The Best Type Of Bread To Use For Garlic Bread (And The One You Should Avoid)

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Bread and butter are an inextricable duo, but adding garlic and herbs into the mix is the upgrade that no Italian American meal is complete without. Garlic bread is rich and aromatic, with a delightful contrast of toasted crunch and buttery, fluffy crumb. One of the keys to making homemade garlic bread is choosing the right type of loaf. To help us decide, we consulted Maxine Sharf, recipe developer and author of "Maxi's Kitchen: Easy Go-To Recipes to Make Again and Again," a cookbook debuting in March 2026.

Sharf's favorite type of bread for garlic bread is the French baguette, a choice she's backed up with research. "I once did a little A/B test with friends: One batch on a softer, fluffier baguette and another on a rustic, crustier baguette," she told Tasting Table. "It was actually a tie, with half preferring the softer bread because you bite right through it, and half preferring the crustier version for the extra chew and texture."

Baguettes are crusty loaves that hold up under the weight of a thick, pasty garlic butter mixture and any toppings like cheese and herbs you want to pile on top. They're also widely available at most bakeries, bread shops, and grocery store bakeries. Other crusty types of bread that work well include ciabatta, which we use in our own garlic bread recipe. Whichever bread you choose, 1-inch-thick slices are ideal.

Now that you know the best types of bread for garlic bread are crusty, firm, and sturdy, it's only logical, Chef Maxine Sharf says, to "avoid very soft sandwich bread or richer breads like brioche. They are too delicate, so they can collapse under the garlic butter and end up soggy instead of crisp." 

Baguettes have that crusty exterior and pillowy yet slightly dense crumb that soaks up and maximizes the rich, buttery garlic spread. In addition to garlic, Sharf also recommends adding cheese. "I usually sprinkle grated Parmigiano Reggiano on top of my garlic bread, whether I am using a rustic or softer baguette," she told us. "Parmesan adds a salty, nutty flavor that works with both." Asiago and pecorino Romano also bring a sharp nuttiness that stands up beautifully to garlic. If you want a melty, creamy, and buttery type of cheese to mix into the garlic mixture, go for mozzarella, provolone, or fontina.

Cheese is a great addition to garlic bread, but the garlic foundation is what makes it a beloved side dish. To that effect, Sharf opts for a butter-and-olive-oil formula for the garlic mixture because, she says, "the olive oil seeps into the bread and crisps up the bottom, while the butter adds that rich flavor." She also brings parsley to the compound garlic butter mix, which she thinks "looks beautiful and adds a fresh note."