Guy Fieri is known for his over-the-top personality and bleached hair on the popular Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. But he’s also built an empire of restaurants across the country serving his signature style of comfort food. One of his most popular appetizers featured at Guy’s restaurants is roasted garlic bread. This simple yet delicious recipe combines fresh, crusty bread with melty butter and cloves of roasted garlic for a warm, savory treat. In this article, we’ll walk through Guy Fieri’s step-by-step method for making his famous roasted garlic bread at home.
Guy Fieri’s Background
Before sharing the roasted garlic bread recipe, it helps to learn a bit more about the Mayor of Flavortown himself. Guy Fieri was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1968. After graduating from the University of Nevada Las Vegas with a degree in hospitality management, he worked at a variety of restaurants before opening his own place in Santa Rosa, California called Johnny Garlic’s. This allowed him to start developing his unique culinary style combining different flavors and food cultures into one menu. He went on to open Tex Wasabi’s in 2003, which was a bbq joint meets sushi bar concept.
Guy Fieri’s big break came in 2006 when he won the second season of The Next Food Network Star competition series. This led to him hosting Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives starting in 2007, where he traveled the country visiting local eateries known for their homemade classics and unique tastes. He was known for highlighting holes-in-the-wall and mom-and-pop establishments serving one-of-a-kind grub. The show was a huge hit and ran for over 30 seasons.
Guy Fieri has since become one of the biggest celebrities on the Food Network. He’s hosted various other shows like Guy’s Grocery Games, Guy’s Ranch Kitchen, Guy’s Big Bite, and more. He’s published several cookbooks and opened dozens of restaurants across the U.S. He’s also known for his spiky platinum hair, sunglasses worn on the back of his head, and boundary-pushing fashion sense featuring flames and loud prints. While he may be an over-the-top personality, Guy Fieri is beloved by fans who are drawn to his infectious enthusiasm and ability to highlight delicious comfort foods.
The Importance of Garlic Bread
Now that you know a bit about the chef behind this famous garlic bread, let’s discuss why the appetizer is so popular. Garlic bread is a classic accompaniment to many Italian dishes. It’s perfect for dipping in sauces or oils or can stand on its own as a snack or starter. The combination of butter, garlic, and bread creates a simple yet versatile dish with immense flavor.
Garlic contains a compound called allicin that provides its pungent aroma and taste. It also has health benefits like lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, improving the immune system, and reducing inflammation. When garlic is roasted, it becomes sweeter and more mellow in flavor. Spreading this roasted garlic on crusty bread enhances the flavor of the bread and makes each bite burst with flavor.
The rich, velvety texture of melted butter seeping into the warm bread also can’t be beaten. When paired with the roasted garlic, you get a compound butter packed with flavor in each bite. The butter helps the bread crisp on the outside while staying deliciously soft inside. Garlic bread is satisfying yet never overpowering. It’s the ultimate accompaniment to so many dishes, allowing the garlic flavor to shine through in each bite.
Ingredients Needed
Guy Fieri’s roasted garlic bread uses just a few simple ingredients that can easily be found at your local grocery store. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 fresh bakery Italian bread loaf, cut into 1/2 inch slices
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
The key is using a quality crusty Italian bread as the base – ciabatta and baguettes work well. Don’t use pre-sliced sandwich bread here. You’ll also need fresh garlic cloves and soft butter. The Parmesan and parsley add extra flavor but you can omit them if you don’t have them on hand.
Step-by-Step Method
Now, let’s get into how to actually make Guy Fieri’s famous roasted garlic bread. Here is the step-by-step method:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Place the sliced garlic cloves on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Seal the foil packet closed.
- Roast the garlic for 15-20 minutes until soft and fragrant. Allow to cool before handling.
- In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, roasted garlic, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mash together using a fork until well combined.
- Slice your bread loaf into 1/2 inch slices. You should get around 15-20 slices.
- Butter one side of each slice of bread liberally with the roasted garlic butter. Place buttered side up on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned and crispy on the edges. Remove from oven.
- Serve garlic bread immediately while still warm. Enjoy!
The roasting step helps mellow out the garlic’s flavor while also softening it. Combining it with soft butter ensures even coverage on each slice of bread. Baking the bread with the buttered side up allows the butter to seep in. In just 30 minutes, you can have freshly baked, warm garlic bread thanks to this easy recipe.
Pairing Suggestions
Here are some of Guy Fieri’s recommendations for what to serve roasted garlic bread with:
- Pasta dishes like spaghetti with meatballs, baked ziti, lasagna
- Soups and stews like minestrone, chicken noodle, tomato basil
- Salads like Caesar, caprese, Greek
- Pizza and calzones
- Grilled or roasted meats and vegetables
The roasted garlic bread can be served as an appetizer before the meal or alongside the main dish. The garlic flavor pairs well with most Italian cuisine. It also complements hearty soups, stews, and grilled meats. Get creative with unique flavor combinations at your next dinner party. Set out a baked brie topped with garlic butter alongside a loaf of the garlic bread for a delicious app. The possibilities are endless!
Make-Ahead Tips
You can make this garlic bread ahead of time with a few adjustments:
- Prepare the roasted garlic butter up to 3 days in advance. Store covered in the refrigerator.
- Slice and butter the bread up to 6 hours before baking. Cover with foil and keep at room temperature.
- Make sure the bread comes to room temperature before baking to crisp properly.
- Leftover baked garlic bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat individual slices in the oven or toaster oven.
Roasting the garlic and preparing the butter in advance saves you time on the day you want to serve the bread. Simply pull the butter from the fridge to soften when ready to use. Butter and store the bread slices at room temp until you’re ready to bake and serve.
Common Questions
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Guy Fieri’s famous roasted garlic bread:
Can I use a garlic powder instead of fresh garlic?
We don’t recommend using garlic powder. The flavor won’t be nearly as robust. Roasting fresh garlic cloves brings out their natural sweetness which pairs perfectly with the butter and bread.
What kind of bread can I use?
An Italian bread like ciabatta or baguette works best, preferably from a bakery. Don’t use cheap sliced sandwich bread here. You want a quality artisan loaf that will get crispy on the outside while staying soft inside.
Can I add other herbs or spices to the butter?
Absolutely! Some good options are rosemary, basil, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, or lemon zest. Get creative with different flavor combinations. Just keep the roasted garlic as the star ingredient.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Leftover baked garlic bread will last 3-5 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Reheat in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes. You can also freeze individual slices for up to 3 months. Reheat frozen slices in the oven or toaster oven.
Can I make garlic bread in the air fryer?
Yes, an air fryer works great! Butter the bread as directed. Air fry at 400°F for 3-5 minutes until crisp. Keep an eye on it as cook times can vary.
Nutrition Information
Here is the nutrition information for 1 slice of Guy Fieri’s roasted garlic bread (using ciabatta bread):
| Nutrition Facts | Per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 158 |
| Fat | 9g |
| Saturated Fat | 5g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 20mg |
| Sodium | 233mg |
| Carbohydrates | 16g |
| Fiber | 1g |
| Sugar | 0.5g |
| Protein | 3g |
As you can see, just one slice packs 9g of fat so the bread is quite calorie-dense. Feel free to cut the butter in half if looking for a lighter option. The garlic offers some micronutrients like vitamin C and manganese as well.
Price Breakdown
Here is a price breakdown for ingredient costs for a full batch of Guy Fieri’s roasted garlic bread serving 15 people:
| Ingredient | Price |
|---|---|
| Italian bread loaf | $5 |
| Garlic (3 cloves) | $0.30 |
| Butter (1/2 cup) | $0.75 |
| Parmesan cheese (2 Tbsp) | $0.25 |
| Parsley | $0.10 |
| Total | $6.40 |
| Per Serving | $0.43 |
This equals out to just $0.43 per serving – a great value for fresh, homemade garlic bread! The bread loaf is the most expensive part but you can likely find a local bakery that sells them for even cheaper.
Tips for Success
Follow these tips for foolproof, delicious roasted garlic bread every time:
- Use high-quality, fresh ingredients like crusty artisan bread and fresh garlic
- Roast the garlic low and slow to caramelize the sugars and mellow the flavor
- Allow the roasted garlic to cool before handling or it can turn bitter
- Use room temperature softened butter for even coverage on the bread
- Butter the sliced bread generously to allow the flavors to permeate
- Bake at 400°F until lightly browned around the edges
- Let the baked bread rest for 2-3 minutes before serving
- Serve warm alongside soups, stews, pasta, or grilled or roasted meats
With tender garlic roasted to sweet perfection, melted butter, and crispy edges on crusty bread, you can’t go wrong with Guy Fieri’s recipe for roasted garlic bread. This easy crowd-pleasing appetizer is sure to be a hit at your next Italian feast.
Conclusion
Guy Fieri’s roasted garlic bread recipe combines just a few simple ingredients to create incredible flavor. Roasting mellows fresh garlic cloves which get whipped into softened butter. Spreading the savory garlic butter on slices of crusty Italian bread and baking until crispy on the edges yields the ultimate garlic bread. This appetizer pairs perfectly with a variety of dishes from pastas and pizzas to soups, salads, and grilled meats. Made with simple supermarket ingredients, anyone can recreate this tasty Food Network star recipe at home. The hands-off roasting step allows the fresh garlic flavor to shine through. Crisping the buttered bread in the oven gives each slice a satisfying crunch. Next time you need an easy yet impressive appetizer, give Guy Fieri’s famous roasted garlic bread a try. Just be prepared for requests for second helpings!