Camping garlic bread is a campfire side dish staple. The warm toasted bread with melted garlic and herb butter is quick and easy to make (just 20 minutes!), and can be partially prepared before heading out to camp.
I'm not sure if I even really need to sell you on this campfire garlic bread recipe. I mean, who doesn't love warm toasted bread smothered in garlicky butter? It will disappear so fast that you'll probably want to make extra.
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Why This Recipe is Great for Camping
- You can mix up the garlic butter ahead of time so you've got less to do at camp.
- It's a fun and easy camping recipe that is quick to make. Even the kids can help with it.
- It's a great side dish for many camping meals, including campfire chili, Dutch oven beef stew, campfire Dutch oven lasagna, and more.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Butter--Mixing up the garlic butter will be easiest if your butter is very soft, but not melted. Leave it in a warm spot for 30 minutes, or give it a quick 10 second zap in the microwave to soften it. I use salted butter for my campfire foil garlic bread but if you've only got unsalted on hand, add a big pinch of salt to your butter mixture.
- Garlic--Since the garlic doesn't really get cooked, three cloves will give it plenty of pungent flavor. If you like your garlic bread to be a little more mellow, cut it back to two cloves.
- Dried parsley--This adds flavor and color to your bread. Feel free to substitute fresh, if you prefer.
- Bread--I highly recommend that you get a sturdy artisan-style baguette loaf that has lots of holes in the interior. This makes it perfect for catching and soaking up all that garlicky goodness. I use a small loaf (about 8 ounces), which is perfect for 4 servings but if you get a large loaf, be sure to double the amount of garlic butter.
Important Steps
- Mix the softened butter, garlic, and dried parsley in a bowl.
- Slice the loaf of bread in half lengthwise.
- Divvy the butter between the two halves of the bread and spread the butter evenly over each half.
- Place the two bread halves together, butter sides touching, and wrap the closed loaf in foil. Place on a campfire grate over hot coals and let the bread toast, flipping occasionally, until the butter is melted.
FAQs
You can prepare the garlic-parsley butter before heading out on your camping trip and keep it in the fridge for up to 1 week or wrap it in plastic and freeze it for up to 3 months.
The bread can be halved, spread with butter, and wrapped in foil up to 1 day before cooking, if stored in the fridge. You can also prepare it and freeze it, wrapped in plastic, for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before cooking, or cook directly from frozen, adding about 10 extra minutes to the cooking time.
Yes. Prepare your grill for indirect medium heat. When hot, place the foil wrapped garlic bread on the cool zone of the grill and cover. Let it heat until the garlic butter is melted and everything is hot.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- To get ahead, make your garlic butter before heading out on your camping trip.
- To avoid burning your bread, never place it over direct campfire flames. Always keep it over hot embers or coals. If it smells like it's burning, it probably is, and should be moved to a cooler area of the grate.
- Make extra garlic butter and use it for stirring into plain pasta or for melting atop seared or grilled steak.
More Easy Camping Side Dish Recipes You'll Love
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Recipe
Campfire Garlic Bread
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons salted butter very soft
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 small (8-oz) artisan style baguette
Instructions
- Prepare a campfire and let it burn down to hot embers. Do not cook the bread over open flame.
- In a small bowl, mix the butter, garlic, and parsley.
- Slice the bread in half lengthwise.
- Spread the garlic butter evenly over both cut sides of the bread. Sandwich the two halves of bread back together and wrap the loaf tightly in aluminum foil.
- Place it on a campfire grate over hot coals and let it cook, flipping once until warmed through, lightly toasted on the edges, and the butter is melted into the bread, 5 to 10 minutes per side.
- Carefully unwrap and slice the loaf in half to create 4 pieces. Enjoy!
Notes
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- Get ahead--Make your garlic butter up to 1 week before heading out on your camping trip.
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- Avoid direct flame--To avoid burning your bread, never place it over direct campfire flames. Always keep it over hot embers or coals. If it smells like it's burning, it probably is, and should be moved to a cooler area of the grate.
- Scaling the recipe--If using a large (1 pound) loaf, double the garlic butter mixture.
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