2 Chef-Approved Tips For Restaurant Worthy Garlic Bread

It's time to leave pre-made frozen garlic bread behind. Instead, baking garlic bread that is deliciously above average requires a few tips and tricks, and we know where to find them. Whether you opt for the oven or aim to craft a toasty loaf on the stovetop, two key ingredient upgrades will yield restaurant-worthy results. We talked with Jasper J. Mirabile Jr., owner and chef of Jasper's Restaurant and the host of the "Live! From Jasper's Kitchen" radio show, who shared his top swaps for the ultimate garlic bread. The key lies in the type of butter and garlic that you use.

"First of all, you have to use a good salted butter even though a lot of recipes will tell you not to use salted butter," Chef Mirabile reveals. This Italian American dish is often topped with garlic, butter, parsley, and a blend of cheeses like shredded mozzarella. Using salted butter will add a touch of, well, salt to balance out the flavors. Since salt also acts as a flavor enhancer, your garlic bread will be all the tastier for it.

The second ingredient to pay close attention to when baking a loaf of garlic bread is the specific kind of garlic that you use. "[Use the] absolute the freshest garlic you can find. Never ever use pre-ground garlic," Mirabile warns. "First of all you don't know how old it is and secondly, the flavor is just so much different." It sounds so simple and makes complete sense when you hear it. Of course, that wasn't all the chef had to say about garlic, fresh or otherwise. "I've never allowed or ever used garlic powder in our restaurant," he explains. "The flavor [of fresh garlic] is so much better and has so much more depth."

Apart from the superior taste itself, another reason to opt for fresh garlic is that it will simply have more flavor in general. Using prepared garlics, such as jarred, minced, or even garlic paste, will not give your garlic bread the flavor profile you're hoping for. Part of the reason these types are less flavorful is that they are introduced to other ingredients — even if it's just water or oil — that absorb into the garlic.

With these two ingredient swaps, you can be sure of better-tasting garlic bread every time. And, if you ever want to switch up the flavor profile, you can always add another one of Tasting Table's favorite upgrades: browned butter and sage.