Easy Air Fryer Garlic Bread

Air fryer garlic bread is golden brown and buttery with crispy edges and plenty of garlic flavor. This is an easy homemade garlic bread recipe that takes just 5-7 minutes in the air fryer!

You guys, I’m going to be bold and say that this is the only way to prepare garlic bread! I mean, if you’re a lover of garlic bread and prepare it as much as we do, you’re going to want to try it in the air fryer. It’s super easy and is ready in under 10 minutes!

Garlic bread is on the menu for us at least once a week. It just goes with so many recipes! We love pairing it with this instant pot bolognese, instant pot leftover turkey chili or easy instant pot tomato soup for a warm and cozy dinner. 

Of course, it’s also delicious served with our favorite pastas like this bay scallop scampi or meatless lasagna to make it an Italian inspired meal.

Not only is this a super easy recipe, but the bread gets ultra crispy in the air fryer but the middle stays soft and buttery. And, if you love garlic, this recipe is heavy on the homemade garlic butter! 

Why this air fryer garlic bread recipe works

• Making garlic bread is a great way to use up bread that’s getting a bit stale. And making your own is so much better than store-bought - you'll love this recipe!
• This easy garlic bread recipe can be made in advance and frozen so you'll always have some around for a last minute side dish.
• Air fryer garlic bread toasts up golden brown in less time than the oven, and it frees up oven space to bake up your main dish like this whole roasted Moroccan chicken.
• It’s so easy to customize this recipe. You can add cheese, cut back on the garlic (or add more!) and use any kind of bread you have on hand! You can also half the recipe or make a multiple batches.
• The recipe doesn't skimp on the garlic butter, so the bread is rich, buttery and garlicky! We could make a meal on it with a little crockpot marinara sauce on the side. So good!

Ingredients

For the full list of ingredients and their quantities, refer to the recipe card below.

You’ll need 1 baguette for this recipe - slice the bread into 1" slices. I normally use French bread (baguette), but you can also use Italian bread or any loaf of bread.

Butter is essential for garlic toast, so you'll need 10 tablespoons of unsalted butter to make this recipe. You’ll want to soften it to room temperature so it mixes easily with the garlic and seasonings. 

Speaking of garlic, you’ll need 8-10 cloves of minced garlic to mix in with the butter. Once minced, it will equal 5-6 tablespoons. For the best flavor, avoid the jarred garlic and go for fresh cloves. 

**You can use this sous vide garlic confit to get the most amazing results!!

Substitutions and variations

• You can substitute fresh parsley or chives for the Italian seasoning. Or use a mix of dried herbs like oregano or basil.
• If you’d like to make this garlic bread cheesy, just have some shredded mozzarella on hand!
• Substitute salted butter for unsalted if that's all you have. I actually really like the extra salt added when using salted butter!
• Mix in grated Parmesan cheese with the butter to make parmesan garlic bread.
• Sprinkle on some crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper to give the bread some heat.
• Mix in ¼ to ½ teaspoon of salt to the garlic butter mixture to give the bread more flavor.
• Substitute garlic powder for the fresh garlic if needed.

Step by step instructions to make garlic bread in the air fryer

1. Mix the butter, garlic, pepper, salt and Italian seasoning in a bowl.

2. Spread the garlic butter mixture on the slices of bread. Place in the air fryer in a single layer (you'll need to do several batches). Cook at 350°F for 5-7 minutes. Start checking at 4 minutes for doneness.

3. OPTIONAL: If you’d like to make it cheesy, once the garlic bread has cooked for 4-5 minutes, remove and top with shredded mozzarella (or any kind of meltable cheese).

4. Air fry for another 1-2 minutes, until the cheese is lightly browned and melted. 

Expert tips

1. I cut my baguette into 1-inch slices. If you cut your bread into thicker slices, it will end up with a softer texture and less crispy. Thinner slices will get extra crispy.
2. If your air fryer model requires preheating, go ahead and preheat it before adding the garlic bread. Preheating may result in the bread air frying a little faster.
3. Air fry the bread in a single layer. This means you’ll need to air fry in multiple batches. Since the air fryer is hot, additional batches may air fry a little quicker.
4. The garlic bread will brown and get crispy quickly, so start checking on it after 3-4 minutes.
5. This recipe is great to serve a crowd. For just a few people, you can definitely half the recipe or make a single batch.
6. Make sure the butter is brought to room temperature. You don’t want it melted, but it should be soft enough to mix together easily with the garlic and seasonings.
7. Different air fryer brands and models will vary, so you may need to adjust the temperature and air frying time slightly for this bread. 
8. Mix in ¼ to ½ teaspoon of salt to the garlic butter mixture to give the bread more flavor.

Frequently asked questions

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