Garlic Bread Baguette

This Garlic Bread Baguette is the answer to all your garlic bread prayers. That’s because a whole head of roasted garlic magically transforms your baguette into a garlic bread with the sweetest and most mellow flavor. It’s the perfect accompaniment to spaghetti and meatballs braised in tomato sauce or this cheesy white bean tomato bake.

Read more to learn tricks how to make the best garlic bread from a baguette and some variations to make it your own way. Or just grab your butter knife and a box of aluminum foil, jump to the recipe, and let’s make a garlic baguette!

slices of two halves of a garlic bread baguette in aluminum foil.
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Ingredients

baguette, head of garlic, butter, parmesan, oil, and salt on a countertop.

 
  • baguette – we prefer making garlic bread from a soft baguette over an authentic French baguette because the French baguette crust gets too crisp.
  • garlic – buy a head of garlic that feels firm, and don’t use one that has sprouted! This garlic bread recipe uses roasted garlic to give a sweet, mellow flavor.
  • butter – any good butter will work in this recipe. It’s important to soften the butter to room temperature to make it easy to mix the compound garlic butter and spread it on the baguette.
  • Parmesan – a little bit of Parmesan rounds out the garlic flavor. See variations below if you’re looking for a cheesy garlic bread.
  • honey – honey is optional but its sweetness works well with the roasted garlic.

Please see the recipe card below for complete information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations and alternatives

  • Raw garlic can be used for an in-your-face garlic taste. Smash two to three medium-sized garlic cloves in a garlic press or mortar and pestle and add to the softened butter.
  • Add chopped herbs like parsley or a bit of basil pesto to the roasted garlic butter or sprinkle the herbs over the broiled garlic bread as garnish before serving.
  • Add mozzarella or another melty cheese during the broiling step.
  • Instead of your oven, turn this recipe into a grilled garlic bread.
  • Make your own baguette!

Quick baguette recipe

If you would like to make your own quick baguette, Food52’s 4-hour baguette is a straightforward recipe. They are worth the effort if you want to make your garlic bread from baguettes completely from scratch!

two baked quick baguettes in a ceramic baker.

Recipe tips and tricks

Making the roasted garlic butter

Step 1: Peel the outer papery skin off the outside of the head of the garlic. If you can, try to keep the garlic cloves attached to the base.

Step 2: Slice the top off the head, exposing the tops of each clove. Drizzle olive oil on the garlic, and sprinkle salt on top.

head of garlic with top removed sprinkled with oil and salt.

Step 3: Wrap the garlic head in aluminum foil and roast it, base-side down, in the oven for 40 to 50 minutes until the cloves are extremely soft when poked with a knife or toothpick. Let cool slightly so the butter doesn’t melt.

head of roasted garlic in aluminum foil.

Step 4: Add the roasted garlic, softened butter, Parmesan cheese, and optional honey to a small bowl and mash together until smooth – the consistency reminds me of mashed potatoes. Taste your garlic butter, and add additional salt and pepper as desired.

roasted garlic butter and a fork in a glass bowl.

Making the garlic bread baguette

Step 5: If your baguette is very long, slice it in half cross-wise to make it easier to work with. Stand the baguette on end, and slice it lengthwise (downward) in half.

I don’t know about you, but recipes that call for slicing your bread crosswise take more time, are messier to make, and more challenging to eat. I hate when you pull garlic bread apart and you get a half piece of bread that’s only partially covered in garlic butter!

Step 6: Smear the roasted garlic butter thickly over the cut faces of the baguette.

two halves of a baguette, sliced lengthwise and smeared thickly with roasted garlic butter.

Step 7: Put the cut faces back together, wrap the baguette tightly in aluminum foil, and bake it in the 400℉ oven for 15 to 20 minutes. The garlic bread should be warm, and the garlic butter will have fully melted into the bread.

foil-wrapped package on a black cutting board.

Step 8: Remove the garlic bread baguette from the oven and turn the oven from bake to broil. It’s easiest and less messy to slice the baguette at this stage before you’ve gotten it all crispy!

On a cutting board, slice the baguette into inch-wide slices and carefully transfer it all back to the foil. If you want to add mozzarella or another cheese, now is the time to do it!

sliced, baked, garlic bread made from baguette, on a piece of aluminum foil.

Step 9: Broil the garlic bread slices a few inches from the broiler until it’s as brown as you like. Be sure to keep a close eye on it because it will toast quickly.

Serve wrapped in foil to keep it warm. Enjoy!

toasted garlic bread baguette in slices on a crinkly piece of aluminum foil.

What to serve with a garlic bread baguette

Make garlic bread from a baguette to accompany:

Recipe FAQs

Can I freeze garlic bread?

Yes. It’s best frozen before baking. Just foil wrap the baguette halves together after spreading on the roasted garlic butter, then place the foil package in a freezer bag for up to three months. To serve, heat the garlic bread in its foil package until the bread has warmed, about 30 to 40 minutes, then proceed with the recipe.

What should I do with leftover garlic bread?

If you have leftovers of your garlic bread baguette, you can re-wrap it in foil and gently reheat it the next day. Or chop the baguette into cubes, toss them in a tablespoon of olive oil, and toast them in the oven at 375 degrees or so for 15 minutes. Use them as croutons in a watermelon panzanella or simple green salad.

What else can I do with roasted garlic?

Roasting a second head of garlic at the same time takes only the slightest bit more effort! Add roasted garlic cloves as a topping in your favorite pizza recipes, or use it to replace the raw garlic in a sumac sauce.

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-heart 💜💜💜💜💜 rating in the recipe card below. Let me know how much you loved it, or any problems you had, in the comments section further down.

Recipe

Garlic Bread Baguette

5 from 1 vote
Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 215kcal
This Garlic Bread Baguette is the answer to all your garlic bread prayers. A whole head of roasted garlic turns your baguette into a garlic bread with a sweet and mellow but unmistakably garlic flavor.
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 head garlic
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt plus more, as desired
  • 1 stick (½ cup, 4 ounces, or 113grams) butter softened
  • ¼ cup Parmesan grated
  • 1 tablespoon honey optional
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper optional
  • 1 baguette or Italian bread

Instructions

Roasted Garlic Butter

  • Heat your oven to 400℉.
  • Peel the outer papery skin off the outside of the head of the garlic, being careful to keep the garlic cloves attached to the base.
    1 head garlic
  • Slice the top off the head of garlic, exposing the tops of each clove. Drizzle the garlic with the olive oil and sprinkle the salt on top.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt
  • Wrap the garlic head in aluminum foil and roast base-side down in the oven for 40 to 50 minutes until the cloves are extremely soft when poked with a knife or toothpick. Let cool slightly.
  • Add the roasted garlic, softened butter, Parmesan cheese, and optional honey and mash together until smooth.
    1 stick (½ cup, 4 ounces, or 113grams) butter, ¼ cup Parmesan, 1 tablespoon honey
  • Add additional salt and optional pepper to taste.
    ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Garlic Bread Baguette

  • If your baguette is very long, slice it in half cross-wise. Stand the baguette on end, and slice lengthwise (downward) to get two equal, long halves.
    1 baguette
  • Put the baguette crust-side down and smear the roasted garlic butter thickly over the cut faces.
  • Put the cut faces back together, wrap tightly in aluminum foil and bake in the 400℉ oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the bread is warm and the garlic butter has fully melted into the bread.
  • Remove the garlic bread baguette from the oven and turn it to broil. On a cutting board, slice the baguette into inch-wide slices and carefully transfer them back to the foil.
  • Broil the garlic bread slices a few inches from the broiler until it is as brown as you like. Be sure to keep a close eye on it because it will brown quickly!
  • Serve immediately, wrapped in foil to keep warm.

Notes

Roasted garlic gives the garlic butter a sweeter, mellow, deeper garlic flavor. Feel free to sub mashed raw garlic if you prefer.
Slicing the baguette lengthwise and buttering it that way instead of in slices ensures that all of the garlic bread is smeared with garlic butter.
Cutting the garlic bread baguette before toasting it under the broiler makes it easier and less crumbly to slice.
Herbs like parsley or basil can be added to the garlic butter or sprinkled fresh after broiling. Mozzarella or another cheese should be added prior to broiling.

Nutrition

Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 480mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 378IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 1mg
Love this recipe?Mention @Uglyducklingbakery or tag #uglyducklingbakery!

This garlic baguette was originally posted for the 2021 reddit 52 weeks of baking challenge: week 7 (new tool).

You’re an adventurous home cook looking for inspiration in your weeknight meals and weekend baking. Get that inspiration here:

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