Garlic Bread

Come on, you deserve it. Garlic bread is one of those indulgences that should be enjoyed every once in a while. It's just good for the soul. I came across this recipe a while back and was really excited by the idea of stirring a bunch of chopped garlic into melted butter then pouring it over a delicious loaf of bread.


This recipe is almost too easy. By that I mean it's so simple I'm inclined to make it all the time and, thus, eat it all the time. Three ingredients are required: butter, garlic, and bread (I like to use ciabatta for this recipe, but a baguette will work as well). But I highly, highly recommend the optional lemon zest addition at the end. It adds a layer of complexity to the experience, making it even more addicting.

Be careful during the broiling step not to step away for too long, otherwise you will end up with blackened, buttery loaves of garlic bread (mine were a little overdone, but that didn't stop me from inhaling them). Ready to make this? Get the recipe when you keep reading.

One of the things I love the most about cooking is how you can take a couple of very simple ingredients, say butter, garlic, and bread, and turn them into something absolutely extraordinary.

You may not think that the word extraordinary should be used to describe garlic bread, but when you realize that everyone has their own variation and everyone enjoys eating it, extraordinary is a perfectly fitting word.

There are two essentials to a deliciously crisp and buttery garlic bread. The first is good-quality bread and the second is room-temperature butter. I like to make a paste with butter and garlic before generously slathering it on the bread. For even toasting, I bake it, then broil it. Get my exact recipe — and please share your method in the comments — after the break.