Rachael Ray’s Garlic Bread Is as Easy as It Gets. But Is It Too Good to Be True?

Growing up, I spent a lot of time watching 30 Minute Meals on the Food Network. I loved that Rachael Ray made all the dishes look delicious but still accessible, and I’m still a fan of her recipes to this day. So when I came across her five-star garlic bread recipe — described by reviewers as “better than store-bought” and “absolutely perfect,” it was a no-brainer to include it in my search for the best garlic bread.

At first glance, the recipe looked pretty straightforward and the directions were super short, so it already felt like a winner. Here’s what happened when I gave it a try.

You’ll start by melting the butter, crushed garlic, and extra-virgin olive oil on the stovetop or in the microwave. Then, split a loaf of crusty bread and toast it under the broiler until it’s golden-brown. When the bread is ready, generously spread the garlic oil on top, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional, but highly recommended). Top with chopped fresh parsley and pop it back under the broiler for 30 seconds. Slice the bread for serving, and that’s it!

This recipe is really flexible. You can use whatever type of bread you like (her only specification is that it needs to be crusty), and the addition of Parmesan is optional. In true Rachael Ray fashion, it’s simple and to the point.

That being said, I was a bit skeptical when I saw that the recipe only calls for two tablespoons butter. While a small amount of butter might be ideal from a health standpoint, let’s be real: Garlic bread isn’t about healthy eating, it’s about delicious, carb-y bread and garlic butter melting in your mouth. Unfortunately, as I anticipated, the bread-to-butter ratio was way off — you’d need a really small loaf to be able to liberally spread the garlic, butter, and oil mixture over the whole thing.

This recipe also suffers from a lack of garlic flavor. By crushing the garlic instead of mincing it, the oil and butter mixture doesn’t capture much of its flavor — especially not in the super-short cook time. Garlic, of course, should be the most prominent flavor in garlic bread, and that just wasn’t the case here. Overall, this recipe just didn’t do it for me.

Have you ever made Rachael Ray’s garlic bread recipe? Tell us what you thought!