Vegan Garlic Bread – Buttery, Simple, and Delicious!

You’ll adore the rich flavors of this crispy, savory vegan garlic bread!

And if you’re serving a mixed group, your party probably won’t even realize it’s vegan!

Crusty bread layered with fresh garlic and herbs will perk up any meal, and it’s a delightful way to enjoy the health benefits of garlic and parsley.

A thin layer of garlic spread leaves this bread with a pleasant crunch around the edges, while remaining lightly golden brown and chewy in the middle.

If you like your garlic bread fully saturated and soft in the middle, you may want to double the recipe, or at least the amount of vegan butter.

What should I serve this vegan garlic bread with?

While this makes an excellent appetizer or snack all on its own, vegan garlic bread makes an excellent accompaniment to lighter fare, like soups and salads, as well as pasta dishes and heavier stews or chili.

For instance, you could even use this as a base for bruschetta by adding tomatoes and basil marinated in balsamic vinegar.

Garlic in History – Medicine, Preventative Measure, and Performance Enhancer

The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who is widely held to be the father of medicine, said:

Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.

Hippocrates

He prescribed garlic for a number of health concerns, including pulmonary complaints, as a cleansing or purgative agent, and for abdominal and uterine growths.

Modern science has confirmed the benefits of garlic for heart health, lowering blood pressure, longevity, and even combatting the common cold.

In addition, many cultures have used garlic to enhance strength and maximize work capacity for manual laborers.

The original Olympian athletes in Greece took garlic as one of the earliest performance enhancing agents used.

Fortunately, garlic tastes great, so we can all easily enjoy some of these perks! Just note, this may not be the best thing to eat right before a job interview . . .

Related Italian Inspired Vegan Recipes

You may also enjoy this vegan garlic bread with:

• Pomodorini penne (pasta with cherry tomatoes)
• Hearty marinara sauce
• Mediterranean soup
• Vegan cacio e pepe

Is Bread Naturally Vegan?

The simplest bread recipes consist of just four ingredients: flour, yeast, salt, and water.

Most French bread loaves, for example, contain only these vegan ingredients.

That being said, some breads include honey (like honey whole wheat), dairy, and/or eggs (think brioche bread), so check the ingredients list on your loaf to make sure.

What does vegan butter taste like?

If you have less than favorable memories of 90s era margarine, fear not!

The vegan butter you can find at stores like Sprouts nowadays is much better, and honestly tastes remarkably like dairy butter.

I highly doubt anyone you serve this to could tell that it’s not dairy butter.

Another nice feature of vegan butter is its consistency.

I bought some from the refrigerated section of my local store, left in on the table for less than an hour, and it was very soft and easy to work with.

I had no trouble blending in all the herbs and seasonings for this garlic spread, and I did not need to microwave it first to do so.

What bread is best for vegan garlic bread?

As always with qualitative judgements, that depends on your tastes!

Traditionally, people use baguettes of French bread, or often Italian, or sometimes sourdough.

Slim baguettes yield crunchy garlic bread with plenty of crust.

If you like corner brownies, this is probably your best bet.

If you like middle brownies and/or the soft-to-chewy middle parts of garlic bread, you may wish to use a boule or similar larger loaf of bread so you have a higher middle surface area-to-crust ratio.

Ciabatta would hold up well and not get soggy, but it may be a bit chewy for some, and not what people typically expect from garlic bread.

Variations on this vegan garlic bread recipe (Substituting olive oil, herbs, etc.)

Of course, if vegan butter sounds too strange, you can always use olive oil instead and brush the blend on. (A big motivator for me was not wanting to wash an oily brush.) Simple is always good!

Try adding fancy toppings like shaved truffles, truffle salt, etc. for more flavor.

As always, feel free to use whatever herbs you have on hand. Fresh basil or even dill would be tasty here.

No fresh herbs? No problem! Try adding dried parsley, basil, oregano, or an Italian herb blend to compliment the garlic.

You can also use garlic powder in place of fresh if needed. Start with 1/2 tsp and taste as you go.

Don’t care for parsley? Skip it! I like the color it adds, but make this recipe work for you.

If you want to make this really fancy, chop the top off of a whole bulb of garlic and roast it in the oven while the bread toasts. Then, you can add it on top for a real treat!

Pin it for later!

Storing leftovers and reheating

If you have any leftovers, make sure the storage container you use is airtight. They will maintain their texture well for another day or so.

I just wrapped the leftover pieces in the same foil I used to line the baking sheet, as it was still clean. If you use a thicker layer of spread or thinner slices of bread this may not work for you.

Reheat any leftovers in the oven, a toaster oven, or an air fryer. If you microwave them, they will get soggy right away and then as hard as a rock 30 seconds later.

Vegan Garlic Bread Ingredients

Before you begin, you will need:

Edible Ingredients

• 7 slices of French bread or similar (about a half a loaf – sourdough is also great here, as is Italian bread)
• 4 cloves of fresh garlic
• 1/4 cup vegan butter, set out at room temperature (I used Miyoko’s)
• 3 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt (scant is fine unless you want it restaurant-level salty)
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 Tbsp vegan parmesan (or try vegan mozzarella or nutritional yeast flakes)

Tools and Equipment

• Bread knife
• Cutting board
• Chef’s knife or similar for chopping the parsley
• Butter knife or sandwich spreader knife
• Fork
• Baking sheet
• Garlic press (or allow extra time for mincing)
• Foil or parchment paper to line the baking sheet for easier clean up (optional)

How to Make Vegan Garlic Bread

1. To begin, preheat your oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper for easier clean up if desired. (You can also store leftovers in the same foil.)
2. Then, slice your bread into about 1″ thick slices (if not pre-sliced). Set aside.
3. After that, place the vegan butter in a medium bowl, slicing for easier blending if desired.
4. Next, chop the parsley and mince the garlic. Add them to the bowl.
5. Measure out your salt and pepper and add them to the mixing bowl, and then use a fork to thoroughly combine.
6. Once your spread is ready, butter your slices of bread and place them on the baking sheet. I used a thin, even layer, and I thought that was the perfect amount.
7. When the oven is hot, place the pan in the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes, depending on how crispy you want the crust. Let cool for a couple minutes, then serve and enjoy!

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I hope you love this flavorful vegan garlic bread recipe!