Garlic Herb Bread bakes up with buttery pull-apart layers, fresh garlic, and plenty of herbs in every bite. Serve it warm with pasta, soup, or your favorite dinner, and watch it disappear fast.
Must-Try Garlic Herb Bread Recipe
- Flavor: This easy homemade bread has crisp edges and soft pull-apart layers. It is rich and savory with buttery garlic flavor, fragrant herbs, and a light tang that is irresistible.
- Skill Level: The dough recipe is simple to make, even for beginners, and is baked into a beautiful twisted shape that’s easier to make than it looks.
- Tools: Basic kitchen tools are all it takes, including a mixing bowl, rolling pin, sharp knife, and loaf pan.
- Serving: Garlic butter bread makes a savory side for pasta, soup, roasted meat, salads, and holiday dinners.
Total Time: 2 Hours Servings: 8 Cooking Method: Oven-baked
Garlic Bread Ingredients
- Self-Rising Flour: Provides flour, baking powder, and salt in a single ingredient.
- Active Dry Yeast: Gives the loaf a chewy bread texture and eliminates the need for a second rise.
- Buttermilk: Creates a soft, tender crumb with a gentle tang. Milk mixed with lemon juice or white vinegar works as an easy substitute.
- Butter: Use unsalted, softened butter because it will spread over dough without tearing. If using salted butter, adjust the added salt.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley adds fresh flavor and vibrant color. Dried parsley is a good substitute, but since it is concentrated you use less.
- Garlic: Fresh and finely chopped or minced garlic adds the strongest savory flavor.
Variations
- Fold in shredded mozzarella for a cheesy pull-apart loaf, or add finely grated Parmesan to the butter mixture to create a saltier, more savory loaf.
- Create a herb-forward buttermilk bread by replacing part of the parsley with thyme, chives, rosemary, basil, or an Italian herb blend.
- For a sweeter, more mild taste, use mashed roasted garlic instead of fresh garlic.
- No loaf pan? Shape the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet instead. It may spread more and finish baking a little sooner.
How to Make Garlic Herb Bread
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, yeast, and salt together (full recipe below).
- Mix in buttermilk and a tablespoon of butter. Form a dough ball and let it rise until doubled in size.
- Make garlic butter and herb mixture.
- Roll dough on a floured surface and spread herb garlic mixture evenly.
- Roll dough into a log and cut in half lengthwise. Braid the two pieces and tuck the ends under.
- Bake until bread is lightly golden on the top.
Storing Garlic Herb Bread
- Store cooled leftover garlic herb bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- You can freeze the whole baked and cooled loaf, or portions, by wrapping in plastic wrap then placing in a zippered freezer-bag for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Enjoy cold, or reheat in a 325˚F toaster oven wrapped with foil. You can brush it lightly with melted butter to refresh the flavor. Reheat only what you need at the time.
- Turn leftover braided garlic bread into into croutons, garlic toast, savory breakfast sandwiches, or use the bread to make the best grilled cheese.
Cozy Dinners for Garlic Bread
Have you tried this Garlic Herb Bread recipe? Leave a comment and rating below!
Garlic Herb Bread
Warm, fragrant garlic herb bread has soft pull-apart layers with fresh garlic, parsley, and melted butter.
Ingredients
- 2 cups self rising flour
- 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup butter divided
- 6 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dry parsley
- 3 cloves garlic chopped (or minced)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together flour, yeast, and salt.
- Add buttermilk and 1 Tablespoon of butter. Using a spatula, mix until a small ball of dough forms. Cover and allow to rise in a warm location for one hour, or until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Sprinkle a flat surface with flour and place dough on top. Sprinkle dough with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a 10×16 inch rectangle.
- In a small bowl, combine remaining butter, parsley, and garlic. Using fork, knife, or offset spatula, spread garlic butter evenly onto the rectangle of dough.
- From the longer end, roll dough into a log.
- Cut dough in half lengthwise. Twist the two halves together into a braid. Coil the braid, twisting each end in the opposite direction and tuck the ends to form a small loaf shape (per the photo).
- Place the dough into a loaf pan.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until bread reaches an internal temperature of 190˚F.
Notes
You can replace self-rising flour with this DIY version:
-
1 cup of all-purpose flour
-
1½ teaspoons baking powder
-
¼ teaspoon salt
Nutrition Information
Calories: 238 | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 562mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 657IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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I tried this recipe out, subbed the parsley with rosemary and oregano and it came out fantastic! Also used this recipe as a base for cinnamon twist bread, just add one-third cup of sugar to the bread and swap the garlic and herb with brown sugar and cinnamon. Great recipe.
Clemintine, I am happy to hear that you enjoyed the garlic bread. Those sound like delicious additions!