To make garlic bread, follow these key steps:

Ingredients

• 1 loaf of Italian or French bread
• 1/2 cup softened unsalted or salted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Optional: grated Parmesan or shredded mozzarella cheese for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400-425°F (200-220°C).
2. Prepare the garlic butter: In a bowl, mix the softened butter with minced garlic, parsley, and salt until well combined. You can also add Parmesan cheese to the mixture if desired.
3. Slice the bread: Cut the loaf in half lengthwise, laying the halves cut side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil.
4. Spread the garlic butter: Evenly spread the garlic butter mixture over the cut sides of the bread.
5. Bake: Place the bread in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until the edges are golden and slightly crispy. For cheesier garlic bread, add cheese in the last 2 minutes of baking.
6. Optional broil: For extra crispiness, broil the bread for 2-5 minutes until golden brown on the edges.
7. Serve: Remove from oven, optionally garnish with extra parsley or chives, slice, and serve hot.

Tips

• For vegan garlic bread, use vegan butter.
• You can freeze the prepared garlic bread before baking for up to 3 months; bake directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.
• Adjust baking time for softer or crispier bread according to preference

This method yields flavorful, buttery garlic bread with fresh herbs and a perfect golden crust.