Introduction

Oh, friends. There are certain smells that just instantly transport you, right? For me, one of the absolute best is the aroma of warm, toasty bread, especially when it’s loaded with garlic and herbs. It brings back memories of cozy family dinners, potlucks with friends, and just simple, comforting moments around the table.

Today, I want to share a recipe that is so incredibly simple, yet delivers that perfect, crowd-pleasing magic every single time: Easy Garlic and Rosemary Bread. Forget the store-bought stuff; this homemade version takes just minutes to prep and a little bit of time in the oven to transform a humble loaf into pure gold. Get ready for rave reviews!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: Seriously, the hands-on time is minimal. You can whip this up while your main dish is cooking.
Easy: No fancy techniques here! If you can stir and slice, you can make this bread.
Giftable: Wrap up a warm loaf (or bring one to a gathering) and watch smiles appear.
Crowd-pleasing: Who doesn’t love warm, buttery, garlicky bread? It disappears fast!

Ingredients

Gather these simple treasures:

1 loaf (about 1 pound) crusty bread: Pick your favorite! A good French boule, Italian loaf, or even a baguette works beautifully. The crusty part is key for that lovely texture contrast.
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened: Make sure it’s truly soft, like room temperature easy-to-stir soft. This makes mixing so much easier. Unsalted lets you control the saltiness.
2 cloves garlic, minced: Fresh garlic is a MUST here for that pungent, irresistible flavor. Mince it finely so it distributes well.
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped: Rosemary and garlic are a match made in heaven. Fresh is really best for that fragrant, piney note, but I have a substitution idea below if needed!
1/4 teaspoon salt: Just a little to enhance all those lovely flavors.
1/4 teaspoon black pepper: A touch of warmth and spice.

How to Make It

Let’s get this bread baking! It’s ridiculously easy, I promise.

First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This gives it time to get perfectly hot while you prep.
Now, grab a small bowl. Add your softened butter, minced garlic, chopped fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper. Get a fork or a small spatula and mix it all together until everything is nicely combined. It should smell amazing already!
Take your loaf of bread. You’re going to slice it, but not all the way through! Slice horizontally or diagonally into 1-inch thick slices. Think of it like slicing an accordion or pull-apart loaf. You want the slices to stay attached at the bottom crust. This creates little pockets for all that glorious butter.
Now for the fun part! Gently pull the slices apart just enough to get your butter mixture in there. Use a knife or spatula to generously spread the garlic-rosemary butter evenly between all the slices. Don’t forget to spread some over the top crust too for extra flavor and crispiness.
Carefully wrap the entire loaf tightly in aluminum foil. This first bake steams the bread slightly, allowing the flavors to meld and the butter to melt deep into the loaf.
Place the wrapped loaf on a baking sheet. This just makes it easier to handle and catches any drips (though if you wrapped it well, there shouldn’t be any!).
Pop it in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
After 15-20 minutes, take the bread out and carefully open up the foil. You can leave the bread on the foil on the baking sheet.
Return the bread to the oven, unwrapped, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes. Watch it closely during this stage! You’re looking for the tops and edges to get golden brown and wonderfully crispy. That’s where the magic happens.
Once it’s golden and smells utterly divine, take it out of the oven.
Serve it warm, pulling off the slices. Get ready for everyone to gather around!

Substitutions & Additions

Want to play around a bit? Here are some ideas:

No Fresh Rosemary? You can use dried rosemary, but use less – about 1 teaspoon of dried for the 2 tablespoons fresh. Crush it between your fingers before adding to the butter to release its flavor.
Garlic Powder: In a pinch, you could substitute 1 teaspoon of garlic powder for the fresh garlic, but the flavor won’t be quite as vibrant.
Add Cheese: Sprinkle grated Parmesan or a mix of Italian cheeses between the slices along with the butter before the second unwrapped bake.
Other Herbs: Thyme, chives, or parsley would also be lovely additions or substitutions for the rosemary.
A Little Heat: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the butter mixture for a little kick.

Tips for Success

Soft Butter is Key: Make sure your butter is really soft. If it’s too hard, it will be tough to mix the garlic and herbs in evenly, and even harder to spread between the slices without tearing the bread.
Don’t Cut Too Deep: Be careful not to slice all the way through the bottom crust. You want the loaf to hold together while it bakes and make it easy to pull apart later.
Watch the Second Bake: The time for the second bake can vary depending on your oven and how crispy you like it. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
Make Ahead: You can definitely make the garlic-rosemary butter ahead of time and store it in the fridge for a few days. Just let it soften again before spreading. You could even slice the bread and stuff it, then wrap tightly and refrigerate for a few hours before baking.

How to Store It

Honestly, there are rarely leftovers of this bread in my house! But if you do have some:

Let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in aluminum foil or place it in an airtight container. It will keep at room temperature for 1-2 days. You can also refrigerate it for up to 4-5 days, but it might lose some of its crispiness.

To reheat, wrap it loosely in foil and warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through.

FAQs

Got questions? Let’s cover a couple common ones:

Q: Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh?
A: Yes, you can! Use about 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary (or your chosen dried herb) for every 2 tablespoons of fresh called for. Crush dried herbs slightly in your hand before adding them to the butter.

Q: What’s the best type of bread to use?
A: A crusty loaf is ideal because the interior stays soft while the outside gets crispy. French bread, Italian loaves, or a good quality boule all work wonderfully. Avoid very soft sandwich bread.

Q: Can I freeze garlic bread?
A: Yes! You can make the bread up through step 5 (stuffed with butter and wrapped in foil), then let it cool completely and freeze it. When ready to bake, thaw it in the fridge overnight or bake from frozen (it will take longer) following the instructions.

Easy Garlic and Rosemary Bread

This recipe for Easy Garlic and Rosemary Bread transforms a humble loaf into a crowd-pleasing side dish. It's incredibly simple to make, requiring minimal prep time and just a little time in the oven, delivering warm, buttery, garlicky bread perfect for family dinners or gatherings.

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Cook Time 25

Equipment

Oven preheated to 350°F (175°C)
Small bowl
fork or a small spatula for mixing butter mixture
knife or spatula for spreading butter mixture
aluminum foil for wrapping the loaf
Baking Sheet to place the wrapped loaf on

Ingredients

1 loaf crusty bread about 1 pound, French boule, Italian loaf, or baguette
0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary chopped
0.25 teaspoon salt
0.25 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a small bowl, add the softened butter, minced garlic, chopped fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper. Mix until nicely combined.
Slice the loaf of bread horizontally or diagonally into 1-inch thick slices, but do not cut all the way through the bottom crust.
Gently pull the slices apart and generously spread the garlic-rosemary butter evenly between all the slices and over the top crust.
Carefully wrap the entire loaf tightly in aluminum foil.
Place the wrapped loaf on a baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
After 15-20 minutes, remove the bread from the oven and carefully open the foil, leaving the bread on the foil on the baking sheet.
Return the unwrapped bread to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, watching closely until the tops and edges are golden brown and crispy.
Once golden and fragrant, remove from the oven.
Serve warm, pulling off the slices.

Notes

Tips and variations: Ensure butter is very soft for easy mixing and spreading. Be careful not to cut all the way through the bottom crust when slicing. Watch the second bake closely to prevent burning. You can substitute dried rosemary (1 tsp) or garlic powder (1 tsp) in a pinch, but fresh is recommended. Consider adding grated Parmesan or other Italian cheeses between slices before the second bake. Other herbs like thyme, chives, or parsley can be used. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat. The garlic-rosemary butter can be made ahead and stored in the fridge; soften before using. The sliced and stuffed bread can also be prepared a few hours ahead and refrigerated before baking. Store leftovers cooled and tightly wrapped in foil or an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days, or refrigerate for 4-5 days (may lose crispiness). Reheat loosely wrapped in foil in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes. A crusty loaf (French, Italian, boule) works best. Avoid soft sandwich bread. You can freeze the bread after stuffing and wrapping in foil (step 5); thaw in fridge or bake from frozen (will take longer).