Trying Garlic Bread Using Different Famous Recipes

With just eight ingredients, Ina Garten’s recipe was simple to start.

Ina Garten’s recipe relies primarily on fresh herbs and, of course, garlic. Most of the other ingredients are kitchen staples, too, like olive oil, butter, salt, and pepper.

Garten’s recipe also calls for ciabatta bread, however, my local grocery store was fresh out. Instead, I found telera rolls, which I thought would be similar enough — plus they were a great size and shape for soaking up the garlic and oil mixture.

The process had a few more steps than the other recipes, but it was still very easy.

Garten’s garlic bread recipe required a food processor and some stove time, but it was still incredibly easy to make for a quick weeknight dinner.

First, I slathered half of the bread in butter. Then, I minced the garlic in the food processor before adding the fresh herbs, salt, and pepper and pulsed just enough to combine.

I heated the 1/2 cup of olive oil on the stove, then added the garlic mixture. However, I would recommend reducing the amount of olive oil because I ended up with far more than I needed for my bread.

I added this olive oil plus the garlic and herb mix to the other half of bread, sandwiched the pieces together, wrapped it in foil, and put the bread in a hot oven.

After five minutes, I opened up the foil and continued to bake it uncovered for five more minutes.

The bread was pretty delicious, but it could have baked for longer.

When I pulled the bread out of the oven, I was pleasantly overwhelmed with the smell of warm garlic bread and a hint of the fragrant parsley and oregano.

But after pulling apart the sandwiched bread, I was a bit disappointed that it wasn’t golden brown and crispy. Instead, it was pale on the inside.

I took a hearty bite and was pleased with the flavor, but the texture missed the mark for me. The bread was warm but not toasty, and the garlic was still raw even after being on the stove and in the oven. Additionally, I didn’t end up using all of the olive oil, but somehow the end product was still a bit soggy.

I think reducing the amount of olive oil and cooking it open-faced would result in a pretty perfect piece of garlic bread, especially thanks to the vibrant flavors from the fresh herbs.

Guy Fieri’s garlic bread calls for an intense amount of butter.

The first thing I noticed about Guy Fieri’s recipe is the sheer amount of butter — two sticks for one French baguette. I later found this amount could easily and generously cover a few loaves of bread.

I was also intrigued — and a bit nervous — by the different flavors, from parsley and scallions to parmesan and hot sauce.

I’ve tested many of Fieri’s recipes and know he can really bring the heat, so I was hoping this garlic bread wouldn’t set my mouth on fire.

The process of making Fieri’s garlic bread couldn’t have been easier.

Although the ingredients were a little more complex, the process was as easy as can be. All I had to do was throw everything in a bowl and combine.

I then slathered the mixture heavily onto my baguette, but I was still left with a ton of the buttery topping.

Next, the bread went into the oven to broil. The recipe calls for two minutes under the broiler, but I left mine in for three and a half minutes — and could have probably left it in for four — to get that nice, toasty topping.

When I pulled the baguette from the oven, the pieces were lightly toasted but also oozing with bubbly butter. I hoped they weren’t too soggy.

The texture of this garlic bread was spot-on.

I couldn’t ask for a more perfect texture in my garlic bread. The exterior was nice and crispy, and the inside was soft and chewy.

It actually held up well to the butter and didn’t get soggy — but if I would’ve used all of the butter-and-garlic mixture, the bread would have been soaked and unappetizing.

I was worried the flavors of the parmesan, hot sauce, scallions, and parsley wouldn’t work together, but they balanced each other nicely. The hot sauce just added the slightest kick, and it is easy to customize the amount of hot sauce if you were to want a spicier garlic bread.

My one complaint about Fieri’s recipe was that I could have done with a bit more garlic.

Rachael Ray’s garlic bread required mostly pantry staples.

Rachael Ray’s garlic bread recipe calls for only six ingredients, and it doesn’t require a specific bread — the recipe just suggests using a crusty one.

Aside from that, the recipe calls for fresh parsley, olive oil, butter, garlic, and parmesan cheese, most of which I already had in my kitchen.

Toasting the bread before adding toppings is the move.

This recipe has you eating garlic bread in no time.

I especially loved that Ray had me put the bread under the broiler before adding toppings to ensure it is perfectly crispy.

The recipe said to either microwave the butter, oil, and garlic for one minute or heat them up in a skillet for a few minutes. I opted for the former (and quicker) option.

Then, I added this garlic mixture, cheese, and parsley to the golden-brown bread, and popped it back under the broiler for about a minute until the cheese and butter were bubbling.

This garlic bread was definitely the crispiest.

Broiling the bread before adding the toppings then broiling it again after ensured it was very crispy, yet the interior stayed nice and chewy.

The amount of butter and oil was also perfect — I used up every bit of the garlic mixture.

However, I wish there were a little salt and pepper added for a bit more flavor and, most importantly, I would love the garlic to be cooked more. I think even a few minutes in a skillet on high heat would have given the garlic a better flavor because it just tasted like raw garlic on this bread.

Still, the toastiness was perfect.