I had wanted to make the famous garlic dipping sauce for a long time. Light and Tasty finally made me decide! Today in our weekly column, we talk about sauces, do you like it? 😋

Garlic sauce exists almost everywhere – from the typical Catalan aioli sauce to the Provençal and our Piedmontese version (all three oil-based sauces, sometimes with eggs) – passing through the Greek tzatziki sauce (strictly with Greek yogurt), to the American garlic dipping sauce, which is the result of the classic American culinary melting pot: searching online I found so many versions I didn’t know which one to be inspired by! 😃

To leave nothing to chance, I also read the labels of some packaged garlic sauces, discovering that – all – are quite different from homemade versions, and contain ingredients that are not congenial to me, such as canola oil.

In the end, I did my own thing, although trying to remain faithful to the basic version, made of sour cream, garlic, and parsley. I just added a couple more herbs.

We liked it so much; we devoured it spread on bread and crostini and even as a dip for vegetables, but it’s also excellent as a dressing for meat and fish and for dipping potatoes (delicious, forget ketchup!). And it’s ideal as a spread in stuffed sandwiches. So, what are you waiting for….

…you have to try it! 😃

〰️ 〰️ 〰️

Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Economical
Rest time: 1 Hour
Preparation time: 5 Minutes
Portions: 2
Cooking methods: No Cooking
Cuisine: International

Ingredients

2.8 oz sour cream (light alternative: creamy kefir or Greek yogurt)
3 cloves garlic (if pressed with a garlic press, otherwise 1 is enough)
1 tsp chopped parsley
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
2 tsp lemon juice
chives
pepper
1 tsp mayonnaise (optional)
lemon zest (grated, optional)

Tools

Garlic Press
Bowl
Cling Film
Food Processor

Steps

Here are the ingredients I used: sour cream (crème fraîche), garlic, parsley, fresh oregano, chives, lemon.
👉 Then during the process, after taking the photo, I decided to add a teaspoon of mayonnaise. For me, it’s irrelevant in the final output, but I used it, so it’s necessary to include it in the ingredients. 😊 American sauces use mayonnaise, sometimes in abundance.
Peel the garlic and press it with the appropriate garlic press.
Chop the parsley and oregano (fresh), cut some chives.
👉 Instead of oregano, you can use dill, thyme, or basil (or a mix of all).
Combine all other ingredients in a small bowl, add two teaspoons of lemon (or even three), the teaspoon of mayonnaise (or not, it’s your choice).
Mix well.
Done. The garlic dipping sauce is ready! 😃
Now, the only thing left is to close the bowl well with cling film (or put the sauce in an airtight container), place it in the fridge, and wait at least an hour for it to cool and become well-flavored.
When serving, mix the sauce well and bring it to the table garnished with chives or parsley (or both 😉).
🔸 If lacking a garlic press, the sauce can be prepared with a small food processor or chopper. In this case, you can use less garlic (with the garlic press, the fibrous part of the garlic is discarded, while in the chopper, the whole clove is used).
🔸 Using the processor, the only care needed is ensuring the garlic is finely chopped and no large garlic pieces remain in the sauce.
🔸 The amount of garlic to use can vary according to personal taste and habitual garlic consumption. In the American recipes I consulted, garlic was very abundant.
🔸 The sauce works best with fresh garlic, but dried garlic can also be used.
🔸 Serve the sauce cold, after adequate rest in the fridge, and mix it well with a teaspoon before serving.

Salt-Free Advice

Salt-Free Used raw, garlic flavors a lot, and for this, it is a precious ally of low-sodium cooking. In addition, here it is combined with lemon, so this garlic sauce is a perfect low-sodium recipe. Read the list below to discover other ingredients – besides garlic and lemon – that help us flavor our food. 😉

If you are interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▪ Gradually decrease the salt, allowing the palate to slowly adjust without noticing the progressive reduction.
▪ Use spices. Chili, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
▪ Use herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
▪ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
▪ Use spicy vegetables or fruit. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▪ Use my salt-free vegetable granules and gomasio.
▪ Prefer fresh foods.
▪ Avoid cooking in water, prefer cooking methods that do not disperse flavors (grill, foil, steam, microwave).
▪ Avoid bringing the saltshaker to the table!
▪ Occasionally allow yourself an exception. It’s good for the mood and helps to persevere.

If you do not want or cannot give up salt:
▪ You can still try my recipes, salting according to your habits.

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Other Light and Tasty Recipes:

Claudia: Mustard and Honey Sauce
Daniela: Vanilla Sauce without Eggs and Sugar
Elena: Zucchini Mayonnaise
Milena: Lemon Sauce with Aromatic Herbs

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Garlic Dipping Sauce