The BEST Garlic Bread (2024)

FAQs

Is French or Italian better for garlic bread? ›

What is the best bread for garlic bread? French breads and Italian breads top the list for the best bread for garlic bread, but the best choice between these comes down to personal preference. For example, ciabatta is a flat Italian bread with a larger crumb (bigger holes) but still with a crunchy crust.

Garlic bread's benefits depend on the type of bread used to make it. Wheat garlic bread is loaded with healthy fibre and nutrients that regulate blood sugar levels and boost metabolism. Most garlic bread recipes are high in fat, but a few minor adjustments can make this tasty appetizer very healthy.

Garlic: fresh garlic cloves (rather than garlic powder) are KEY for that true garlic flavor. The minced garlic gets roasted to perfection in the oven.

Garlic Bread

The Italians do eat garlic rubbed on toasted bread – with olive oil, not butter – and call it bruschetta. But they will toast an Italian bread such as ciabatta, not a French baguette, as has become popular in the UK and America.

But, if you trace garlic bread back to its roots, you'd be surprised to learn that this dish did not actually originate in Italy. Rather, it's an Italian-American dish that took inspiration from another popular appetizer: bruschetta.

Texas toast is prepared by spreading butter on both sides of the bread and broiling or grilling it until it is a light golden brown. Commonly, garlic is added to the butter, yielding a form of garlic bread. The toast may include cheese on one or both sides, similar to an open-faced grilled cheese sandwich.

Garlic bread (also called garlic toast) consists of bread (usually a baguette, sour dough, or bread such as ciabatta), topped with garlic and occasionally olive oil or butter and may include additional herbs, such as oregano or chives. It is then either grilled until toasted or baked in a conventional or bread oven.

True to form, moderation is key. Enjoying the occasional slice of traditional indulgent garlic bread is perfectly fine — good even, for the soul. Just balance it out with more nutritious choices for the rest of your meals that day, like a fiber-full salad. Consider it a special treat, not an everyday side.

A diet that consisted solely of garlic bread and pasta wouldn't be the best choice. But as an occasional treat, garlic bread has a place in a healthy diet. Usually the garlic bread is made up of refined flour , so it is best to avoid. If there is no other option, eat it in a limited quantity.

What are the cons of garlic bread? ›

In addition to this, Healthline cautions, “There are some downsides to garlic, such as bad breath. There are also some people who are allergic to it. If you have a bleeding disorder or are taking blood-thinning medications, talk with your doctor before increasing your garlic intake.”

Nutritionally, jarred garlic doesn't have the same health benefits because it has been pasteurized or heated during the packaging process. It loses it loses it's antibacterial properties and has lower levels of allicin, a compound which may prevent certain types of cancers.

Both crushed and minced garlic can enhance dishes. Crushed garlic releases mild flavor over a long period of time, while minced garlic has a more intense, immediate flavor. To crush garlic, mash the cloves with the flat side of a chef's knife. To mince garlic, you can chop it yourself or use a garlic press.

To find out, Ariga's group compared allicin levels in extracts of fresh garlic after 1-2 weeks of storage in water, alcohol, and vegetable oil. Garlic stored in water at room temperature lost about half its allicin in 6 days and garlic in vegetable oil lost half its allicin in less than an hour.

French bread usually combines flour, water, yeast, and salt, and is free of fat. Italian bread tends to include olive oil, herbs, and milk that add to its distinctive taste and texture.

Italian bread, such as ciabatta or focaccia, has a chewier texture with large air pockets and a slightly nuttier or sweeter flavor due to the use of semolina or durum wheat flour. French bread, like baguette, is known for its crisp crust and soft, airy interior, offering a more neutral flavor profile.

It is said to have originated in Southern Italy as a way to use up leftover bread, which was sliced and rubbed with garlic and olive oil. Over time, the garlic bread recipe evolved as butter, or burro, replaced olive oil, and the bread was toasted or baked instead of being grilled.

In France, bakers pay careful attention to where their flour is made and which grains are used in the milling process. The result is usually softer, heartier, and tastier bread than can be found in other parts of the world. French flour tends to be made with a lower ash content than the flour from other countries.