Give Garlic Bread An Easy Flavor-Boost With A Classic Salad Dressing

Whether you're making it as a side to your favorite pasta recipe or as a quick snack, garlic bread is a top tier food when you've made it right. The nutty combination of garlic and butter on top of crunchy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside bread is irresistible.

But when you've perfected how to make a basic garlic bread, where do you go from there? Well, there's always room for improvement, and the addition of one ingredient already in your fridge will indeed improve your garlic bread: Italian dressing. Think about it. Italian dressing is made from olive oil and various Italian herbs and spices — all ingredients you could use in a common garlic bread recipe anyway. Sure, you can dip your bread in dressing at the end, but why not up the ante and infuse all those flavors while it cooks?

To do this, you'll want to mix ¼ cup of the Italian dressing in with your butter and garlic before applying the spread. Although some recipes may call for it, don't melt the butter because it can make your garlic bread soggy – especially with the excess moisture from the dressing. Brush or spread onto your bread and bake — you'll end up with a perfectly delicious upgraded garlic bread!

When a dish is as simple as bread, butter/olive oil, and aromatics, endless possibilities await for those who want to enhance the flavor of their garlic bread. One option is another dressing you're probably already stocked on: buttermilk ranch. Adding one or two tablespoons to your spread will bring a light and creamy herbaceousness to your savory butter and garlic. Or you can completely swap the butter out for mayonnaise. This works great to make a creamy and crispy grilled cheese, and it'll accomplish the same for your garlic bread.

For a different kind of flavor profile, include a few drops of hot sauce for spice or balsamic vinegar for a bold tartness. Make your garlic bread have a basil party by spreading a layer of pesto before baking. A bit of honey and sugar can also add sweetness to your garlic bread, making the flavor a more complex sweet and savory.

And if sweet and savory is your goal, another way to achieve this is by using an alternative kind of bread. French and Italian breads are generally best for making garlic bread, but sweet Hawaiian rolls give themselves nicely to this dish with their unique flavor and soft texture. They're perfect for a group, since you can easily pull them apart, and given their shape, you can even stuff them with cheese before adding your butter mixture.