Air Fryer Garlic Bread

Garlic Bread Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.

• Bread - I like to use Italian bread or a loaf of French bread (instead of a crusty baguette) to get those soft, thick slices.  
• Butter - Half a stick of softened butter. Salted or unsalted both work—just reduce the added salt if you're using salted butter.
• Garlic - As in all garlic recipes, the key to a true garlic flavor is to use lots of fresh garlic cloves.
• Olive oil - A touch of olive oil helps make the butter more spreadable, allowing the bread to absorb the garlic butter without browning too quickly.
• Parsley - Use freshly minced or dried parsley. Fresh parsley adds a little bit of freshness and a pop of green color.
• Salt: You need salt to make the flavors pop. Skip it if using salted butter.

Best type of bread

The best bread for air-fried garlic bread is Italian or French bread loaf. It is soft enough to soak up all the garlic butter spread without getting too crispy as it air fries.

Baguettes, tend to get hard and don’t soak up the garlicky butter as readily as a slightly softer loaf, in the short air frying time.

How to Make Garlic Bread with Pre-Sliced Bread

Pre-sliced bread is a quick, convenient option—perfect for smaller portions or fast prep. Just keep an eye on slice thickness, as thinner slices may soak up more butter and crisp up faster in the air fryer.

Variations

• Parmesan - Stir in some finely grated parmesan cheese along with the garlic butter for some umaminess.
• Cheese - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese during the last minute of air frying and let the cheese melt - An epic cheesy garlic bread in air fryer!
• Spicy - Add a dash of red pepper flakes for a hint of spiciness.
• Herbs - Skip parsley and stir in Italian seasoning or dried oregano.
• Make it vegan - Simply substitute the regular butter with vegan butter.
• Garlic Powder: A dash of garlic powder in addition to the freshly minced garlic brings home more garlic flavor!
• Pesto - Stir in some basil or sun dried tomato pesto into the garlic butter.

How to make garlic bread in air fryer (step-by-step photos)?

You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.

1. Cut the bread into ¾-inch thick slices.

2. Mix butter, olive oil, garlic, parsley and salt together in a small bowl, until well combined.

3. Spread some garlic butter on one side of each slice.

4. Place 2 or 3 slices into your air fryer basket and cook at 340°F for 4 to 5 minutes, or it is golden brown on top. Remove and cook the remaining slices.

Freeze it for later

This air fried garlic bread recipe is freezer-friendly! It’s such a great way to have a delicious side on hand at any time. Here’s how to freeze it:

1. After slathering the bread slices in the homemade garlic butter mixture, place them in a single layer in a baking sheet and freeze for about 2 hours or until partially frozen.
2. Transfer the slices into a zipper bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
3. When ready to eat, add the frozen garlic bread slices to your air fryer and air fry as directed — you may just need to add 3-5 more minutes.

Recipe tips

• Make a large batch - Double the recipe and cook in batches.
• Use a softer bread such as Italian or French bread and not baguettes.
• Skip preheating the air fryer—this allows the garlic to brown slowly and gives the butter time to melt into all the nooks and crannies of the bread.
• Gralic butter mixture can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for a few days. Be sure to bring it to room temperature before using.
  

How to avoid burning the garlic in the air fryer?

Here are some tips to help you achieve perfectly toasted garlic flavor in the air fryer without burning -
1. Make sure to chop the garlic into even thickness, which reduces the risk of smaller chunks burning while others remain undercooked.
2. Cook in a lower temperature, which gives you more control over the air frying process and help prevent burning.
3. Garlic can go from golden brown to burnt relatively quickly, so check the air fryer periodically, especially as you approach towards the end of the air frying time.

What to serve with air fried garlic bread

• Thick, luxuriously creamy Instant Pot Tomato Soup is perfect for dunking the bread slices.
• Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup is rich, yet light and is packed with deliciousness, making it the perfect accompaniment.
• Cheesy Baked Chicken Meatballs in Sauce is a tasty main dish for this bread.
• The Spicy Kale Pasta sauce packs a punch!
• Arrabbiata Sauce is spicy, vibrant, and perfect for soaking.
• Garlic Parmesan Sauce is lusciously creamy, full of flavor, and terrific as a dipping sauce for the garlicky bread.