18 Ways To Take Garlic Bread To The Next Level
Garlic bread might have a short list of ingredients, but it's nothing short of irresistible. The crunchy golden crust, buttery surface, and garlicky taste offer an explosion of flavors and textures for your palate to enjoy. However, after enjoying it one too many times over the course of your life, you might feel it's missing something, or needs a slight variation to hook you once more. The good news is that many solutions to this problem exist. You can go back to the basics and experiment with different bread types, use alternative ingredients in place of butter, and cook it in many different ways.
If you're open to trying new ingredients in your garlic bread, the possibilities open up even more. After all, garlic is complementary with all sorts of foods, including sweet, spicy, and creamy elements. Skeptical about changing up your garlic bread? Check out the following ideas, and you'll be convinced there are better ways to make it than what you're doing now.
1. Experiment with different types of bread
It's important to choose the best bread possible for homemade garlic bread. One of the most appealing aspects of this dish is its thick crust and tender crumb, after all. Fortunately, there are several types of bread with these qualities.
French baguettes or Italian loaves are excellent choices, as they have a nice crust. Although they might seem similar, French bread tends to be slightly sweeter than Italian, since it is enriched, while Italian bread tends to be chewier. Nevertheless, both of them offer a pleasant texture and pair well with garlic.
You can also try something like ciabatta, which has a delicious crust with an airier crumb. Or, for a tangy outcome, use fresh sourdough. Whichever bread you choose, it is best to use a homemade loaf or one from a local bakery. The crust will be crunchier than what you get from a store-bought bread that's been packaged.
2. Give it a spicy kick
Give your garlic bread a spicy twist next time you want to switch things up. Specifically, you can take inspiration from Guy Fieri's unbeatable garlic bread. Instead of sticking to the usual components, Fieri adds hot sauce. It's an easy way to elevate the dish, since you just need to mix it into the garlic butter. It's also customizable, as you can use your favorite type of hot sauce. Another idea, if you want a bolder flavor, is to simply drizzle the sauce over the garlic bread just before serving.
Aside from hot sauce, you can use other ingredients, such as cayenne powder or red pepper flakes, to heat things up. Simply mix them with the garlic. Remember that a little goes a long way with these additions — you might end up completely masking the taste of garlic if you use too heavy a hand.
3. Air fry it
If you have an air fryer, it can help you create garlic bread with an incredible crunch factor. It's also handy when you don't want to heat up your oven and make your entire kitchen hot, and is quicker to use, since you don't have to preheat it. The only downside is that many air fryers are small, so if you want to make a generous amount, you must work in batches. Nevertheless, this is a seriously convenient cooking method.
To try this approach, prep the garlic bread as usual and line it up in the air fryer. Be careful not to overlap the pieces too much. Garlic can burn if you put the temperature super high, so aim for 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on size and thickness, the bread takes approximately 2 to 5 minutes to cook.
4. Top it with tomatoes
Combining tomatoes and garlic may seem simple, but it yields spectacular results. Tomatoes are juicy, slightly acidic, and refreshing. When paired with the sharp taste of garlic, there is perfect harmony. One way to take advantage of this duo is to create a tomato rub for your garlic bread. You can model it after Spanish tomato bread, also known as pan con tomate. This dish, often served as tapas, consists of toasted bread, tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and seasonings.
Make the rub by running your tomatoes through a grater. Strain the juice from the tomatoes to create a pulpy mixture. Add salt and other seasonings to taste. For proper pan con tomate, people typically rub the garlic directly onto the bread, but you can include it however you like. After you toast the bread, complete it by topping it with the tomato mixture.
5. Use garlic confit
Garlic confit is slow-cooked garlic that has become ultra soft. To make it, you immerse garlic in olive oil or another fat and cook it on low heat for a significant period of time. The confit process can take hours, depending on what you're working with, but for garlic, it can take as little as an hour. You can also find it at specialty grocers. Take note: It must be stored in the refrigerator between uses, because it is perishable.
To use garlic confit in your garlic bread, begin by mashing it. This is easy to do, since it's so tender; all you need is a fork to create the paste. Mix the paste with butter and spread it onto the bread. Lastly, add fresh herbs, cheese, or seasonings before heating it up. The final result? Garlic bread with a mellower flavor. The sharper notes are still there, but in a less pungent way.
6. Add goat cheese
The tangy taste of goat cheese is just what your garlic bread is missing. Despite its sharpness, this cheese has a velvety texture that creates a delicious balance with crusty bread and intense garlic. Transforming it into a garlic-infused spread for your bread is a particularly excellent way to incorporate it. Use room-temperature cheese and whip it with a hand-held mixer to fluff it up. Add fresh minced garlic and seasonings to complement it.
If the mixture seems too thick and unspreadable, mix in a small amount of olive oil to thin it out. From there, spread it onto the bread and cook it until the edges are crunchy and golden. If your goat cheese is crumblier than average, you can also sprinkle it on top of the garlic butter before or after you cook it. Consider pairing it with other cheeses for a more complex flavor profile, such as shredded mozzarella or parmesan.
7. Use fresh lemon zest
Use fresh lemon zest to give your garlic bread bright and citrusy flavor. Garlic and lemon are complementary, so there's no question that this inclusion will turn the dish into something more memorable. Plus, there are a couple of ways to utilize it.
First, you can mix the zest directly into the butter spread. For ½ cup of butter, you only need 1 to 2 teaspoons of zest. Including zest in the spread is generally better than sprinkling it on top, as the oven tends to dry it out. However, if you want to use it as a topping for whatever reason, make your garlic bread as usual and sprinkle the zest on after it comes out of the oven. You can also thinly shred basil and scatter the herb on top; it harmonizes deliciously with the lemon and garlic.
8. Top it with blue cheese
Add blue cheese to your garlic bread to make a seriously unique rendition of the beloved snack. The easiest way to include this pungent cheese is to sprinkle crumbles of it onto the bread before baking. The cheese softens in the oven, giving the bread a deliciously creamy topping with a rich and complex flavor. Another option is to make a cheese spread with mashed garlic, softened butter, blue cheese, and seasonings.
Since this cheese has a naturally salty taste, you don't need to include salt in your spread. Instead, add fresh or dried herbs, or red pepper flakes. Use an electric mixer, or combine the ingredients by hand until a fluffy mixture forms. Then take a knife and evenly coat the surface of the bread with it. Be mindful of the amount of blue cheese used, since you want it to complement the garlic but not overpower it. For reference, 1 ounce of blue cheese per garlic clove is sufficient.
9. Grill it
Grilling your garlic bread can add some deliciously smoky and charred undertones. To try it, set your barbecue to medium heat and prepare your garlic bread to your liking. We suggest cutting a baguette in half lengthwise, as grilling and flipping a baguette is much easier than dealing with individual slices. Start with the garlic side facing down for the crispiest outcome. It's ready to flip after it's nice and golden. Allow it to partially cool before you slice it.
If you want to try a different approach, you can also wrap the half baguette in foil and grill it that way. Keep in mind that this method takes longer and does not offer the same smoky flavor or crispy texture as the previous method. But ultimately, either option works — the choice is yours.
10. Mix Italian dressing into the butter spread
Including Italian dressing in your garlic bread is a great idea. This condiment has vinegar, oil, Italian herbs, garlic, and mustard already assembled into a delicious whole. Sometimes, it also has lemon juice or bell peppers. Although the elements can vary, this dressing always has a zesty flavor that seriously benefits the dish. Use your favorite store-bought brand or make it yourself.
For homemade Italian dressing, add all ingredients to a blender, minus the oil, and puree them. Then, slowly add the oil in a stream to emulsify it. Mix some of it into the butter spread. Be careful not to overdo it — if it's too watery, the bread will get soggy. Consider using a pastry brush instead of a knife to apply it, especially if the mixture ends up on the softer side. Those who enjoy the flavor can drizzle additional dressing on the garlic bread after it bakes.
11. Use sun-dried tomato as a topping
Using sun-dried tomatoes as a topping for garlic bread creates intense flavor and a unique chewy texture. As the name implies, people make these tomatoes by slowly drying them with salt in direct sunlight. However, if you'd like to make your own, you can use other methods to produce the same result. Using a dehydrator or oven to rid the tomatoes of moisture and deepen their flavor isn't just effective, it's dead simple.
Many tomato types are ideal for making sun-dried tomatoes. Some popular varieties include San Marzano, Roma, Principe, Early Girl, and grape tomatoes. You can also find sun-dried tomatoes at the average supermarket. It's best if they've been packed in oil, but completely dry ones work, too. If the pieces are too large, dice them before placing them on your garlic bread. Large pieces can be less enjoyable to chew than smaller bits.
12. Spread pesto on the bread
Pesto is a wonderful garlic bread addition, especially since it already contains garlic. Traditional Italian pesto is comprised of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, oil, and cheese. Sometimes it also has extra seasonings, lemon juice, or other ingredients. Thanks to the basil, it has a slightly sweet flavor that's complemented well with savory and nutty notes. For a more garlicky flavor, mix it with a garlic butter spread and evenly coat the surface of the bread with it. Then, bake, air fry, or cook it your preferred way.
Pesto is quite easy to make at home, especially with a food processor or blender. First, load the dry ingredients into the appliance and pulse them. Then, add the lemon juice and oil, pulsing again until all ingredients combine to the desired consistency. You can also add more olive oil or salt to adjust the taste and texture.
13. Try using black garlic
Black garlic has an intriguing look and flavor — it's dark as pitch and almost tastes caramelized. If you're unfamiliar with it, take note: Black garlic doesn't naturally grow that way. It's actually common garlic that has undergone a weeks-spanning process. This garlic is slowly cured in an enclosed environment with a specific amount of heat and moisture. Its color darkens and it loses its spiciness as the days go by. What results is darkened garlic with a delectably complex flavor full of licorice-like top notes and umami undertones.
You can find this type of garlic in specialty grocers and sometimes at farmers markets. If you use it for garlic bread, there is no doubt that it will impress. You can treat it just like regular garlic, but remember, it has a sweeter taste. Mash and combine it with softened butter, parmesan, and seasonings, then coat the bread with it and cook until toasty.
14. Drizzle on balsamic glaze
Balsamic glaze's thick, sweet, and tangy properties can take garlic bread to a new level. You might be wondering, "What is the difference between balsamic vinegar and glaze?" Basically, the glaze forms when you slowly cook the vinegar, reducing it to a thicker consistency. This process also sweetens its flavor, because it becomes more concentrated — especially if you make it with brown sugar.
Although you can find balsamic glaze at the grocery store, it's easy to make at home. Use a heavy saucepot and set it over medium heat. Add 1 cup of balsamic vinegar and ¼ cup of brown sugar. Stir the ingredients together to evenly distribute the sugar and simmer the mixture for about 10 to 15 minutes. Give it an occasional stir to keep it going. Once it's syrupy, let it cool. Cook the garlic bread first, then drizzle the glaze over it.
15. Stuff the bread
If you're making garlic bread for a crowd, try out a truly show-stopping variation by making it Hasselback-style. Essentially, all you have to do is take a baguette and cut slits in it. You can insert ingredients into the resulting pockets, which infuses the loaf with deep flavor. The key is to carefully use a serrated knife and ensure you don't cut all the way through.
For best results, try to make the slices relatively even, aiming for ½ inch or 1 inch pieces. It depends on how many servings you want and how large you want them to be — use your best judgment. Smear garlic butter or oil into the slits, followed by any other preferred ingredients. Some ideas include chopped parsley, parmesan, mozzarella, or chives. Bake the bread at a high temperature, such as 400 degrees Fahrenheit, so the outside becomes incredibly crispy and the inside becomes warm. This temperature also helps the cheese melt.
16. Include mayo in the spread
Because mayonnaise has so many fatty ingredients, it gives any food it's added to richer flavor and better browning capabilities. This is why many people use it in place of butter for things like grilled cheese. You can take advantage of this if you use mayo as the secret ingredient in your garlic bread. However, in this case, don't replace the butter with it entirely; mix the two together. Otherwise, its flavor might be overpowering — especially if you aren't adding other components like cheese.
Adding 2 to 3 tablespoons of mayo per ½ cup of butter gives you the proper ratio. Use homemade mayonnaise instead of store-bought if you're serious about upping your garlic bread game. It only requires a few ingredients: eggs, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil. Although you can use a tabletop blender, it is best to use an immersion blender so the oil can properly emulsify and produce a thoroughly mixed and smooth condiment.
17. Swap the butter for oil
Though it might sound crazy, consider skipping the butter when making garlic bread. Although you might be accustomed to using melted butter or a butter spread, it isn't the only way. You can use olive oil instead for a rich and tasty outcome. Oil can be quicker, since you don't have to spend time softening or melting it. Moreover, it fully penetrates the bread, ensuring it's moist and doesn't dry out too much when baked.
You can undoubtedly spoon or drizzle the oil on, but the best way is to use a pastry brush, since it gives you more control over how much oil goes onto the bread. After you apply the oil, sprinkle on minced or smashed garlic and add any seasonings or toppings. Another idea is to use infused olive oil for incredible flavor depth — think basil, truffle, jalapeno, or rosemary-infused oil.
18. Make it sweet and savory
Include a sweet ingredient in your garlic bread for a unique flavor profile. It doesn't need to be overpoweringly saccharine — just enough to counterbalance the savory, garlicky nature of the dish. Try drizzling a small amount of honey on top when the bread comes out of the oven and is still hot and toasty. Another option is to mix some honey butter into the spread so you can taste the sweetness in every bite.
Alternatively, make Korean-style garlic bread with a sweetened cream cheese filling. People typically make this type of garlic bread from scratch in the form of rolls, but you can modify it for already-baked bread. Mix 1 cup of room-temperature cream cheese with 2 to 4 tablespoons of sugar for a simple topping. Add green onions and savory seasonings if you wish. Spread the mixture onto your bread slices. Then, mix melted butter, minced garlic, herbs, and an egg. Brush it over the bread, covering every side including the crust, or dunk the bread to coat it thoroughly. Bake the slices until the exterior is golden and crispy.