Black Magic with Noosa Black Garlic
Spring invites us to ditch the heavy soups and hearty foods, in favour of lighter salads, beautiful bakes and sensational sandwiches and quiches – Jodie Cameron discovers how to elevate any meal with a little black magic…
With the change in season, we naturally gravitate towards brighter dishes that celebrate abundance. Creating an unforgettable meal starts with quality ingredients – but it’s the extra flavours that bring it all together, and Noosa Black Garlic’s award-winning handcrafted range injects serious flavour without the fuss.
Say hello to the golden trio: a drizzle of Noosa Black Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a splash of Noosa Black Garlic White Balsamic Vinegar, and a touch of Noosa Black Garlic Honey. On paper, it sounds simple – oil, vinegar, honey – but these are far from average condiments, each is a complex, award-winning elixir layered with umami, tang, and sweetness. Shaped by time, fuelled by passion, and made from 100% Australian ingredients, they’re a bit of magic that transforms your meals from ordinary to extraordinary!
At the heart of Noosa Black Garlic is a commitment to quality, sustainability and local farming. Their organically grown Elephant garlic – milder than most – is planted in March and begins sprouting in September, and is the foundation for their range that includes Black Garlic Cloves, Caramelised Paste, Infused Oils, White Balsamic, and Black Garlic Honey – all organic, FODMAP-friendly, gluten and dairy-free, with no preservatives or artificial nasties.
While they’re all incredibly versatile in the kitchen, it’s the rich depth of flavour in each product that really sets them apart. I caught up with flavour alchemists and founders Tony and Teneille to discover how they turn pantry staples into magical meals.
“We don’t overcomplicate things, we just use real ingredients – whether you’re feeding a crowd or making lunch less boring, black garlic does the rest,” Teneille says. “One small step for meal time – one giant leap towards flavour.”
Noosa Black Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Rich in polyphenols and oleic acid, it supports heart, brain, and joint health – while helping you feel balanced, nourished, and satisfied. The slow-aged black garlic is infused into Australian extra-virgin olive oil, developing a silky, caramelised depth – it’s bold, smooth, and was named Champion Flavoured Oil at the 2024 Sydney Royal Fine Food Awards. Like sunshine in a bottle, it’s the ultimate finisher for grilled asparagus, warm potatoes, chicken, lamb or fresh prawns sizzling on the barbecue.
Tony’s go-to?
“For a quick pasta, simply toss through spaghetti with lemon zest and parsley, people think it’s fancy but it’s five ingredients in five minutes,” he says.
Also brilliant as a base for aioli, pesto or vinaigrette, and for a stunning and gut-friendly spring salad dressing, simply mix with Noosa Black Garlic White Balsamic Vinegar, a touch of Noosa Black Garlic Honey, lemon juice, mustard and fresh herbs. It’s sweet, savoury and just a little addictive – pairing beautifully with beetroot, grilled fish or caprese salad. So easy, and so good!
Noosa Black Garlic White Balsamic Vinegar
Crafted from Chardonnay vinegar, this light, zingy vinegar – which recently took out the Gold Medal at the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show – is a gentler take on traditional balsamic, layered with sweetness.
“It’s also a win for the gut,” says Teneille, who takes a holistic approach to flavour. “Vinegar is a quiet achiever – it stimulates digestion and detoxification – and Chardonnay vinegar is gentle on sensitive tummies.”
It shines in vinaigrettes, with peppery greens or fennel, in ceviche-style dishes to cure prawns or scallops, or swirled into olive oil it becomes a dipping sauce begging for some crusty sourdough! Splashed over a salad of rocket and shaved fennel, it turns Tuesday brunch into a Tuscan-style long lunch!
Looking for a quick and easy way to marinate meats or seafood? The deep, rich flavours penetrate the proteins, creating a mouthwatering result with minimal effort. A few tablespoons mixed with olive oil, fresh herbs and salt makes a quick, flavour-packed marinade for meats or seafood.
Noosa Black Garlic Honey
Looking for a sweet twist? While we’re used to thinking of garlic as a savoury ingredient, Noosa Black Garlic Honey proves black garlic can satisfy any sweet tooth, and sweet meets savoury in this sticky, golden condiment – with flavour that surprises in the best possible way.
“It catches people off guard,” Teneille laughed. “There’s no garlic breath – just this mellow, rich complexity.”
Sourced from Paperbark tree honey native to the region, it brings earthy depth and a soy-sauce-meets-molasses twist that’s perfect for glazing meats, drizzling over cheese, or adding to desserts. And for spring? Try it over fresh strawberries, oranges, or stone fruit – it lifts natural sweetness while adding a subtle savoury contrast. There’s a reason it was named Champion Honey at the 2024 Royal Tasmanian Fine Food Awards and claimed three Gold Medals.
Now you know the secret to making your everyday meals extraordinary, start planning that spring long lunch and make Noosa Black Garlic the centrepiece of your seasonal celebration!
The Noosa Springtime Salad
Ingredients:
- Mixed spring baby salad greens (rocket, mizuna, baby cos)
- 5 baby radishes – thinly sliced and pickled (simply bring vinegar to the boil, pour over radish slices and allow to sit for 5 minutes – then strain)
- 1 sweet potato – cubed and roasted in olive oil/butter/duck fat
- ½ red onion – finely sliced
- 1 ripe avocado – sliced
- 100 g fresh Goat’s cheese – crumbled
- 4 rashers of bacon – cut into small pieces and fried or grilled
- 1 chicken breast – poached and sliced diagonally (we love to poach in a chicken stock or coconut cream)
- Edible flowers – optional but very pretty
Noosa Black Garlic Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup Noosa Black Garlic Extra Virgin
Olive Oil - ¼ cup Black Garlic White Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 tsps Black Garlic Honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard (we love Fallot
or Maille)
Method:
- In a large salad bowl, place the baby salad greens evenly to fill the base substantially.
- Sprinkle the roasted sweet potato, pickled radishes & red onion evenly over the salad greens. Then top with the sliced chicken breast, bacon, avocado & Goat’s cheese.
- In a small bowl, add all of the Noosa Black Garlic Vinaigrette ingredients. Use a fork or smal whisk to mix together until the viniagrette is nice and smooth.
- Drizzle over your salad evenly.
- Serve with a nice glass of chilled rosé.
