Enjoy fresh garlic bread any night or day when you have a stash of this Easy Garlic Bread in the freezer, frozen garlic bread that is SO much better than any store bought loaf! So good and easy!
Served at a BBQ Party or alongside a pan of Spicy Sausage Lasagna, this tasty garlic bread will please the masses. At just 20 cents a serving and just a few minutes of prep time, it’s absolutely worth your while!
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It is a humble dish. It doesn’t get much attention. Sometimes it’s an afterthought at the check stand, when one passes the baskets of foil wrapped logs or sneaks down the frozen food aisle real quick to grab a loaf of frozen garlic bread.
I’m not sure that anyone waxes eloquent over its virtues. In fact, it’s sometimes forgotten all together as a culinary option.
But you know what? Garlic bread is awesome! And it deserves a little more attention. For all its simplicity, it’s the first thing to go when I serve an Italian buffet.
My kids even use garlic bread as a bartering commodity! Yes, indeed, they recognize its value. And so should you!
Why Make This
Homemade tastes better. That’s why. For all its humble, wallflower status, Garlic Bread is truly the star. And you’re doing it a disservice if you buy the aforementioned foil-wrapped logs waiting for you at the grocery store checkstand or freezer section.
It is simple and easy to make frozen garlic bread. Often times at the end of the day, maybe you don’t want to make spaghetti AND meatballs AND a salad AND garlic bread. And so, garlic bread in all its glory is forgotten. May it no longer be so! This easy freezer garlic bread will have your dinner bread basket buttoned up. Especially if you stash a few loaves in the freezer.
It makes meals more special. Having homemade frozen garlic bread in the freezer feels like a luxury, but its really not. It’s so cheap and easy to make!
Make a few loaves this week, squirrel them away in the freezer, and pull them out when you want to bring an everyday dinner to new heights.
Ingredients
Making your own garlic bread is so wonderfully easy. Here is what you need:
French bread – while baguette is considered traditional French bread, I’m actually talking about the Americanized version here, you know the fluffy loaf from the grocery store bakery. You can also bake your own bread if you prefer or use a real baguette. Keep in mind that grocery stores often unload day-old bread for cheap. This is a great way to use it since you’re going to toast it anyway.
butter – I like using real butter, but you can also substitute margarine, ghee, plant butter, or even olive oil to make frozen garlic butter.
garlic – Fresh garlic will give you the best flavor. If you’ve got some roast garlic cloves on hand, that will take this over the top. In a pinch you can use garlic powder, but it won’t be as good.
parsley – You can use fresh or dried parsley, whichever you have on hand.
Variations
Straight up classic frozen garlic bread is pretty tasty, but you can make it different if you like.
- For cheesy garlic bread: mix grated parmesan cheese into the garlic butter. If you like, top it off with shredded cheddar or mozzarella.
- For herby garlic bread: add additional fresh herbs like fresh chopped basil, rosemary, and tarragon.
- For grilled garlic bread: cook the bread in the wrappings on the hot grill until the butter is melted. Place the bread cut side down on the grill for optional char marks.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make the garlic butter.
Homemade garlic butter is the best way to go. In a small mixing bowl, combine the butter, garlic, and parsley with a fork until well combined.
2. Assemble the frozen garlic bread.
- Cut the loaf of bread lengthwise. Open the two halves of the bread loaf.
- Divide the butter evenly between the two halves.
- Spread the garlic butter in a thick layer over each cut side of bread.
- Put the two halves back together and wrap with foil. At this point you can store it in the freezer for later use.
Serving Instructions
- For best results, thaw the frozen garlic bread overnight in the fridge before baking.
- Bake, thawed, 25 minutes at 375 °. If frozen, add 10-15 minutes to your baking time. Right before serving, you can unwrap the foil and broil the bread briefly to crisp the top.
FAQs
Absolutely! For cheesy garlic bread, mix grated parmesan cheese into the garlic butter. If you like, top it off with shredded cheddar or mozzarella.
Most garlic bread is vegetarian. However if you want to make it vegan, substitute olive oil or plant butter for the dairy butter in the recipe.
Garlic bread is an excellent base for sandwiches, such as Tri-Tip Sandwiches or the Hot Chicken Sub. It’s also good served as a side dish for soup or pasta dishes. And no one at a BBQ, ever turned down garlic bread.
Recipe Costs
Knowing how much it costs you to prepare a recipe can help you decide if it’s the type of recipe to make regularly or one you might want to save for special occasions. Let’s crunch some numbers and see how this recipe pencils out.
- French loaf of bread – $1.50
- homemade garlic butter – $0.99
Shopping at a mid-range grocery store at non-sale prices, you can expect to pay $2.49 for an extra large loaf of frozen garlic bread, made with real butter.
By contrast the smaller name-brand loaf in the freezer section starts at $3.29. Enjoy more for less when you make your own frozen garlic bread.
To save even more:
You know I don’t typically want to make something if I can’t make it good as well as cheap. Here are some of the strategies you can use to make this recipe more economical:
- Buy day-old bread on clearance to maximize your savings on this recipe.
- The holiday season is a great time to stock up on butter! You’ll get the best prices, and you can freeze the butter until you’re ready to use it.
More Great Breads to Serve
How to Make Frozen Garlic Bread
Equipment
- bread knife
Ingredients
- 1 large French loaf sliced in half horizontally
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tbsp parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Lay out the two halves of the bread loaf onto a large piece of aluminum foil.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the butter, garlic, and parsley. Spread the garlic butter in a thick layer over each cut side of bread.
- Put the two halves back together and wrap with foil. At this point you can store it in the freezer for later use. I thaw mine overnight in the fridge before baking.
- Bake, thawed, 25 minutes at 375 °. If frozen, add 10-15 minutes to your baking time. Right before serving, you can unwrap the foil and broil the bread briefly to crisp the top.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on January 4, 2017. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Sandra
We love this recipe and make it often. I have doubled the butter recipe and spread it on both sides of sliced sourdough before grilling. This is now our starch side dish for BBQ.
Cora F. Kostka
If my mama cozzi’s garlic bread defrosted can I refreeze it and bake it later?
Jessica Fisher
All of ALDI’s bread and pizzas arrive frozen, even the ones that they sell on the bread aisle and in the deli case. I would image — though I’m not sure! — you could probably refreeze it if it hasn’t been that long. A few hours, I’d refreeze. A few days, probably not. I’d go ahead and bake it and then freeze that if we weren’t going to use it right away.
Lynne
This is such an easy recipe. I’m planning on making this today. When you bake it in the oven do you keep it wrapped in the foil before putting under the broiler? Can’t wait to try this!
Jessica Fisher
Yes. I like to have the butter melted and soaked in before lightly browning it. Baking it first also allows any remaining frozen bits to thaw.
Jesslyn
Hi Jessica! The garlic bread looks good! May I know if the oven has to be preheated first before throwing it into the oven? I asked because I plan to throw it in the oven when I am baking my casserole. The oven would have been preheated then. So the time to bake in the oven is 25 min still?
Jessica Fisher
You should be good to go!