Quick and easy frozen garlic bread in the air fryer is going to be your new favorite dinner side dish!
Enjoy frozen garlic bread with spaghetti, other pasta dishes, soups, or as an easy snack with a side of marinara sauce.
“Thank you! I used my air fryer to heat frozen garlic bread and I had to add a couple of minutes (I think my oven style runs a bit cooler if that makes sense? I often need to add a minute or two to the recipes I see) but other than that, the end result was perfectly crispy and soft! I'm going to try cheesy garlic bread next 🙂 Joanne”
Recipe Overview
Frozen garlic bread is one of my favorite dinnertime shortcuts. I always have a loaf or two in the freezer, ready to go for spaghetti and meatballs night or to serve alongside a bowl of creamy potato soup.
Garlic bread is also a delicious side with a healthy salad. Sometimes I make garlic bread to eat as a snack. All I need is some marinara sauce to dip it in and I am snacking happy!
Now that I can make frozen garlic bread using the air fryer, I make it even more often because it’s ready in about 6 minutes. This is a tasty and comforting shortcut that makes my life easier, and it will make yours easier too!
You can use these instructions to make any brand of frozen garlic bread you like in the air fryer, including frozen garlic bread with cheese. Grocery stores have lots of tasty garlic bread options in their freezer cases. Try them all in the air fryer!
Ingredients
This is the easiest air fryer recipe yet! All you need is your favorite loaf of frozen garlic bread.
Keep the bread frozen until you’re ready to cook it. There’s no need to thaw it first!
How to Make
- Slice the garlic bread in half (or in smaller pieces) so that the whole loaf will fit in your air fryer basket without overlapping.
- Add the pieces of frozen garlic bread to the air fryer basket.
- Air Fry at 360°F/180°F for 6-7 minutes, or until the bread is lightly browned and crispy.
- Slice into smaller pieces for serving, and serve immediately.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t Overcrowd: Frozen garlic bread will cook best in the air fryer if it is cooked in a single layer and not too crowded. If your air fryer is very small, you may not be able to fit the whole loaf. In a larger air fryer, you may be able to make more than one.
- For Extra Crispy Bread: Flip the garlic bread over halfway through the cooking time if you want your garlic bread to be extra crispy. Be sure not to flip the bread over if your garlic bread has cheese on it though, as the cheese will stick to the basket and make a big mess.
- Cooking Time May Vary: All air fryers cook a bit differently, so the amount of time that yours needs to perfectly cook frozen garlic bread may be slightly different than mine. Check on your food regularly and adjust as needed.
- For Easy Cleanup: Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper or use disposable parchment liners.
Frequent Pairings
You can make Spaghetti and Meatballs using your Air Fryer! Use the air fryer to make the meatballs first, then warm them up with sauce while you quickly make garlic bread.
For a healthier option, use the air fryer to make Spaghetti Squash in way less time than using the oven.
Eggplant Parmesan is another easy air fryer recipe, that is healthy too since you aren’t deep-frying it. I have a Gluten Free Air Fryer Eggplant Parm recipe too!
Do you like garlic knots? Check out my recipe for Garlic Knot Air Fryer Pizza!
How to Make Homemade Garlic Bread
You can make your own frozen garlic bread instead of buying it at the store. This is an excellent way to use a slightly less than fresh baguette or loaf of Italian or French bread. It’s also a great way to save a few bucks.
Make a garlic spread by mixing together 1 stick of butter, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, as much minced garlic as you want (3-5 cloves), and some Italian Seasoning.
Spread the garlic butter onto both sides of a sliced loaf of bread, and then freeze for up to three months!
It’s best to freeze each piece separately on a sheet tray first, then you can put the frozen pieces together and wrap them with plastic wrap or place them in a zip top bag.
When you’re ready to air fry the garlic bread, follow the recipe below and enjoy!
FAQs
Yes, and I highly encourage it. In fact, I generally encourage adding extra cheese to most things!
Add a handful of shredded mozzarella cheese, grated parmesan cheese, or a combination of both to the top of your garlic bread before cooking it in the air fryer.
Throw a couple of pepperoni on top to make easy garlic bread pizzas! Dip them in marinara sauce and you just made dinner or lunch in no time at all.
You can make frozen garlic bread and any of my air fryer recipes in either a basket-style air fryer or an oven-style one! If you’re using an oven-style air fryer, use the middle rack and choose the “Air Fry” function.
Sometimes oven-style air fryers cook faster, so be sure to keep an eye on your garlic bread so that it doesn’t burn.
This air fryer cooking method will work with cheesy frozen garlic bread too! Be sure not to keep the cheese facing up, and don’t flip the bread over or you’ll end up with a cheesy mess in your air fryer basket.
If you make your own garlic bread to keep in the freezer, the air fryer is an excellent tool for re-heating it quickly! It doesn’t matter if you are using a storebought, packaged garlic bread or a homemade recipe. Frozen garlic bread was meant to be cooked in the air fryer!
Frozen Garlic Bread in Air Fryer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 package frozen garlic bread
Instructions
- Slice the garlic bread in half or into smaller pieces in order to fit it into your air fryer basket.
- Place the garlic bread into the air fryer basket.
- Air fry at 360°F/180°C for 6-7 minutes, or until the bread is lightly browned and crispy.
- Slice and serve immediately.
Notes
- For nutrition details, please see the label on your specific frozen garlic bread package.
- Do not thaw garlic bread before cooking it in the air fryer.
- It’s important to cook the garlic bread in a single layer in the air fryer so the air can circulate and crisp up the bread. If you need to, air fry the garlic bread in batches.
- If you want, you can flip the garlic bread halfway through the cooking time to get the bread really crispy on both sides. However, if the garlic bread has cheese on top of it, do not flip it because the cheese will stick to the bottom of the air fryer basket and create a mess.
- Pro Tip: This recipe can be made in the air fryer unit with a basket or the air fryer oven. If you are using the air fryer oven, use the middle rack and select the “Air Fry” function.
- Pro Tip: Check your food as it cooks. Each air fryer runs a bit differently. Sometimes air frying is a trial and error process. Check your food as it cooks to learn your air fryer better! When cooking a new recipe or food items be sure to check your food often to help avoid over/under cooking.
Nutrition
Thank you! I used my air fryer to heat frozen garlic bread and I had to add a couple of minutes (I think my oven style runs a bit cooler if that makes sense? I often need to add a minute or two to the recipes I see) but other than that, the end result was perfectly crispy and soft! I’m going to try cheesy garlic bread next 🙂
Joanne