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Irresistible Calabrian Garlic Bread

As seen in Classic American Comfort Dishes.

This garlic bread comes loaded with buttery roasted garlic and a pop from Calabrian chili. Start by popping the garlic in the oven until it turns soft and sweet. Blend it into softened butter with basil, parsley, parmesan, and chili paste. Slather your baguette with all that goodness. Bake the slices until they’re golden and crispy. Add extra parmesan on top for good measure. You end up with a crisp outside, soft middle, and loads of flavor. It’s one of those snacks everyone crowds around when it comes out.

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Breanna
Created By Breanna
Last updated on Sat, 21 Jun 2025 20:54:33 GMT
Bread piled with herbs and melted cheese on top. Save Pin
Bread piled with herbs and melted cheese on top. | foodiffy.com

Warm up your next hangout with this punchy Calabrian chili and herb garlic bread. A crusty baguette goes from plain to unforgettable with roasted garlic, zesty fresh herbs, and bold chili paste tucked in every bite—crunchy outside, fluffy inside, big flavor all around.

I first threw this spicy bread on the table for a casual night with buddies. It disappeared faster than anything else. Anytime Italian shows up for dinner, everyone asks for this bread first.

Irresistible Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter: bring it to room temp to blend easily and take charge of your salt game
  • Fresh garlic heads: roasting brings out their sweetness and makes the butter spread rich and mellow
  • Extra virgin olive oil: roasts your garlic golden and ups the flavor
  • Fresh basil and parsley: throw in a bunch of chopped herbs for a bright hit in every bite
  • Shredded parmesan cheese: sprinkles over the top for those crispy, melty bits
  • Calabrian chili paste: a fruity, fiery kick you won’t get from red pepper flakes
  • French or sourdough baguette: sturdy and chewy, perfect to hold all that garlicky goodness

Easy Steps

Roast the garlic bulbs:
Set your oven to 400. Cut the tops off garlic heads, show the cloves, pour oil over, sprinkle on salt and pepper. Wrap up in foil, roast about 40–50 minutes till super soft and golden at the core. Cool, and turn your oven down to 350 while you get things ready for baking.
Put together the chili-herb butter:
Mix your soft butter in a bowl with parmesan, lots of chopped basil and parsley, and a generous scoop of Calabrian chili paste. Season with a little salt and pepper. Squeeze those roasted garlic cloves right in (they come out easy). Stir till it’s all streaked with herbs and looks creamy.
Prep and butter the bread:
Slice your baguette into chunky pieces, about half an inch thick. Spread out on a tray with parchment. Smother each one all the way to the edge with the herby, spicy butter. Sprinkle extra parmesan for a golden, cheesy finish.
Bake till bubbly:
Slide the tray into your oven set at 350. Watch for butter to bubble and tops to turn lightly brown—takes 10 to 15 minutes tops. Don’t step away, the edges brown fast. Pull ‘em out, lay on more parmesan right away, and tuck in while they’re still crispy and hot.
A piece of bread topped with chopped fresh herbs. Save Pin
A piece of bread topped with chopped fresh herbs. | foodiffy.com

Once you roast garlic, you’ll get why it’s a game changer. I stumbled on it by accident and now I’m hooked. It turns sharp raw garlic into something creamy and almost sweet. Makes the whole butter spread nutty and deep.

Make Ahead

You can prep the bread way ahead if you want. Slather the slices, wrap in plastic, and stash in the fridge. When dinner’s on, just unwrap and bake—may need a tiny bit more time if ice-cold. The compound butter can hang out in your fridge for days, too. Let it soften up before spreading for best results.

Great Pairings

This is perfect with saucy pastas—think spaghetti and lasagna—or anything cheesy and creamy. It’s also awesome as part of an appetizer plate with cured meats, cheese, and olives. Grab it for soup night if you want to fancy things up just a bit.

Chili Tips

Calabrian chili paste is from southern Italy—seriously fruity and spicy, not like your usual chili flakes. Can’t find it at your store? Mix up some red chili flakes with a touch of honey. Add more or less depending on your crowd. If someone wants extra heat, let them pile more on their own piece.

Several bread slices finished with cheese and chopped herbs. Save Pin
Several bread slices finished with cheese and chopped herbs. | foodiffy.com

Common Questions

→ Is Calabrian chili paste needed?

Nope! Swap in your favorite chili paste or toss in some chili flakes for a similar kick.

→ What kind of bread is best here?

Go with a classic French baguette or sourdough. Either gives you that perfect crunch and chew.

→ Can I prep this ahead of time?

Totally! Roast up your garlic and get the butter mix ready. Later, just slather and bake.

→ What's the best way to store leftovers?

Stick extra slices in something airtight in the fridge for a couple days. Heat them up in the oven to bring back the crunch.

→ Is there a way to make this dairy free?

Oh yeah—grab some vegan butter and sprinkle on nutritional yeast instead of parmesan. Done!

Calabrian Garlic Bread

Loaded with bold Calabrian chili, roasted garlic, parmesan, and basil—cheesy, rich, and totally craveable.

Preparation Time
10 Minutes
Cooking Time
40 Minutes
Overall Time
50 Minutes
Created By: Breanna

Type: Comfort Food

Skill Level: Moderate

Regional Origin: American

Recipe Output: 4 Portions

Diet Preferences: Meat-Free

What You'll Need

01 1 crusty French or sourdough baguette
02 1/2 cup butter, soften it on the counter
03 1/4 cup parmesan (shredded), and you can toss on more
04 1/4 cup chopped parsley and basil
05 2 whole bulbs of garlic
06 Cracked black pepper
07 Kosher salt, however much you dig
08 1 teaspoon olive oil
09 Half a teaspoon Calabrian chili paste or just sprinkle in chili flakes

How to Make It

Step 01

Cut the baguette into big slices. Lay them on some parchment on a baking sheet.

Step 02

Chop the tops off the garlic heads, drizzle oil, sprinkle some salt and pepper on top. Wrap them up in foil and pop into a 400°F (205°C) oven. Leave them roasting for like 40–50 minutes till they're super soft and golden.

Step 03

Once your roasted garlic's mashable, pull from the oven to cool. Then set your oven down to 350°F (175°C).

Step 04

In a mixing bowl, drop in your softened butter. Squeeze those buttery roasted garlic cloves right in. Throw in basil, parsley, parmesan, chili paste, more salt and pepper if you want. Mix like crazy so it’s all together and fluffy.

Step 05

Spread a thick layer of your buttery mix over each bread slice. Add a bit more parmesan if you want. Into the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10–15 minutes until the toast gets crunchy on the edges and melty inside.

Step 06

Take out from the oven. Pile on a little more cheese while it’s warm and eat right away.

Additional Tips

  1. Go for super fresh herbs and good parmesan, you'll taste the difference.
  2. The chili paste wakes it up, but chili flakes do the trick if that's what you've got.

Must-Have Tools

  • Small mixing bowl
  • Chef's knife
  • Parchment paper
  • Baking sheet

Allergy Details

Double-check all ingredients for allergens and consult a professional if unsure.
  • Has dairy (butter, parmesan cheese)
  • Has gluten (baguette)

Nutrition Details (Per Serving)

Please treat this information as general guidance and not as personalized health advice.
  • Calories: 211
  • Fat Amount: 24 g
  • Carbohydrate Count: 0.02 g
  • Protein Content: 0.2 g