13 Mistakes Everyone Makes With Homemade Garlic Bread, According To A Chef

Although it's commonly enjoyed as a side to main courses, garlic bread has a unique ability to steal the spotlight. Despite its simple composition, many details must be managed when you make it. Unfortunately, this means you can easily ruin it by making mistakes during the preparation, ingredient selection, and toasting processes.

As a professional chef, I faced these challenges firsthand when making garlic bread for various menus. Creating high-quality food for my customers was extremely important to me, so I was determined to avoid certain errors and adjust the recipe until I created truly exceptional garlic bread, complete with a warm, soft, and buttery surface that glistened, savory flavor with refreshing hints of herbs, and crispy edges. You know, the kind of garlic bread you dream of. If you want to achieve this too, I can help you get there. The first step is to avoid the following 13 mistakes.

We've all experienced garlic bread that is either too bland or overpowering in flavor. Making flavorless garlic bread is a slightly better stare of affairs, because you can add more seasonings to fix it. On the other hand, if it's over-seasoned, there's not much you can do about it. How does one find balance? Care and thoughtfulness. 

A lot of it comes down to salt. It's important to be cautious when adding this ingredient. Sometimes, people forget they don't need to include salt in their recipe when using salted butter, which can lead to an unpleasant taste. However, when used correctly, salt enhances the garlic and cheese flavor. So, be sure to add ¼ teaspoon of salt for every ½ cup of butter, if it is unsalted. 

What about the other seasonings? If you're not up for sampling the recipe as you go, you can always sprinkle spices and herbs like black pepper, cayenne, or chili powder on top of the bread instead of mixing them into the butter. This way, it's easier to see how much each slice actually contains. Ultimately, though, the smartest move is to follow an easy garlic bread recipe so you can trust that the flavor will be correct.

Cheese is an optional ingredient when making garlic bread. However, it's typically a mistake not to include it, because its savory and nutty flavors pair incredibly well with garlic. Moreover, it also upgrades the texture. This is why you can find it in nearly every great garlic bread recipe. 

Cheese that melts can give you that perfect cheese pull, while grated products can add a wonderful coarse texture. You don't have to add a ridiculous amount, just enough for some zing. If you want a classic option for grated cheese, choose parmesan or Romano, which have distinguished flavor profiles. Parmesan tends to be nuttier, while Romano is bolder, with natural saltiness. Mix either type (or both) directly into the butter spread and toast the bread as usual.

If you prefer cheeses that melt, consider mozzarella, gouda, or gruyère. For this technique, heat the garlic bread without the cheese for most of the cooking time. Then, temporarily remove it from the oven, sprinkle on the cheese, then return it to the heat. Continue to cook until the top of your bread is melted and the edges are golden brown. If you want the cheese to be brown too, use your broiler to take it up a notch. Keep an eye on it, though; it doesn't take long to turn into a burnt hunk of carbon if you're not careful.

One of the worst errors you can make with garlic bread is using big garlic bits instead of finely minced or pressed garlic. First, chunky pieces are an issue because the flavor doesn't evenly distribute. When you bite into the bread, some bites contain no garlic, while others are overpowering. Moreover, the taste and texture aren't pleasant, especially if you toast the garlic bread quickly. The larger pieces don't have enough time to cook thoroughly, giving the bread a too-pungent flavor. You can easily avoid these problems when you know the difference between chopped and minced garlic.

When you chop garlic, the pieces can be small, but are roughly shaped and not necessarily uniform. In contrast, minced garlic has tiny pieces that are all relatively the same size, about ⅛ inch. It can take some work to mince garlic by hand with a knife, so many people prefer to use a food processor or another tool to help them out. If you prefer your garlic to be more of a paste, you can also go the extra mile and press or mash it, which ensures a softer texture and even garlic flavor throughout.

Too much butter and your garlic bread becomes a soggy, greasy mess, but too little, and you end up with brick-like pieces that are nearly unpalatable. It's safe to say that the amount of fat you use can make or break the dish. So, what is the secret to getting the balance just right? If you use softened butter, you're on the right track. It is assuredly easier to control than using melted butter or oil: With a spread, you can smear just enough to coat the surface. As it toasts, it slowly melts into the crumb beneath, which is why you don't need to pile on a thick layer. In contrast, if you use liquid fat, it's easy to accidentally use too much, because it begins to saturate the bread immediately, rather than slowly. 

Using oil still has its virtues, though. To prevent any mishaps, use a pastry brush instead of trying to pour or drizzle it on. Remember that it only needs to go partially into the crumb, not through its entire thickness. Halfway through the toasting process, check on the bread to see if it's dry, and if needed, add more oil. It's important not to wait until you fully toast it to realize that it's dry. By then, it might be too late to rescue it and the oil won't make much of a difference.

Although there are many obvious mistakes to avoid when making garlic bread, small details can also make a difference. Consider bread slice thickness. Cutting bread slices too thin may not necessarily be a problem when eating it plain, but if you're using them to make garlic bread, you're in trouble. Thin-sliced bread toasts much faster, making it more susceptible to burning.  You need to keep a watchful eye on such garlic bread — but even that may not be enough.

Contrarily, if you cut the slices too thick, it can be inconvenient to eat. Although you can tear such bread into smaller pieces, it's simply much easier to end up with garlic bread you can take full bites out of. Therefore, it's essential to find the right balance. If you're unsure of the right size, aim for ¾ inch to 1-inch pieces, and try to make the slices relatively equal. For optimal results, use a sharp, serrated knife. Using full knives and knives without grooves makes achieving smooth and even cuts more difficult.

Although eating your garlic bread immediately is best, sometimes you might accidentally make too much. If you have leftovers, the worst thing you can do is store them incorrectly. If you don't properly cover your garlic bread, it will become hard or stale quite quickly. You must either wrap the extra portions in plastic or put them in a resealable bag to prevent air from drying them out. You can also use an airtight container.

Another factor to consider is the temperature at which you keep your leftovers. If your garlic bread contains roasted garlic, unsalted butter, garlic oil, or soft cheese, you must refrigerate it for safety reasons, as these ingredients are perishable. The downside to this is that the refrigerator will negatively affect the bread's texture. Try to consume leftovers within a couple of days for the best quality. On the other hand, if you opt to make garlic bread with garlic powder and salted butter, it's safe to store on the counter.