Introduction
This Sun Dried Tomato Herb Garlic Bread is the skillet bread I make when I want something that turns a simple dinner into an occasion — thick slices of crusty bread cooked in a cast-iron skillet in a sun dried tomato and herb compound butter until the outside is deeply golden and crispy and the inside is soft, fragrant, and completely soaked through with garlic, basil, and the concentrated sweet-tart flavor of sun dried tomatoes.
What makes this sun dried tomato herb garlic bread recipe skillet so much better than standard garlic bread is the compound butter. Instead of plain garlic butter brushed on and broiled, this version starts with sun dried tomatoes in oil that get blended with softened butter, garlic, fresh basil, and oregano into a burgundy-orange paste that gets spread generously over each slice before it goes into the hot cast-iron skillet. The skillet method gives you direct contact with a screaming hot surface — a crust that oven-baked garlic bread can’t replicate.
This is the bread I serve alongside pasta, soups, salads, and any dinner that needs something genuinely impressive with almost no effort. If you love pull-apart garlic bread in a format that feeds a crowd and comes out of the oven already portioned, this savory garlic herb monkey bread uses the same garlic herb butter coating in a pull-apart bundt format with fresh rosemary, thyme, and parmesan.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This Sun Dried Tomato Herb Garlic Bread comes together in under 15 minutes from pantry staples — sun dried tomatoes in oil (pantry), butter (refrigerator), garlic (pantry), fresh or dried herbs (pantry), and a loaf of bread.
The compound butter can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and kept refrigerated — having it on hand means this recipe goes from idea to table in under 5 minutes on any weeknight.
This sun dried tomato herb garlic bread recipe skillet works with almost any bread — sourdough, ciabatta, Italian bread, baguette, whole grain — the compound butter and skillet method elevate any loaf.
The cast-iron skillet method creates a deeply golden, slightly crunchy exterior with a warm, buttery interior that’s impossible to achieve in a conventional oven because the direct contact with the hot pan surface creates a crust in seconds rather than minutes.
The sun dried tomato compound butter has dozens of uses beyond this bread — it works as a steak butter, a pasta sauce base, a spread for sandwiches, a topping for roasted vegetables, and stirred into scrambled eggs.
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About the Ingredients
Bread
A thick-sliced, sturdy bread with an open, airy crumb is ideal for this Sun Dried Tomato Herb Garlic Bread — the open crumb structure absorbs the compound butter without becoming dense or gummy. Sourdough is the best choice because its slight tang contrasts beautifully with the sweetness of the sun dried tomatoes and its thick, crunchy crust holds up to the skillet method without becoming soggy. Ciabatta is an excellent alternative with a more neutral flavor. A standard Italian loaf or baguette cut diagonally works well for thinner slices with more crust per bite.
Sun Dried Tomatoes in Oil
Sun dried tomatoes packed in oil are the key ingredient that makes this sun dried tomato herb garlic bread recipe skillet different from every other garlic bread. The oil they’re packed in is itself highly flavorful — infused with the concentrated tomato flavor from weeks of storage — and gets used alongside the tomatoes in the compound butter. Sun dried tomatoes have an intensely sweet, slightly acidic, deeply savory flavor that’s approximately six times more concentrated than fresh tomatoes. Look for sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil with herbs if available — the herb-infused oil adds an extra layer of flavor to the compound butter. According to The Mediterranean Dish’s guide to sun dried tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes are one of the most versatile and flavor-dense pantry ingredients in Mediterranean cooking — a small amount delivers extraordinary depth to any dish because the drying process concentrates not just the natural sugars and acids of the tomato but also its lycopene and antioxidant content, making them both more flavorful and more nutritious than fresh tomatoes per gram.
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Butter
Full-fat unsalted butter softened to true room temperature is the base of the compound butter in these Sun Dried Tomato Herb Garlic Bread slices. It must be genuinely soft — not cold, not melted — so it blends smoothly with the sun dried tomatoes and herbs into a cohesive, spreadable paste rather than a lumpy mixture. European-style butter with higher fat content produces a richer, more intensely flavored compound butter with a noticeably deeper golden crust in the skillet.
Garlic
Six cloves of fresh garlic minced very finely or pressed through a garlic press create the aromatic foundation of the compound butter in this sun dried tomato herb garlic bread recipe skillet. The garlic cooks in the butter as the bread hits the skillet, mellowing and sweetening significantly — raw garlic bite transforms into something savory and fragrant that permeates the entire slice. Roasted garlic can be substituted for an even sweeter, more mellow direction.
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Fresh Basil and Dried Oregano
Fresh basil and dried oregano are the two herbs that most authentically tie this bread to the Mediterranean flavor of the sun dried tomatoes. Fresh basil is added to the compound butter and also torn and scattered over the finished slices immediately after cooking — the heat of the bread slightly wilts the fresh basil and releases its fragrance dramatically. Dried oregano is more assertive than fresh in cooked applications and adds a slightly earthy, herby depth that complements both the garlic and the sun dried tomatoes in this easy sun dried tomato garlic bread skillet toast recipe.
Flaky Sea Salt and Red Pepper Flakes
A generous pinch of Maldon flaky sea salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes over each slice immediately after cooking amplify every flavor and add textural contrast. The salt crunches slightly against the crispy golden crust and creates a savory, complex finish that makes each bite complete.
Tips and Tricks
Get the cast-iron skillet genuinely hot before the bread goes in — medium-high heat for at least 2 minutes before adding the first slice. A properly preheated cast-iron creates the crust in the first 30 seconds of contact in this Sun Dried Tomato Herb Garlic Bread rather than slowly warming and producing a pale, soft result.
Spread the compound butter generously rather than lightly — the butter is the entire flavor of the bread and any area without a thick coat will taste plain. Press the spread butter into any surface holes in the crumb to ensure complete coverage in this sun dried tomato herb garlic bread recipe skillet.
Cook butter-side down first without moving for 1 to 2 minutes — the contact with the hot pan creates the crust and any movement disrupts that process. The slice is ready to flip when it releases cleanly from the pan.
Watch the garlic carefully during cooking — the minced garlic in the butter can go from golden to burnt in under 30 seconds at high heat. Reduce the heat slightly if the garlic is browning too fast before the bread has crisped.
Pro Tips
Make the compound butter in a food processor rather than by hand — blending the sun dried tomatoes with the softened butter in a food processor creates a completely smooth, uniformly colored paste that spreads more evenly and creates a more consistent crust in this Sun Dried Tomato Herb Garlic Bread than hand-mixing which leaves tomato chunks.
Roll the finished compound butter into a log in plastic wrap and freeze — this format allows you to slice rounds off directly as needed, making individual portions of garlic bread faster than any other prep method.
Add a thin slice of fresh mozzarella to the top of each skillet-toasted slice during the final 30 seconds of cooking and cover the pan with a lid — the mozzarella melts into a thin, bubbly layer over the golden crust for a bruschetta-style finish in this easy sun dried tomato garlic bread skillet toast recipe.
Serve the bread cut-side up rather than flat — standing the slices upright against each other on the serving board shows off the golden crust and allows excess butter to drain rather than pooling under the bread and making the plate greasy.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Make the compound butter: combine 4 tablespoons of softened unsalted butter, 6 sun dried tomatoes packed in oil (drained, reserving 1 tablespoon of the oil), 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh basil, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, and ½ teaspoon of salt in a food processor or bowl. Blend or mash until completely smooth and uniformly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Slice the bread into 1-inch thick slices.
- Spread the compound butter generously and evenly over one side of each slice, pressing into any holes in the crumb.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until genuinely hot.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved sun dried tomato oil to the pan.
- Place slices butter-side down in the hot skillet without overcrowding.
- Cook for 1 to 2 minutes undisturbed until the underside is deeply golden and releases cleanly from the pan.
- Flip and cook the plain side for 30 to 60 seconds until just warmed through.
- Remove from heat immediately.
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, red pepper flakes, and fresh torn basil leaves.
- Serve immediately standing upright on the serving board.
Variations
Mozzarella bruschetta version: After flipping each slice in this Sun Dried Tomato Herb Garlic Bread, lay one slice of fresh mozzarella over the golden crust, cover the pan with a lid, and cook 30 seconds until the mozzarella melts. Top with torn fresh basil for an elevated bruschetta-style version.
Olive tapenade version: Add 2 tablespoons of good quality olive tapenade to the compound butter alongside the sun dried tomatoes for a more intensely briny, olive-forward direction in this sun dried tomato herb garlic bread recipe skillet that pairs especially well with fish and seafood dinners.
Whipped ricotta version: Spread a thin layer of whipped ricotta (ricotta blended with lemon zest, salt, and a drizzle of olive oil) over each slice after skillet toasting and top with the torn fresh basil and a final drizzle of the sun dried tomato oil for a creamy, elevated direction.
Baguette version: Slice a baguette diagonally into ½-inch pieces and use the same compound butter for smaller individual portions of this easy sun dried tomato garlic bread skillet toast recipe that work especially well as a starter or cocktail party bread.
Vegan version: Replace butter with a high-quality vegan butter — Miyoko’s Creamery is the best for flavor and performance in a skillet — and the recipe is completely plant-based without any other changes.
How to Store
This Sun Dried Tomato Herb Garlic Bread is a made-to-order bread — serve immediately after cooking. The crust softens within 5 to 10 minutes as the residual steam from the interior migrates to the surface.
The compound butter stores beautifully — refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or roll into a log, wrap in plastic, and freeze for up to 3 months. Having compound butter in the refrigerator or freezer means the bread itself is a 5-minute recipe on any weeknight.
Leftover cooked bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours and re-crisped in a 400°F oven for 5 minutes or in the air fryer at 380°F for 3 minutes — it won’t be as dramatically golden as fresh but remains delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this Sun Dried Tomato Herb Garlic Bread in the oven instead of a skillet?
Yes — spread the compound butter on slices, place on a baking sheet, and broil for 3 to 4 minutes until golden. The skillet method creates a more dramatically golden crust and crunchier texture because of the direct hot surface contact, but the oven broil version is excellent and easier for larger batches.
Can I use dry sun dried tomatoes instead of oil-packed?
Yes — rehydrate in warm water for 15 minutes then drain and pat dry. Substitute 1 tablespoon of olive oil for the sun dried tomato oil. The flavor will be slightly less rich but still excellent in this sun dried tomato herb garlic bread recipe skillet.
How far ahead can I make the compound butter?
Up to 2 weeks refrigerated, up to 3 months frozen. The compound butter is the make-ahead element that makes this recipe genuinely 5-minutes-to-table on any night.
What bread works best?
Sourdough gives the best flavor contrast and crust. Ciabatta is the easiest to work with. Avoid very soft sandwich bread — it absorbs the butter too quickly and doesn’t develop a proper crust in the skillet.
Can I add cheese to this recipe?
Yes — mozzarella, provolone, or fontina melted over the top during the last 30 seconds of cooking with the pan covered turns this into a version of open-faced pizza toast.
What can I serve alongside this Sun Dried Tomato Herb Garlic Bread?
This bread pairs naturally with any pasta dinner, soup, or salad. For a creamy pasta that makes this bread its perfect companion, this creamy red pepper Alfredo pasta uses the same roasted Mediterranean vegetable flavor direction in a silky cream sauce that’s made to be scooped up with good garlic bread.
Sun Dried Tomato Herb Garlic Bread
Equipment
- 10 to 12-inch cast iron skillet
- Food processor or mixing bowl
- Sharp bread knife
- tongs or spatula
Ingredients
Sun Dried Tomato Compound Butter
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 6 sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained reserve 1 tbsp of the oil for the skillet
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped plus extra torn leaves for finishing
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp salt
For the Skillet
- 6 slices sourdough or ciabatta bread cut 1-inch thick
- 1 tbsp reserved sun dried tomato oil for cooking in skillet
Finishing
- flaky sea salt generous pinch per slice
- red pepper flakes pinch per slice
- fresh basil leaves, torn scattered over finished slices
Instructions
- Make the compound butter: blend or mash softened butter, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, chopped basil, dried oregano, and salt until completely smooth and uniformly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Slice bread into 1-inch thick slices. Spread compound butter generously and evenly over one side of each slice, pressing into any holes in the crumb.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until genuinely hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved sun dried tomato oil.
- Place slices butter-side down in the hot skillet without overcrowding. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes undisturbed until deeply golden and releasing cleanly from the pan.
- Flip and cook the plain side for 30 to 60 seconds until just warmed through. Remove from heat immediately.
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, red pepper flakes, and torn fresh basil. Serve immediately standing upright on the serving board.
Notes
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