Ina Garten Garlic Toasts

Ina Garten garlic toasts are an easy crispy appetizer made with a baguette, good olive oil and a fresh garlic clove, ready in 30 minutes. Try this make-ahead party snack for soup night or holiday gatherings, since it uses only a few ingredients and keeps for days.

Rub the garlic on the toasts while they are still warm, because the hot, rough surface grates the clove into a fragrant layer. Wait until they cool and the garlic barely sticks, so you lose most of the flavor.

Ina Garten likes this as a smart way to use up leftover baguettes, and she floats the toasts on top of soup or sets them out with dips and cheeses. Rubbing a cut garlic clove over the baked toasts gives a mild, fresh garlic taste that garlic butter or powder can't match.

Source: Make It Ahead (2014)

Ina Garten Garlic Toasts

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Course: AppetizerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

75

kcal

Thin baguette slices bake in a hot oven until golden and crunchy all the way through. A rub with a cut garlic clove while they are warm adds a mild garlic aroma without making them soggy.

Ingredients

• 1 baguette
  

• 1/4 cup good olive oil
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

• 1 garlic clove, halved lengthwise
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F so it is fully hot when the toasts go in. Then you can slice the bread while it heats.
• Slice the baguette: Slice the baguette diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Depending on the size of your loaf, you should get 20 to 25 slices.
• Season the slices: Lay the slices in one layer on a baking sheet and brush each one with 1/4 cup olive oil. Then sprinkle them generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Bake until crisp: Bake the toasts for 15 to 20 minutes. They are ready when they turn browned and crisp.
• Rub with garlic: As soon as the toasts are cool enough to handle, rub one side of each with the cut side of the halved garlic clove. Then serve them at room temperature.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, OXO silicone pastry brush, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make garlic toasts ahead of time?

Yes, these are made for it. Prepare them a day or two ahead, let them cool completely, then wrap them well or store them in plastic bags at room temperature.

How do I keep the toasts crisp after baking?

Let them cool fully before you wrap them, because trapped steam softens the crust. Keep them at room temperature in a sealed bag, not in the fridge, where bread goes stale faster.

What can I do with leftover baguette besides toasts?

Slices of day-old bread actually crisp up better than fresh, so this recipe is a great use for a leftover loaf. You can also tear it into croutons for salads or soup.

Can I use a different bread?

A narrow ciabatta or a thin sourdough loaf works if you slice it to the same 1/4-inch thickness. Wider slices need a few extra minutes in the oven to dry out and crisp.

What is the most common mistake with garlic toasts?

Slicing them too thick is the usual problem, since thick slices stay chewy in the center while the edges brown. Cut them thin and bake until they are crisp all the way through.