This recipe answers two questions that have when I'm charcoal grilling:
- What can I serve as a side dish, without having to cook in the kitchen?
- I've got this big pile of coals, and they're still hot. What can I do so they don't go to waste?
*It also answers "What do I do with this extra bread we've got lying around, before it goes stale", but that's a different question.
I'm always looking for a side dish you can grill, and grilled garlic bread is one of my go-to answers for that.
This version is a side dish for my Grilled Ribeye Steak with Herb Butter recipe. It uses leftover herb butter and the herb basting brush you'll have when you're done with the steaks. If you're not cooking the steaks, don't worry. This is a very flexible side dish that you can adapt it to almost anything you're making.
📖 Recipe Card
Grilled Garlic Bread
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Thick slices of good bread brushed with garlic herb butter and grilled until golden - an easy side that uses up the coals after the main course.
Ingredients
Bread
- Thick slices of good bread (I used a French peasant boule, cut 1 ½ to 2 inches thick)
Mediterranean Herb Butter
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Slice the bread: Slice the bread 1 ½ to 2 inches thick.
- Prepare the grill: Set up your grill for direct low heat, and brush the grate clean. I usually use the leftover coals after cooking the main course, or turn a burner or two of my gas grill down to low. From scratch, light a half-full chimney of charcoal, and spread it in a loose single layer over one side of the grill.
- Make the herb butter: Put the herb butter ingredients in a small bowl, and microwave until the butter melts and the garlic starts to sizzle, then stir. Make an herb brush by tying sprigs of thyme and rosemary together at the stems, or use a regular basting brush.
- Grill the bread: Brush one side of the bread with herb butter, and put it butter side down over the coals. Brush the top side with butter. Grill until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes, checking often. Flip, and grill the other side until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes more.
- Serve: Move the bread to a plate, brush once more with the herb butter, and serve.
Notes
Equipment: A grill (I used a Weber kettle) and a basting brush - I like the Oxo silicone basting brush, or make an herb brush like in my grilled ribeye recipe.
Watch the bread like a hawk - it goes from golden to burnt in a heartbeat. A little black is OK; scrape off any big burnt spots like burnt toast, and brush with more herb butter.
This is a great side for my grilled ribeye steaks - use the leftover herb butter and herb brush.
Bread: Any good bread works - baguette, Italian bread, five grain bread, or no-knead bread.
Cheese: Sprinkle grated Parmesan or pecorino on the bread after flipping; it melts while the bottom grills.
Crostini: Use olive oil instead of butter in the herb butter. For a really authentic version, grill the bread dry, then rub it with a cut garlic clove and drizzle with olive oil.
Pan con tomate: After grilling, rub the bread with half a tomato.
Grilled Texas toast: Skip the herbs, and add an extra clove of garlic. For cheesy Texas toast, top with shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack or Mexican blend cheese after flipping.
Grilled garlic bread with creamy goat cheese is a match made in heaven.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
Questions? Comments? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
Related Posts:
Here's my recipe for Grilled Ribeye Steaks with Mediterranean Herb Butter.
Here's my recipe for Grilled Asparagus.
Inspired by:
Steven Raichlen's "Barbecue U"
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