the compliment!
Terri Jones
I love *GARLIC* bread too! I will definitely be making this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing.
Hope it turns out great for you!
Nelda
I have made many of your recipes and all are very good. Thank you and keep up the good work.
Thank you Nelda!
Sandy
I looove Walmart bakery bread, since I live pretty close, I go a couple times a week! Best bread and $1 a loaf makes it even better! ($1.47 now but still a deal!)
I’m going to try that cracker salad real soon!
I absolutely love Walmart bread as well! I hope you enjoy the Tomato Cracker Salad!