Description
Ina Garten’s outrageously delicious garlic bread brings Italian-inspired comfort to home kitchens. Generous amounts of butter, herbs, and perfectly toasted bread guarantee a crowd-pleasing side dish you’ll want to serve alongside pasta or enjoy on its own.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 crusty French baguette (20 to 24-inch-long)
- 1 head garlic (cloves separated and peeled)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated Italian)
- 12 tbsps (1.5 sticks or 170 g) unsalted butter
- 2 tbsps fresh parsley (minced)
- 2 tsps lemon zest (grated)
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (crushed)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper (freshly ground)
- Fleur de sel or sea salt
Instructions
- Garlic Infusion: Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat, gently introducing minced garlic and allowing it to soften and develop rich flavors for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until exceptionally tender.
- Flavor Composition: Mash the cooked garlic into the butter, blending seamlessly with Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper to create a complex, aromatic spread.
- Bread Preparation: Split the baguette lengthwise, positioning cut-side up, and create diagonal scoring patterns across the surface without completely separating the sections.
- Flavor Distribution: Generously coat the bread’s interior with the garlic mixture, ensuring the aromatic blend penetrates deeply into the scored crevices.
- Roasting Process: Segment the baguette into four pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then roast in a preheated 450°F (230°C) oven for 5-7 minutes until the topping becomes golden and effervescent.
- Serving Finale: Remove from the oven, slice along the previous score marks, sprinkle with fleur de sel or sea salt, and serve immediately while radiating warmth.
Notes
- Roast Garlic Gently: Low and slow cooking transforms raw garlic into a mellow, sweet spread without bitterness, requiring patience during the 20-minute softening process.
- Layer Flavor Strategically: Score bread diagonally to create crevices that capture and distribute the garlic butter mixture, maximizing taste penetration and textural complexity.
- Control Oven Precision: High temperature of 450°F ensures rapid browning and crisp exterior while maintaining a tender interior, so monitor closely to prevent burning.
- Serve Immediately Hot: Garlic bread loses its magical crispy texture and vibrant flavors within minutes, so time serving perfectly between oven and table for optimal enjoyment.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg