Air Fryer Garlic Bread

Sharing is caring!

This Air Fryer Garlic Bread recipe is not frozen and is made with a fresh loaf of Italian or French bread, freshly roasted garlic, and butter parmesan cheese topping. This will be your new favorite garlic bread!

The Best Air Fryer Garlic Bread Recipe

I’ll never know why I’ve never thought to use my air fryer to make garlic bread. In just a couple of minutes, you can have crusty, golden-brown garlic bread that’s delicious.

Of course, the finishing touch in this recipe is garnishing it with honey and red pepper flake sauce, which gives it a sweet little kick and gives it a final send-off for your taste buds. It’s totally optional, of course, but worth trying!

I sure wish I had tried roasted garlic on my air-fried bread much sooner in my life—holy cow!! Talk about garlic bread that is altogether and totally next level!

If you love this garlic bread, try our Air Fryer Pizza Sticks, too!

Cooking Tips

1. No food processor? You can certainly whip the butter in a mixing bowl using a whisk. Making sure the butter is softened makes this job much easier!
2. If you have forgotten to set your butter out at room temperature to soften ahead of time, use 10 second intervals of time using the defrost setting on your microwave until it gives to the touch. I do this all the time – it works great.
3. You can roast several heads of garlic at a time just as easily as you can do one. Roasting the garlic mellows out the sharp flavors and as the cloves soften and caramelize, you’ll find the garlic has a sweet, nutty flavor.
4. Heads of fresh garlic can be wrapped in foil and roasted in the oven at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or in the air fryer 20-25 minutes.

Ingredients

• Garlic: Substitute 1-2 teaspoons of garlic powder or to taste.
• Olive oil
• Italian or French bread: Because French bread is typically a bit narrower than a loaf of Italian bread (at least from my grocer), you may want to use French bread to help it fit better in the air fryer basket.
• Salted butter: If using unsalted butter, generously sprinkle the cooked, hot bread with kosher salt before serving.
• Italian parsley: To substitute dried parsley, use 1/2 teaspoon.
• Grated Parmesan and shredded mozzarella
• Honey: Substitute your favorite brand of Hot Honey – it works great.
• Red pepper flakes

How to Make Air Fryer Garlic Bread

Using a sharp knife, cut off just enough of the top of the head of garlic to expose the cloves inside; drizzle with olive oil.

Place the head of garlic onto a sheet of foil big enough to fully encase it. Loosely wrap the foil around the garlic until it’s completely encased.

Air fry the garlic in the foil for 20-25 minutes at 385 degrees F., or until softened and gives to the touch when it’s squeezed.

While the garlic is cooling a bit, place the butter, parsley, and Parmesan into the bowl of a food processor.

Holding the head of garlic over the food processor bowl, gently squeeze it so the cloves pop out to join the other ingredients.

Pulse the ingredients until a smooth butter forms. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Cut the loaf of bread in half lengthwise, then cut each half in half so they will fit, two at a time, into the air fryer.

Divide the prepared butter between the four bread sections, using a spatula to spread it evenly to the edges.

Sprinkle the butter on each section of bread with mozzarella. If desired, sprinkle with a bit more Parmesan.

Place two sections of the prepared bread into the air fryer basket.

Air fry at 385 degrees F. for 3-4 minutes or until nicely golden brown on top. Repeat with the two remaining sections of bread.

Combine the honey with the red pepper flakes. Drizzle the honey and red pepper sauce over the warm bread. Garnish with parsley, as desired.

Cut the bread into slices and serve at once.

How to Make the Garlic Spread

In this recipe, the garlic spread is whipped together using softened butter, roasted garlic cloves, fresh Italian parsley, and Parmesan cheese. You can do this in a food processor or a mixing bowl with a silicone spatula or whisk.

How to Store Air Fryer Garlic Bread

Store leftover slices of garlic bread in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap, a freezer bag, or an air tight container. It will keep for up to 3 days in refrigeration.

How to Reheat

You can reheat slices of garlic bread in the microwave for 8-10 seconds or wrap them in foil and reheat them in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes at 375 degrees.

How to Freeze Garlic Bread

Make the bread as directed in the recipe card through Step 10 as seen in the recipe card below. Now, place the four sections of bread buttered sides together to make a complete loaf. Wrap well in heavy-duty aluminum foil and freeze.

To air fry, thaw the bread just enough to be able to pull it apart, then air fry as directed in Steps 11-13 of the recipe card.

How to Freeze Garlic Butter

Roll each batch into a log and wrap well with plastic wrap, then freeze to use later or to give as gifts. If you roast several heads of garlic at once, you can also make several batches of garlic butter.

Homemade garlic butter makes a great food gift. The recipients can use it on bread, baked potatoes, steaks, you name it—it’s so versatile.

What to Serve with Garlic Bread

Garlic bread is a side dish that pairs with just about everything. From spaghetti pie or tortellini pasta to sizzle steak or a cast iron ribeye. I can’t think of anything that garlic bread doesn’t go with.

We especially like to serve garlic bread with country style ribs. It’s also perfect for dipping into beef stew!

More Favorite Recipes to Serve with Garlic Bread

Crockpot Ham and Cabbage is an easy slow cooker recipe with diced ham and fresh cabbage that makes the perfect comfort food any time of year.

Make tender, juicy, and flavorful pork chops with this Instant Pot Pork Chops and Rice recipe, a Cajun flavored Instant Pot recipe for busy weeknights on a budget.

This beef Bottom Round Roast recipe is the best way to cook a bottom round roast that simmers low and slow until tender and juicy in a rich tomato sauce with basil and oregano.