Once you’ve tried this Garlic Bread with Lemon, you’ll keep coming back for more of its deliciously bold taste.
If you’ve ever enjoyed a Caesar salad with its garlicky, lemony dressing, you’ll know precisely why it’s an excellent idea to incorporate a little lemon zest into garlic bread. Quite simply, lemon and garlic are a flavor match made in heaven.
Garlic bread is already a boldly flavorful dish on its own, but when you introduce lemon to the mix, that bright, citrusy element adds an irresistible layer of complexity. Once you’ve tried garlic bread with lemon zest, you’re not going to want to have it any other way.
Scroll down to read more about how it all comes together or click here to jump straight down to the recipe.
Grating Vs. Mincing Garlic
This is an occasion where you’re going to want to pull out your rasp-style grater (such as a Microplane) to grate your garlic cloves. Mincing them with a knife won’t (ahem) cut it. You want the garlic to have almost the texture of a paste so that it blends nicely into the softened butter, so you don’t wind up with chunks of sharply pungent garlic dotting your bread.
If you don’t have a grater, you can mash your garlic with a mortar and pestle or use a knife to make a paste. For the knife method, simply sprinkle a little salt over minced garlic, form it into a little pile, then drag and press your knife blade repeatedly over the garlic at a slight angle until it breaks down into a paste.
The Best Bread For Garlic Bread
When it comes to choosing the right bread for your garlic bread, it all comes down to your preferred texture. Are you looking for a rather crusty experience? A baguette is a great option for maximum crunch — either sweet or sour, depending on your personal tastes. For something a bit chewier, you might choose an Italian loaf like ciabatta. Go for French bread if a fluffier interior is what you’re after.
What To Serve With Garlic Bread With Lemon
Pasta, particularly classic red sauce dishes, is always a popular pairing for garlic bread. It can also be an excellent accompaniment for dinner salads, soups, and other dishes though. Here are a handful of recipe ideas to consider:
• Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta
• Cioppino
Make Ahead Tips For Garlic Bread
Garlic bread is best served hot, right out of the oven, but you can prepare the garlic lemon butter ahead of time. In fact, the butter will probably even taste a bit better, having had the opportunity for the flavors to meld!
Just mix the butter ingredients and refrigerate the mixture in an airtight container for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to make your garlic bread, allow the butter to soften at room temperature before spreading it on the bread.
How To Store And Reheat Garlic Bread
You can store any leftovers, wrapped tightly in foil, at room temperature for one day. I don’t recommend refrigerating garlic bread as it tends to dry out. If you need to keep your leftovers for longer, it’s best to freeze them, wrapped tightly in foil, for up to 3 months.
Can’t get enough lemony goodness? Try all our side dishes with lemon!
Podcast Episode About Lemon Garlic Bread
Listen to our editor, Christine Pittman, explain briefly about how to make this garlic bread, with some great tips along the way, by clicking the play button below:
Listen to more Recipe of the Day episodes here.
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Garlic Bread with Lemon Recipe
Lemon and garlic are a flavor match made in heaven. Once you’ve tried garlic bread with lemon zest, you’re not going to want to have it any other way.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 8 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled, grated
- 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 3 Tbsp. lemon zest, divided
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 (12-in. long) baguette
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Slice baguette in half, horizontally. Transfer baguette halves to a sheet pan, cut side up, and set aside.
- In a medium bowl stir together butter, garlic, parsley, 2 tablespoons of the lemon zest, and salt.
- Spread half of the butter mixture over the cut side of each of the baguette halves.
- Place pan in oven. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or bread is crisp and brown around the edges.
- Remove pan from oven; let stand 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon of zest evenly over both pieces of baguette. Slice baguette into 2-inch sections before serving.
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Photos by Dawn Viola.
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