BlinkVib

Quick and easy Garlic Bread with Fresh Garlic & Parsley turns a store-bought loaf into the perfect accompaniment for Italian food!

Today, my friends, I bring you carbs. Not just any carbs, though...warm, bread-y, buttery, garlic-laced, parsley-sprinkled carbs that just might steal the show when served alongside your favorite Italian entrees.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Ways to Enjoy Garlic Bread

This is my favorite way to make garlic bread, and so much fresher tasting (AKA, less artificial tasting) than those frozen loaves of garlic bread that you can buy at the grocery store. I like to serve this bread alongside spaghetti with red sauce, Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti, 30-Minute Skillet Lasagna, 5-Cheese Baked Ziti...and it's even delicious dunked into jarred or homemade marinara sauce!

Or, you can bake some up one day for a blog post, take photos of it, and then proceed to eat seven or so pieces for "lunch." Carbs, shmarbs.

How to Make Garlic Bread

The method for making this Garlic Bread is simple and takes just a few minutes.

Yes, it's totally as addictive as it sounds. See above reference to seven pieces in one sitting. Ahem.

Variations

If you have other fresh herbs at your disposal, feel free to jazz up this Garlic Bread beyond parsley.

I think a smattering of basil, oregano, and/or thyme would be a lovely complement to Italian entrees, but you could really match the herbs to just about any cuisine.

Make-Ahead Garlic Bread

This other nice thing about this bread is that you can prepare it ahead of time, wrap and refrigerate, and then bake just before it's time to eat.

It might require a few extra minutes in the oven if chilled, but it's always nice to be able to prep parts of a meal in advance...particularly if you decide to serve this recipe at a party or as part of a large Italian buffet!

And that's it...serve hot and watch it disappear! Just don't get your feelings hurt if nobody touches your slaved-over main course until their garlic bread is all gone. As soon as you taste it for yourself, you won't blame them at all. 😉

More Carb-Loaded Deliciousness

• Savory Herb & Cheese Monkey Bread
• The Very BEST Homemade Whole Wheat Bread
• Artichoke Bruschetta
• Bacon Cheeseburger Monkey Bread

Garlic Bread with Fresh Garlic & Parsley

Ingredients

• 1 loaf Italian, or French bread
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 medium cloves garlic (about 2 teaspoons), finely minced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

• Adjust rack to center position of oven and preheat to 350°F.
• Slice bread into 1-inch slices, stopping short of cutting completely through so that the bottom of the loaf stays intact. In a small bowl, stir together softened butter, olive oil, and salt. Mash minced garlic with a fork until it forms a paste. Scrape garlic paste into butter, add minced parsley, and mix until well blended.
• Spread garlic butter on one side of each slice. Wrap loaf in foil and bake for 15 minutes. Open the top of the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Notes

• If using salted butter, slightly decrease the amount of additional salt.
• For a brighter flavor, substitute other herbs for half of the parsley, such as basil or a combo of basil, oregano, and thyme.
• To make ahead of time, you may prepare bread, wrap in foil, and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking as directed.

Nutrition

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7p7XVnp%2BemaKptbC5xGeaqKVfnK6zuMicZJuqlZaxbsPIrZ9mnqKawKl5xpqppaGTYr2ivtKlnLJn