While some people say that it is fermented garlic, this is technically incorrect. It is fresh regular garlic (Allium sativum) that is slowly caramelized (which uses the Maillard reaction) over a period of weeks at low temperature and humidity.

In doing so, it creates a really unique color, texture, and taste. Note that black garlic is not actually burnt but just gets a deep dark black color due to the caramelization process.

When and where was it invented?

Some claim that it originated from Korea ~2004. Others say that it has actually been used culinarily for centuries in regions of Thailand, Korea, and Japan. Regardless, its popularity has grown into a worldwide culinary phenomenon.

It is featured on cooking shows like Top Chef, Chopped, and Iron Chef. You will now find its use in many high end restaurants around the globe.

What does Black Garlic taste like

Black garlic retains some garlic smell but its taste is slightly sweeter than regular garlic (it reminds me of a balsamic reduction or tamarind paste).

After trying a taste of black garlic for the first time with a delicious black garlic ramen, we found and bought some ourselves. Since then, we have been busy experimenting with it, resulting in the 5 unique black garlic recipes that we have shared with you today.

Health Benefits

Black garlic has been postulated to have wide-ranging health benefits, even beyond those of regular garlic. It is difficult to definitively prove claims (correlation is not causation) of specific health benefits in humans (so take this with a grain of salt).

Nonetheless, in rodent studies, black garlic seemed to prevent obesity, lower lipid levels, and have hepatoprotective effects.

Where to get Black Garlic

Back in the day, you could only find black garlic in niche stores for exorbitant prices. However, nowadays you can get it only for fairly cheap. Here’s a link to where we bought ours on Amazon. Easy peasy!

Black GarlicHow to Make Black Garlic Yourself

As discussed above, the process to make black garlic is fairly long and, from what we’ve heard, quite smelly. You basically let garlic sit in your rice cooker or slow cooker for weeks to months.

Meanwhile, it coats the entire room/house in a thick garlic odor. Since for our sake and our neighbors (we live in an apartment), we opted to just buy some black garlic rather than try making it ourselves.

However, if you do want to try making it yourself, go for it! You’ll find that there are a variety of tutorials demonstrating a number of methods to making homemade black garlic. Unfortunately, it appears that some do not produce the same end result as others so make sure to do your research before trying!

Here are a few links to other sites if you’re interested in trying to make it yourself.

Recipes for Homemade Black Garlic

• Joshua Weissman
• The Spruce Eats
• Alpha Foodie
• Garlic & Zest

Cooking with Black Garlic

This ingredient can become a unique and versatile ingredient in your pantry. You can use black garlic similarly to how you would use regular garlic but keep in mind that it tends to be more mushy and sweet/tangy than regular garlic.

You can blend it into a paste such as hummus, blend it into a black garlic puree, mince it up into tiny pieces for recipes like the current one, or even just spread it on bread for a new take on garlic bread.

Now that you’ve become an expert in all things black garlic after reading this article, let’s proceed with our recipes as promised.

Our 5 Favorite Black Garlic Recipes1) Black Garlic & Mushroom Medley Pasta

This recipe calls for three different types of mushrooms and black garlic for a rich and unique spin on homemade pasta.2) Black Garlic Drizzled Caprese Salad

A unique spin on the classic caprese salad, this recipe calls for a sweet and savory Black Garlic sauce.3) Creamy Black Garlic Chicken

This delicious creamy chicken dish uses black garlic, conferring a unique garlicky tamarind-like aroma and taste.4) Black Garlic & Spiced Lamb Borek

You can’t go wrong with spiced lamb wrapped in crispy phyllo dough, and the black garlic gives this Börek a unique touch.5) Smashed Potatoes with Black Garlic Sauce

This recipe shows you how to make amazingly crispy oven-baked potatoes and combines it with a sweet and savory Black Garlic sauce.

Bon Appetit!

We hope you enjoyed learning about black garlic as much as we did! So go ahead and try a few of these delicious recipes yourself to elevate your home cooking game and expand your culinary repertoire.