Pull-apart cheesy garlic loaf
There’s no shame in devouring an entire garlic bread loaf on your own (anyone that says they’ve never done that is a filthy liar), but we can all agree that garlic bread is technically designed for sharing. This pull-apart cheesy garlic loaf is a drool-worthy dish that will earn you new friends at any party you choose to plonk it down. It’s another simple recipe. All you have to do is get a loaf of some country-style bread, slice the top with a crosshatch pattern, then brush the slices with melted butter and grated garlic (ensuring you work it down into the crevices). Sprinkle on some grated cheddar cheese, parsley, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper over the top and then bake until the cheese is melted. Boom – you’ve got a winner on your hands.
Image: Bon Appétit

Cheesy garlic bombs
Nothing makes us go ‘phwoaaar’ as much as a good cheese pull. Imagine our reaction when we saw these cheese-filled garlic parcels online – we nearly passed out from excitement. Whip up some biscuit dough, stuff some cheese inside (mozzarella and cheddar work best for maximum stretch), bake it, then lather it in butter spiked with Italian seasoning, garlic powder (or the real stuff) and salt as soon as it’s out of the oven. If you gave this to us an as appetiser, we’d be inclined to pass on the main – there’s no way this could be topped.
Image: Averie Cooks

Caramelised onion, blue cheese and rosemary garlic breads
These tasty individual morsels take the traditional garlic bread approach and give it some gourmet pizazz. Cook some garlic until tender, and then place in a bowl with some punchy blue cheese, rosemary, salt and pepper. Source a pack of small dinner rolls, cut them almost in half, then spread with the mixture. Stuff in some carmelised onion and rosemary sprigs and then drizzle with oil before cooking for ten minutes. Once complete, you’ll have a collection of aromatic handful-sized snacks to present when guests arrive.
Image: Donna Hay

Garlic bread and cheese toasted sandwich
Be still our beating hearts, this is a sight to behold. As if biting into a crispy, gooey cheese-filled toastie wasn’t enough to warm the soul, we’ve found a recipe that upgrades your simple sanga into a garlic-infused masterpiece. Grab some fresh bread, two kinds of cheeses (cheddar and gruyere are a great combo), some spreadable butter, parsley and some finely grated garlic and get to work. Make some garlic butter with a ration of one garlic clove, one tablespoon of parsley and one tablespoon of butter, lovingly spread it on your bread, place the slices butter side down in a frying pan and then layer on your cheese and any other fillings you like. Top it with the other bread slice, flip it, fry it until perfect, then chow down.
Image: Good Food

Caprese garlic bread
In this recipe three Italian-inspired favourites merge to create a seriously tasty treat. Garlic bread meets bruschetta meets caprese salad – what a combo! This recipe is simple – whip up some garlic butter (this recipe uses soft butter and minced garlic), lather it on to a loaf of ciabatta cut in half horizontally, top it with slices of fresh mozzarella, bake until the cheese melts and bread browns, then top with tomato slices, fresh basil, salt and pepper, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. All that’s left is to the slice up the dish and eat.
Image: Two Peas and a Pod

Honourable mentions: If you really want to take your love of garlic bread to the limit, we suggest also having a crack at making some garlic confit toasts, grill-roasted garlic and olive relish with toasts and goat cheese, garlic bread scones, balsamic-roasted garlic and mozzarella toasts or some easy garlic parmesan knots.