There’s something irresistible about warm, freshly baked garlic knots. These Easy Parmesan Garlic Knots are soft on the inside, lightly golden on the outside, and coated with a buttery garlic-Parmesan topping that makes every bite incredibly flavorful.
They’re also much easier to make than they look. Using simple ingredients and an easy shaping method, you can have a basket of warm, buttery garlic knots ready for dinner, game day, parties, or a cozy weekend meal.
The combination of melted butter, fresh garlic, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning gives these homemade garlic knots that classic pizzeria-style flavor. Serve them warm with marinara sauce for dipping, or enjoy them alongside your favorite pasta, soup, or pizza.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Easy Parmesan Garlic Knots
- Soft & Buttery: Each knot has a tender, fluffy center with a delicious buttery coating that melts into the warm dough.
- Big Garlic Flavor: Fresh garlic adds that irresistible savory flavor without making the knots complicated to prepare.
- Parmesan-Crusted Goodness: A generous sprinkle of Parmesan gives the tops a salty, cheesy finish that pairs beautifully with garlic butter.
- Easy to Make: The dough is simple to work with, and shaping the knots is much easier than it looks.
- Perfect for Almost Any Meal: Serve them with pasta, pizza, soup, salads, or as a warm appetizer when entertaining.
What Makes Homemade Better?
Homemade garlic knots have a freshness that packaged or restaurant versions simply can’t match. You get to enjoy them straight from the oven while they’re still warm, soft, and fragrant.
Making them yourself also lets you control the amount of garlic, butter, Parmesan, and seasoning. Want extra garlic? Add more. Love Parmesan? Sprinkle on a little extra.
The result is a batch of soft homemade garlic knots with crisp golden edges and a rich buttery garlic topping—perfect for serving alongside your favorite comfort foods.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pizza dough – Use homemade dough or your favorite refrigerated pizza dough for a convenient shortcut.
- Unsalted butter – Melted butter creates the rich, glossy coating that makes these garlic knots so irresistible.
- Fresh garlic – Freshly minced garlic provides a much brighter and more aromatic flavor than garlic powder.
- Parmesan cheese – Finely grated Parmesan adds salty, nutty flavor and gives the knots their signature cheesy finish.
- Italian seasoning – A little Italian seasoning adds a blend of herbs that complements the garlic and Parmesan.
- Fresh parsley – Chopped parsley brings a fresh pop of color and balances the richness of the butter.
- Salt – A small amount enhances the flavors of the garlic, butter, and Parmesan.
- Black pepper – Freshly ground black pepper adds a subtle savory bite.
- Marinara sauce – Warm marinara makes an excellent dipping sauce and turns these knots into an easy appetizer.
Step-By-Step Direction
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
If using refrigerated pizza dough, let it sit at room temperature briefly so it becomes easier to stretch and shape.
Lightly flour your work surface and place the dough on it. Gently stretch or roll it into a manageable rectangle.
Step 2: Cut the Dough
Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into narrow strips.
Try to keep the strips relatively similar in size so the garlic knots bake evenly.
Step 3: Tie the Knots
Take each strip and gently tie it into a loose knot. Don’t pull the dough too tightly because it needs room to expand while baking.
Tuck the ends underneath or leave them slightly exposed for a rustic homemade look.
Step 4: Arrange on a Baking Sheet
Place the shaped knots on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one.
Give them enough room to puff up while baking.
Step 5: Bake Until Golden
Bake the knots in a preheated oven until they’re puffed and lightly golden on the outside.
Keep an eye on them toward the end of baking. You want a beautiful golden surface while keeping the centers soft.
Step 6: Make the Garlic Butter
While the knots are baking, combine the melted butter with minced garlic, Italian seasoning, parsley, salt, and black pepper.
Stir well so the garlic and herbs are evenly distributed throughout the buttery mixture.
Step 7: Brush With Garlic Butter
As soon as the knots come out of the oven, generously brush them with the garlic butter.
The warm knots will absorb the buttery mixture, giving them incredible flavor and keeping the exterior deliciously tender.
Step 8: Finish With Parmesan
Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan over the warm garlic knots while the butter is still slightly glossy.
Finish with a little extra parsley if desired, then serve while they’re warm.
Serving Suggestions
- With marinara: Serve warm garlic knots with heated marinara sauce for dipping.
- Alongside pasta: Pair them with spaghetti, lasagna, baked ziti, or creamy Alfredo pasta.
- With pizza: Add them to homemade pizza night for an easy pizzeria-style side.
- With soup: Serve with tomato soup, creamy chicken soup, or minestrone for a comforting meal.
- As an appetizer: Arrange them on a platter with marinara or garlic butter for parties and gatherings.
- With salad: Pair them with a fresh Caesar or Italian-style salad for a simple lunch or dinner.
Tips for the Best Results
- Don’t Overwork the Dough: Handle the dough gently when shaping the knots. Overworking it can make the finished knots less tender.
- Keep the Knots Loose: Tie each knot gently rather than squeezing it tightly. The dough needs room to expand as it bakes.
- Use Fresh Garlic: Freshly minced garlic gives the butter topping a much stronger and more appealing flavor than pre-minced or powdered garlic.
- Brush While Warm: Apply the garlic butter immediately after baking. Warm knots absorb the buttery mixture much better.
- Add Parmesan at the End: Sprinkle Parmesan over the knots while they’re hot so it sticks beautifully to the garlic-butter coating.
Storage Tips
Refrigerator
Allow the garlic knots to cool completely before storing them. Place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for several days.
For the best texture, avoid leaving them uncovered because the refrigerator can dry out bread quickly.
Freezer
Let the baked garlic knots cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag.
Freeze them in a single layer first if you want to prevent them from sticking together. Once frozen, they can be transferred to a larger freezer bag for convenient storage.
Reheating
For the best results, reheat the garlic knots in the oven or air fryer until warmed through.
You can brush them with a little additional melted butter before reheating to bring back some of their soft, buttery texture.
Avoid overheating them, as this can make the bread dry and chewy.
Final Thoughts
These Easy Parmesan Garlic Knots are proof that a simple recipe can deliver big flavor. Soft pizza dough, fragrant garlic, rich butter, and Parmesan come together to create a warm and comforting side dish that works with almost any meal.
Whether you’re serving them with pasta on a busy weeknight, adding them to pizza night, or putting together an appetizer platter for guests, these buttery garlic knots are always a welcome addition.
For the best experience, serve them warm from the oven with plenty of garlic butter and freshly grated Parmesan. Once you make them at home, you may find yourself looking for excuses to bake another batch.
Easy Parmesan Garlic Knots – Soft and Buttery
Ingredients
- 1 pound pizza dough – Homemade or store-bought brought to room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter – Melted for the garlic butter topping
- 3 cloves fresh garlic – Finely minced for the best flavor
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning – Adds classic Italian herb flavor
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley – Finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt – Adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil – For lightly coating the baking sheet
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: Bring the pizza dough to room temperature. Lightly flour your work surface and gently roll or stretch the dough into a rectangle.
- Cut the Dough: Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into evenly sized strips. Keeping the strips similar in size helps the garlic knots bake evenly.
- Shape the Knots: Take each strip and loosely tie it into a simple knot. Avoid tying the dough too tightly because the knots need room to expand while baking.
- Arrange the Knots: Lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil or line it with parchment paper. Arrange the dough knots on the baking sheet with a little space between each one.
- Make the Garlic Butter: Melt the butter and stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, chopped parsley, and salt. Let the mixture sit briefly so the garlic flavors the butter.
- Brush the Dough: Generously brush the shaped garlic knots with the garlic butter mixture, making sure the tops and sides are lightly coated.
- Bake: Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 12–15 minutes, or until the knots are puffed and lightly golden brown.
- Add Parmesan: Remove the hot garlic knots from the oven and immediately brush them with any remaining garlic butter. Sprinkle generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Serve: Garnish with additional chopped parsley if desired. Serve the Parmesan garlic knots warm with marinara sauce or alongside your favorite meal.
Notes
- Use room-temperature dough: Let the pizza dough come to room temperature before shaping. This makes it softer, easier to stretch, and less likely to shrink back.
- Don’t tie the knots too tightly: Keep each knot loose so the dough has room to puff up while baking, giving you soft and fluffy centers.
- Add Parmesan while hot: Brush the garlic knots with melted garlic butter immediately after baking, then sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan so it sticks to the warm surface.
- Serve them warm: These garlic knots are best enjoyed fresh from the oven with marinara sauce, pasta, soup, or your favorite Italian-inspired meal.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 165 kcal
- Total Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 12 mg
- Sodium: 390 mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Dietary Fiber: 1 g
- Total Sugars: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
Nutrition information is an estimate and can vary depending on the pizza dough, butter, Parmesan cheese, and other brands used.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
| Product | Amazon Links |
|---|---|
| Garlic Press | View on Amazon |
| Silicone Pastry Brush | View on Amazon |
| Microplane Cheese Grater | View on Amazon |
| Baking Sheet | View on Amazon |
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