Sourdough Garlic Bread Recipe, Three Ways (Plus a No-Prep Shortcut)

Sourdough garlic bread is sourdough bread spread with soft butter, garlic, parsley and salt, then baked or broiled until the edges are crisp and the crumb is warm. For the classic version, halve the bread lengthwise, cover the cut sides with 1/2 cup of garlic butter, bake it wrapped in foil at 400°F for 10 minutes, then open for 5 to 8 more. The sourdough crust stays crunchy and its gentle tang cuts through all that butter.

Below: why sourdough works so well, how to get the bread ready, the classic recipe, a side by side of the three styles (halved, broiled slices, cheesy pull-apart), an easy shortcut with a garlic and herb spread that is already made, and how to make it ahead and freeze it.

Why sourdough makes better garlic bread

Garlic bread asks a lot of its bread. It has to soak up melted fat without going limp, crisp up fast under high heat, and still taste of bread under all that garlic. Sourdough checks all three boxes.

• A crust that stays crisp. Naturally leavened bread has a thick, chewy crust. In the oven, its edges turn golden and crunchy while the topping soaks into the open crumb below.
• A crumb with structure. The open, slightly chewy interior holds the melted topping in its pockets instead of turning soggy the way soft sandwich bread can.
• A tang that balances the fat. Long fermentation gives sourdough a mild sourness. Against garlic and Parmesan, it keeps each bite from tasting heavy.

That flavor takes time: in our neighborhood bakeries, loaves are slowly fermented for up to 48 hours, as we tell in our story. The garlic bread itself takes about 25 minutes, once the bread is baked and rested.

Get the bread ready

Any good sourdough bread works, homemade or from a bakery. If yours is par-baked and frozen, finish it in the oven first, let it rest, and only then turn it into garlic bread. If you froze your own loaf, read how to thaw frozen bread first.

With our organic sourdough loaf, preheat the oven to 430°F, remove all the packaging, and set it frozen directly on the middle rack, with no baking sheet. Bake for 16 to 23 minutes, then let it cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing: the bread keeps baking as it rests. Since it goes back into the oven as garlic bread, you can stay at the shorter end of that range. It comes whole or sliced; take it whole for the halved or pull-apart styles.

Our organic ciabatta is another good choice, with large air pockets that fill with garlic butter. It bakes the same way: 430°F, on the rack, 16 to 23 minutes, then at least 20 minutes of rest. The other breads in our parbaked bread collection do not all bake alike (the half baguettes and the Pioneer loaves bake hotter and shorter), so always follow the instructions on each product page.

Baker's tip: day-old sourdough makes some of the best garlic bread. It is a little drier, so it drinks up the butter and crisps faster. If your bread is a day or two past its best, this is where it belongs.

Sourdough Loaf

Organic, made with our house sourdough culture, with a robust crust and a tender crumb. Bake from frozen at 430°F for 16 to 23 minutes, rest 20 minutes, then make your garlic bread. One of the 4 to 12 packs in your box.

See the Sourdough Loaf

Classic sourdough garlic bread recipe

This is a general method for the classic halved version, the one you set in the middle of the table and tear apart. It serves about 6 to 8 people as a side and takes about 25 minutes, oven preheating and prep included.

Ingredients

• 1 sourdough loaf, baked and cooled
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, finely grated or pressed
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional, for a deeper garlic flavor)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (skip it if your butter is salted)
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (optional)
• A pinch of black pepper or red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Heat the oven. Preheat to 400°F, with a rack in the middle.
2. Mix the spread. In a small bowl, mash the soft butter with the garlic, garlic powder, parsley, salt, pepper and Parmesan until smooth.
3. Halve the bread. With a serrated knife, slice it in half lengthwise, like a big sandwich.
4. Go to the edges. Cover both cut sides, all the way to the crust. The edges are where the crunch happens.
5. Bake wrapped. Wrap each half loosely in foil, cut side up, and set them on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, so the topping melts into the crumb.
6. Finish open. Unwrap the halves and give them 5 to 8 more, until the edges are golden and crisp.
7. Broil, if you like. For a darker top, broil for 30 to 60 seconds. Stay at the oven door: garlic and cheese go from golden to burnt very fast.
8. Slice and serve. Let it sit briefly, then slice each half into thick pieces and serve warm.

Which style of sourdough garlic bread should you make?

The same garlic butter recipe works three ways. Pick the one that suits your meal and your oven.

Garlic toast slices

Slice the cooled bread about 3/4 inch thick, butter one side and place the slices on a sheet pan, topping up. Under the broiler, they are ready in 2 to 4 minutes; turn the pan once if your broiler has hot spots. For extra crunch, do both sides: broil 3 minutes, flip and broil 2 more. Raw garlic sitting on top scorches quickly under a broiler, so grate it very fine and keep it mixed into the butter rather than scattered over the bread. For bite-size toasts, see how to make crostini and bruschetta.

Cheesy pull-apart sourdough

With a serrated knife, score the whole loaf into a grid about 1 inch apart, going deep but not through the bottom crust. Melt the garlic butter, spoon it into every opening, and push shredded mozzarella (or a mix of mozzarella and Parmesan) down between the pieces. Wrap it in foil and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, then open the foil for 8 to 10 more, until the cheese bubbles. Set it on the table whole and let everyone pull off a piece. (Some recipes with the same name start from sourdough discard and a new yeasted dough; this version starts from bread that is already baked.)

If you are making garlic bread with a French baguette instead, the idea is the same, but the bread and the timing are a little different. Prefer a baguette? Here is garlic bread made with French bread.

The shortcut: a garlic and herb butter that is already made

Homemade garlic butter is quick, but on a weeknight even that can feel like too much. A good compound butter does the work for you. The Roasted Garlic, Basil, and Parsley Butter by Banner Butter we carry is a slow-cultured, small-batch butter blended with garlic, basil and parsley and finished with sea salt. Its ingredient list is short: pasteurized cream, basil, parsley, garlic powder, sea salt and cultures.

1. Take it out of the fridge about half an hour ahead so it is soft at room temperature.
2. Halve your baked, rested bread lengthwise, or slice it.
3. Use it straight from the container, to the edges. It is already salted and seasoned with herbs, so you need nothing else. How far one container goes depends on the size of your loaf and how generous you are; check the label, and keep a little plain butter nearby in case you want more.
4. Bake as above: 400°F for 10 minutes wrapped, then 5 to 8 open for halves, or 2 to 4 under the broiler for slices.

Want a sharper garlic bite? Grate one fresh clove in first. Want it cheesy? Add Parmesan for the last few minutes. If you prefer to make your own from scratch, start from a plain salted butter such as our Sea Salt Butter by Banner Butter and leave out the extra salt in the recipe.

Roasted Garlic, Basil, and Parsley Butter

Slow-cultured Banner Butter with garlic, basil, parsley and sea salt. Spread it straight on a halved loaf: no garlic to grate. Add it to your box.

See the garlic butter

Fresh garlic, garlic powder or roasted garlic?

Each one gives a different garlic bread, and you can mix them.

• Fresh garlic is sharp and bright. Grate it on a fine grater or use a press, so it disappears into the spread. Count 3 to 4 cloves per stick of butter for a bold bread, 2 for a gentle one.
• Garlic powder is rounder and does not burn as fast. A small amount, about 1/4 teaspoon per stick, deepens the flavor of fresh garlic. Many recipes use both.
• Roasted garlic is sweet, soft and mellow. The usual method: cut the top off a whole head, drizzle it with olive oil, wrap it in foil and roast in a hot oven (most recipes use around 400°F) until the cloves are soft and golden, often 35 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the head. Squeeze them out and mash them in. Garlic covered in oil should never sit at room temperature: refrigerate leftover cloves and use them within 4 days, or freeze them, as Oregon State University Extension advises for vegetables and herbs in oil.

How to make sourdough garlic bread ahead and freeze it

Garlic bread is best straight from the oven, but you can do most of the work ahead. The same loaf and herbs go into our sourdough stuffing for Thanksgiving.

• The spread: with fresh garlic, make it a few days ahead at most and keep it covered in the fridge, or freeze it for longer. Let it soften on the counter for about an hour before using.
• Assembled, in the fridge: prepare the halves, wrap them in foil and refrigerate for up to a day. Give them a little longer in the foil than usual.
• Assembled, in the freezer: prepare the halves, wrap them tightly in foil, then put them in a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, still wrapped, at 400°F; it needs noticeably longer than fresh halves, often 15 to 20 minutes depending on the oven, then a few minutes unwrapped. It is ready when the center is hot and the edges crisp. Many cooks use it within about a month for the best flavor.
• Leftovers: warm them in a 400°F oven or toaster oven for 3 to 5 minutes. The microwave turns the crust chewy.

If you keep our breads on hand, they stay in the freezer up to 6 months in their sealed packaging, so one can wait there until garlic bread night. See how it works for how our breads go from our kitchen to your freezer.

What to serve with sourdough garlic bread

• Pasta: spaghetti with tomato sauce, lasagna, baked ziti, anything with a sauce to mop up.
• Soups and stews: tomato soup, minestrone, beef stew, chili.
• Salads: a Caesar or a big green salad turns into dinner with a few slices.
• Holiday tables: a halved loaf goes next to a roast, or a pull-apart loaf on the appetizer table.

Shop the bakery

Sourdough LoafWhole or sliced. 430°F, 16 to 23 minutes, then 20 minutes of rest.See the loaf →Ciabatta BreadOrganic, with large air pockets that fill with garlic butter. Same bake as the sourdough.See the ciabatta →Sea Salt ButterBanner Butter finished with sea salt: the base for your own garlic butter. It fits in your box as one pack.See the butter →

Questions about sourdough garlic bread

Can I add garlic powder to my sourdough bread?

Yes. In a garlic spread, about 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder per stick adds depth and is less likely to scorch than fresh garlic. Mixing garlic into the dough itself is a different project, for bakers making a loaf from scratch; this guide starts from bread that is already baked.

Why is restaurant garlic bread so good?

Restaurant-style recipes usually come down to generous butter, enough salt, and two kinds of garlic: fresh for sharpness and powder for depth, finished at high heat so the edges crisp while the inside stays soft. To get close at home, take the topping all the way to the crust and finish with a short broil.

Can you make sourdough garlic bread in an air fryer?

Yes, for slices. Butter 3/4-inch slices and place them in a single layer. Air fryers vary a lot, so there is no single right time: most recipes use a moderate setting, around 350 to 375°F, for just a few minutes. Check after 2 or 3 minutes. A halved loaf is usually too big for the basket; use the oven for that.