The Spicy Ingredient That Will Give Your Garlic Bread A Boost

Garlic bread is undeniably delicious whether it's on the table as an appetizer or as a side to your meal. While most homemade garlic bread recipes call for standard ingredients like crusty bread, a mixture of cheeses, chopped parsley, and garlic, of course, you can easily add a spicy ingredient to punch up the heat. While raw garlic already has a touch of heat, peppers add a kick of spice that garlic alone doesn't.

Crushed red pepper flakes are often a go-to for topping Italian-American classics for a little more heat, and hot sauce can give your garlic bread an extra kick. But Jasper J. Mirabile Jr., owner and chef of Jasper's Restaurant and host of Live! From Jasper's Kitchen Radio, opts for a specific type of pepper in such situations. "In my opinion, perhaps some Calabrian red pepper for a little added boost," Mirabile told Tasting Table. Calabrian red pepper is known for its heat, but apart from its spiciness, it adds more flavor to garlic bread too. 

Calabrian peppers originated in Italy and are often used in a wide variety of dishes including meat and seafood, soups, sauces, and even pizzas. So, adding them to garlic bread is a natural extension of the cuisine. While crushed red chili flakes tend to range between 15,000 to 30,000 Scoville Heat Units, Calabrian peppers are slightly hotter with a range between 25,000 to 40,000 SHU. But the fruity and smoky flavor of Calabrian peppers is what allows them to add a complexity of flavor to garlic bread. 

You can also find Calabrian peppers in a variety of forms. Depending on your local grocery store, some might have the fresh peppers while others might have the dried, crushed flakes. It's also easy to find pickled Calabrian peppers either whole in a jar or prepped into a paste. No matter the form you choose, you can easily add it to the dish. 

So, the next time you make garlic bread at home and want to amp up the flavor and spice, try adding Calabrian red peppers. If you need more inspiration, try one of our 16 ways to upgrade garlic bread.