How to Make Garlic Pizza Bread Like a Pro

The simplest form of pizza – a layering of flavourful marinara, gooey and salty cheese, and chopped basil over a slightly crusty yet chewy crust – is already impressive. Add your choice of toppings, and you’ve got the perfect meal. 

Now imagine if you incorporate another well-loved ingredient to the mix – garlic. And lots of it, too. There is arguably nothing better than it in this world.

What is Garlic Pizza Bread?

It doesn’t take rocket science to figure out what this gastronomic genius is. It’s simply a fusion of pizza and garlic bread. But just like the well-loved Italian dish, people have their own take on this special recipe. 

People with a bit more patience would incorporate garlic into their dough, either mixing garlic granules with the rest of the dry ingredients or inserting thinly sliced garlic into the prepared dough. 

Those pressed for time would take garlic bread they took home from a restaurant the night before, slather it with sauce, top it with cheese, and stick it into the oven. 

The great thing about pizza is that anything goes, so you’ll never go wrong.

Now, if you have not tried this yet, still wondering how to make your own, you’re in for a treat. Here are some great ideas on how to make garlic pizza bread. 

Pizza Crust Infused with Garlic Goodness 

If you fancy yourself a gourmand, the Jamie Oliver or Ina Garten of your household, or don’t have anything important to do over the weekend,  you can make garlicky pizza dough! It’s not that hard when you know the basics.

The usual ingredients of basic pizza dough are:

• – 3 c all-purpose flour
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• – ¼ oz of active dry yeast
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• – 1 tbsp white sugar
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• – 1 tsp salt
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• – 1 c warm water
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• – 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
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You can add any garlic products you like. You just need to be careful about the proportions if you don’t want the flavour to be too overpowering. Here are some options:

• – 1 tsp garlic powder
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• – 2 whole fresh garlic cloves, minced or pressed
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• – 4-5 cloves of confit-style garlic, minced
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• – Substitute 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil with 1 ½ tbsp of garlic-infused extra virgin olive oil
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You don’t need to strictly follow the garlic measurements provided above, especially if you want your pizza crust to be ultra-alliaceous. However, you need to be very careful with the rest of the ingredients and how you mix them all together.

• – Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit or 230 degrees Celsius.  If you have a pizza stone, stick that into the oven as well.
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• – Sprinkle in yeast and sugar in the warm water in a bowl. Whisk everything together until creamy. You could use a stand mixer to make your life easier.
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• – Add in the rest of the ingredients including your garlic product of choice. Combine everything together until smooth. The dough hook is the best attachment for this job. 
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• – Letting the dough go through the different rising steps is optimal. But if you can’t wait that long, just leave it be for an hour until it has risen half its size.
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• – Punch the dough and transfer it into a flat surface dusted with a bit of flour. Roll it into a thin circle and carefully transfer it to an oiled pan or directly onto the pizza stone.
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• – Add your toppings, place in the oven, and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling. 
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Garlic Bread for Your Pizza

If you have no forbearance whatsoever with constant kneading or waiting for rise times, try the second option. Here are the perfect bread options:

Ciabatta 

Many are surprised that this rustic-looking flatbread was invented only in the 1980s by a talented baker from Italy. Sliced horizontally in the middle, this is perfect for sandwiches and garlic pizza bread. The deep holes inside of it can hold sauces, bits of toppings, and garlic chunks, giving you a burst of flavour at every bite. 

Baguette

Rumoured to be Napoleon Bonaparte’s invention, the long and thin baguette is the go-to of many restaurants for garlic bread because of its crusty exterior and soft, fluffy interior. You can serve this in thin, slanted segments for pizza hors d’oeuvres during parties. But if you’re not in a sharing mood, go ahead and slice it horizontally in half and have it all to yourself. 

Sourdough

Although this has been around for centuries, the pandemic boosted the resurgence of sourdough among home cooks stuck at home with nothing to do. Aside from its health benefits, this bakery goodie is great for garlic bread because its slight tang complements the sharpness of the allium. It is also incredibly filling.

Must-Try Garlic Spreads and Sauces

If you still can’t get enough garlic on your dough or the loaves enumerated above, try adding these delicious garlic-based sauces and pastes. 

Garlic-infused Olive Oil

This is one of the simplest recipes – done in 10 minutes from start to finish. All you need to do is slowly simmer a cup of olive oil with four cloves of garlic in it (peel included) and transfer the oil into another bottle. 

Once done, drizzle over your dough or bread before adding the rest of the ingredients. You could even use this as a dip once you’ve cooked your pizza!

Garlic butter

If you prefer a richer, creamier consistency on your garlic pizza bread, try this all-time favourite. Some people melt the butter with garlic. Others soften the butter and whisk pressed or powdered garlic into it. Whichever you choose, you’re sure to get addicted to this. 

Pesto

If you want your garlic pizza bread to be a bit healthier, use pesto instead. Although basil is the gateway herb for this recipe, you could use others like cilantro, mint, parsley, and tarragon. Some have even experimented with other greens like arugula, chard, kale, and spinach for extra vitamins and minerals.      

Go Gaga Over Garlic Pizza Bread

If you want to make a spectacular pizza dish for your family and you’ve got time to spare, go ahead and try to make your dough from scratch as described above. If you are rushing but still want to serve something filling and flavourful, grab a loaf from your local bakery and smear a thick layer of garlic spread over it before adding your toppings. 

The possibilities are endless with garlic pizza bread. Even more important, every single option given above or a new idea you come up with is sure to be delicious.