Garlic Bread with Garlic Scape Option

Rich and garlicky, this easy and versatile garlic bread is a popular appetizer or side.  Make with butter or olive oil, garlic scapes or cloves for a tasty treat.

Is there any side dish that’s quite as well loved as garlic bread?  Rich, crunchy and flavorful, people will reach for it even before the entrée.

Italian American in origin, you’ll often see it served with spaghetti or pizza.  But don’t stop there–it’s lovely with lots of other entrees too, and works well as a tasty appetizer.

And if you’re a locavore, you’ll be happy to know that garlic bread can be made with garlic scapes too.  These are the tasty early seed shoots that the garlic plant produces (which are removed to facilitate bulb development).  Ready long before the garlic harvest, they are like a seasonal eating bonus! Yum!

You can even make it with olive oil instead of butter if you’re watching your heart health or serving vegan or dairy free eaters. 

Garlic Scapes

What is Garlic Bread?  

Wikipedia tells us that garlic bread “consists of bread (usually a baguette, sour dough, or bread such as ciabatta), topped with garlic and … olive oil or butter and may include additional herbs, such as oregano or chives. It is then either grilled until toasted or baked in a conventional or bread oven.”

And did you know that there are two good ways to cut your baguette style garlic bread?  The first is to cut individual serving slices all down the baguette.  Or as an alternative, you can slice the baguette in half along the whole length, then after baking cut this into serving slices.  

I can’t decide which I like best!

Why You’ll Love This!

Tasty.  There’s nothing quite like the flavor of a slice of hot crunchy garlic bread!

Crowd Pleaser. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just your picky kids, everyone will love this!

Easy Side.  Need a way to round out your spaghetti or lasagna dinner—or even your grilled steak?  This will be perfect!

What You’ll Need

Ingredient Notes

• French baguette.  This forms the base of the garlic bread.  You can use Italian bread if you prefer.
• Butter or olive oil.  This adds flavor and richness. 
• Garlic or Garlic Scapes.  This provides the garlic flavor.
• Optional fresh or dried herbs.  Such as parsley, oregano, and chives.  These can add additional flavor but are optional.
• Salt.  Enhances flavor.  May be reduced or omitted if salted butter is used.

Special Tools

• A food processor or blender can help prepare the garlic mixture.

Step by Step Directions

Cut a baguette into slices on the diagonal, leaving the bottom crust attached between the slices.  Or alternatively, slice the baguette in half down the whole length of the loaf.

Mince the garlic (I use a garlic press) or cut the scapes into 1-inch pieces.

Blend the softened butter or oil, garlic or scapes, salt, and herbs, if using, in a food processor or blender until it forms a paste.

Spread or brush on to the cut surfaces of the bread, then wrap in aluminum foil. 

Bake for 10-15 minutes until starting to crisp.  If needed partially unwrap the bread and bake for another 5 minutes to desired crispness. Remove from foil, break (or cut) into slices and serve.

How to Serve

Garlic bread is delicious served as a starchy side or as an appetizer. It’s especially nice with Italian foods like pizza or pasta.  I also love it with a bowl of soup–and it can make that simple dish special.   Ultimately, you can serve it anywhere you could use a flavorful bread option!

Variations and Special Diets

I first made my olive oil garlic bread for a vegan house guest.  But the olive oil is also a great option if you’re trying to boost heart health or are dairy free.  And I like it simply for variety sometimes! 

Like things cheesy?  Blend in ¼ – ½ cup of finely shredded Parmesan into the garlic mixture before spreading.  Or sprinkle with grated Provolone or Mozzarella (this will be easier with the bread cut lengthwise) for a Cheesy Garlic Bread. So good!

During garlic scape season, all my garlic bread is made with scapes!  And for another tasty scape recipe, take a look at my Garlic Scape Pizza.

Leftovers

Wrap up leftovers and reheat in the oven within a few days. 

If you need to save time, you can also make this ahead of time and freeze it.  Just make it up to the point where you’d bake it, wrap in aluminum foil and freeze, then bake from frozen until heated through. 

Tips & FAQs

Shouldn’t I sauté the garlic/garlic scapes first?  This recipe is designed to be as easy as possible, so it skips pre-cooking the garlic. But sometimes I do sauté it first, in half of the butter or oil.  In theory, this can mellow the flavor and infuse it really well throughout the butter/oil.  But I’ve never done a side by side comparison of methods to know if this make much difference or not.

Give Me the Garlic!

• Garlic and Vegetable Cheese Spread from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Creamy Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Garlic Parmesan Noodles from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Grilled Garlic Rosemary Pork Loin from That Recipe
• Italian Herb and Garlic Focaccia from Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
• Poondu Chutney from Magical Ingredients
• Roasted Garlic and Cheddar Burgers from Palatable Pastime

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Garlic Bread

Rich and garlicky, this easy and versatile garlic bread is a popular appetizer or side.  Make with butter or olive oil, garlic scapes or cloves for a tasty treat.

Author: Inger

5 from 3 votes

Print

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Calories 206 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 cloves garlic minced, or 8 garlic scapes, roughly chopped (I used a scissors to cut in 1 inch pieces)
• 1/2 cup olive oil or very soft butter
• 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped parsley or chives optional
• Optional herbs: 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt reduce or omit if using salted butter
• 1 loaf French bread 18-20 inches

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 F
• Cut a baguette into slices on the diagonal, leaving the bottom crust attached between the slices. Or alternatively, slice the baguette in half down the whole length of the loaf.
• Mince the garlic (I use a garlic press) or cut the scapes into 1-inch pieces.
• Blend the softened butter or oil, garlic or scapes, salt, and herbs if using in a food processor or blender until it forms a paste.
• Spread or brush on to the cut surfaces of the bread, then wrap in aluminum foil.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes until starting to crisp. If needed partially unwrap the bread and bake for another 5 minutes to desired crispness.
• Remove from foil, break (or cut) into slices and serve.

Notes

1. For a prep time saver, you can cut the bread in half lengthwise and quickly spread each side of the cut with herb paste, then bake per instructions and slice when it comes out of the oven.

2. Consider adding ¼ - ½ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese to the garlic mixture for a cheese accent.

3. Serving size is 2 slices (though, okay, we ate double that).

Nutrition

Calories: 206kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 358mgPotassium: 54mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 34IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 2mg

I am not a health professional and nutrition data is calculated programatically. Accuracy may vary with product selection, calculator accuracy, etc. Consult a professional for the best information.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

A composite of Olive Oil Garlic Bread from Oct 4, 2014 and Garlic Scape Garlic Bread from Jul 10, 2018.

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