Black Garlic Recipes

Black garlic has a mellow, sweet flavor to it and pairs beautifully with many ingredients. You can either buy black garlic or if you have some time on your hands, you can even try making it yourself. Here are some of my favorite black garlic recipes if you’re looking for inspiration.

What is Black Garlic?

Black garlic is regular garlic that has undergone a controlled aging process, using the Maillard reaction to color and soften the garlic cloves. The process involves gently heating whole, unpeeled garlic bulbs and keeping them at a warm (not hot) temperature for a period of several weeks. Firstly the garlic cloves turn black and harden, then they soften in the humidity of a warmer environment to a spongy consistency. You can squeeze the fermented garlic cloves out of their papery skins and use them in many dishes to add a boost of mellow flavor.

1. Black Garlic Recipe

If you want to have a go at making your own black garlic, this excellent instructional recipe tells you how to do it with a rice cooker. Be warned, it will make your home smell like garlic for 2-3 weeks while the bulbs are aging!

Recipe by: The Spruce Eats

2. Black Garlic Pasta

This recipe starts off by making black garlic butter before going on to use it to coat pasta, along with mushrooms and shallots. A really flavorful vegetarian pasta dish.

Recipe by: Vanilla Bean Cuisine

3. Brussels Sprouts with Black Garlic

Based on a recipe by legendary Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi, black garlic turns a classic Christmas side dish into something very special. Brown butter and pumpkin seeds complete the picture.

Recipe by: The Happy Foodie (from Ottolenghi Simple)

4. Black Garlic Chili Oil Noodles

A super-quick and easy noodle dish that is absolutely packed with flavor. You just mash the black garlic with chili flakes, soy sauce and a couple of other standard pantry ingredients. Toss through the cooked noodles, and you’re done!

Recipe by: Woon Heng

5. Chinese Garlic Chicken

I originally made this recipe with regular garlic, but tried a variation with black garlic recently. I think I might even prefer the one with black garlic! Simply substitute the fresh garlic for black, perhaps adding a few more cloves for extra flavor.

Recipe by: Yummy Addiction

6. Beef Rendang

A twist on the Malaysian classic. Some say that beef rendang is the king of all curries – well, this version wwith black garlic takes it one step higher still! Truly delicious.

Recipe by: Black Garlic Kitchen

7. Black Garlic Butter

Oh-so-simple and oh-so-good! You simply mash the black garlic together with butter and season to taste. It’s great spread on fresh bread, a little pat over a steak, on steamed veggies – the possibilities are endless.

Recipe by: The Irishman’s Wife

8. Black Garlic Lamb Shoulder

I found a lot of people raving about the combination of lamb with black garlic, and oh boy! were they right! This slow-roasted shoulder of lamb is taken to the next level with the addition of the fermented garlic. A really special dish.

Recipe by: Noosa Black Garlic

9. Black Garlic Dal Makani

Even people who think they don’t love lentils tend to be won over by dal makani. And adding black garlic to the mix makes it even better.

Recipe by: Our Modern Kitchen

10. Black Garlic Pasta with Simple Shallot Sauce

This unusual recipe mixes black garlic into the pasta dough for a great flavor embedded in the pasta itself. It’s pungent and sweet, with a quick sauce. Add lots of parmesan on top.

Recipe by: The Original Dish

11. Vinaigrette Salad

Black garlic gets used in the vinaigrette for this light and savory salad. use the freshest spring ingredients you can find in the salad – radishes, sprouting broccoli, wild spring onions, etc.

Recipe by: Locavore

12. Scrambled Eggs with Black Garlic

Give a boost to your breakfast by adding black garlic to your scrambled eggs. This recipe adds those flavorful eggs alongside smoked salmon in a decadent breakfast wrap – the perfect luxury way to start off your day.

Recipe by: Empathy Herbal

13. Black Garlic Chicken

Blackened chicken drumsticks get a real flavor boost from soy sauce, hoisin sauce and of course the black garlic. Incredibly umami-rich and delicious, be sure to follow instructions not to waste a single drop of those pan juices!

Recipe by: The Spice House

14. Black Garlic Mushrooms

Mushrooms on toast are a well-worn dinner for one, but for excellent reason – quick to make, delicious, and healthy. Elevate them to the next level with this recipe, adding black garlic for a bit of solitary luxury flair.

Recipe by: The Cooking Plumber

15. Gnocchi with Black Garlic

Like the pasta above, this recipe mixes black garlic into the potato dough for the gnocchi, making them super-flavorful. So flavorful, in fact, that the sauce contains only butter and parmesan – no need for anything more.

Recipe by: Italy on My Mind

16. Black Garliic Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles

I love pasta, but sometimes I want something less carb-heavy. This delightful recipe replaces noodles with “zoodles” (spiralized zucchini), adding shrimp and black garlic for a rich and protein-packed dish.

Recipe by: Amiessa’s Kitchen

17. Black Garlic Barbecue Sauce

Add an intriguing flavor to homemade BBQ sauce with the addition of black garlic. Very simple to make and it keeps well. Use as a marinade, or to brush over meat as it’s grilling, or simply as a condiment on the table.

Recipe by: Black Garlic Kitchen

18. Black Garlic & Chocolate Cheesecake

Ok, it’s a bit of a curveball. I was really sceptical, but this black garlic recipe matches the garlic with chocolate in this crazy dessert. But you know what? IT WORKS! Suspend expectations and just concentrate on the flavors.

Recipe by: The Garlic Farm

Conclusion

This is what I’ve been cooking recently, but what are your favorite black garlic recipes? And have you ever gone through the pungent process of making it yourself? I’ve been getting a bit obsessed with black garlic recently, so let me know in the comments if you’ve got any more tips or hints for special recipes I should try!