For Crispy And Creamy Garlic Bread, Add Mayo Instead Of Butter
Mayonnaise is no longer just a base for cold salads and sandwiches; you can use it in any recipe you like, from roasted chicken to chocolate cake. Interestingly, you can also use mayo to upgrade a humble slice of garlic bread.
Taste-wise, the mayo adds a touch of tang you wouldn't get from regular butter, complementing the pungency of garlic. Making garlic bread sauce with mayo also provides more body than melted butter, as well as added creaminess.
Moreover, just as you can use mayo for the crispiest grilled cheese, you can use it to really crisp up your garlic bread. Because mayo has a higher smoke point than butter, you can cook it at higher temperatures and achieve a crispier texture without burning your food. At the same time, mayo adds moisture to the bread, ensuring it doesn't become overly dry in the oven. After all, garlic bread isn't much good if it's so hard you risk breaking a tooth biting into it.
Making the perfect mayo sauce
If you're hesitant about topping your garlic bread with mayonnaise, that's understandable. However, this tasty upgrade isn't just about slapping straight-up mayo on garlic bread. Instead, you should first mix the mayo with additional ingredients to create a sauce of sorts — almost like a homemade aioli recipe, but with fewer steps.
For example, you can zhuzh up mayo with parsley, oregano, basil, or any other dried herbs. You can also mix in freshly grated cheeses like gruyere or parmesan, along with the all-important garlic. While you can use garlic powder in a pinch, minced garlic provides better flavor and is easier to incorporate.
Once your sauce is all mixed up, give your bread a generous slathering. Then, all that's left to do is bake the garlic bread until it's nicely crispy, and enjoy! It's a significant improvement over regular garlic bread, and it doesn't require much more effort.
Liven up your garlic bread with fresh ingredients
Because garlic bread can become quite rich with all the cheese, garlic, and mayo, you might consider lightening up your recipe with the inclusion of fresh ingredients. For instance, you could use fresh herbs instead of dried ones in your mayo-based sauce. Fresh basil and parsley add a sweet brightness, balancing out the heavier flavors.
Alternatively, you can introduce fresh ingredients that enhance existing flavors. Scallions can amplify the garlic, while the contrast between sweet tomatoes and rich garlic allows both to stand out. That being said, if adding small amounts of tomato to your garlic bread, it's better to dice the tomatoes rather than blend them, as the latter can easily be overpowered by the garlic. Keeping the tomato in chunks helps to preserve its freshness and adds textural contrast. Otherwise, consider reducing the amount of garlic used.
Of course, this doesn't mean that fresh ingredients are the only way to make good garlic bread. Use whatever you have on hand or what's easily accessible to you, mix it with your mayo, and spread it generously on the garlic bread.