Garlic bread is a classic comfort food and the perfect companion to pasta or as a side dish at your dinner table. While store-bought garlic bread is convenient, nothing beats the taste of fresh, homemade garlic bread made with simple ingredients. Try this and you will never make it in the oven again. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to make grilled garlic bread using thick-sliced sourdough, with crispy edges, a buttery garlic flavor, and an irresistible golden-brown finish.
Why Use Sourdough for Grilled Garlic Bread?
Grilled garlic bread needs to be made with a bread strong enough to hold up to a lot of handling. Sourdough is perfect. The crust gives it some rigidity that helps the bread stay in one piece on the grill. Also, the flavor and texture of sourdough is perfect for big flavors like garlic. Most markets carry uncut sourdough loaves. Cutting the bread yourself allows you to cut it as thick as you like.
Why Use Garlic Cloves Instead of Granulated Garlic?
Granulated garlic has its place in the kitchen, but not in grilled garlic bread. Granulated garlic is a dried powder that can burn and turn bitter when exposed to high heat. Using fresh garlic solves this problem. Either mince the garlic with a knife, or put it through a garlic press, then make a paste using a mortar and pestle.
Does Grilling the Bread Really Make a Difference?
Grilling the bread does make a difference. A hot grill will make wonderful grill marks on the bread and that adds a lot to the visual appeal to the garlic bread. A gas grill will work just fine, but a charcoal grill adds a little bit of smoky flavor.
Try my other recipes for Smoked Grilled Cheese, Smoked Stuffed Baked Potato and Sourdough Brioche Buns.
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Ingredients
- Uncut loaf of sourdough bread
- Unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Garlic cloves
- Olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh parsley
- Grated parmesan cheese
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Clean your grill grates then setup the grill for direct heat. Preheat the grill.
Using a serrated knife, cut the loaf of sourdough bread into thick slices, about 1-inch thick. Thick-sliced sourdough works best for grilled garlic bread because it provides a chewy interior and crispy edges once grilled.
Chop the garlic and then make a mash using a mortar and pestle with a little butter and olive oil. Move the garlic to a small bowl and add the remaining butter, olive oil, black pepper and parsley. Mix well.
Cut the sourdough into 1-inch slices.
Mash the garlic with olive oil in a mortar and pestle.
Lay the bread slices out on a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil to keep your workspace clean. Brush a generous amount of the garlic butter mixture on both sides of each piece of bread. Make sure to coat the surface evenly for the best results. Sprinkle generously with finely grated parmesan cheese.
Brush the garlic mixture onto both sides of each piece of bread.
Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese over the garlic butter.
Place the buttered bread directly on the grill grates. Grill for about 1 minute, until the bread becomes golden brown with grill marks. Turn the pieces of bread over and grill the other side. Don't walk away or it will burn.
Once the garlic bread is golden-brown with nice grill marks, remove it from the grill and let it cool for a minute. Place the garlic bread on a platter and garnish with fresh parsley.
This garlic bread was cooked on a Tuscan grill inside a wood-fired oven.
Variations
Choosing the right bread is crucial for making the best garlic bread. While this recipe was made with sourdough bread, other options include:
- French baguette slices make a crunchy garlic bread.
- Italian bread makes a classic garlic bread with a softer texture.
- Thick-cut Texas toast works well for making soft grilled garlic bread.
Storage
If you have any leftover garlic bread, wrap it in plastic wrap or foil and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it in the oven at 300°F for about 8 minutes to regain its crispiness.
Final Thoughts
Grilled garlic bread from thick-sliced sourdough is a delicious addition to any meal. With its rich flavor and satisfying crunch, this garlic bread is the perfect side dish for soups, stews and pasta dinners. Enjoy!
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this recipe.
📖 Recipe
Homemade Grilled Garlic Bread with Sliced Sourdough Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Grill
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup butter melted
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbs parsley fresh, chopped
- 2 tbs parmesan finely grated
- 1 loaf sourdough bread uncut
Instructions
- Preheat charcoal or gas grill. Chop the garlic and then make a mash in a mortar and pestle with a little butter and olive oil. Add remaining butter, olive oil and parsley. Mix well.
- Cut the sourdough bread in thick slices (1" to 1 ¼"). Brush both side and the end of each piece with the garlic butter mixture. Sprinkle generously with finely grated parmesan.
- Place on a hot grill for about one minute per side. Don't walk away or it will burn.
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