Garlic bread is one of the most popular side dishes eaten around the world. It works great as an appetizer or a side to accompany just about any meal. If you’re someone who’s recently found out they have a gluten intolerance, or you’ve decided to follow a gluten-free diet, you may then wonder if gluten-free garlic bread is an option.
While traditional garlic bread is made using wheat bread, such as a sourdough loaf or a baguette, it can also be made with gluten-free bread. First, simply choose your favorite gluten-free bread, then follow the normal process of toasting it with minced garlic and butter.
In this article, we will talk about garlic bread, how it’s made, and whether or not there is a gluten-free alternative. So keep reading! We have everything you need to know about gluten-free garlic bread.
The History of Garlic Bread?
Garlic bread is a type of bread flavored with garlic, butter, olive oil, and spices. It is one of the most popular additions to any traybaked meal aswell as a great appetizer and side dish worldwide.
The Italians created garlic bread a few centuries ago and eventually brought the delicacy to the western world over time. It stems from bruschetta, an Italian dish that dates back to the 15th century and may even have been a dish served in the Ancient Roman empire.
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Many believe the Romans invented garlic bread to serve at their banquets as an appetizer. Nonetheless, garlic bread has remained one of the most popular additions to meals such as lasagna, spaghetti, tomato soups, stews, and even pizza.
How is Garlic Bread Traditionally Made
Traditionally garlic bread was made with a sourdough loaf like ciabatta or a long Italian white loaf, similar to a baguette. The long bread is partially cut open lengthwise, stuffed with minced garlic, butter or olive oil, and often topped with oregano and chives.
The loaf is then usually wrapped in foil and baked in an oven to melt the butter so that the minced garlic mixes with the butter as it melts, and absorbs into the bread. The bread is then served in slices as an appetizer or as a side for your main meal.
Others like to serve the garlic bread as a loaf from which individual servings are torn off as it’s passed around. The garlic bread can also be served as an appetizer topped with meats, chutney, pesto, or cheeses.
Can You Make Gluten-Free Garlic Bread?
As garlic bread is traditionally made using sourdough bread like ciabatta, an Italian long bread, or a french baguette, it will typically be made using wheat which is full of gluten. For anyone following a gluten-free diet, this traditional way of making garlic bread makes it impossible to enjoy.
Luckily, there are now multiple ways for someone who suffers from gluten intolerance to enjoy this side dish with their meals, as there are various ways to make gluten-free garlic bread.
Making gluten-free garlic bread couldn’t be easier. The first step involves using a loaf of gluten-free bread, and since there are now numerous choices you can pick up from your local supermarket, you can pick your favorite. From here, the process is simple, add your minced garlic and butter or oil and bake.
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Some great choices are Happy Campers Hemp Hooray, an excellent organic, gluten-free bread; Canyon Bakehouse Ancient Grain Bread, a gluten-free bread free of soy; and Little Northern Bakehouse Seeds and Grains, which is the best for someone suffering from multiple food allergies.
Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Garlic Bread Recipe
Below is a super quick and easy recipe where you can have fantastic garlic bread in minutes. The recipe goes as follows:
- Start by preheating your oven to around 200’C / Gas Mark 6 / Fan 180’C
- Heat your butter on the pan or stick it in the microwave for fifteen seconds to get it soft.
- Mince your garlic and add it into a bowl with the butter, parsley, oregano, and sea salt, giving it a good mix.
- Slice your gluten-free bread into palm size slices, covering each slice with a generous amount of the mixture before placing them into the oven.
- Let them bake for around ten minutes until they are golden brown on top.
- Serve straight away as an appetizer or to accompany your main dish of the evening.
Make Your Garlic Bread Dairy-Free
If you would like to make garlic bread that is both gluten-free and dairy-free, for someone who has a gluten intolerance and follows a vegan diet, it is no hassle whatsoever.
First, all you need to do is grab your gluten-free bread and swap out the butter for a dairy-free alternative such as margarine or olive oil, depending on your preference. The olive oil tends to add a really nice crunch to the garlic bread.
As long as you remember to add in plenty of minced garlic, you can make garlic bread that’s both gluten and dairy-free, and your guests will struggle to tell the difference.
Gluten-Free Bread Benefits
Eating gluten-free bread can have many benefits, the most apparent being that someone suffering from gluten intolerance or who has decided to follow a gluten-free diet can then enjoy bread and garlic bread.
From a nutritional standpoint, however, the majority of gluten-free bread holds a lot less nutrients, such as fiber and protein, when compared to wheat-based bread. Additional nutrients are often fortified into wheat bread during their production.
Unless you are someone who suffers from celiac disease or another gluten intolerance, there is likely no need for you to refrain from eating glutinous bread, nor is there much or a benefit.
Final Thoughts
So, if you have been wondering what’s the best way to make gluten-free garlic bread, now you have all the answers you need to go and enjoy this tasty side without worrying about your gluten diet or intolerance.
Whether you decide to opt for the traditional garlic bread made from wheat, or prefer to go for a gluten-free bread; that garlic flavor that we all love can still be enjoyed.