Vegan Garlic Bread

Name: Vegan Garlic Bread
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 27 min
Ingredients: 1 loaf (14 oz) French or Italian baguette (gluten-free, if desired); 1/2 cup salted vegan butter (room temperature); 2 large cloves garlic (minced); 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; fresh cracked black pepper; fresh chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)

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This Vegan Garlic Bread is the best of both worlds – crispy edges and tops with soft, fluffy middles. Every bite is rich and buttery with lots of garlic and herbs. It’s an easy side dish that goes with just about everything and it’s ready in under 30 minutes!

Slices of fresh baked vegan garlic bread in a basket.

You only need 6 simple ingredients and about 25 minutes to create the most wonderful toasty, buttery, garlicky goodness!

No, it’s not low-fat. It’s garlic bread that’s meant to taste decadent like you’d expect from a restaurant. You may reduce the amount of butter used by a bit, if you prefer, but garlic bread is just never going to be a health food.

Pair it with pasta and veggies, vegetable soup, or a salad to create a well-balanced meal and enjoy!

It is, however, completely dairy-free and can be made gluten-free, too.

Table of Contents hide

1 Ingredients you need

2 How to make the recipe

3 Serving suggestions

4 Storage and freezing

5 Pro tips and tricks

6 FAQs

7 More vegan sides

8 Vegan Garlic Bread

Ingredients you need

Recipe ingredients arrayed in individual bowls.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Bread ~ I like a fluffy French loaf for this vegan garlic bread. An Italian loaf or a crusty baguette will also work. Gluten-free is totally fine.

Butter ~ There are plenty of options these days for vegan stick butter. Grab your favorite. I tend to go for Earth Balance, Miyoko’s, or Country Crock Plant Butter.

You’ll need about ½ cup, but I have reduced this to ⅓ cup with success as well.

Garlic ~ This recipe uses a combination of fresh garlic and garlic powder. You can’t beat the flavor of fresh garlic, but the garlic powder ensures there is garlic flavor in every single nook and cranny of the bread.

Herbs ~ Dried oregano is our favorite herb to pair with the garlicky, buttery bread. My kids will tell you that more is better.

I also like to sprinkle chopped fresh parsley all over the top before serving.

Variations ~ Kick it up the heat by adding a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes.

Make it cheesy by adding some shredded vegan mozzarella, nutritional yeast, or vegan parmesan cheese.

Add extra herbs, like basil or chives, for an extra pop of flavor.

I find most vegan butter adds enough salt on its own, but if yours is unsalted, you may want to add a pinch of salt to the butter mixture.

How to make the recipe

Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.

One French loaf cut in half and sliced open lying open face on a baking sheet.

Cut the loaf in half horizontally. Then cut each portion in half again lengthwise on its side to separate the top from the bottom. Lay the quarters out open face on a rimmed baking sheet.

Compound butter ingredients mixed together in a bowl.

In a small bowl, add the vegan butter, fresh garlic, garlic powder, and dried oregano.

Mix it well until smooth and the ingredients are distributed evenly throughout to make a compound butter.

4 quarters of baguette spread with compound butter.

Wrapping garlic bread halves in foil to prepare for baking.

Spread the compound butter evenly over each quarter of the loaf. Grind some freshly cracked black pepper evenly over the top.

Place the tops back on the bottoms and wrap each half tightly in aluminum foil.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

4 open face halves of a garlic bread baguette baked until warm.

Finished vegan garlic bread on a baking sheet.

Unwrap the bread and lay out each quarter open face on the baking sheet again. Place under the broiler for about 1 minute until the edges and tops are golden brown and crispy.

This step produces the most amazing vegan garlic bread that’s crunchy on the top and edges, yet still soft, moist, and fluffy on the inside. It’s so good!

Be sure to watch the bread closely when its under the broiler as it can go from crisp to burnt in a matter of seconds!

Note: If you like garlic bread to be soft on all sides, you may skip the broiler step.

Serving suggestions

Plate of pasta with garlic bread in front of a basket full of more bread slices.

Garlic bread is a side dish that goes with just about everything. If you need some ideas to get you started, here are some of our favorites.

Pasta. Any kind of pasta is a natural pairing for this vegan garlic bread, especially tomato based pastas like my Garden Veggie Pasta, Lentil Bolognese, or Lasagna Roll Ups.

It’s equally as tasty paired with cream based sauces, like my Spinach Artichoke Pasta or Creamy Mushroom Pasta, or lighter pasta dishes like my Cauliflower Scampi or Mediterranean Pasta.

Soups and stews. The soup and sandwich combo might be the most popular, but soup and garlic bread is just as delicious!

Pair a few crusty slices with my Creamy Tomato Soup, Vegan Minestrone, or Sweet Potato Corn Chowder for a perfect lunch or dinner.

Salads. Instantly turn a salad, like my Butter Lettuce Salad or Kale Apple Salad, into a heartier meal by adding a slice or two of decadent buttery garlic bread.

Dips. This vegan garlic bread is also worthy of standing alone as a shareable appetizer or snack.

Try pairing it with a dip or sauce like this Vegan Shakshuka, Kale Walnut Pesto, Spicy Marinara Sauce, or Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.

Storage and freezing

Counter: Store completely cooled leftovers in an air-tight container or zip-top plastic bag on the counter for up to 3 days.

Fridge: The compound butter can be made ahead and stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks.

I do not recommend storing leftover garlic bread in the fridge.

Freezer: You may freeze the vegan garlic bread before or after baking. It should keep well for up to 6 months.

Before baking: Assemble the garlic bread as instructed through step 5, wrapping in foil. I suggest double wrapping in foil or wrapping in one layer of foil and then transferring to a freezer-safe plastic bag. (Thaw in the fridge over-night before baking as directed.)

After baking: Let it cool completely before wrapping tightly in foil and then placing in a freezer-safe plastic bag.

Reheat: Leftover individual slices can be reheated gently in a microwave and eaten immediately. Do not let microwaved slices sit for very long, however, as they will get tough and hard as they cool.

If frozen, let thaw in the fridge over night. Bake as directed in foil.

Loaf of garlic bread sliced and laid out on aluminum foil.

Pro tips and tricks

~ Choose a thick, wide French or Italian loaf for the best ratio of crisp edges to fluffy middle.

~ If your butter is unsalted, you may want to add a pinch of salt to the compound butter mixture.

~ Use a combination of fresh minced garlic and garlic powder for the best overall garlic flavor.

~ Wrap the vegan garlic bread in foil to keep the insides soft, fluffy, and moist. Then unwrap it and put it under the broiler for a minute to crisp up the top and edges. The best texture combination!

~ To make this recipe gluten-free, choose a gluten-free bread loaf.

FAQs

What is the best bread for garlic bread?

Any kind of baguette is best for garlic bread. Look for one that is about 12 to 16 ounces. A French or Italian loaf works great. As does sourdough or ciabatta. You could even make the vegan garlic butter mixture on slices of sandwich bread, burger buns, pita rounds, or naan! Gluten-free varieties of any of those will work great, too.

What kind of bread is vegan?

Bread that does not contain any animal products, like eggs, dairy, or honey, is considered vegan. Most of my local grocery and big box stores have bakery bread that is vegan. Just be sure to read labels to confirm.

Can I make garlic bread gluten-free?

Yes! This vegan garlic bread can easily be made gluten-free by choosing gluten-free bread. The rest of the ingredients are naturally gluten-free.

Can homemade garlic bread be frozen?

It sure can! Assemble the garlic bread as instructed through step 5, wrapping in foil. For freezing, I suggest double wrapping in foil or wrapping in one layer of foil and then transferring to a freezer-safe plastic bag. It should keep well for up to 6 months.

Plate of spaghetti with two slices of garlic bread.

More vegan sides

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.

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