Learn how to make mouthwatering garlic bread in 5 minutes without turning on the oven. It’s so easy to get dinner ready after a long work day and satisfy your garlic craving.
When I’m in the mood for my garlic fix, I want garlic bread immediately.
When dinner is almost ready, the last thing you want is to fiddle with baking garlic bread. That’s why this recipe cooks the garlic butter in the microwave and then toasts the bread.
Why this recipe works
This technique allows you to skip baking or broiling the garlic bread in the oven, which is how most other recipes recommend making homemade garlic bread.
With the power of your toaster, you can have garlic bread almost from scratch ready in 5 minutes. While it’s not restaurant-style garlic bread, it’s delicious and will satisfy your garlic cravings.
This is one of my favorite recipes in my series for quick meals. Check out the other 5-minute recipes.
How to make this with fresh garlic
I designed this recipe around minimalist or small apartments that might not have an oven. So, you can make this recipe on vacation in a limited AirBnB rental or if you live in a studio without a kitchen!
NOTE: A lot of Garlic Delight readers requested this version of 5-minute garlic bread with garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. Alex & I came up with the 5-Minute Garlic Bread made using Garlic Powder. If you’re curious about the different garlic substitutes available, check out this article on different forms of garlic sold in most grocery stores.
Equipment you need for this recipe
Affiliate disclosure: When you buy through affiliate links in this article, I earn a commission. There is no additional cost for you.
You need:
- A microwave: Any good microwave works. If you don’t already have a microwave, check out this best-selling countertop microwave oven.
- A toaster: A regular slotted toaster works. If you have a toaster oven, that works too as long as it can toast bread.
- A garlic press: This Kuhn Rikon is my favorite and what we use at home. But if you don’t have one, you can chop the garlic with a chef’s knife.
- Use a microwave-safe bowl to heat the butter: Be careful when you take the hot butter out of the microwave because you can burn yourself touching the hot bowl. Use oven mitts or a dish towel to protect your hands.
5-Minute Garlic Bread with Fresh Garlic
Equipment
- Knife
- Chopping Board
- Spatula
- Garlic Press
- Microwave
- Paper towel
Ingredients
- 2 slices (2 slices) Bread, Fresh crusty bread is the best.
- 2 tablespoon (29.57 g) Butter, Salted butter tastes better and is less work.
- 1-2 cloves (1 cloves) Garlic, Fresh garlic only
- 2 sprigs (2 sprigs) cilantro, Optional
Instructions
- Collect all the ingredients for the recipe.
- Peel the cloves of garlic. Squeeze the cloves through a garlic press.
- Scrap off all the pressed garlic and put into a microwave-safe bowl.
- Add the butter to the bowl with the garlic.
- Heat the butter in the microwave on high for 30 seconds.
- Stir the garlic into the melting butter. Place a paper towel over the bowl to avoid splattering butter in your microwave. Heat the butter again on high for 30 seconds.
- While waiting for the butter to cool down, toast your bread in the toaster. I like my toast lightly browned but you can toast it on whatever settings you prefer.
- In the meantime, finely chop the cilantro. If you’re skipping the cilantro, then jump straight to step 10.
- Add the cilantro to the garlic butter.
- Using a spatula, spread the garlic butter on your toast.
- Enjoy your 5-minute garlic bread!
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs for 5-Minute Garlic Bread
How Can You Make Vegan or Dairy-Free 5-Minute Garlic Bread?
Instead of butter, substitute olive oil and follow the same recipe below. Use the best quality olive oil you can.
How Do I Avoid Burning My Mouth With Raw Garlic?
Peyton left a comment that the garlic bread burned her mouth. Upon investigation, she mentioned that the garlic was too raw. Yes, raw garlic has sulfuric compounds that can cause a spicy or burning sensation in your mouth.
To avoid raw garlic in your garlic bread: look to see if the garlic is opaque white. If it is still a bit translucent and a yellowish/off-white color, then it may be too raw. To be safe, you can zap it in the microwave for an extra 30 seconds to 1 minute longer until it’s definitely not raw anymore.
The safer bet is to try the garlic powder garlic bread recipe. No risk of burning there.
Can You Use Garlic Powder in This 5-Minute Garlic Bread Recipe?
Use fresh garlic for this recipe. After much experimentation, Alex & I developed a version of the 5-minute garlic bread recipe using garlic powder. Alex discovered a technique that creates a well-mixed garlic butter, which was a challenge because garlic powder led to dry, powdery garlic bread! We’re pretty proud of our technique so check out our stress-free garlic bread recipe using garlic powder and leave a comment to let me know what you think.
How Can I Make This 5-Minute Garlic Bread More Interesting?
- Sprinkle parmesan or the real-deal Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top (check out our test taste article to learn the difference and why Parmigiano-Reggiano is superior)
- Add Italian seasonings to the garlic butter, such as dried oregano
- Switch out the cilantro for finely chopped parsley or basil
How Do You Make Garlic Bread From the Store?
This recipe is not quite the same as garlic bread from the store or restaurant, which tends to be softer and chewier.
If you want soft garlic bread, choose a soft bread like a dinner roll, naan or focaccia. Also, toast the bread for 30 seconds just to heat it up without making it crispy.
How do I make a big batch of this garlic bread for a party?
Ah, this garlic bread recipe is designed for 1 or 2 people. If you follow the instructions to make it for a party of 20, I assure you it will take much longer than 5 minutes. If you’re preparing garlic bread for a large group of people, you’re better off making traditional garlic bread in the oven. The garlic butter works the same only you’ll want to double or triple the quantities. Instead of toasting the bread in a toaster, you can split a baguette in half lengthwise (or other similarly large loaf of bread) and spread the garlic butter inside. Then bake for 15-20 minutes at 350ºF/175ºC. If you want a recipe for traditional garlic, let me know by leaving a comment below.
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this was wonderful! Thank you for sharing all these tips and recipes..really helps those of us without the create gene;)
This recipe is incredibly easy and incredibly delicious! Thank you for sharing it! Please keep on making these 5 minute recipes!
Thanks for your feedback. If you want more 5-minute recipes, feel free to check out the list of all of them here: https://garlicdelight.com/5-minute-recipes/
I get the point was trying to make it quick and simple. Simple may be easy for some, others have a hard time if you tell them to scratch their ear with their Military Right.
Wonderful plan, and since I love garlic I flatten with a knife’s broadside and chop minimally. I love using sourdough bread with this recipe. Thank you much for putting this out there.
Btw, don’t wanna get jalepeno business since its nacho problem, but I’d love to taco bout it.
hahahahahah
Sorry.
Ha! Thanks for the tip about sourdough bread and this garlic bread recipe!
this burns my mouth
Hi PK,
Can you tell me more about how it burned your mouth? Do you mean burning from raw garlic? Or do you mean the bread was too hot and burned you?
Did your garlic cook sufficiently in the butter?
I will have to make this, so simple and love the instructions. Thank you for sharing and will let you know how it goes!
Thanks Travis!
Let me know how it goes. I just published a sister recipe using garlic powder, due to popular request. Maybe it will be even EASIER: https://garlicdelight.com/5-minute-garlic-powder-bread/
i made this but i only had garlic powder can you please let me know on a recipe of garlic bread with garlic powder?
Hi deja,
Thanks for your message. Did you try the recipe with fresh garlic?
I will test the recipe with garlic powder and let you know how you need to modify it to make it work.
Thanks for your message and happy to hear from you.
Anna
Pretty decent given it takes literally 5 minutes.
My wife made some lovely tomato soup, and requested some garlic bread after the soup had finished.
Followed your recipe to the T and voila, it wasn’t perfect but it definitely managed to quench the need for our garlic fix.
Will try experimenting with some oregano or some other seasonings for some zest.
Hi Shehreyar,
Glad to hear you tried the recipe & it quenched the garlic thirst.
What parts of the recipe did you find to be imperfect and how could I improve the recipe?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Anna
I made it but only had garlic powder so I used that instead of fresh garlic. In the words of my mum “it’s not bad but it’s not great, it kinda looks like apple sauce”
Hi Katie,
Thank you very much for your comment! I really appreciate that you tried to make this recipe. Just curious, did you think it was very good because it was from garlic powder? Or do you think there was something wrong with the recipe? Would love to know how you think it would be improved.
Also, just curious, how did you find this website?
Nice meeting you,
Anna