This easy garlic dip recipe uses black garlic for a sweet, umami-forward flavor and a bit of fresh lemon juice and herbs for brightness. Finish the dip with sizzled scallions and red pepper flakes for a restaurant-quality appetizer that takes just minutes to make!
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This black garlic dip is the kind of recipe you make when you want your friends to think you’re fancy, but you only have a few minutes to throw an appetizer together before a party.
Black garlic is having something of a moment. I’ve been seeing it on restaurant menus all over Portland, and it gets me every time. Unlike raw garlic, which has a pungent flavor and aroma, black garlic has a more mellow aroma and sweet, umami-rich flavor. It’s good in just about anything, but especially this super easy garlic dip.
The dip itself comes together in about 5 minutes with just 5 ingredients. You can dig into it as-is, but adding a sizzle of scallions and red pepper flakes on top only takes a few extra minutes and adds even more flavor. (And makes the whole thing seem even fancier.) It’s the kind of finishing touch you’d get at a restaurant but is super doable in your home kitchen.
Serving it with homemade crackers is optional, but once you try it, I doubt you’ll want to enjoy it any other way.
Recipe inspiration
This black garlic dip recipe is one of my bookish recipes inspired by A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas. I serve it alongside “splintered chive crackers” (my homemade cracker recipe made with dried chives) for an appetizer fit for the Night Court.
For more recipes inspired by the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, check out my cookbook A Feast of Thorns and Roses.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, scroll down to the printable recipe card below.
We’re talking 5 ingredients for the garlic dip itself, and only 3 more for the optional (but highly recommended) sizzle.
- Full-fat dairy: You can use any base you like here — sour cream, crème fraîche, yogurt, and labneh are all great. You can even mix them. Just make sure you’re using the full-fat stuff; not only will you get a creamier dip, but the fat in the dairy helps carry the flavors of the black garlic.
- Black garlic: You can usually find this at specialty spice shops, and it’s also becoming easier to find at mainstream grocery stores. You can also order it online if you can’t pick it up in person. You can learn how to make black garlic at home if you’re feeling really ambitious, but I usually just grab it at the store.
- Fresh parsley: Adds brightness to contrast with the richness of the dairy and the black garlic. If you don’t have parsley on hand, fresh thyme would work will, but will add a more earthy, woody flavor.
- Fresh lemon juice: None of the bottled stuff! We need a pop of freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best bright, tangy flavor to round out the dip.
- Salt: I’m usually a kosher salt kind of girl, but sea salt will work great, too.
If you’re adding the sizzle, you’ll also need:
- Olive oil: Save the good extra virgin stuff for making spicy chimichurri. Since the oil is getting exposed to a higher heat, regular olive oil is best here.
- Scallions: Chopped.
- Red pepper flakes: For just a bit of heat. Feel free to adjust this amount up or down depending on your spice tolerance.
Get the Recipe:
Creamy Black Garlic Dip
Ingredients
For the dip:
- 2 cups full-fat sour cream, see notes
- 6 cloves black garlic, mashed
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
For the scallion sizzle:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp chopped scallion
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
Equipment
Instructions
- Add the sour cream and black garlic to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Stir in the parsley, lemon juice, and salt until well combined.2 cups full-fat sour cream, 6 cloves black garlic, ¼ cup chopped parsley, 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, ½ tsp salt
- Transfer the dip into a shallow bowl and use a spatula to create a swoop across the top.
- Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring or swirling the pan often, until they just start to sizzle. (This will not take long!)2 Tbsp olive oil, 2 Tbsp chopped scallion, ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- Pour the sizzled scallions and pepper flakes over the dip.
- Serve immediately with crackers.
Notes
Ingredients
- Any full-fat dairy will work as the base of this garlic dip. Crème fraîche, yogurt, sour cream, labneh, or any mix of these are great options. For a thicker dip, use labneh or strained yogurt as the base.
- If you cannot find black garlic, roasted garlic or confit garlic can be used for a slightly different flavor profile.
Make ahead
- The dip can be made up to a day ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Just before serving, transfer to a bowl and make the sizzle.
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Do not freeze.