How to Make Black Garlic Sauce

Recipe From Briana Earley Fact Checked

Garlic is an essential ingredient in most recipes as it provides a unique flavor and aroma to a dish. Its culinary uses are diverse — for stir-frying, sautéing, roasting, braising and baking. But a new variety of this herb, called black garlic, is now being used to bring a sweet and unique twist to dishes.

Black garlic is a fresh garlic variety that has undergone fermentation, which gives it its sweet taste and black color.1 Just like regular garlic, it can also be used as an ingredient in soups, marinades, spreads and sauces. Here is a recipe on how to make black garlic sauce by Mercola.com employee Briana Earley.

Black garlic sauce

How to Make Black Garlic Sauce

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 6 minutes Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

Procedure

  1. Combine in a bowl vinegar, juice, honey, rosemary, black garlic and red pepper flakes. Mix the ingredients together.
  2. Heat 2 teaspoons of coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat and add black garlic puree.
  3. Cook until the sauce begins to bubble.
  4. Whisk in the remaining coconut oil.  
  5. Pour over desired dish.

How Is Black Garlic Produced?

Black garlic is made by fermenting a bulb of fresh garlic in a temperature- and humidity-controlled room. This method breaks down enzymes and transforms the protein into amino acids and the carbohydrates into simple sugars,2 increasing its water-soluble sugar content by up to 790.96%.3 This results in the garlic’s black color and sweet taste, which is described to be umami or similar to licorice and dates, though some say it reminds them of soy sauce and tamarind.4 Unlike fresh garlic, it does not produce a garlicky after-breath.5

The exact origin of black garlic is unknown, although it’s been consumed in Asia, particularly in Japan, Thailand and South Korea, for centuries.6 Today, it’s sold in markets as whole bulbs and peeled cloves.7

4 Health Benefits of Black Garlic

Black garlic is a new flavor in many recipes today. But aside from its unique features, it has even more health benefits — one of which is its higher antioxidant properties and S-allylcysteine levels compared to fresh garlic.8 Studies have found that it may also help:

  • Protect against liver damage — A 2011 study found that aged garlic has a hepatoprotective effect or the ability to help mitigate oxidative liver damage caused by alcohol.9
  • Minimize diabetic complications — Fermented black garlic has antioxidant properties that may help reduce complications caused by a high-fat diet in diabetics, according to another 2011 study.10 Additionally, it may help regulate high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia) and high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) when taken appropriately.11
  • Boost immunity — Black garlic extracts were found to improve the activity of natural killer cells, boosting cellular immunity as they destroy tumor cells.12
  • Curb cancer cell growth — Partly due to its antioxidant properties, black garlic extract may help restrain the growth of inoculated tumors in mice. It has anticancer properties that may help decrease the volume and weight of tumors on gastric cancer.13

The chart below shows the nutrients found in black garlic:14

Black Garlic Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 teaspoon (4.62 grams)

  Amt. Per
Serving
Calories 7 kcal
Calories from Fat  
Total Fat 0.33 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 g
Sodium 26 mg
Total Carbohydrates 0.66 g
Dietary Fiber 0.2 g
Sugar 0 g
Protein 0.16 g
Vitamin A 0.2 mg Calcium 3 mg
Iron 0.06 g  

Other Ingredients That Complement This Recipe

Black garlic is just as versatile and healthy as fresh garlic. Moreover, the ingredients used in this recipe offer their own nutrients and benefits:

  • Raw honey — It is a natural sweetener that may help manage chronic diseases associated with oxidative stress through its antioxidant properties.15 According to a study published in the British Diabetic Association journal, it may also be a healthier alternative for sugar among diabetics.16
  • Coconut oil — This dietary staple is known for its bountiful supply of high-quality fats. Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that convert into ketones, which are the preferred fuel for your body. Ketones are also said to be essential in inhibiting Alzheimer’s disease17 and heart disease.18
  • Balsamic vinegar — It is a known ingredient in salad dressings and marinades that may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases through its antioxidant properties.19 It may also help protect your gastrointestinal tract against fat oxidation that causes cell damage.20

Black garlic, together with these ingredients, makes a healthy and flavorful sauce that goes well with steamed vegetables, organic pasture-raised chicken fillets and grass fed beef. As it gains more attention in the culinary scene, this recipe can help you take advantage of what black garlic has to offer, as you create a sauce to enhance your preferred dish. To know more about black garlic, read “Black Garlic and Sprouted Garlic Have Enhanced Health Benefits.”

+ Sources and References