Air Fryer Garlic Bread

Crusty bread infused with butter, garlic, and herbs, plus that perfect cheese pull that you get in every crispy bite is easy to achieve with your air fryer. Try this Air Fryer Garlic Bread recipe, and you’ll never make it any other way!

There’s nothing that goes better with a comforting bowl of soup than a piece of buttery garlic bread that’s perfect for dunking. Garlic bread is also mandatory whenever we have spaghetti or any pasta-based meal. I love it with steak and salads, too. Kids love it as a snack or appetizer with a side of marinara sauce for dipping. It’s also the perfect quick and easy get-together or game day appetizer.

You might be wondering why you should try making garlic bread in an air fryer. After all, sticking it in the oven under the broiler has been working well, so far, right? As with everything, if there’s a better, tastier, and even quicker way to do it, then I’m all in! Which is why I wanted to share this game-changing recipe. We love garlic bread, but this method has elevated it to an obsession. It’s that good!

If you’re looking for another awesome cheesy recipe, try this hot honey pizza that’s loaded with savory toppings and a spicy sweet honey sauce.

Why This Recipe Works

As you know, air fryers use circulating hot air which means the food is surrounded by the heat rather than having it radiate from just the bottom or top of the oven. This circulating air is the major factor in why food cooks evenly (top, bottom, and sides) in an air fryer. This is also why making garlic bread with this method produces an even and crispy bread rather than just a browned top that you tend to get if you’re broiling it in a traditional oven. Even if you’re heating the entire traditional oven, you still won’t get that crispy perfection over and around the entire bread. Plus, you run the risk of drying out the bread or worse, burning it. Yuck!

So, let the magic of circulating hot air “fry” your next batch of garlic bread to swoon-worthy perfection!

Ingredients Needed

• 1 loaf French bread
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese

How to Make it

Please scroll ⬇️ to the recipe card to see the full ingredient amounts and instructions.

Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 350°F.

Step 2: Prep the bread by cutting a crosshatch pattern in it. This will help infuse the butter, garlic, and cheese into the bread.

Step 3: Whisk together softened butter, olive oil, garlic, salt and parsley.

Step 4: Using a teaspoon, spread the butter mixture directly in the crosshatch cuts. Make sure and open the cuts (use your fingers) to get all that butter and garlicky mixture down in there. IMPORTANT: Save about 1 tablespoon of the butter mixture for later – you’ll need to use this again!

Step 5: Stuff each crack with a pinch of mozzarella cheese.

Step 6: Wrap with foil and air fry for 15 minutes to melt the cheese.

Step 7: Then, unwrap the garlic bread and brush the surface with the remaining butter mixture. Air fry for an additional 5-8 minutes, or until crusty.

WHAT KIND OF BREAD IS BEST?

You’ll want to use a substantial loaf of crusty bread such as French bread, Italian bread, or Ciabatta loaf. Please don’t use sandwich bread! It just doesn’t have the thickness and texture needed to make it work.

WHAT’S THE BEST CHEESE TO USE?

Here, I’m using mozzarella cheese because not only does it taste great, but it gives that classic melty cheese pull when you take a bite. That said, freshly grated parmesan cheese adds a punch of flavor, but it doesn’t melt really well. If I use it, I always use it in addition to the mozzarella cheese, so I’ll still get the melted texture. You can experiment with other cheeses, such as cheddar, but again, they tend not to offer the same melting ability as mozzarella.

Note: grate your own cheeses for best results. The pre-grated ones in the packages have a coating on them to prevent them from melting.

HERB VARIATIONS FOR THE SEASONING

Parsley is the traditional seasoning, either fresh or in dried form. Here are a few others that are equally delicious, either in fresh or dried form: rosemary, oregano, chives, and basil.

HOW TO SERVE GARLIC BREAD

Garlic bread is commonly served with the following meals, but if your family loves it as much as mine, you’ll try to make it all the time.

• Pasta Meals
• Soups And Stews
• Steak Dinners
• Roasts
• Pork Chops, Pork Tenderloin
• Chicken Dinners
• Salad Entrees
• Makes a great appetizer, too! Make it and have some marinara sauce handy for dipping.

DELICIOUS GARLIC BREAD TOPPINGS

To elevate this already yummy garlic bread to a gourmet level, you might want to add some toppings that can turn it into a hearty snack or substantial appetizer. Here are some ideas:

• Sauteed mushrooms
• Caramelized onions
• Bacon crumbles
• Prosciutto
• Marinated artichokes
• Sliced olives (black or green or a mix)
• Pepperoni
• Sun dried tomatoes

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT LEFTOVERS

I like to wrap any leftovers in tin foil and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, I pop them in the air fryer at 350°F until warmed through – about 3 to 5 minutes.

Toasted to perfection, this Air Fryer Garlic Bread is destined to become a family favorite. There’s no better way to make this cheesy, buttery, and garlic-infused bread than with this recipe.

RECIPE