Garlic Bread, Meet Your New Best Friends: Lemon, Paprika, and Parmesan

There is nothing better than the smell of garlic drifting through the air after baking a fresh loaf of garlic bread. At my house, this comforting side to any pasta dish is a staple. Since my family has garlic bread so often, we have tried a lot of different varieties from pre-made butters to ready-to-bake loaves.

While still tasty, these varieties did not fully satisfy my family. As a result, my dad and I decided to make garlic bread from scratch in order to customize both the bread and butter. After countless times making the dish and testing new ingredients, my dad and I finally arrived at this recipe made with paprika, lemon juice, and parmesan. Everyone in my family instantly fell in love with this rendition of garlic bread and it has since become a household favorite. 

#SpoonTip: Soften your butter before starting the recipe. If you are unable to, try out these tricks.

Garlic Bread With Lemon, Paprika, and Parmesan

• Prep Time:15 mins
• Cook Time:10 mins
• Total Time:25 mins
• Servings:8
• Easy

Ingredients

• 2 sticks or 1 cup butter softened
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 8-10 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 3 tablespoons parmesan
• 1 loaf bread—try a French baguette
• 1 pinch paprika optional

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350ºF.

• Step 2

  Place butter into a large bowl. Use a beater or wooden spoon to further soften and aerate butter.
  #SpoonTip: Use (softened) butter spread instead of sticks if you prefer. If doing so, use one cup's worth of butter spread and skip step 3.

  

• Step 3

  Add olive oil to bowl and mix until fully incorporated.

• Step 4

  Add lemon juice and mix.

  

• Step 5

  Clean garlic cloves and chop them into smaller chunks.
  #SpoonTip: Try using a garlic press if you are not handy with a knife.

  

• Step 6

  Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and parmesan to the bowl and mix until incorporated.

  

• Step 7

  Cut bread in half lengthwise from end to end. Then, cut into desired thickness for each slice—roughly two inches is ideal. Place slices on a baking tray.

• Step 8

  Spread generous amount of garlic butter onto bread slices.

  

• Step 9

  Sprinkle slices with paprika (optional) and place in oven to bake for 10 minutes.

  

Don't be fooled by the looks of this dish. It may look like your average garlic bread, but its secret weapon lies in the subtle flavors it brings to the palate. The lemon juice, paprika, and parmesan add hints of tangy, salty, smoky goodness which enhance the already divine trio of garlic, bread, and butter. 

Eat a slice on its own or enjoy alongside your favorite Italian dish. I recommend trying it with a lasagna recipe or pasta dish. This recipe is made family style, so there will definitely be enough to share with a group (even though you may not want to). Trust me, you won’t regret trying out this twist on the classic garlic bread recipe.