Does your pasta dinner need some garlic bread? This 15 minute garlic ciabatta bread recipe is not only fast but it is the perfect base for a chicken caprese sandwich or to dunk in some creamy tomato bisque. You'll be amazed at the crispy crunch ciabatta bread brings to easy garlic bread!
While it is definitely plays a supporting role on most menus, garlic bread can easily steal the show especially if it's as good as this one! If your family is anything like mine, paying big attention to menus and food is an event. And a recipe like this garlic ciabatta bread made with simple ingredients that comes together in 15 minutes?
Star of the show.
Jump to:
- Craving garlic bread?
- Good Stuff You'll Need
- Why Ciabatta makes the best garlic bread
- How to Make Ciabatta Garlic Bread
- Garlic Measuring Tip
- What to do with leftover garlic bread
- FAQ's
- Helpful Tips
- MAKE A BIG BATCH OF GARLIC PASTE
- Different Ways to Make Garlic Bread
- Serving & Storage
- Before you go....
- 📖 Recipe
Craving garlic bread?
I mentioned 15 minutes. That is made possible thanks to a cheesy garlic paste that gets slathered all over the ciabatta.
(p.s. you're going to love all the good things you use this garlic paste for!)
The whole loaf gets baked (not broiled, believe it or not!) and you'll end up with the crunchiest ciabatta on the outside and the most decadent parmesan garlic mixture on the inside.
Good Stuff You'll Need
Here's what goes into making the best garlic bread recipe.
- Fresh minced garlic. About 7-8 cloves for one loaf.
- Fresh grated parmesan cheese. Please, please grate your parmesan fresh. You and your garlic bread will be very happy you did.
- Unsalted butter. Preferred but if all you have is salted then reduce the salt quantity mentioned in the recipe card
- Oregano. The magic juju that sends marries the garlic with the parmesan.
See recipe card for quantities.
Why Ciabatta makes the best garlic bread
Crisp. Crunch. Ciabatta has a thin, dry crust that is slightly firm and chewy. And baking ciabatta results in a crispy shell that supports the garlic paste.
Pillowy inside. The perfect airy crumb to soak up all that buttery cheesy goodness.
How to Make Ciabatta Garlic Bread
First let's clear one thing up.
What is ciabatta?
Ciabatta is a wide, sort of thin, but very rustic Italian bread with a dry, floury crust. It's great for making paninis.
And by the way, calling it ciabatta bread might seem silly and redundant, but it helps make things a lot clearer, right?
- Mash the softened butter and add the garlic, parmesan cheese, kosher salt, and seasoning [1].
- Mix all together to make a creamy garlic spread [2].
- Take a little taste and add more seasoning to suit your preference.
Slice the ciabatta loaf lengthwise in half. On each side, smear a healthy amount of the zesty garlic paste making sure to go all the way to the edges of the bread.
No need to be shy here, my friend!
Lay both halves on a baking tray or aluminum foil to bake until golden brown and crispy.
What to do with leftover garlic bread
Ok. You might be thinking, "no way am I going to have any leftover garlic bread!" But if you've eaten a big plate (with seconds) of pasta with my homemade Italian red sauce and some arugula salad, you might have a smattering of garlic bread leftover.
Here are some ideas of what to do with it:
- Salad Base- Whip up this oh-so-yummy Italian chopped salad and use the garlic bread as the base for it (although those homemade crostinis are darn good!)
- Thanksgiving leftover sandwich. Take some leftover Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas ham and layer it on the garlic bread along with some cranberry sauce.
- Cube It - Cut the garlic bread into small pieces and use as a topping for a comforting soup recipe.
FAQ's
Can I use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic cloves?
Here's the thing. I know plenty of people who use garlic powder on garlic bread. It's totally acceptable. But garlic powder isn't going to give you the same texture (or big garlic flavor) needed for this garlic paste recipe.
What bread can be substituted for ciabatta?
Save the French bread for your Philly cheesesteak sandwich. Your store might carry cirola bread or even just "Italian bread". You want that chewy texture (many times symbolized by flour on the crust) and a denser crumb. Another option is to use ciabatta rolls sliced in half.
How about roasted garlic? Can I use it instead of raw garlic?
Ooo! I like the way you think! I've got the whole scoop on how to roast garlic and all the ways to use it.
Helpful Tips
Garlic. To finely chop or mince garlic, you can use a knife or a garlic press depending on what you're comfortable with.
Cooking time. Using my oven, the garlic bread cooked in about 15 minutes.
Make it pretty. A sprinkling of fresh chopped parsley adds a pop of green to the top of the loaf.
Different Ways to Make Garlic Bread
- Individual Servings. Use slices of bread to make a cheesy garlic bread recipe.
- Spicy garlic bread. Add a little crushed red pepper to the garlic butter mixture.
- Pizza garlic bread. Spread a little marinara sauce on the loaf of ciabatta bread first to make a pizza garlic bread.
Serving & Storage
- Serve in a pretty bread basket or on a large wooden cutting board rustically cut into diagonal pieces.
Make ahead
You can make the paste and spread it on the bread earlier in the day you plan to bake it. Refrigerate until you're ready to bake the bread.
Reheating
Reheat on a piece of tin foil or a baking sheet until warmed through and re-crisped.
Freezing
Make the paste ahead and either form into a small log wrapped with plastic wrap or spoon into in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
Before you go....
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📖 Recipe
Easy Ciabatta Garlic Bread
Ingredients
- 7 cloves garlic, finely minced. Ok to use a garlic press
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus a little extra!
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- crushed red pepper , optional
- fresh parsley, optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°.
- Slice the ciabatta loaf lengthwise in half and lay each halve on a foil or parchment covered baking tray or sheet pan.
- In a small bow, mix the softened butter with the minced garlic until a paste forms. Stir in the parmesan cheese, kosher salt and oregano.7 cloves garlic, ½ cup butter, ½ cup parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Spread half of the garlic butter mixture on one side of the ciabatta and the rest on the other half. Spread the butter all the way to the edges! You want all the garlicky goodness!
- Sprinkle over a little extra parmesan cheese and pop into the oven for 15 minutes or so until golden brown and toasty.
- Remove from oven and garnish with crushed red pepper if desired and a sprinkling of fresh chopped parsley.
- Serve in a pretty bread basket or on a large wooden cutting board rustically cut into diagonal pieces.
Notes
About Lori Murphy
Lori has over 30 years in the food industry as a marketing strategist, culinary instructor and chef for three kids with discerning palates. As the chief content creator at Josie + Nina, Lori is dedicated to helping home cooks create food memories through fresh ingredients and Italian flavors.
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