Homemade gluten-free garlic bread with a simple garlic parmesan compound butter slathered on baguettes and baked until golden and crispy. I was diagnosed with celiac in 2013 and this is one of the first things I figured out how to make well, because pasta night without garlic bread just isn’t the same.
The butter is softened with fresh minced garlic, garlic powder, parsley, and a little salt, and it takes about two minutes to mix. I use both fresh garlic and garlic powder because the fresh gives you real flavor and the powder fills in the gaps so every bite actually tastes like garlic bread.
This is the side dish I make most often alongside my gluten-free lasagna, gluten-free chicken parmesan, or spaghetti and meatballs.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten-Free Baguettes: I use Schar gluten-free baguettes, which come two per package at about 6 oz each (12 oz total). They’re shelf-stable so they’re easy to keep on hand, and the crust crisps up nicely in the oven. You can find them in most grocery stores in the bread aisle or GF section. Any gluten-free French bread works, but if yours is a single larger loaf, you’ll just have one baguette instead of two.
- Butter: Unsalted and softened to room temperature so it mixes easily with the garlic and parsley. Don’t melt it. You want it spreadable, not liquid, so it stays on the bread instead of soaking straight through. For dairy-free, use your favorite vegan butter.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic, finely minced. The smaller you mince it, the more evenly it distributes in the butter. You can microplane it if you prefer. Pre-minced garlic from a jar doesn’t have the same punch. If that’s all you have, use a little extra. Garlic paste is a better shortcut than the jarred minced kind.
- Garlic Powder: This is the second layer of garlic flavor. Fresh garlic gives you the real thing but doesn’t hit every part of the butter evenly. The powder fills in those gaps.
- Fresh Parsley: 1 tablespoon chopped. If you only have dried, use 1 teaspoon instead.
- Parmesan Cheese: 2 tablespoons grated, sprinkled on top of the compound butter before baking. It gets golden and a little crispy in the oven. For dairy-free, use a vegan parmesan like Follow Your Heart or skip it entirely. The garlic butter is good enough on its own.
Make the Butter Ahead and Keep It in the Fridge
This compound butter keeps in the fridge for up to a week, so I almost always have some ready to go. When I know we’re having pasta for dinner, I just pull it out, let it soften for a few minutes, spread it on the baguettes, and we have garlic bread without any extra work. You can also double the batch and freeze it for even longer.
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
Traditional garlic bread is not gluten-free because it’s made with wheat-based bread. This recipe uses gluten-free baguettes to make it safe for a gluten-free diet. Always check the labels on your ingredients to make sure everything is gluten-free.
To make this recipe dairy-free and vegan, use a vegan baguette, vegan butter, and omit the parmesan cheese or use a dairy-free substitute (I like Follow Your Heart Vegan Parmesan).
Storage Instructions
Room temp: Garlic bread is best eaten right out of the oven, but it holds up fine at room temperature for a few hours if you’re serving it at a gathering.
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 1-2 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes until the butter is melted and the edges are crispy, or in the air fryer at 350°F for 2-3 minutes. Skip the microwave because it makes the bread chewy instead of crispy.
Freezer: Flash freeze baked slices on a baking sheet for an hour, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat straight from frozen in the oven or air fryer.
Serving Suggestions
This is obviously a pasta night staple, but it’s just as good outside of that. On nights when I’m not doing lasagna or chicken parm, I love tearing this garlic bread apart and dunking it into my Italian sausage and white bean stew. The stew is already loaded with Italian flavors so the garlic bread just fits. It’s also great alongside my gluten-free broccoli cheddar soup or a bowl of gluten-free mac and cheese.
Gluten Free Garlic Bread
Ingredients
Garlic Parmesan Butter:
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter - softened to room temperature
- 3 cloves (9 g) garlic - finely minced
- 1 tablespoon (4 g) chopped fresh parsley - or 1 teaspoon dried
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Garlic Bread:
- 2 (340 g) gluten-free baguettes - about 6 oz each (12 oz total), sliced in half lengthwise (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) grated parmesan cheese
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- In a small bowl, combine ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, 3 cloves (9 g) garlic, 1 tablespoon (4 g) chopped fresh parsley, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Mix with a fork until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Slice 2 (340 g) gluten-free baguettes in half lengthwise and place cut-side up on the baking sheet.
- Spread the garlic butter evenly over the entire surface of each baguette half. Use all of it.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons (16 g) grated parmesan cheese over the top of the buttered baguettes.
- Bake at 425°F for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the butter is bubbly. Watch closely after 8 minutes to prevent burning.
- Let cool for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board and slice into pieces. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Baguettes: I use Schar gluten-free baguettes (two per package, 6 oz each, 12 oz total). Any gluten-free French bread works. If using a single larger loaf, you’ll have one baguette instead of two.
- Garlic: Mince as finely as possible. Large pieces can burn at 425°F.
- Make ahead: Spread the butter and cheese on the baguettes, flash freeze on a baking sheet, then wrap tightly and freeze up to 1 month. Bake from frozen, adding 2-3 extra minutes.
- Dairy-free: Use vegan butter and either dairy-free parmesan (like Follow Your Heart) or skip the cheese entirely.
- Reheat: Oven at 350°F for a few minutes or air fryer at 350°F for 2-3 minutes. Avoid the microwave.
