Homemade garlic bread is a perfect snack, side dish, or half dinner that is super-delicious.
Perfectly-baked garlic bread should be crispy around the edges and soft in the middle, with a rich, savory garlic flavor.
Undercooking or overcooking the bread will produce awful results – raw or burnt. So, how long, with the oven at 350 degrees, should you take to bake garlic bread.
How Long to Bake Garlic Bread in Oven at 350?
The ideal time to cook garlic bread at 350 degrees Fahrenheit when using an oven is 15 minutes. It should turn golden on top, the edges should have a gentle crunch, and the middle should be squishy.
But there’s more you need to know about garlic bread. I have put together essential information for you in this article. Read on.
Table of Contents
Garlic Bread Recipe
How do you like your garlic bread – toasty or soft? There is a slight difference between making toasty garlic bread and a loaf of soft garlic bread. However, the ingredients needed are the same.
Toasty/ crispy garlic bread: You slice the bread half down its length. Then, spread garlic and butter and bake in the oven open-faced. Finally, broil for extra crispiness.
Soft garlic bread: Slice the bread in half but don’t cut all the way through. Spread the butter mixer between the slices. Then wrap with an aluminum foil and bake.
Below are two easy-to-follow recipes for making a loaf of excellent garlic bread.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves – crushed or minced
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1 450 g/16-ounce loaf, Italian or French bread
- Chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup (25 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
Method 1: Toasted Garlic Bread
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Prepare your loaf
Mix the softened butter, garlic, parsley, and salt in a bowl.
Cut the loaf horizontally in half. Then, spread the butter mixture between the two pieces of bread.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes
Place the bread on a baking pan that can handle the high temperature. Then heat in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle your cheese and broil
Take the pan out of the oven. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese (optional) over the bread. Return the bread to the oven, on the highest rack, to broil.
Broil for 2 to 3 minutes on high heat or until the cheese begins to melt/ bubble and the bread edges begin to toast.
Be careful while broiling to avoid burning the bread.
- Slice and serve
Remove your garlic bread from the oven and let it cool a bit. Slice it into your desired size and shape with a bread knife. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Method 2: Soft Garlic Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Prepare the butter, garlic, and parsley mixture like in method 1 above.
- Slice the bread and apply the butter mixture
Cut long, 1-inch slices to the bottom of the crust. Do not cut all the way through the bread.
Put a teaspoon or two of your butter mixture between each slice.
- Bake the bread
Wrap the garlic bread in an aluminum foil and oven-bake it for 15 minutes at a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The butter should melt, and the bread warms up at this stage.
- Serve and enjoy!
Take the bread out of the oven, and remove the foil. Wrap it in a clean tea towel and serve.
What Goes Well with Garlic Bread?
Stews and Soups
Garlic bread is a classic, delicious accompaniment to almost any stew or soup. Many people prefer to pair it with tomato-based soups. You can also serve it alongside chicken, beans, vegetables, beef, seafood stews, and soups.
Salads
Garlic bread goes well with different salads, such as Caprese salad which comprises fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, sliced tomatoes, and a little olive oil. You can also take it alongside greens tossed in vinaigrette.
You can also pair garlic bread with:
- Crab salad stuffed in succulent tomatoes
- Warm asparagus dressed in parmesan cheese and lemon juice
Light Meals
You can enjoy your garlic bread alongside lightly sautéed mushrooms and spinach, garnished with crumbled goat cheese and toasted pine nuts.
It is also an excellent accompaniment to steamed clams or mussels. Adding a layer of raw, thinly-sliced heirloom tomatoes makes garlic bread a light meal by itself.
But there’s another simple, light meal. You can top an uncooked garlic bread with ripe figs and thin slices of prosciutto. After, toast it under a hot broiler for some minutes.
Main Meals
Garlic bread and spaghetti are common meals for many people. However, other exciting dishes blend well with garlic bread. They include grilled corn, barbecued chicken, boiled shrimp, steamed Swiss chard, and grilled, thinly-sliced steak.
Garlic Bread with Cheese
I don’t know about you, but I love a loaf of cheesy garlic bread. Cheese adds a fantastic flavor to the bread. The baking process is similar to the one discussed previously, only that you add cheese to the bread immediately you remove it from the oven.
Garlic Bread Sauce
If you are dairy intolerant, I got you. You can use the classic Marinara sauce as a topping to make your bread tastier. Spread it on top or dip the bread in it as you eat. Either way, you will enjoy its savory taste.
Storing and Freezing Garlic Bread
Garlic bread is best eaten fresh, straight from the oven. Ensure that you make only enough to avoid leftovers.
If you want to make garlic bread ahead, preparing the bread up to the baking stage is recommended. Then, wrap it in aluminum foil and store it in the freezer. It can last up to 3 months.
Garlic Bread Nutritional Facts (Per Serving)
Calories | 254 |
Fat | 13g (7g saturated fat) |
Protein | 5g |
Carbs | 28g |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I store garlic bread?
You can wrap leftover garlic bread in aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How do I reheat garlic bread?
Loosen the wrapping foil a bit but don’t remove it altogether. Bake the bread at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes.
What if I don’t have fresh garlic cloves?
You can use granulated garlic if you don’t have a fresh one. For every fresh clove, substitute with a 1/2 teaspoon of granulated garlic.
How To Make Garlic Bread Fast?
Ensure you put together all the ingredients before you start cooking, this will save you much time. Also, you can prepare extra garlic and then freeze it. Next time, it will be easier to prepare the frozen one.
Why do you wrap garlic bread in foil?
Wrapping garlic bread in foil helps to keep it soft and infuses garlicky butter into each slice. Ensure you slice it properly before slathering the butter mixer between your slices.
Conclusion
You should take great care when baking garlic bread to ensure better results. If you cook it well, avoiding overcooking or undercooking, it’s becomes the perfect snack for you.
However, if not well cooked, the results can be awful. You only require 15 minutes to bake garlic bread in oven t 350 degrees.