Garlic Relish

Calling all garlic lovers! Whether you spread it on a sandwich, dip warm bread into it or use it to top a steak, this Garlic Relish is full of garlicky flavor.

overhead of garlic relish in a shallow white bowl with crostini


 

Several years ago, before we even had kids, we took a trip to San Francisco. One of our stops was of course the Stinking Rose- an icon in both San Fran and LA where everything is, you guessed it, laced with garlic.

Stinking Rose Garlic Relish

Lucky me, they have the recipe published right on their website so I decided to make it. It is so silly easy, but I must warn you that you have to like garlic. Like really like garlic.

side view of garlic relish in a glass jar with crostini around

And then be prepared to repel vampires for at least 30 days and maybe have your neighbors complain of the stink, because this garlic relish uses a whole head of basically raw garlic.

Raw Garlic?

Kinda… this relish recipe is a fusion of pickled foods with garlic confit and chopped like a relish. The vinegar takes some bite out of the garlic, but certainly leaves the majority behind for your enjoyment.

angle view of garlic relish in a white dish on burlap

But garlic has a ton of health benefits, so carry on and keep eating! It’s linked to lowered blood pressure, cholesterol, improved skin tone and even stronger bones.

raw garlic cloves on a wood cutting board

If you want to save a little time, you can usually find a bag of peeled garlic cloves in the produce section at the store, but do not use pre-chopped, jarred garlic for this one.

garlic relish on a small knife

How to Make Garlic Relish

The process is simple and doesn’t require any cooking. Here is what you’ll need:

  • Fresh Garlic– Do not, and I repeat, do not use jarred garlic. It is muted in flavor and hardly tastes like garlic.
  • Flat leaf parsley- also known as Italian Parsley.
  • Coarse Sea Salt
  • White Vinegar– acidity helps to tone down the garlicky flavor just a bit and adds acid.
  • Extra-Virgin Olive Oil– we are drowning the other ingredients and eating this, so use a good, quality brand when making your garlic relish.
ingredients for garlic relish
  1. Chop the garlic. I find it much easier to throw it all in a small food processor and pulse it until coarsely chopped. Don’t just turn it on and walk around or you’ll have garlic pulp.
chopped garlic in a small food processor
  1. Stir together garlic, parsley, salt and vinegar. Then pour olive oil over until it is sufficiently covered. Cover and allow to sit for at least 3-4 hours. If you want to reduce the potency of garlic flavors, allow the chopped garlic to steep in a small bowl of lemon juice for 15-30 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
  2. Stinking Rose suggests storing it in the fridge, but honestly, the vinegar and salt are enough to perserve the garlic and olive oil will harden, so it is best to leave it out covered at room temperature.
angle view of garlic relish in a small glass bowl

Use your garlic relish within 5 days of making… if it lasts that long.

What To Use It On

This is a super verstile relish so this is just a short list of ideas.

homemade relish on a small crostini

Let us know your creative ways to use garlic relish in the comments!

Storage & Make Ahead

The pungency of garlic will reduce a little as it sits, so if you prefer a slightly muted garlic taste, don’t eat it right away. I suggest letting the flavors marry for at least a few hours, so in that aspect, it is make ahead.

dipping crostini in garlic relish

Store at room temperature in an airtight container. If you put it in the fridge or get it cold, the olive oil will solidify. It isn’t bad, but it will be pretty solid.

I do not recommend freezing this garlic relish recipe.

More Garlic Lovers Recipes:

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garlic relish in a glass jar for pinterest
close up of garlic relish in a shallow white bowl

Garlic Relish

4.89 from 9 votes
Whether you spread it on a sandwich, dip warm bread into it or use it to top a steak, this Garlic Relish is so delicious and full of flavor!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine the garlic, parsley, white vinegar and salt. Spread in bowl so the top is flat.
  • Pour the olive oil over top until it is covered by olive oil.
  • Cover and marinate for 3-4 hours before serving.
  • If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings.

Notes

Adapted from The Stinking Rose. 
 
If you want to reduce the potency of garlic flavors, allow the chopped garlic to steep in a small bowl of lemon juice for 15-30 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 242 kcal, Carbohydrates: 1 g, Protein: 1 g, Fat: 27 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Sodium: 874 mg, Potassium: 15 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 169 IU, Vitamin C: 3 mg, Calcium: 5 mg, Iron: 1 mg
Author: Jessica Formicola
Calories: 242
Course: Condiment, Sauce
Cuisine: American
Keyword: garlic relish
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
close up of garlic relish in a serving bowl with crostini
garlic relish for pinterest
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Chef Jessica Anne Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and chef behind Savory Experiments. You might see her on the Emmy- nominated TV show Plate It! or on bookshelves as a cookbook author. Jessica is a Le Cordon Bleu certified recipe developer and regularly contributed to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal, Mashed and more!

Read More About Jessica

4.89 from 9 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Questions and Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    Thank you for making this available for us. I LOVE the Stinking Rose relish and this is a VERY good approximation. Darn near perfect.

  2. 5 stars
    Tried this on some fresh homemade baguette. Delicious! Definitely a great condiment to have around for just about anything.

  3. 5 stars
    Love your vampire comment! haha! All joke aside though – this is a great staple to keep in my cupboard. Thank you for taking the time to write it up!

  4. 5 stars
    This is the kind of spread that gets better with time the longer it sits and marinates. I love the sound of it..perfect with crusty warm bread!