Garlic Sauce
Garlic behaves very differently in a cold sauce than it does in a hot pan. The moment the cells are crushed, alliin meets its enzyme and becomes allicin — the pungency that keeps getting fiercer by the hour. So the sauce is made shortly before it is eaten, and the garlic is pounded with salt rather than chopped.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Rest
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 6
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 115 kcal
Ingredients
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What to use instead
For a dairy-free version use a thick plant yoghurt and increase the oil to two tablespoons.
Makes: about 350 ml
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
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Step 1: Pound the garlic with salt
Put the cloves in a mortar with the salt and work them to a smooth paste. The salt acts as an abrasive and draws out juice, so the paste disperses evenly instead of sitting in hot pockets.
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Step 2: Mix the dairy base
Stir the sour cream and Greek yoghurt together. The yoghurt brings acidity and body, the sour cream the fat without which the sauce tastes hollow.
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Step 3: Stir in the garlic
Add the garlic paste and lemon juice and mix well. The acid slows the enzyme down a little, so the pungency builds more gently.
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Step 4: Add oil and herbs
Pour in the olive oil and fold through the dill. The oil rounds the sauce off and keeps the garlic from hitting the back of your nose.
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Step 5: Let it rest
Chill for 15 minutes. The salt dissolves fully and the sharp edges of the raw garlic settle into the dairy.
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Step 6: Adjust
Taste and add pepper, another squeeze of lemon or more salt. It should be as thick as yoghurt; loosen with a spoonful of cold water if you want it pourable.
Tips & variations
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Tip
Raw garlic keeps getting stronger for hours, so a sauce made the night before can be brutal by lunchtime. Half a day ahead is the limit.
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Swap
For a dairy-free version use a thick plant yoghurt and increase the oil to two tablespoons.
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Variation
For grilled meat and potatoes stir in half a teaspoon of ajika or smoked paprika — it gives the sauce a warmer edge.
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Storage
Up to 3 days in a sealed jar in the fridge. If a little whey separates out, just stir it back in.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 6 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 115 kcal | 690 kcal |
| Protein | 3 g | 18 g |
| Fat | 10 g | 60 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3 g | 18 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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