15 Uses For Fermented Honey Garlic
At first, combining honey and garlic may sound a bit out of the ordinary. That doesn't mean it isn't delicious, though. Garlic and honey make a surprisingly tasty flavor combination and when paired in this way, you get a tangy, syrupy concoction perfect as a condiment or for use in marinades, dressings, and glazes. It's somewhat of a natural health and wellness remedy, too, so it comes with a range of benefits.
You can buy fermented garlic honey through online vendors, like Laura's Raw Honey, but making it is pretty simple, as long as you have a few weeks to let it marinate and ferment, and pay attention to some particulars in the recipe (like burping it daily). Either way, something tells us once you get a taste you'll want to put this tantalizing combination on just about everything.
To create a list of superb uses for fermented garlic honey I scoured countless recipes and popular blogs — and, of course, I love garlic and honey, so there's that! Keep reading to learn about 15 delicious ways to use fermented garlic honey so you can start incorporating it into your diet as soon as possible.
As a natural remedy
Both garlic and honey are known for possessing health and wellness properties. When you combine the two, you get a powerful elixir that makes a wonderful wellness aid or natural remedy for an assortment of ailments.
According to the Mayo Clinic, research shows that honey may reduce the risk of heart disease, gastrointestinal tract ailments, and neurological diseases like anxiety and memory issues. They also note that honey can stimulate wound healing and be an effective cough suppressant, so it's great if you feel a cold coming on.
Fermented garlic honey gets even more wellness benefits from the cloves of garlic. A study published by the National Library of Medicine shows garlic supports a myriad of potential health benefits, including being an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and having positive effects on blood pressure, diabetes, and more.
If you want to use fermented garlic honey to supplement your wellness regimen you can easily mix it onto various foods (as you'll learn coming up), or eat it by the spoonful. Considering its range of effects, you certainly don't have anything to lose.
Pizza
Just like hot honey, fermented garlic honey and pizza make an outstanding pair. Whether you choose to dip the crust directly in a ramekin of the sweet nectar or opt to drizzle it across an entire pizza, this flavor combination is second to none.
If you save your pizza crust for dipping in fermented honey garlic, it'll be virtually impossible to leave even a single crumb behind. The tangy sweetness of the garlic honey brings out the sweetness of many pizza crusts, providing you with a built-in dessert for a food that you probably didn't think could get any better (until now).
I also love honey on the actual pizza, and since garlic and pizza are already a no-brainer, why not combine them all to make one super dish? The beauty of honey and pizza is that it complements the cheese, red sauce, and crust all at the same time. It also has a way of tasting amazing with an array of toppings. From classic meats like sausage and pepperoni to traditional veggie toppings to inventive creations, you really can't go wrong.
Something tells me a pizza with prosciutto, grilled peaches, basil, and fermented garlic honey would be beyond drool-worthy. Shaved potatoes, Brussels sprouts, mozzarella, and fermented garlic honey also sound like a winning combination. Fermented garlic honey is one of many phenomenal ways to elevate frozen pizza, too.
Roasted or fried veggies
Roasted and fried vegetables have the ideal crispy texture for saucy additions, fermented garlic honey included. Whether you drizzle it on top of a dish or use it as a dipping sauce, the flavor accentuates the earthiness of many veggies and brings out a sweet element that even the pickiest of eaters is sure to love. You may even be able to persuade a fussy child to eat some veggies if you entice them with honey.
Anything from carrots to broccoli to green beans to asparagus goes with fermented garlic honey. You'd be hard-pressed to find a vegetable that wouldn't benefit from a touch of it drizzled on top, except for maybe mushrooms. Or, you could substitute fermented garlic honey in recipes that call for regular honey or maple syrup, like maple roasted carrots and parsnips. Leeks with spicy pollen breadcrumbs is another fantastic choice. The recipe already calls for honey and garlic, so why not make things simple? I've even seen a honey dipping sauce served with fried Brussels sprouts in a restaurant, so adding fermented garlic to the mix could only make it better.
Crostinis
Whether you call them crostinis or bruschetta, fermented garlic honey is a top-rate ingredient addition. Sure, it won't go with every variation, but the possibilities are nearly limitless. Sweet fruit and cheese crostinis with nuts and fermented garlic honey will add just the right amount of sweet and sticky goodness to create a saucy texture — without making the bread soft. A softer bread won't ruin a crostini, but the crunchy bread is one of the main characteristics. Unlike the toppings, it is pretty much an essential element.
Ricotta and mascarpone cheese make a great base for sweet crostinis. Then, you can put all kinds of fruits on top, like figs, peaches, pears, berries, and more. Top it off with a drizzle of fermented honey garlic and you'll be drooling in no time. Goat cheese and strawberry bruschetta with fermented garlic honey is a surefire winner, too. Get creative and see what kind of amazing combinations you can come up with.
One of the best things about sweet crostinis is that they are a fantastic dish any time of the day. They make a superb light breakfast, afternoon snack, or cooling appetizer for dinner. Avocado also goes surprisingly well with a touch of sweetness from honey, and, of course, tastes wonderful with garlic.
Bread
I know, bread seems like a pretty broad term when it comes to using your fermented garlic honey, but that's one of the reasons it makes it such a fantastic option. Chances are good you already have bread in your house, so there's no need to buy a bunch of ingredients while you test your appreciation of the unique creation. You can smear it on bread, use it as a sweet dipping sauce, or put it on toast.
Specialty breads make fermented garlic honey even more exciting. Southern biscuits are often served with honey or have a touch of it in the mix, so switch it up by using the fermented garlic version instead. There are a slew of ingredients that take cornbread to the next level, and honey just so happens to be one of the best. Jalapeño cornbread is even better with fermented garlic honey. The sweetness counterbalances the heat from the jalapeños while still allowing the corn flavor to shine. While I haven't tried garlic bread specifically, there's no reason why sweetening it up with fermented garlic honey wouldn't work as well.
Making sweet salad dressings
If you've ever enjoyed a hearty salad with tangy, sweet dressing, like honey mustard, you're well aware of how fresh and sweet flavors make a winning combination. Now, imagine toning down the sweetness and enhancing the flavor with garlic. Sounds delicious, right? All you need is fermented garlic honey and a few basic ingredients and you can whip up an amazing salad dressing quickly and easily.
Fermented garlic honey, olive, oil, vinegar, lemon, and a couple of seasonings are all you need to make a delicious, simple salad dressing for almost any kind of greens and veggies. You can also incorporate fermented garlic honey in many vinaigrette salad dressings and more. For example, a honey orange dressing tastes amazing with roasted carrots, radicchio, and hazelnuts. Or, if making a dressing from scratch simply isn't on the table for a particular meal, you can use fermented garlic honey as a simple salad topper at the end.
Soups
Savory and comforting, soups are perfect for cold days and, well, anyone looking to nurse a cold. Since both honey and garlic come with their own health benefits and rich flavors, adding them to various soups is a fantastic idea. Many classic and inventive soup recipes already have garlic and honey in them, so switching them out for fermented garlic honey won't require any real alterations. Sure, you'll have to make sure to keep the garlic similarly portioned, but many recipes tell you exactly how much honey is needed, eliminating any guesswork.
While you should feel free to play around with adding fermented garlic honey to a variety of hearty soups, there are a few familiar favorites where it just makes sense. Fall soups like pumpkin, carrot, and butternut squash are probably the most obvious. Still, creative soups like creamy Mexican carrot soup are also an incredible option. In the summer, a cold cantaloupe or honeydew melon and mint soup would also benefit from fermented garlic honey.
Chicken
Marinating chicken is one of the best ways to infuse it with flavor — and fermented garlic honey is up for the job. You've most likely experienced a sweet chicken before, or at least heard of it with dishes like chicken and waffles, but using fermented garlic honey in a marinade adds an element people love. The umami of the garlic, sweetness of the honey, and the tender chicken make a drool-worthy taste and moist texture people love.
In addition to marinades, fermented garlic honey is great with fried chicken in any form. You can dip chicken tenders in it, swap out maple syrup with it, or drizzle over a fried or grilled chicken sandwich. You could also make sweet chili wings or harissa honey chicken wings.
If you like what you're hearing already and want to incorporate fermented garlic honey in more elaborate chicken recipes, sweet chili chicken lollipops and Greek chicken panzanella with honey lemon vinaigrette are fantastic places to start your exploration. While not chicken, whole duck honey cantaloupe is another crowd-pleaser that would fare well with a quick ingredient swap with fermented garlic honey.
Pork
Similar to chicken, but technically red meat, pork and fermented garlic honey easily come together in a variety of scrumptious recipes. It makes a great base for marinades and can also be added on top of dishes like ribs, grilled pork loin, or even pulled pork. Of course, you may want to incorporate a few other flavors to ensure it is not too sweet, but that's easy. You could stir some in a BBQ sauce or add it to a mustard sauce in a matter of moments.
Sweet and savory pork dishes are nothing new. You'll find this flavor pair in all kinds of different recipes. Some of our favorites include one pot honey lemon roasted pork loin and pork and pineapple kebabs. Both call for honey already, so as you probably guessed, you can easily switch it out for fermented garlic honey. The results will be similar, but thanks to the added garlic, potentially better.
Glaze seafood
Creating a glaze for seafood with fermented garlic honey is a fantastic way to incorporate it into your diet. It provides a sweet taste that isn't overbearing and thanks to the sticky consistency of a honey glaze, clings to seafood in expert fashion. Plus, eating seafood comes with its own health benefits. According to the Advances in Food and Nutrition Research, evidence shows that eating seafood can aid heart, eye, and brain functionality. So, pairing it with the natural remedy properties of fermented garlic honey provides you with what can only be called a health-conscious meal.
When it comes to cooking, a glaze is just a sweet, cooked sauce. It might sound much fancier, but it is actually quite simple. A glaze sauce can be sweetened with maple syrup, sugar, or, you guessed it, honey. When the sauce cooks, the sugary element caramelizes. As a result, the glaze develops a glossy sheen and sticks to whatever you cook it with exceptionally well. A fermented garlic honey glaze is quite versatile — it'll taste yummy on shrimp, lobster, scallops, salmon, and other types of fish. The same glaze is tasty on other types of meat as well, but seafood is a fantastic place to start.
Yogurt and fruit parfaits
If you want to infuse your morning routine with a little health tonic boost, fermented garlic honey makes a wonderful choice. It has a slightly different taste than pure honey, but it won't transform your morning meal so much that all you taste is garlic.
Many people enjoy honey with breakfast. Whether they use it in their tea, eat it in their yogurt, or munch on granola with it baked inside, the sweet taste goes wonderfully with an array of breakfast foods, especially yogurt parfaits. Açaí bowls, which are often very similar to yogurt parfaits, also taste wonderful with a bit of honey, and this includes fermented garlic honey. A simple spoonful mixed in or layered on top leads to delicious flavor throughout. It also creates a healthy powerhouse full of beneficial ingredients perfect for jump-starting your day. If you want to take it a step further, you could even make granola using fermented garlic honey as the sweet, binding element.
Fresh fruit juices and smoothies also benefit from a fermented garlic honey infusion. It tones down the bitterness of greens and also tastes wonderful with any fruit you think to add.
Warm brie or feta cheese
Baked brie is a decadent appetizer most people can't get enough of, especially if you top it with other flavorful ingredients. Anything from nuts to jams to fruit to honey accentuates the rich flavor of brie, and obviously, fermented garlic honey falls into this category. One of the best things about baked brie is that it is super easy and fast to prepare, even if you take the time to drizzle it with honey, sprinkle it with rosemary, and more. Whatever flavor combination you choose, just remember to score brie cheese before baking to ensure the ingredients seep in and stay in place.
Similarly, warmed feta cheese and fermented garlic honey make a wonderful appetizer perfect for spreading on crackers or bread. Feta has a tangier taste and a lighter texture than brie cheese, but the flavors still lead to super tasty results. You can quickly drizzle fermented garlic honey over a brick of feta and pop it in the oven (just like with brie) for a few minutes to get a drool-worthy appetizer.
Dips
When you think of dips, savory options are usually the first thing that comes to mind. However, there are an abundance of dips that incorporate sweet ingredients, especially honey. My favorite is a whipped feta and ricotta dip with crumbled pistachios, honey, and rosemary. I haven't substituted the regular honey for fermented garlic honey yet, but you better believe I'm going to now. Pesto, hummus, and spicy dips also welcome fermented garlic honey.
While the wildly popular feta and lemon dip recipe doesn't typically contain honey, it does feature garlic — and a small amount of sweetness surely wouldn't hurt. Actually, I tend to think it would only improve what is already a phenomenal-tasting dip.
Dips are super versatile, so you can put just about anything you want in them and wind up with a delicious appetizer or snack. In addition, dips are incredibly simple to make. Toss a few ingredients in a bowl, mix, and bake until warm and bubbly. Or, for cold dips, simply mix and serve. Either way, I recommend adding fermented garlic honey to your list of potential dip ingredients.
Infusing cocktails and mocktails
Honey isn't necessarily considered a common bartender ingredient, but it can be used in creative ways to enhance an abundance of drinks. It can also be used to infuse spirits, like whiskey, vodka, gin, and rum. I enjoy honey martinis made with vodka and considering some martini bars garnish drinks with garlic cloves, using fermented garlic honey sounds delicious. Or, for a more refreshing summer drink, try making a honey cucumber spritz with gin. Of course, mocktails made without alcohol also take well to this sugary addition.
You'll only need a small amount of fermented garlic honey to make a single drink, maybe only a few drops. It can be mixed into the other ingredients and shaken or drizzled inside the glass, to create a subtle taste and an eye-catching presentation. Either way, if you use too much, it can lead to a sticky mess that is difficult to drink.
Due to the limited amount of fermented garlic honey used in a single drink, don't expect to pick up a bunch of health benefits from it when used this way. Of course, if you are making cocktails that probably isn't really the goal.
Tea and coffee
Honey and tea are another iconic duo that most of us have tried many times. It might sound a bit strange to include fermented garlic in the mix, but it creates a pleasing combination with many different kinds of tea. I wouldn't necessarily add it to something like peppermint tea, but chamomile tea with a spoon of fermented garlic honey sounds quite nice. Considering many of us reach for tea when we are feeling a bit under the weather, the use of fermented garlic honey in it only increases the potential health and wellness benefits.
Sugar is the sweetener of choice for coffee, but many people reach for honey instead — I certainly have. Again, sweetening coffee with fermented garlic honey may not sound as enticing, but the robust flavors of coffee will surely balance any garlic flavor. Plus, the tangy undertones of fermented garlic honey will smooth out the sugary taste and infuse your caffeine fix with an immune booster and more.