Ina Garten Outrageous Garlic Bread

Ina Garten outrageous garlic bread takes 40 minutes and slow-cooked garlic, Parmesan and lemon zest to make a crisp, buttery baguette side dish. Try this easy garlic bread side dish for Sunday dinner, game day or potluck night, since it's quick to assemble and bakes in just 7 minutes.

Cook the garlic in the butter, covered, for a full 20 minutes until it turns very tender, because that is what makes it mash into a smooth spread. Skip it and the garlic stays sharp and raw instead of sweet and mellow.

Ina Garten took a fresh look at the soft, doughy garlic bread of the 1960s and rebuilt it on a crusty baguette. She swaps the usual drippy garlic butter for a thick topping of slow-cooked garlic, Parmesan, parsley and lemon zest in Modern Comfort Food (2020).

Source: Modern Comfort Food (2020)

Ina Garten Outrageous Garlic Bread

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Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

320

kcal

A thick, spoonable garlic butter sits on a split baguette and bakes until bubbly and golden at the edges. The crust stays crisp underneath while the lemon zest and red pepper flakes keep the rich topping bright.

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
  

• 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled (see note)
  

• 1 cup freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese
  

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  

• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
  

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

• 1 (20 to 24-inch-long) crusty French baguette
  

• Fleur de sel or sea salt
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Make sure it's clean first, because leftover bits will smoke at that heat.
• Cook the garlic: Melt 12 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then add 1 head of peeled garlic cloves and stir to coat. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the garlic is very tender.
• Mash the garlic butter: Transfer the garlic and butter to a small bowl and let it cool until you can handle it. Then mash the garlic with a fork. Stir in 1 cup grated Parmesan, 2 tablespoons minced parsley, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
• Slice and score: Slice the baguette in half lengthwise and set both halves cut sides up on a cutting board. Score each half diagonally into large serving-size pieces without cutting all the way through.
• Spread the topping: Spoon all of the garlic mixture generously over the cut sides of the bread. Then cut each half in half crosswise along a score and set the 4 pieces on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
• Bake the bread: Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the topping is bubbly and starting to brown and the bread is crisp. Transfer it to a board, cut along the scores and sprinkle with fleur de sel.
• Serve warm: Serve the garlic bread right away while the topping is still hot and the crust is crunchy.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Reynolds unbleached parchment paper, Le Saunier de Camargue fleur de sel. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

What's the easiest way to peel a whole head of garlic?

Smash each clove lightly on a board with the flat side of a chef's knife, and the peel slips right off. You can also drop the cloves into a small pot of boiling water for 15 to 30 seconds, which loosens the skins.

Can I use a different kind of bread?

A crusty French baguette works best because it stays crisp under the heavy topping. Soft Italian bread turns doughy, which is exactly what this version is trying to avoid.

Can I make the garlic butter ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook and mash the garlic butter with the Parmesan and herbs a day or two ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Let it soften at room temperature before spreading so it goes on evenly.

Can I make this without an oven?

A toaster oven works if the baguette pieces fit, since it gives you the same dry heat from above. I'd skip the microwave because it would steam the bread and leave it soft.

Why did my oven smoke while the bread baked?

At 450°F any grease or crumbs left on the oven floor will burn and smoke, so give the oven a quick clean first. Dripping butter can also hit the pan edge, which is why the parchment-lined sheet pan helps.