Regardless of your age, creed, or denomination, there’s one thing that all people can agree upon. Garlic bread is delicious.
However, sometimes you go out and buy a nice loaf or some texas toast right from the freezer and start scratching your head. You’ve got the garlic bread, but now what. Here’s a list of some ideas for what goes with garlic bread.
Garlic bread is a perfect accompaniment to a variety of meals from salad to pasta. You can never go wrong pairing garlic bread with soups or stews. Garlic bread can even be topped with your protein of choice to make it a main course.
Because of its crispy texture, savory flavor, and satisfying hold, garlic bread is a perfect side for a soup, chili, or stew.
Elevate a classic-tomato soup with a warm, crunchy piece of deli garlic bread heated up in an oven for a few minutes. Or, if you’re feeling fancy, buy a nice crusty loaf and make the garlic bread yourself to pair with a cold gazpacho or tomato bisque.
Tomato soups aren’t where the pairings end. As a starch, garlic bread holds up to any kind of liquid-based meal whether that be a thin minestrone or a hearty chili.
Elevate an Italian wedding soup with a side of toasted garlic bread to dip into its savory broth. Garlic bread pairs especially well with proteins like poultry, beef, and beans. If you have a hot pot of chili, hold off on the tortilla chips for serving and try a hearty slice of garlic bread.
If you’re looking for a lighter, healthier approach to pairing the luxurious bounty of garlic bread with, look no further than salads.
Garlic bread is a great side to almost any salad whether it be arugula with a simple lemon vinaigrette or a parmesan-loaded Caesar. The crunch and savory taste of garlic bread not only provide satisfaction with any salad but also help increase satiety, making you feel more full.
If you have leftover garlic bread or want to try something new, cut up garlic bread into bite-size pieces. Toss with a little olive oil and toast in the oven on a flat baking sheet for 15-20 minutes until dried out and crisp. You’ve now got garlic bread croutons.
Appetizers
Garlic bread can be served in any capacity as a regular piece of crusty bread as a small bite before a larger meal.
Slices of untoasted or crisped garlic bread can be topped with sliced or diced tomatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar to make a garlic bread bruschetta.
Serve it or top it with sauteed mushroom or greens dressed with lemon and red pepper flakes for a light meal. Layer it with slices of a melty cheese like Gruyere and put it under the broiler until the cheese browns a little. Your cheesy garlic bread can be eaten on its own or paired with lighter accompaniments like roasted vegetables or an egg quiche.
Pasta
The most classic way to pair garlic bread is by taking a slice or two of buttered, toasted garlic bread and placing it at the edge of a big bowl of pasta. Talking about garlic bread, learn how to reheat garlic bread.. You can’t go wrong with this combo: a plate of spaghetti and marinara with some savory slices of garlic bread.
However, the types of pasta pairings for garlic bread go well beyond just spaghetti with red sauce. Garlic bread can soak up any pasta sauce from a creamy alfredo to a traditional Sunday gravy. Talking about alfredo sauce, it tends to separate when reheating. Learn how to stop alfredo sauce from separating while heating..
Garlic bread’s robustness makes it a perfect fit for pasta with stronger flavors. Pair pieces of garlic bread with a penne made with high-quality spicy Italian sausage. Or, whip up a quick aglio e olio and use the bread to soak up the remaining delicious garlic and olive oil sauce.
If you’re looking for the ultimate garlic bread and pasta pairing, have yourself a luxurious weeknight meal with a slice of lasagna paired with garlic bread. The combination is sure to be delicious, but be careful, as it’s liable to knock you out in a flash.
Main Dish
Just as pasta is the main carb with any pasta dish, garlic bread can be the main starch of a dish if you so choose. Cut out the middle man in a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs and serve just roasted Italian meatballs with a crusty garlic bread.
The pairings don’t have to start and end with Italian either. Garlic bread can be the main starch with seafood like shrimp or mussels. You can pair garlic bread with barbecue: pulled pork, chicken, or brisket hold up great with a crunchy piece of garlic bread. Talking about brisket learn how to thaw a brisket..
Conclusion
When you’re scratching your head wondering what to eat garlic bread, be adventurous. The savory starch is rich, satisfying, and can pair well with almost any food under the sun.
Whether you’re looking to eat garlic bread with a light Caprese salad or a hearty bowl of chili, you can’t go wrong. Serve it as a satiating side with greens or a quiche, or go all out and double down the carbs on pasta night. The possibilities are endless; go out and give some a shot!
