Mohamed Shili Ina Garten Garlic Bread is a classic American side dish. This crispy baguette is loaded with a slow-cooked garlic butter, sharp Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, and a bright hit of lemon zest.
The first time I made this, I rushed the garlic and ended up with bitter, crunchy bits that ruined the spread. Now I always simmer the cloves in the butter for the full twenty minutes until they’re soft enough to mash with a fork. That’s the difference between a harsh, biting flavor and a mellow, sweet garlic cream that sinks deep into the bread.
Ina Garten’s approach here is using lemon zest to lift the heavy fat of the butter and cheese. Most recipes just use garlic and salt, but the citrus makes the whole thing taste fresh rather than just greasy. I’ve served this at every dinner party I’ve hosted lately because it’s sturdy enough to scoop up pasta sauce but fancy enough to sit next to a steak.
Ina Garten Garlic Bread Ingredients
- 1 crusty French baguette (20 to 24 inches long)
- 12 tablespoons (170g) unsalted butter
- 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
- 1 cup (100g) freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Fleur de sel or sea salt, for finishing
How To Make Ina Garten Garlic Bread
- 1. Heat the oven: Set your oven to 230°C (450°F) and make sure the rack is in the middle. High heat is necessary to get the crust shattered-glass crispy while the center stays soft and buttery.
- 2. Soften the garlic: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, add the whole peeled garlic cloves, and cover the pan. Let the garlic cook gently for 20 minutes until the cloves are completely tender and the butter smells fragrant.
- Don’t let the butter brown or the garlic cloves turn dark. If the heat is too high, the garlic will get a burnt, acrid taste that’s impossible to fix later.
- 3. Mash the mixture: Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for a minute before mashing the softened cloves directly into the melted butter with a fork. Stir in the Parmesan, parsley, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and a heavy pinch of salt and pepper.
- 4. Slice the baguette: Cut the long loaf in half lengthwise so you have two long open faces. Use a bread knife to make diagonal cuts every inch along each half, but stop before you hit the bottom crust so the loaf stays in one piece.
- 5. Apply the spread: Spoon the thick garlic mixture generously over the cut sides of the bread. Use the back of the spoon to push the butter and cheese deep into those diagonal slits so the flavor goes all the way through the loaf.
- 6. Bake until golden: Place the halves face-up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, watching closely until the cheese is bubbling and the edges of the baguette look toasted and brown.
- 7. Finish and serve: Pull the bread out and immediately sprinkle a tiny bit of fleur de sel over the top. The extra salt crystals give it a crunch and make the lemon and garlic flavors pop when you take a bite.
Recipe Tips
- Buy a high-quality baguette: Since the bread is the base of the whole dish, avoid the soft, squishy grocery store loaves that come in plastic bags. You want a loaf with a very hard, floury crust that sounds hollow when you tap it.
- Grate your own Parmesan: The pre-shredded cheese in the green can or plastic tubs has a waxy coating that prevents it from melting smoothly into the butter. Using a microplane to grate a block of real Parmigiano-Reggiano makes the spread much more velvety.
- Peel garlic the easy way: To get a whole head of garlic peeled quickly, smash the cloves lightly with the flat side of a knife to loosen the skin. It saves you from picking at the paper for ten minutes while the butter is melting.
- Watch the broiler closely: If you want the top extra dark, you can flip the broiler on for the last sixty seconds. Stay right in front of the oven door because the high sugar content in the bread and cheese can go from gold to black in a heartbeat.
- Prep the butter ahead: You can make the garlic and herb mixture a day early and keep it in the fridge. Just let it sit on the counter for a half hour before spreading so it’s soft enough to get into the bread slits.
- Don’t skip the lemon: It might sound strange for garlic bread, but the zest is what makes this specific recipe famous. It provides a sharp acidity that cuts through the twelve tablespoons of butter and keeps the bread from feeling too heavy.
What To Serve With Garlic Bread
A big bowl of spaghetti bolognese or a classic Caesar salad is the best partner for this bread. The crunchy crust is perfect for wiping up leftover dressing or rich tomato sauce.
If you’re having a lighter meal, it goes well with a simple roasted chicken or a bowl of minestrone soup. You can also serve it as an appetizer alongside some warm marinara sauce for dipping.
How To Store Garlic Bread
- Fridge: Wrap any leftover pieces in aluminum foil and keep them in the fridge for up to 2 days. Don’t use plastic wrap because it traps moisture and turns the crust soggy almost immediately.
- Reheat: The best method is to put the bread back in a 175°C (350°F) oven for 5 minutes until the butter sizzles again. Avoid the microwave at all costs because it will turn the baguette into a rubbery, chewy mess.
- Freeze: You can freeze the unbaked, buttered halves by wrapping them tightly in foil for up to a month. When you’re ready to eat, bake them straight from the freezer for about 12 to 15 minutes at the usual temperature.
Ina Garten Garlic Bread Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 of 8):
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Protein: 8g
- Fat: 19g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 490mg
FAQs
Why is my Ina Garten Garlic Bread soggy in the middle?
This usually happens if you didn’t bake it at a high enough temperature or if the bread was too soft to begin with. Make sure your oven is fully preheated to 230°C (450°F) so the outside crisps up before the butter makes the center mushy.
Can I use jarred minced garlic instead?
No, the flavor won’t be the same because jarred garlic is often bitter and acidic. Simmering the fresh cloves in butter is what gives this recipe its sweet, roasted depth that you just can’t get from a jar.
How do I stop the bottom of the bread from burning?
If your baking sheet is thin, the bottom might brown too fast. Use a heavy-duty pan or double up your baking sheets to create an air gap that protects the bottom crust from the direct heat.
Can I make this Ina Garten Garlic Bread with a different type of bread?
Yes, you can use a sourdough loaf or a wide Italian loaf if you prefer. Just keep in mind that a thicker bread might need an extra minute or two in the oven to get the cheese bubbly.
Is the crushed red pepper very spicy?
No, a quarter teaspoon just gives a tiny hint of warmth that balances the butter. If you’re very sensitive to heat, you can leave it out, but it won’t make the bread taste like hot wings.
Check out More Recipes From Ina Garten:
Ina Garten Garlic Bread
Description
Ina Garten’s Garlic Bread transforms an everyday side dish into a gourmet centerpiece. Instead of using raw garlic powder, this recipe calls for slowly poaching a whole head of fresh garlic cloves in a bath of butter until they are sweet, mellow, and spreadable. Mashed with sharp Parmesan, fresh parsley, and a signature hit of bright lemon zest, this rich spread turns a crusty French baguette into a shatteringly crisp, flavor-packed masterpiece.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the oven: Set your oven to 230°C (450°F) and make sure the rack is in the middle. High heat is necessary to get the crust shattered-glass crispy while the center stays soft and buttery.
- Soften the garlic: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, add the whole peeled garlic cloves, and cover the pan. Let the garlic cook gently for 20 minutes until the cloves are completely tender and the butter smells fragrant.
- 3. Mash the mixture: Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for a minute before mashing the softened cloves directly into the melted butter with a fork. Stir in the Parmesan, parsley, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and a heavy pinch of salt and pepper.
- Slice the baguette: Cut the long loaf in half lengthwise so you have two long open faces. Use a bread knife to make diagonal cuts every inch along each half, but stop before you hit the bottom crust so the loaf stays in one piece.
- Apply the spread: Spoon the thick garlic mixture generously over the cut sides of the bread. Use the back of the spoon to push the butter and cheese deep into those diagonal slits so the flavor goes all the way through the loaf.
- Bake until golden: Place the halves face-up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, watching closely until the cheese is bubbling and the edges of the baguette look toasted and brown.
- Finish and serve: Pull the bread out and immediately sprinkle a tiny bit of fleur de sel over the top. The extra salt crystals give it a crunch and make the lemon and garlic flavors pop when you take a bite.
Don’t let the butter brown or the garlic cloves turn dark. If the heat is too high, the garlic will get a burnt, acrid taste that’s impossible to fix later.
Notes
-
Buy a high-quality baguette: Since the bread is the base of the whole dish, avoid the soft, squishy grocery store loaves that come in plastic bags. You want a loaf with a very hard, floury crust that sounds hollow when you tap it.
Grate your own Parmesan: The pre-shredded cheese in the green can or plastic tubs has a waxy coating that prevents it from melting smoothly into the butter. Using a microplane to grate a block of real Parmigiano-Reggiano makes the spread much more velvety.
Peel garlic the easy way: To get a whole head of garlic peeled quickly, smash the cloves lightly with the flat side of a knife to loosen the skin. It saves you from picking at the paper for ten minutes while the butter is melting.
Watch the broiler closely: If you want the top extra dark, you can flip the broiler on for the last sixty seconds. Stay right in front of the oven door because the high sugar content in the bread and cheese can go from gold to black in a heartbeat.
Prep the butter ahead: You can make the garlic and herb mixture a day early and keep it in the fridge. Just let it sit on the counter for a half hour before spreading so it’s soft enough to get into the bread slits.
Don’t skip the lemon: It might sound strange for garlic bread, but the zest is what makes this specific recipe famous. It provides a sharp acidity that cuts through the twelve tablespoons of butter and keeps the bread from feeling too heavy.
