13 Frozen Garlic Breads, Ranked Worst To Best
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When it comes to comfort food, one of the most satisfying and flavorful carbs to indulge in is a slice or two of garlic bread. Perfect to pair with pasta, soups, or just have on its own, the incredibly seasoned bread is made complete with butter, herbs, and of course, garlic. Though you might try to have it as an appetizer when you go out to Olive Garden, many can't hold back when it comes to the delicious bread, and for good reason. Famous chefs, including Guy Fieri, even have their own spins on garlic bread, though the simple, herby bread is delicious in all forms.
Sometimes, however, you may not be able to drive all the way to the closest Olive Garden — or any other restaurant — that offers quality garlic bread. Though it's not the most difficult recipe to follow in your own kitchen, it's much easier to grab a pack of frozen garlic bread from the grocery store. Pop the bread in the oven, and enjoy it moments later. There are many different types of frozen garlic bread to choose from, ranging from toast to breadsticks. Here's a list of 13 frozen garlic breads ranked from worst to best.
13. Gillian's Gluten Free Garlic Bread
Let's be honest: most of the entries on this list are still going to taste fairly good, since we are talking about garlic bread, albeit frozen garlic bread. The first entry on this list still tastes decent as a bread to side with some marinara pasta, though it lacks as much of the "garlic bread" taste, as opposed to a plain sliced baguette. Gillian's Gluten-Free Garlic Bread is the first garlic bread on this list, and we appreciate a gluten-free garlic bread option for anyone who still wants it, despite their need to avoid gluten.
Gillian's bread comes separately sliced and topped with parsley. However, there is little to no garlic or parsley on the bread, and if you look at the list of ingredients in the garlic bread, garlic and parsley are two of the least prevalent ingredients on the list (parsley is the last ingredient listed). While we aren't looking for an overbearing amount of herbs, butter, or garlic, those three things that make garlic bread the amazing carb that we all adore. When it comes to frozen garlic bread, Gillian's didn't really meet our expectations, and we suggest looking at the other options in stores.
12. New York Bakery Texas Toast with Real Garlic
If you're trying to think of the best place to get quality garlic bread, the middle of New York might not be the first place that comes to mind. While it's more known for hot dogs and pizza, there is a wide variety of different cuisines in New York — garlic bread from New York isn't something to be too surprised about. New York Bakery is a brand that specializes in all things bread and has a good amount of cheese bread, croutons, and of course, garlic bread. Amongst its products, New York Bakery also has a Texas toast that's garlic-flavored, though not as flavorful as we had hoped.
The company's Texas Toast Garlic Bread may be made with real garlic, but some batches of the bread have so little garlic that the bread is more like buttered toast. Texas toast is generally much larger than a regular slice of toast, and these bread slices are a bit smaller, resulting in an unsatisfying side dish. Even on the company website, this garlic bread doesn't have that high of a rating, only receiving 2.7/5 stars by consumers. We wouldn't suggest buying this New York-made Texas toast — try out other garlic products instead.
11. Market Pantry Frozen Garlic Bread
The problem with many of the lower-ranked frozen garlic breads on this list is that they're missing a solid amount of garlic, herbs, or butter. While we could make do without excess amounts of butter or herbs, if your garlic bread doesn't have a decent serving of garlic on it, can you really consider it garlic bread? When you walk into a frozen food aisle of a Target store, you'll find several different frozen bread options, including one under the company's own brand. If you're trying to make the best choice of frozen garlic bread, it would be best for your taste buds not to select this Target option and go for a different bread instead.
Market Pantry's Garlic Frozen Bread may say it contains garlic in its list of ingredients, but when it comes to taste, we could barely pick up the crucial garlic taste that makes a quality garlic bread as flavorful as it is. The garlic was there, but it was very difficult to pick up, along with the herbs. It ultimately tasted like a buttered baguette with a slight garlic note, which isn't what we're looking for with a good frozen garlic bread. It isn't the worst thing to grab from Target if you need to put together a quick pasta meal, but it certainly isn't the best.
10. Food Club Garlic Authentic Hearth Baked Breadsticks
There are many different ways to have your garlic bread: as an appetizer, a side, an entrée; in a knot, sliced, or in breadstick form. You may perhaps be most familiar with garlic breadsticks through Olive Garden, as the herby appetizers are highly addictive and unforgettable once you've had them. The garlic breadsticks are over 50% of the reason to go to the pasta-centric restaurant, and if you were to tell us you could replicate that incredible Olive Garden taste in frozen garlic bread form, we would be over the moon. Food Club's Garlic Authentic Hearth Baked Breadsticks are solid breadsticks, but they don't really capture the same incredible taste.
When it comes to garlic breadsticks, if done correctly, they are one of the finest ways to get your garlic fix. These breadsticks are coated with garlic and taste exactly how you would expect them to: like butter and garlic. Though they weren't terrible, we wish the breadsticks didn't have as much of the garlic topping, as much of the actual topping fell off the bread upon consumption. Furthermore, we hoped for a little more of the herbs on the garlic bread, as the garlic powder overpowered the small number of herbs that were actually there.
9. Bagel Bites Cheesy Garlic Bread Mini Bagel Frozen Snacks
You might be surprised to hear us talking about Bagel Bites on a garlic bread list, as the brand is better associated with its tiny bagel pizzas that are easy to pop in and out of a microwave or oven. They may not be the most gourmet snack to make, but when you're feeling tired or lazy after a long day at work, Bagel Bites are a perfect, cheesy pizza snack that is both filling and delicious. While it's more known for its pepperoni and three cheese bagel pizzas, Bagel Bites also has a garlicky option that can be found through several online retailers.
The Cheesy Garlic Bread Snacks Bagel Bites may have "garlic" in the name, but they don't taste a lot like garlic bread. This is likely due to the large amount of cheese on the snack, and although there is a slight herby note, we couldn't really pick up any actual garlic in the bagel bites. When looking at the ingredients, you'll notice that the garlic isn't that prevalent. This left us quite disappointed with these Bagel Bites, and although they were decent, they didn't meet our garlic bread standards. We don't suggest purchasing these if you want good frozen garlic bread.
8. Signature Select Garlic Bread
Safeway isn't known for being the cheapest of stores, nor is it known for having the most expensive quality goods. It falls somewhere in the middle of it all, but it is still a major grocery store chain with over 900 locations spanning 19 different states in the US, as well as Washington DC (per Safeway). The grocery store does have an incredible selection of food, including frozen garlic bread. Like the store itself, however, it isn't the worst but isn't the best.
Signature Select Garlic Bread is hearth-baked, made with crushed garlic, and takes 10-15 minutes to bake in the oven. The bread comes out crisp and golden-brown with a pretty decent garlic taste. There's nothing that really stands out about this garlic bread, though. It's a bit on the burnt, crunchy side, which may be a hit or miss depending on how you like your bread. The garlic bread itself is good, but pretty average in the grand scheme of things. If you need to grab garlic bread quickly and this is the first loaf you come across, you won't be upset by this frozen option, but you won't be blown out of the ballpark, either.
7. Pepperidge Farm Garlic Texas Toast
If you've ever walked down the bread aisle of most grocery stores, you've likely noticed all of the different Pepperidge Farm loaves that line the store shelves. Not only is the brand known for its sliced bread, but it also has incredible cookies that always seem to be in style, especially during the holidays. This list isn't about its cookies, though — instead, we're going to focus on the frozen garlic bread the company features. It might not be as popular as the brand's Milano cookies, but Pepperidge Farm's Frozen Garlic Texas Toast can be found in the frozen food aisles of many stores. Best of all, it doesn't do too poorly as an appetizer or side.
There are eight slices of the Texas toast in a single box, and the back of the box claims that it's made with real butter, parsley, and garlic. While it wasn't as garlicky as other frozen breads on this list and it wouldn't be our first choice, it was still crunchy and buttery with a nice note of parsley. Though we wouldn't want to eat this frozen product as much as other garlic breads on this list, this would be something we'd pair with a quick, easy-to-make pasta dish.
6. Wegman's Garlic Bread
The next garlic bread on this list comes from Wegmans. The eastern-based grocery store isn't the biggest chain in the US, with only 106 locations in the country (via Wegmans), but has a strong following amongst those who have shopped in the stores. Most grocery stores will carry their own version of frozen garlic bread, and Wegmans is no different. Unlike other stores, such as Target or Walmart, the store doesn't sell the bread under a different brand name. You'll find Wegmans Garlic Bread in most Wegmans you'll shop at, though it isn't as good as other store-bought frozen garlic products you'll find out there.
The garlic bread comes in sliced form, but because it is frozen and connected together, the bread is a bit more difficult to separate and extremely difficult to cook thoroughly. The bread also doesn't have a lot of herbs and garlic baked within, making it more like an average baked, butter-coated baguette. Since Wegmans aren't available across the country, this frozen garlic bread isn't as accessible as others. This means if you don't live nearby one of these stores, you don't have to fret — you aren't missing much.
5. Aldi's L'oven Fresh Garlic Knots
When you walk into an Aldi, you might not expect the highest level of quality from the store brand food. However, Aldi has extremely convenient prices and also surprisingly tasty products on its shelves. One of the greatest things about Aldi is the wide variety of different frozen foods you can find. This next option of frozen garlic bread was something that we would almost believe came out of an Olive Garden if you didn't tell us otherwise, and it's a savory garlic option at a wonderful price.
A bag of L'oven Fresh's Garlic Knots contains eight garlic knots to serve a family or binge on your own, and they can be baked in a microwave or oven. These garlic knots had a helpful amount of garlic and were coated in a buttery layer that came out brilliantly after the bread was baked. While the taste of parsley or other herbs wasn't as prevalent as we would have liked, the garlic knots ultimately exceeded our expectations with what we'd expect to find at an Aldi. If you're ever shopping in this store, we recommend picking up a bag to try.
4. Great Value Garlic Breadsticks (Walmart)
What is there not to say about Walmart? The store is one of the largest retailers in the country, and it has more than 10,000 locations around the globe (per Statista). The chain has a wide variety of different goods, all at fairly reasonable prices. With all of the different brands and products it carries, it's only natural that it has garlic bread. While you can find non-frozen garlic bread in its bakery section, you can also find its Great Value Garlic Breadsticks in the frozen food aisle.
These breadsticks are not only sold at a good price but are tasty as well. They're soft, buttery, and filled with flavor. They are prebaked, so it's easy to heat up the garlic bread and binge on two — or even five — of the twisted sticks. The garlic and herbs are on top of the bread and baked into it, and these are perfect to have as a meal, an appetizer, or just as a side for pasta, pizza, or salad. Seeing as Walmarts are easily found, it's likely that you'll come across these garlic breadsticks, and we highly suggest you try them out.
3. Parmesan Garlic Breadsticks (Frozen)
There aren't a lot of foods that can top garlic bread, except for more garlic bread. The garlic, herbs, and butter all balance each other out brilliantly, creating a harmony of flavors upon being consumed. You don't really need to add anything else to an entree that is already so well received by the public, but in some cases, adding a little something can make your garlic bread all the better — like cheese. Certain cheeses, like sharp cheddar and Colby Jack, might overpower the garlic and herbs if used in excess. When done correctly, however, cheesy garlic bread can really elevate a meal.
Furlani Frozen Parmesan Garlic Breadsticks are some of the most well-made garlic products you'll find in the frozen food aisle, with an incredible balance of parmesan, cheese, and garlic. They can be popped in and out of an oven in just four minutes, and when finished, they're extremely similar to what you might find at a high-end restaurant. With the addition of parmesan, the breadsticks also have a light cheesy note to them that many other frozen garlic breads lack. If you ever see these breadsticks on store shelves, we highly recommend that you try them out. If you like garlic bread, you won't be disappointed.
2. Cole's Garlic Bread
While its brand name might not be as well renowned as Dave's Killer Bread or Pepperidge Farm, Cole's is a company that specializes in high-quality frozen bread products. Unlike leading bread brands, however, it doesn't focus on sliced bread. If you go onto the company's website, you'll find all sorts of frozen garlic products, from garlic toast to breadsticks. Since 1973, the brand has sold its frozen garlic bread and completely changed the industry with its quality goods (via Cole's). While it has other products, like mozzarella and pretzel sticks, garlic bread seems to be the food that Cole's knows best.
As it's the product it specializes in, it's clear that Cole's knows what it's doing with its garlic bread. Cole's Original Garlic Bread is just as good as a warm loaf of garlic bread made at a bakery. It comes out of the oven crisp, buttery, and golden, with a wonderful helping of parsley and garlic throughout each slice. Though the bread is frozen, it tastes fresh and flavorful and is everything we want in a quality frozen product. This is a garlic bread we enjoyed a whole lot, and if you need a quick and easy garlic bread to pop in and out of the oven, Cole's garlic bread will make your meal ten times better.
1. Julian's Recipe Baguette Butter & Garlic
Whole Foods is known for its upscale, high-quality food products. Its goods are certainly a lot more expensive than other stores, but what you'll find in a Whole Foods is absolutely delicious. The store is known for its fresh dairy, meats, and store-made bread, though it has a decent selection of frozen foods, as well. Whole Foods stores tend to carry a lot of different brands, including Julian's Recipe. It offers a traditional, French-styled frozen garlic bread that can be found both in Whole Food stores and on Amazon's online Whole Foods Market.
This garlic bread tastes as though it comes right from a French bakery, with each package including two sliced baguettes. Each garlicky slice is filled with butter and topped with herbs. Not only are you getting two baguettes, but both of them taste like high-end bread that you'd find in a restaurant. Reviews for this product on Amazon are pretty positive, with one shopper writing, "Everyone young and old loves this tasty baguette. It stays crispy outside and deliciously soft and buttery inside." This bread was incredible in terms of garlic products, and we highly recommend trying this variation of frozen garlic bread.