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    Home » Breads & Baked Goods » Yeast Bread and Rolls

    How to Make Frozen Garlic Bread (20 cents/serving)

    Published: Jul 29, 2021 · Modified: Sep 1, 2021 by Jessica Fisher

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    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!

    hunk of toasted frozen garlic bread sliced on a cutting board. this …

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    Table of Contents
    • Why Make This
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Serving Instructions
    • FAQs
    • Recipe Costs
    • More Great Breads to Serve
    • How to Make Frozen Garlic Bread

    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

    ingredients for frozen garlic bread laid out on black table top.

    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. Love garlic? Be sure to try my Creamy Garlic Dressing recipe.

    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.

    garlic and butter and parsley in a bowl with a hand smashing a fork into it.
    smashing the garlic butter in the bowl.

    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 loaf of bread open on table top.
    garlic butter divided between the two halves of bread.
    spreading the garlic butter evenly over the cut-sides of the bread.
    loaf halves spread with garlic butter and placed on aluminum foil.
    • 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

    Can I add cheese?

    Absolutely! For cheesy garlic bread, mix grated parmesan cheese into the garlic butter. If you like, top it off with shredded cheddar or mozzarella.

    Is garlic bread vegan?

    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.

    What do I serve garlic bread with?

    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.
    foil wrapped frozen garlic bread on black table top.

    More Great Breads to Serve

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    white spoon and fork on a teal plate logo.

    Tell us what you think!

    We love to hear your experiences with Good Cheap Eats. Click the STARS on the recipe card or leave a STARRED comment to let us know what you think of the recipe.

    loaf of toasted frozen garlic bread, cut into slices on cutting board with scattered crumbs.

    How to Make Frozen Garlic Bread

    Enjoy fresh garlic bread any night or day when you have a stash of this Easy Make-Ahead Frozen Garlic Bread in the freezer. So good and easy!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Bread
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 165kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher

    Equipment

    • bread knife
    • cutting board
    • heavy duty aluminum foil
    • small mixing bowl
    • fork
    • offset spatula

    Ingredients

    • 1 large French loaf sliced in half horizontally
    • ½ cup butter softened
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • ½ tablespoon 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

    Money-saving tip: Buy day-old bread on clearance to maximize your savings on this recipe. Bread that’s on the dry side is perfect for this!
    Variations:
    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.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 239mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Tell us what you think! Your reviews help us develop better recipes and give newcomers the confidence to try your favorites. Scroll down to leave a starred comment.

    This post was originally published on January 4, 2017. It has been updated for content and clarity.

    « Can You Freeze Bread?
    Margherita Flatbread Pizza »
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ralph @ Bakell Edible Glitter

      April 08, 2022 at 11:19 am

      5 stars
      Much better than buying it frozen from the grocery store. Homemade is always better!! This recipe is so convenient and tasty! Thanks always for the great content.

      Reply
    2. Sandra

      August 02, 2021 at 9:49 am

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
    3. Cora F. Kostka

      December 06, 2020 at 12:43 pm

      If my mama cozzi’s garlic bread defrosted can I refreeze it and bake it later?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        December 07, 2020 at 8:32 am

        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.

        Reply
    4. Lynne

      September 06, 2020 at 7:10 am

      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!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        September 07, 2020 at 10:00 am

        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.

        Reply
    5. Jesslyn

      December 12, 2018 at 2:38 am

      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?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        December 13, 2018 at 7:39 am

        You should be good to go!

        Reply
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    jessica from good cheap eats

    Hi, I'm Jessica! I'm a 4x cookbook author and 6x mom. I know what it is to be in a hurry and on a budget. I believe anyone can prepare delicious meals -- no matter what's on their plate. I've been featured on Good Morning America, PBS News Hour, and NBC.

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