One Fishy Ingredient Changes Garlic Bread Forever (Hear Us Out)

Garlic bread — buttery, savory, and heavenly, the dish is the height of excellence. Yet, it can still ascend to its state of perfection with more than just its core ingredients. Delicious crusty bread, quality olive oil or butter, and fresh garlic are all the bread needs, but a sliver of anchovy takes it to new heights.

The seafood is shedding its reputation as a funky little fish that most people avoid, and we couldn't be more excited. Each little filet holds the power to impart a dynamic umami taste onto food. Like a dollop of miso or broth made from dried mushrooms, the oily skin of anchovies contains an intensely savory taste to amplify food with. Canned anchovies are for more than just Caesar salads — they're stirred into stews, used for pasta sauces, and work as a great garlic bread topping.

The baked good's strong, garlicky flavor meets its match with anchovies. Rather than making garlic bread with extra garlic to satisfy your tastes, amp up the pungency of it with anchovies. Though we can't promise the duo will provide you with the freshest breath, the funk is well worth it. Anchovies' meatiness adds heft to garlic bread while bringing out the earthiness of the allium. They come ready to eat from the can, so you can place the fish atop the bread before serving, or add them a few minutes prior to removing the bread from the oven.

Simply laying anchovies on top of garlic bread easily amps it up, but if you have a little more time, elevating the fish itself makes everything better. Anchovies' oiliness contains a whole lot of flavor, but it also has the perfect texture for three-ingredient anchovy butter. Dissolve anchovies in melted butter in a skillet, then allow it to cool before folding it with softened butter, herbs, and minced garlic. The anchovy-infused butter melds the flavors perfectly, making a bolder butter spread for garlic bread.

Of course, you can opt to make homemade garlic bread with olive oil instead of butter. In that case, use the fat that comes from the anchovy tin. Anchovies packed in quality extra virgin olive oil don't just preserve the fish — they make an ultra-savory topping for garlic bread. Put garlic, parsley, and basil in a blender or food processor and pulse while slowly drizzling the anchovies' oil in. Spread the garlic oil on top of the bread and toast it until golden brown.

Another way to upgrade your garlic bread is to grill the anchovies. The step takes less than 10 minutes, but the char the fish gets is incredible. The slight crisp gives way to a velvety, umami bite that elevates garlic bread. Enjoy it with just the grilled fish, or follow it up with shaved parmesan and a sprinkle of parsley.