13 Secret Ingredients That Will Make Your Garlic Bread Taste Even Better

A simple garlic bread recipe doesn't require much. All you need is garlic, bread, and either butter or olive oil. Of course, cheese, Italian seasonings like basil, parsley, and oregano, and a sprinkle of salt are also common, but what else can you include to make garlic bread even tastier? Actually, quite a bit. Regardless of what kind of garlic you use (raw, roasted, or powdered) and whether you opt for olive oil or butter, there are a handful of extra ingredients you can add to your garlic bread recipe that will surely leave people begging for more.

As an Italian food fanatic, I've experimented with making and eating different types of garlic bread my entire life. I've also watched the Italian side of my family make it more times than I can count, so many of the secret ingredients you find below I have first-hand experience with. To help create a more comprehensive list, I also considered celebrity chef, food blog, and TikTok recommendations regarding popular garlic bread upgrades, and let me tell you, they all sound delicious. Keep reading to find out which secret ingredient or ingredients you want to give a try. Who knows? They may just change how you make and enjoy garlic bread forever.

If you love ranch like I do, you might be drooling already — I certainly am. Obviously, ranch tastes great on bread, as is evident by the many sandwiches it enhances, but putting it on garlic bread? Why not? I'm simultaneously intrigued and surprised and honestly, I can't wait to give it a try for myself.

You could add up to 2 tablespoons of buttermilk ranch mixed into the butter and garlic spread, though maybe start with a little less and work your way up from there, taste-testing your preferences. It's that simple. There are lots of recipes out there that also add other ingredients to this garlic bread hack like honey, however, I don't see why you couldn't keep using a classic garlic bread recipe and just add ranch all by itself.

There's probably no need to describe the taste of ranch to you because I'm sure you can already imagine the creamy, delicious, herbaceous flavor without any help from me. Still, pair it with the savory, buttery, garlicky taste of garlic bread and it's sure to be a winning combination. It's not like anyone is daring me to go this route, but challenge accepted.

Italian dressing might just be your garlic bread recipe's new best friend. As a secret ingredient, it is somewhat similar to buttermilk ranch but with a totally different flavor and more of the stuff you already love about garlic bread. Really, garlic bread can be made with butter or olive oil (maybe even both) and most Italian dressing has lots of olive oil. As the name suggests, Italian dressing also contains Italian herbs and spices, which are also common garlic bread additions. So, when it comes down to it, it's almost like garlic bread is made with Italian dressing anyway. Why not save yourself some time and add some extra flavor along the way by enhancing your typical recipe with it from the start?

While there are many garlic bread recipes out there that include different amounts of Italian dressing in them, adding ¼ cup of Italian dressing to your garlic and butter spread is ideal. This allows you to quickly and easily spread all the flavors on your bread. It also prevents you from accidentally making some of the bread soggy with too much dressing. While I haven't tried this succinct application before, I have dipped my garlic bread in plenty of Italian dressings while enjoying a pre-dinner salad or, just because, and both ways it is phenomenal. I can't see any reason why mixing it with the butter and garlic would be any different. Actually, I'm sure the even spread of flavors and textures only makes it that much tastier.

Sweet and savory flavors don't always go together, but in the case of garlic bread and honey, they most certainly do. If you've ever dipped your pizza crust in honey you know what I mean. Honey also tastes delectable on biscuits with honey, so this isn't a revolutionary flavor combination, but it still might surprise you how incredibly good it truly is.

I don't always add honey to my garlic bread, but when I do, it is a big hit. My honey of choice? Mike's Hot Honey. It's perfectly sweet and spicy at the same time. Actually, I'm a little obsessed and I'm always looking for new things to put it on — garlic bread just so happens to be one of my most recent discoveries.

I also found a couple of garlic bread recipes online that include honey as a secret ingredient, so you don't have to take my word for it. You can mix 2 teaspoons of honey into the butter and garlic spread. Then, bake it like like normal. That's all there is to it. Easy, right? You could also make it a bit simpler and drizzle the honey over the top of cheesy garlic bread after it is constructed. Either way, it's sure to turn out delicious.

Creamy and tangy, mayonnaise is another ingredient that leads to surprisingly flavorful garlic bread, and there are a couple of ways to use it. First, you can simply add mayo to your butter and garlic spread along with any other seasonings. Or, you can make a complete swap and only use mayo. Either way, it is a decision you won't soon regret.

Depending on who you ask, the ratio of butter to mayo for garlic bread varies. For example, one recipe I perused called for ⅓ cup of mayo and ½ cup of butter. Another recipe used equal parts butter and mayo.

If you really love the flavor mayo adds to your garlic bread, or just like mayo a whole lot in general, you can also take it a step further and completely swap butter for mayo. In addition to giving your garlic bread a rich taste, mayo also increases crispiness and adds a creamy element that butter alone cannot achieve. If you've ever made a grilled cheese sandwich with mayo instead of butter you know what I'm talking about. Something about the ways it cooks leads to a super crunchy, delicious crust. With garlic bread, an ultra crispy exterior is perfect for containing ample amounts of melted butter and cheese. It also balances the soft almost melt in your mouth interior. Yum! I recommend playing around with the ratio until you get it just right for your specific preferences.

This tip may not be for small children or people with a low tolerance for spicy foods, but it is delicious all the same: hot sauce. It doesn't have to be overpowering, either, so even if you only like super mild spicy foods, it might still add a touch of deep flavor you can enjoy.

You could add anywhere from a couple of drops of hot sauce to a heaping spoonful. Use your favorite or whatever you happen to have in your pantry or fridge at the time. I have yet to try this secret ingredient, but it sounds delicious, and I'll definitely be adding a few drops of Cholula or sriracha to my next garlic butter compote. If you want a truffle twist to your garlic bread you could also go for the Truff hot sauce.

Another secret garlic bread ingredient is scallions. As you probably can imagine, scallions add a sharp flavor that is both sweet and slightly peppery — and both of those flavors seamlessly mix with the other elements of garlic bread. I mean, onions, garlic, and butter? Yes, please.

Like all the other hacks listed here, you can add as much as you want to taste. But a little bit should go a long way with scallions, and adds a nice burst of fresh flavor that won't go unnoticed by anyone who gets a bite. Garnishing your garlic bread with minced scallion isn't out of the question, but you could mix your minced scallion right into the butter and other ingredients before spreading it on the bread. Then, place it under the broiler for about four minutes and you're all set. It's quick, easy, fresh, and, above all, delicious.

Most of us have a jar of paprika on our spice racks, even if it doesn't get used for much more than deviled eggs. However, as it turns out, there are a lot of ways to incorporate paprika into your cooking, and garlic bread just so happens to be one of them. Made from ground peppers, paprika's flavor is often very subtle. However, depending on the quality and origin, it can have sweet, peppery, earthy, and sometimes smokey tasting notes, all of which pair deliciously with garlic bread.

Even if your paprika doesn't pack a punch flavor-wise, it adds a nice splash of color to your garlic bread. Instead of mixing paprika into the butter spread, I like to sprinkle some on top of my garlic bread right before it goes into the oven. That way, the color is noticeable and maintains its eye-catching appeal, even after baking. Interestingly enough, I got this idea from the grocery store bakery. In my opinion, this is the best place to get pre-made garlic bread. The frozen stuff is good too, but the bakery options are fresher and typically have all the right spices.

You've probably been to an Italian restaurant that brings fresh bread to the table and mixes a saucer of olive oil and balsamic right in front of you for dipping. If not, you're missing out. Either way, there's no doubt a bit of balsamic vinegar tastes yummy with bread, so why not transfer this concept to your garlic bread? I did, and the results were super yummy. It gave my garlic bread a bright taste with both sweet and sour tasting notes that I couldn't get enough of.

Balsamic vinegar has an extremely potent flavor and aroma, so when it comes to making garlic bread, just a few drops are all you need. Anything more and it could easily overpower the garlic and butter flavors, and that's saying something because garlic is quite pungent and bold as well. Aside from flavor, too much balsamic vinegar could give your garlic bread a dingy color, making it less appetizing by sight. Add it sparingly though, and it'll give your dish a delicious aroma and a nice sharp taste.

Basil pesto is one of my favorite things to add to garlic bread. Italian seasonings like basil are already commonly used to make garlic bread, so including pesto isn't totally out of left field. However, it turns up the sweet, drool-worthy flavor associated with basil to the max. Any basic basil pesto will do, store-bought or otherwise, but making it from scratch always tastes better in my opinion. You could also mix it up and try a sun-dried tomato pesto on your garlic bread.

Sometimes, I simply serve basil pesto on the side of my garlic bread for dipping, but slathering it on the bread before baking is the ultimate upgrade. Using a knife to spread a thin layer of it on your bread is also incredibly easy. Plus, pesto is made with lots of olive oil, garlic, and a bit of cheese too so really, it hits all the signature ingredients of garlic bread with one easy to spread component. Actually, you could stop with just pesto and still call it garlic bread. I recommend going full throttle though and building your garlic bread like normal, with lots of butter and garlic, and then adding a layer of pesto as well. I also top mine with mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, but I pretty much top everything with cheese. Either way, you'll be in for a treat.

Honestly, there aren't many dishes I make that don't include some type of pepper, whether it is black, crushed red, or cayenne, and garlic bread is no exception. I'm definitely not alone in this sentiment either. When it comes to black pepper, several chefs online recommend adding it to your garlic butter spread. Obviously, they are the pros, but I can confirm black pepper is a tasty enhancement.

Aside from black pepper, cayenne, and crushed red pepper flakes also make wonderful additions to garlic bread. Either one gives it a subtle layer of heat that stands out against the potent flavor of garlic without overpowering it. The result is a delicious, slightly spicy, robust flavor that I can't get enough of. When I am cooking for someone who isn't as drawn to spicy foods as I am, I leave the crushed red pepper on the side so they can add as much as they like. However, left to my own devices, I sprinkle a bit of cayenne and crushed red pepper on my garlic bread right before it goes into the oven.

While it may seem a bit unconventional at first, sugar is actually a fantastic ingredient to add to garlic bread. Just like with classic Italian marinara, your garlic bread benefits from a touch of sweetness. Sugar also helps to balance out the salt and garlic, providing you with deep, rich flavors throughout your bread. Adding a touch of sugar to Italian food is nothing new in my home. In fact, it's standard. Something about the way all the Italian flavors mesh with a sweet element makes all the difference for me. I feel like it takes things like red gravy or garlic bread from ordinary to exceptional. Of course, you'll want to make sure you don't add too much, but that's an easy mistake to avoid.

When I add sugar to my garlic and butter mix, I just toss a pinch in without measuring, but I have made my garlic bread this way many times (about ½ teaspoon if you're looking to be specific). Whether you use a measuring spoon or not, adding a tiny amount of sugar to your garlic bread is sure to make a world of difference.

Adding anchovies to your garlic bread butter spread contributes a distinct salty taste that can't be achieved with plain table salt alone. It's a pretty easy upgrade, too. A 2-ounce tin or half of a 4-ounce jar of anchovies is all you need. Mash the anchovies in with the butter, garlic, and other seasonings to make a spreadable paste. Then, spoon it on your bread in generous amounts so it really soaks up all of the flavorful goodness. Then bake and enjoy.

Of course, adding this secret ingredient upgrade means your garlic bread won't be vegetarian-friendly. While this may not be a concern for everyone, it is something you may want to consider if you are cooking for others, so be sure to ask about potential fish allergies, as well.

The final secret ingredient upgrade you should be using on your garlic bread is onion powder. It adds a subtle sweetness and a bit of savory, umami flavor that simultaneously stands out and blends into perfection. Sounds strange, but it's true. Thanks to its light color, most people won't be able to tell the difference by sight alone because it looks just like powdered garlic. However, when they take a bite, the subtle onion flavor becomes apparent in the most delicious way.

I love this garlic bread addition because it is incredibly quick and easy to execute. All you have to do is sprinkle a bit of onion powder onto your garlic bread along with the other ingredients. It doesn't take more than a couple of seconds but the flavor shines through all the same. If you don't have any onion powder in your spice rack you can also use onion salt, but I'd use it much more sparingly. With straight onion powder, you can use a generous amount, but if you go overboard with onion salt, your garlic bread can easily become too salty, especially because you'll likely use salted butter, as well.