STEAKHOUSE STYLE GARLIC BREAD

Read Time: 5 minutes
by Karen
16 comments

This garlic bread is a favorite in my house. It’s very reminiscent of old-school steakhouse garlic bread which is what I had in mind when developing this recipe. I wanted the kind of garlic bread that they brought to the table at the steakhouse my parents used to take us to celebrate special occasions when I was young. It’s made with bread that is soft and fluffy, not bread that is dense and chewy like a baguette (although that’s good too), and it’s spread with the most generous amount of garlic butter that almost drips down your hand when you take a bite. If you’ve never tried it you don’t know what you’re missing!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s quick and easy.
Makes a great side dish for pasta, soups, or steak.
The garlic butter can be frozen and thawed as needed.
Can be made ahead and frozen until ready to heat.

What Ingredients Do I Need

You only need 4 ingredients to make this delicious garlic bread not including the optional parsley.

French bread – This recipe makes enough garlic butter for 1/2 a loaf.
Butter – You want to use salted butter at room temperature.
Garlic cloves
Garlic powder
Fresh parsley – optional. You could also use dried parsley if you don’t have fresh on hand.

Ingredients for garlic bread laid out on a counter.

How To Make This Garlic Bread

Grate garlic – The easiest way to do this is by using a rasp or the very small holes on a grater. Alternatively, you can also chop the garlic very finely.
Cream butter – Add the garlic and the garlic powder to the butter and using a fork press the garlic into the butter until fully combined and the butter is very smooth. Allow it to sit for a few minutes to let the garlic flavor meld and stir again.

Someone using a fork to combine garlic with butter.

Slice bread – Cut the loaf of bread in half and then slice down the middle lengthwise.
Butter bread – Spread a generous amount of the garlic butter on both sides of the bread. Don’t be afraid to use a lot. You want the bread to really soak it in as it melts.

Someone slicing a French loaf in half lengthwise.

Someone buttering a French loaf with garlic butter.

Bake – Bake the garlic bread in a 277 Celsius (350F) oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crispy around the edges and the butter has melted.
Dress – Sprinkle the bread with the chopped (or dried) parsley if using.

How To Make Ahead and Freeze

This garlic bread can easily be made ahead and frozen until you are ready to use it. Just follow the steps above but don’t bake it. Place each long slice of buttered bread butter side up on a cookie sheet and freeze for a couple of hours. Once they are frozen you can place the two buttered sides together and wrap them in silver foil and freeze until needed. Defrost for a couple of hours on the counter before baking according to the instructions above.

Recipe Tips and Tricks For Success

Make sure to cream the butter well after you add the garlic and garlic powder to make sure it’s evenly distributed.
Try to let the butter sit for 15-30 minutes before you use it. This will help the garlic flavor permeate the butter. After letting it sit, stir again to make sure the garlic flavor is fully distributed.
Bake the bread instead of broiling it. This allows the butter to melt into the bread and get to the bottom. You want it to really sink all the way in. You can turn the broiler on in the last few minutes of cooking if you want but if you broil fully, the bread will brown before the butter has a chance to melt into the bread.

Slices of garlic bread on a wooden board.

Recipe Variations

Feel free to make your garlic bread less garlicky or more. It’s your bread. I’ve found that 1 clove of garlic for every 57g (1/4 cup) of butter is the perfect amount for me but you do your own thing. If you prefer a chewier denser bread you might want to use a baguette but you could use whatever bread you have on hand. It’s still going to be good.

Storage Tips

The garlic butter can be made in advance and stored, covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. It can also be frozen either whole or in smaller quantities and thawed when needed. The garlic bread is really best when eaten hot and fresh so I wouldn’t recommend storing it. I find the bread gets hard when it sits for a while. However, if you do find that you have leftovers (which is unlikely) I have had some success with storing it in the fridge in a covered container for a day or two and then microwaving it for a few seconds. About 10-12 seconds for each piece should do the trick. It won’t be quite as good as freshly made garlic bread but it’s still quite tasty.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS;

Is garlic bread an English thing? Garlic bread is actually an Italian thing. In Italy they make bruschetta which in its simplest form is basically toasted bread with garlic rubbed on it and drizzled with olive oil. The use of butter is a North America thing. 

Is it safe to eat the green stuff in garlic? The green thing in a clove of garlic is the sprout and it's perfectly safe to eat although some people prefer to remove it claiming it's bitter. 

Should I refrigerate garlic? No. Garlic is best stored in a cooler (think closer to room temperature), dry place such as a cupboard or pantry. The refrigerator will be too humid.