Polly’s No-Garlic Garlic Bread

Say what now? No-Garlic Garlic Bread?

I guess I could’ve called it Parmesan Onion bread, but there are so many ideas of what Parmesan Onion Bread might be, I don’t think that anyone will have a clear idea of what will be served. No-Garlic Garlic Bread is much more descriptive. Everyone knows what garlic bread is, so No-Garlic Garlic Bread is a good name, right? Everyone will have a clue, right?

I came up with No-Garlic Garlic Bread decades ago, and have been making it consistently ever since. I serve No-Garlic Garlic Bread with pasta, soups, casseroles, main dish salads, BBQ, and as a spread for toasted sandwiches. A few years ago I showed my Girl Scout troop how to make it, and it was a hit, they remembered it and clamored to make it again the following year!

Other people have asked for the recipe, too, and I have told them, but this is the first time I have actually written the recipe down.

It starts with that cheapie loaf of French bread from the supermarket. NOT the good loaves. NEVER, EVER the good loaves—only the cheapest, unsliced loaves of French bread will do.

This is what they look like. Even with today’s inflated food prices (July ’25), they’re only $1.99 at my local Safeway.

Once you have the bread, grab some spices from your spice cabinet, and a cube of butter and some grated parmesan cheese. Oh! You’ll need some foil, too 🙂

Polly’s No-Garlic Garlic Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cube salted butter (4 oz, ½ cup), softened
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup dried onion flakes
• 2 Tablespoons dried parsley

DIRECTIONS

I use an electric mixer, but there’s no reason this can’t be mixed by hand.

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine all ingredients and mix well.
3. Cut the French loaf in half, vertically, so you have two long halves.
4. Spread the butter mixture over both sides of the bread.
5. Put both sides of the bread together, buttered side in, and wrap in foil.
6. Place foil wrapped loaf on a baking tray.
7. Place in preheated 350° oven for 25 minutes, then remove from oven.
8. Preheat broiler.
9. Remove the bread from the foil and place each half, buttered side up back on the baking tray.
10. Place tray under broiler and, watching carefully, broil for 2-3 minutes or until bread is a nice toasty brown.
11. Remove tray from broiler and place bread on a cutting board.
12. Slice and serve!

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today!