Air Fryer Garlic Bread
Updated Oct 01, 2026
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This easy air fryer garlic bread is crispy on the outside, soft and buttery in the center, and packed with fresh garlic. Learn how to make homemade garlic bread in the air fryer in just 5 minutes, no oven needed!
Quick Homemade Garlic Bread in the Air Fryer
In this house, once garlic bread hits the table, nothing else really stands a chance. My husband will happily add garlic to everything, and my younger daughter would happily make a meal out of bread alone. So, this air fryer garlic bread is practically inevitable around here. It’s crisp on the outside, soft in the center, and ready in just minutes. That gives me enough time to make garlic butter noodles, sheet pan lasagna, or chicken and white bean soup to serve alongside it.
Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Garlic Bread Recipe
- Perfect texture. Garlic bread in the air fryer gets crisp on the outside while the inside stays warm, soft, and buttery.
- Quick and easy. All you do is spread the butter, add the minced garlic, and let the air fryer do the rest. The bread is ready in 5 minutes.
- No oven needed. This garlic toast is great for nights when you don’t want to heat up the kitchen or pull out the sheet pans.
- Pairs with everything. Serve it with pasta, soup, or salads, or slice it up and serve it as a game-day appetizer with dipping sauces. Our kids are firmly team avocado lime ranch dressing and marinara, or this homemade ranch dip.
What You’ll Need
This air fryer garlic bread recipe uses a handful of simple ingredients, and you may already have everything you need.
- Bread. I like a soft French loaf best for air fryer garlic bread because it gets crisp around the edges while staying soft in the center. Italian bread also works well. Use an unsliced loaf so you can cut it to fit your air fryer basket.
- Unsalted butter. Make sure the butter is soft enough to spread easily. Salted butter can be used if that’s what you prefer.
- Fresh garlic. Adjust the amount based on how garlicky you like your bread. If you do not have fresh garlic, you can substitute garlic powder. Use 1 to 1½ teaspoons of garlic powder in place of the fresh garlic cloves.
- Dried parsley. Adds color and a light herby finish. Adjust the amount to taste.
How To Make Garlic Bread in the Air Fryer
From prep to plate, garlic bread in the air fryer takes about 10 minutes, which is exactly why it happens so often around here.
- Prep. Preheat the air fryer to 370˚F.
- Prepare the bread. Slice the loaf in half lengthwise. Slice each half again to get two top halves and two bottom halves. Spread about 2 tablespoons of softened butter over the cut side of each piece of bread.
- Add garlic and parsley. Mince the garlic and spread it evenly over the butter. Sprinkle with dried parsley.
- Cook. Place half of the bread into the air fryer basket. Air fry the garlic bread at 370°F for about 5 minutes, checking it around 4 minutes. Do not flip. The bread is ready when the edges are golden and crisp, and the center is warm and buttery.
- Slice and serve. Let the bread cool slightly. Cut each quarter into slices and serve warm.
Recipe Tips
- Soft butter matters. Make sure the butter is very soft so it spreads easily without tearing the bread.
- Watch the timing. Air fryers can cook differently, and thinner pieces of bread may toast faster. Keep an eye on your first batch and adjust the cooking time as needed.
- Hands off. Do not flip the bread while it cooks. This keeps the inside soft and buttery.
- Do not overcrowd the basket. Air-fry the bread in batches so air can circulate and the edges crisp up.
- Slice after cooking. Cutting the bread after air frying is faster and gives you a softer center.
Variations
- Cheesy garlic bread. Just like I do in my cheesy zucchini breadsticks, you can sprinkle shredded mozzarella, mild cheddar, or parmesan over the bread during the last 1 to 2 minutes of air frying.
- Extra herbs. You can also use Italian seasoning, your favorite dried herbs, or extra dried parsley for more flavor.
What to Serve with Garlic Bread
Air fryer garlic bread goes with just about anything, but anything saucy or soupy gets my vote. Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve it:
- Soups: Dunk it into a bowl of chicken gnocchi soup or classic tomato soup.
- Pasta: Serve it alongside spaghetti casserole or go all out with steak Alfredo.
- Salads: Pair it with a chef salad, or pile my heirloom tomato salad right on top of the bread.
- Main dishes: Add it to the side of air fryer steak or parmesan crusted chicken.
- Appetizers: Slice it into smaller pieces and serve it with baked shrimp dip or marinara for dipping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can cook frozen garlic bread in the air fryer without thawing it first. Arrange the pieces in a single layer and air fry at 370°F for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until hot and crisp. Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the bread, so keep an eye on it toward the end.
You can do either. Slicing before air frying gives crisp edges on every piece but takes more prep time. Slicing after air frying is faster and keeps the inside edges softer.
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Air Fryer Garlic Bread
Ingredients
- 1 loaf (14-ounces) French bread
- ½ cup butter, divided, softened enough to spread easily
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley, or use your favorite dried herbs
Instructions
- Prep. Set the air fryer to preheat at 370℉.
- Prepare the bread. Meanwhile, cut the bread in half, then slice each half longwise to get two top halves and two bottom halves.
- Add the butter and garlic. Spread 2 tablespoons of softened butter onto the cut sides of each quarter of bread. Mince the garlic and spread it over the butter on the bread slices. Then sprinkle on the parsley.
- Cook. Transfer two bread pieces at a time to the air fryer basket and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the bread is golden and crisp on the edges.
- Serve. Once done, let the garlic bread cool slightly, then cut each quarter into five slices and enjoy.
Equipment
Notes
- Make it cheesy. If adding cheese, sprinkle about ¼ cup shredded mozzarella over the bread during the last 1 to 2 minutes of cooking.
- Storage. Store leftover garlic bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 390°F for about 2 minutes, or until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerator. Store leftover garlic bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
- Freezer. This garlic bread can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
- Reheat. Reheat in the air fryer at 390°F for about 2 minutes, or until warmed through.
This is such an ideal way to make garlic bread! The outside was perfectly crispy and the inside perfectly buttery and garlicky! Ended up using 380 degrees because I do not have 375 on my Air Fryer, and it worked out perfectly!!!
I am very happy you enjoyed it! Thank you so much!