Sun Dried Tomato Herb Garlic Bread
Easy Sun Dried Tomato Herb Garlic Bread — thick sourdough slices coated in a sun dried tomato, garlic, and herb compound butter and cooked in a cast-iron skillet until deeply golden and crispy. Finished with fresh torn basil and flaky sea salt. Ready in 15 minutes.
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
Get the cast-iron skillet genuinely hot before adding bread — 2 full minutes over medium-high heat. Spread compound butter generously and press into bread holes. Cook butter-side down first without moving. Watch the garlic carefully — it can go from golden to burnt quickly. Add flaky salt and fresh basil immediately after cooking while the bread is still hot. Serve immediately — the crust softens within 10 minutes. Make-ahead: the compound butter keeps refrigerated 2 weeks or frozen 3 months.