Name: Grilled Bread (Garlic or Plain!)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Grilled
Ingredients: 8 slices of rustic bread; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced in half (optional); Butter (optional)

Grilled bread comes out perfectly toasted and charred! Use it as a base for appetizers, or make grilled garlic bread as a side dish.

Need a killer appetizer or side dish? Enter: Grilled Bread! There’s nothing quite like bread for soaking up the charred, smoky flavor of the grill. This recipe works two different ways: first, you can use it as a base for a summertime bruschetta or fancy toast. Or, make it as grilled garlic bread: a delicious side dish that’s fantastic for any summer meal! Here’s how to make it: both ways!

Ingredients for grilled bread

Grilled bread is delicious for appetizers, but honestly we love it as grilled garlic bread the most! Either way, you don’t need many ingredients for this recipe. Here’s what you’ll need:

Bread: any type of rustic artisan loaf will do! A good ciabatta is nice, but anything works
Olive oil: for brushing
Kosher salt: for sprinkling

If you’re going the garlic bread route, you’ll need garlic as well. You can finish the bread with olive oil or butter, but it’s not required. All you need to know: brush the slices with olive oil before throwing it onto the grill.

How to grill bread: temperature and timing

All you need to know about how to grill bread? The grill temperature and the timing. Once you’ve mastered that, just memorize it and make this bread on repeat. Here’s what to know:

Preheat the grill to medium high: that’s 375 to 450 degrees.
Cook on the grates 1 to 2 minutes per side. That’s it! You’ll want to be just started to get charred at the edges.

Make it as grilled garlic bread

Want grilled garlic bread? This recipe works for it too. The trick? Rubbing garlic on the bread. It sounds odd, but it really works! This is the method used in the Spanish tapas recipe, pan con tomate and it works like a charm.

Rub the cut side of a peeled garlic clove on the bread. This infuses massive garlic flavor into each toast! It doesn’t look like anything, but trust us! Take one bite and it’s perfectly garlicky.
Or, make garlic butter and brush it on after grilling. Follow the instructions in our Garlic Bread recipe.

Add toppings to make an appetizer!

Another way to use grilled bread? For summery appetizers and fancy toast! Here are some great ideas for ways to top this crunchy toast:

Bruschetta topping: Chop tomatoes, garlic, and basil to make a tangy classic Italian topping (add Balsamic Reduction to be fancy)
Whipped feta: Top with Whipped Feta Dip and honey (delicious!)
Goat cheese: Spread on goat cheese, honey, and fresh mint
Fruit: Try a layer of goat cheese or ricotta, then strawberries or blackberries and honey
Pesto: Add ricotta and basil pesto

What would you use for topping these tasty charred toasts? Let us know in the comments below!

More grill recipes

There are so many ways to grill up delicious treats in the summer! Here are some of our top grilled recipes:

Go for grilled fish like Grilled Salmon in Foil, Grilled Shrimp Salad, Grilled Tuna Steak or Grilled Fish Tacos
Grab a burger like Classic Salmon Burgers, Portobello Mushroom Burger or Veggie Burger Recipe
Opt for veggie grilled sides like Perfect Grilled Corn on the Cob, Grilled Veggie Kabobs, Baked Potato on the Grill and more
Try grilled desserts like Grilled Apples a La Mode, Grilled Peaches or Grilled Bananas

This grilled garlic bread recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based and dairy-free.