When I go to my favorite pizza place, there’s no question about it: I’m ordering garlic knots.
How can anyone resist those buttery little balls of dough that you can liberally dunk in marinara sauce?
They are the ideal side to any meal, especially an Italian meal.
We have pizza night at least once a week, and I always want garlic knots on the side. Of course, the effort required to make those bready bites from scratch is something I’m not always down for.
Instead, let’s take a shortcut with the help of premade pizza dough, shall we?
That’s right, this recipe uses simple store bought pizza dough. You might think this is a shortcut that shouldn’t be taken, but really, it’s an excellent time-saver.
You could still make your own from scratch. But with this recipe, there’s no waiting for the dough to rise. You don’t even need a fancy mixer to bring it all together.
Instead, all you have to do is roll it out and then start shaping some equally-sized balls of dough. Easy-peasy.
Leftover homemade dough will also work. This is a fantastic way to use up any scraps that you didn’t use to make homemade pizza!
Trust me when I say that tying these knots is not rocket science. You simply tie the dough into a knot just like you would if you were tying your shoe.
I like to make sure I tuck the ends into the knots when I’m shaping them so they don’t stick out, but you don’t have to fuss over them. Once you bake them, they get all puffy and golden brown. It’s really impossible to make them look ugly.
The garlic oil that tops these bad boys is the magical element here. You cook garlic in oil, just until it’s fragrant and golden brown. This gives the oil a rich bite, and the oil itself helps that dough to become nice and golden.
If you have any leftover flavored oil, simply save it while you bake, and brush the knots with it when they come out of the oven for an extra punch of flavor.
These are the perfect start to pizza night, and any leftovers make a delicious accompaniment alongside many things. You can eat them with a salad, enjoy a few as an afternoon snack, or my personal favorite, skip the bread and serve them with a bowl of soup.
A batch of knots also makes a killer game day snack, served alongside some warm marinara sauce.
Really, you can never go wrong. If I could eat these every day without guilt, I totally would!
Are you hungry yet? Because you should be.
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Easiest Ever Garlic Knots
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 10 knots 1x
Description
These easy, foolproof garlic knots are prepared with store bought pizza dough. Just shape, brush with garlic oil, and bake until they’re golden.
Ingredients
- Cooking oil spray (optional)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 oz homemade or refrigerated premade pizza dough
- 1 tsp coarse kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven according to pizza dough package directions. Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking oil spray, or line with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Heat olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently for about 1 to 2 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. Don’t let the garlic burn. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Roll the pizza dough out flat into a rectangle that is 15 by 2 inches, and approximately 1/2 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 10 strips approximately 1 ½ to 2 inches wide.
- Gently roll each strip into a log that is 8 inches long. Tie each strip into a loose knot. Tuck the ends underneath.
- Place on prepared baking sheet, with a little space in between each. Brush each knot evenly with the garlic oil. Sprinkle each with kosher salt. Save any extra flavored oil for serving.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy on the outside.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner Rolls
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Baked Goods
Keywords: garlic, knots, dinner rolls, pizza dough
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Mince Garlic and Measure Ingredients
Peel and mince two cloves of garlic.
Measure out all of the remaining ingredients as listed on the ingredients list.
Preheat your oven according to the pizza dough package directions. If you are using homemade dough, just use the same oven temperature you would use if you were making a pizza.
Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking oil spray. You can also line it with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.
Step 2 – Make Garlic Oil
Add the oil to a small skillet or saucepan and place it over medium heat.
Once it’s hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until it’s golden brown and fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Keep an eye on it, and don’t let it burn.
Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.
Step 3 – Make Knots
On a lightly floured clean work surface, roll out the pizza dough into a 15-by-2-inch rectangle. The dough should be about 1/2 inch thick.
Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 10 short strips. Each strip should be about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide.
Lightly roll each strip into a log that’s 8 inches long. Tie each strip into a loose knot, and tuck the ends in underneath.
Step 4 – Coat and Bake
Place the dough knots on your prepared baking sheet.
Brush each knot evenly with the prepared oil, and sprinkle each evenly with salt.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the knots are golden brown on the outside.
What Can I Do with Leftover Garlic Oil?
If I happen to have any oil left over and I don’t want to use it for serving, I love to keep use it for a variety of things. You can simply cool any remaining oil to room temperature and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Be sure to always refrigerate garlic oil, and keep in mind that it is highly perishable. To avoid any risk of botulism, discard it within 2-3 days.
Use the flavored oil to sub in any time you’d use regular olive oil in savory dishes. It makes a delicious addition to salad dressing! And it’s also wonderful brushed on toast or a pizza crust for a bit of added flavor.
Do you need some more homemade bread inspiration? Here are some of our favorite recipes for you to try next:
What do you like to dip your knots in? Tell us in the comments below. And be sure to come back to rate the recipe after you’ve tried it!
Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on September 15, 2010. Last updated August 26, 2020. With additional writing and editing by Allison Sidhu.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Meghan Yager
Meghan Yager is a food addict turned food and travel writer with a love for creating uncomplicated, gourmet recipes and devouring anything the world serves up. As the author of the food and travel blog Cake 'n Knife, Meghan focuses on unique foodie experiences from around the world to right at home in your own kitchen.
These were amazeballs!!! They were a hit at my house!
★★★★★
I baked up a batch and between my husband and kids, they ate all of them. I might as well not have cooked the pasta! lol.
★★★★★