This garlic bread is practically fool-proof! It’s easy to make and takes only a couple of minutes to throw together. Be warned, it’s a bit addictive and you likely won’t have any leftovers.
It pairs well with pasta, or serve it with appetizers like my Raw Tomato Salsa and Avocado Chimi. It is perfect for entertaining and the aroma will make your kitchen smell incredible. Everyone that I’ve made it for has loved it and I think that you will too!
The BEST Vegan Garlic Bread, served with homemade pesto pasta and broccoli, mixed greens, avocado, cherry tomatoes, yellow peppers and cucumbers. Photo by Love Wild Live Free.
the main ingredients
For this recipe, you will need fresh garlic (you can use garlic powder if you’re in a pinch), good quality extra virgin olive oil, vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast, sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, and, of course, your favourite bread. Traditionally, garlic bread is made with a long, thin loaf of bread such as a baguette or a crusty Italian bread like ciabatta. You can really use any type of bread that you prefer, even sliced sandwich bread would work if you're in a pinch. You can also opt for your favourite gluten-free bread if that is your preference. Since you'll be toasting everything up under the broiler, day old bread or bread that has been frozen works for this recipe.
garlic
I love cooking with garlic and make sure to always have some on hand. Garlic has been valued for thousands of years as a potent medicine. It has been used as an aphrodisiac, a purifier, a healer, strength-builder, antibiotic and immune-booster. Garlic has even been shown to benefit heart health, by preventing the hardening of arteries and deterring the clumping of blood, among other things. Many of the benefits of garlic come from naturally occurring sulphur compounds, such as allicin, that are also powerful detoxifiers for the liver and lymph system, as well as anti-inflammatories. What's more garlic, has been shown to help protect against cancer.*
To get the greatest health benefits from garlic, allow it to sit for 10 minutes after slicing/mincing, before cooking to allow the allicin (the major biologically active component of garlic) to form. Image source www.davidwolfe.com
nutritional yeast
Nutritional yeast, or “Nooch” as it’s lovingly referred to by vegans, is an ingredient that I use all the time. It is the secret weapon that vegan chefs use to give a cheesy flavour to dishes that would traditionally use dairy products. It gives things a umami flavour or savory taste. In this recipe I've used a sprinkling of this fairy dust to give the garlic bread a hint of cheesiness without any added dairy.
In addition to providing a cheesy flavor, nutritional yeast boasts a number of health benefits. It’s a complete protein, which means that it provides all 9 amino acids that the human body cannot produce itself. In fact, 2 tablespoons of nooch will give you 9 grams of protein, which is more than 1 oz. of beef (7g) or a large egg (6g)! Look for nutritional yeast like this one which is fortified with vitamin B-12.
DIY low-waste vegan parm
As an alternative to using nutritional yeast, vegan parmesan will take this garlic bread up a notch. It’s usually made with nutritional yeast and a base of nuts like cashews, or pumpkin seeds which I find work well too. There are many great pre-made vegan parmesans available - I really like Kelly’s Gourmet Cheezy Parm. It’s also easy to make your own using bulk items. My go-to recipe is the parm from Lauren Toyota’s cookbook: Hot for Food Vegan Comfort Classics: 101 Recipes to Feed Your Face. Her recipe always turns out nicely and is ready in seconds!
I've used a sprinkling Bob's Red Mill Nutritional Yeast to give my garlic bread a hint of cheesiness without any added dairy. Image source Yummy Mummy Club.
The BEST Vegan Garlic Bread
Make this bread a few minutes before you're ready to serve, as it is best served warm and fresh out of the oven.
Ingredients
1 loaf of your favourite bread - baguette, Italian bread, French bread, gluten-free bread etc.
1 to 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 to 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Fresh or dried parsley, to taste
Nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan (I like using the recipe from the hot for food cookbook), to taste
Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
(use organic ingredients)
Instructions
1. Slice bread into 1/3" slices, or thicker if you prefer. Place slices on an un-greased baking sheet in a single layer.
2. In a small bowl combine the garlic, extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper and parsley.
If you’d like to prepare this ahead of time, the mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. When you’re ready to use it, leave the container on the counter for a few minutes to allow it to come to room temperature as the oil will harden in the refrigerator.
Note: The measurements provided above are just a recommendation as your loaf of bread may vary from the size that I used. Ideally, you want to have enough oil to lightly coat both sides of each slice. Add more oil and garlic if needed based on the ratio of 1 to 2 cloves of garlic to every 2 or 3 tablespoons of oil.
3. Using a pastry brush or spoon, evenly coat each slice of bread on both sides with the oil mixture.
4. Place the baking sheet into your oven on the top shelf, under the broiler. Leave the door open a tiny crack and be sure to keep a close eye on the bread, as it can burn quickly. Once the edges are golden, remove the sheet from your oven and flip the slices. Place back under the broiler for another minute or so, until toasted to your liking.
6. Remove from oven and sprinkle with vegan parm or nutritional yeast.
Serve warm with your favourite homemade pasta dish, or with appetizers like my Raw Tomato Salsa and Avocado Chimi from Unbaked Cake Co.
My homemade garlic bread was truly the highlight of this recent feast:
I can’t wait for you to give this recipe a try! I'd love to see if you make this recipe - tag me when you share on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter so that I can see and share your creations!
Much love,
Avra
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Source:
*Savona, Natalie. Wonderfoods: The Best Nutrition and Recipes for Optimum Health. London: Quadrille Limited, 2006. Print.