How To Make Low FODMAP Garlic-Infused Oil
A life without garlic would be a less flavorful life, but have no fear. Low FODMAP Garlic-Infused Oil is not only flavorful, it is even allowed during the Elimination Phase of the low FODMAP diet and our recipe is completely compliant with the most up-to-date Monash University science in regards to FODMAPs. (Cue the trumpets playing and angels singing).
UPDATE BELOW ON NEW STORAGE RECOMMENDATIONS!
YOU CAN FREEZE THE OIL SAFELY LONGTERM – AND THE OIL WILL STILL BE LOW FODMAP
When we first learned that garlic was packed with fructans and was a significant digestive disruptor for many we have to admit, it didn’t surprise us. All of our lives we have come across friends and family who would state that garlic and onions (fructan rich also) didn’t “agree” with them.
Who knows how many of those people were actually reacting to the FODMAPs but just didn’t know it? They could have been enjoying Garlic Infused Oil all along because the offending fructans are not oil soluble. This means that all that garlic flavor can be infused into the oil with no negative effects for those avoiding FODMAPs.
Get Garlic Flavor Into Your Low FODMAP Diet
While garlic itself is not allowed during the Elimination Phase maybe you will be one of the lucky ones and realize during your Challenge Phase that fructans and garlic don’t upset your digestive system. Lucky you! You will be able to eat out at Italian and Mexican restaurants with abandon.
Get Your Garlic Fix!
For the rest of us, we have to be a bit more creative in how we can get garlic into our lives. Garlic Infused Oil is our number one way of doing so.
While you can buy Garlic-Infused Oil (see Shop) we recommend that you first read our article titled Know What’s In Your Garlic Oil. If you want to make it, the recipe is here below.
Note that the finished, cooled oil should be refrigerated in an airtight container and used within 3 days, per the FDA’s recommendation. There is a risk of botulism growth if you do not heed this warning. But don’t worry, if you follow our lead there is no problem.
Simply bring to room temperature before using, or use a measuring spoon to scoop out what you need. Olive oil will solidify and turn cloudy in the fridge; it might look odd but it is still okay to use.
The more garlic you add to the oil, the stronger the garlic flavor will be. Make a batch, taste and assess whether you want more or less garlic flavor the next time around.
The amount of garlic we recommend below is for a moderate garlic flavor; not too faint and not too bold. For recipes where garlic is the focus, such as in our Basil Pesto, we recommend doubling the amount of garlic.
STORAGE UPDATE!
We originally suggested refrigerating the oil and using within 3 days, as that is what the USDA recommended for safety and had no other storage information. The risk is botulism growth, which can be deadly.
Recently it came to our attention that the USDA actually has contradictory information in regards to storage recommendations; their storage information is not consistent and ranges from 2 days to 7 days refrigerated for garlic-infused oil. We communicated with our contact in summer 2020 to be able to provide you with the best and most current information. After reviewing the various documents that they provided, we are sticking with the 3-day recommendation for refrigeration – but, you can also freeze it!
Can Garlic-Infused Oil Be Frozen?
A few community members asked if the oil could be frozen and we were fascinated by the idea!
I reached out to Linda Harris, the Department Chair at University of California, Davis, for Food Science and Technology. She said that the oil could be safely frozen “indefinitely”. I tried to pin her down to length of time and she clarified that this was from a safety perspective and not a taste perspective.
So, the answer is YES you can freeze the oil, which means you can make larger batches and have them in the freezer available for you whenever you need it! Of course, we are concerned with flavor as well. We suggest freezing some for a month, tasting it, and see it the flavor is to your liking.
If it is, try pushing it and try 3 months the next time! And we would love to hear about your experiences, as well.
The freezing does not affect the FODMAP aspect and the recipe remains a low FODMAP recipe per Monash University recommendations.
How to Freeze Garlic-Infused Oil
Now that we know we can freeze our garlic-infused oil, what is the best way to accomplish this? Of course you have to use freezer safe containers to start, but that still leaves a variety of approaches.
We certainly think freezing in very user-friendly portions is the way to go. You can try freezing in ice cube trays and once frozen, transfer the cubes to a large airtight container or heavy zip top bag. This is great for individual (or close to it) servings.
Or, find jars that allow you to pour the oil easily once defrosted and use up within 3 days, during which you would keep it refrigerated.
If you do not want to make your own Garlic-Infused Oil we have some of our favorites available for purchase through our Shop. Also check out our article reviewing some of our favorite low FODMAP garlic-infused oils!
Low FODMAP Garlic-Infused Oil
Low FODMAP Garlic-Infused Oil is the easiest way to get garlic flavor into your low FODMAP foods. And it can be frozen for longer storage so you never have to be without!
Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes 2 cups (480 ml); servings size is 4 U.S. teaspoons (20 ml)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (480 ml) extra virgin olive oil, pure olive oil or vegetable oil such as canola, grapeseed, rice bran, safflower or sunflower
- 6 large cloves of fresh garlic, peeled, whole or halved
Preparation:
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Have ready a glass storage bottle, container or jar with an airtight lid. Rinse with boiling water and dry thoroughly; set aside.
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Pour oil in a small sized non-reactive pot and heat over low heat just until just warm to the touch, then remove from heat. It is important not to overheat the oil as its flavor and integrity will degrade. No need to use a thermometer, just go by touch and only heat the oil until it is warm, not hot.
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For a more subtle garlic flavor, leave the cloves whole; for more potent garlic flavor halve the cloves Add garlic to oil, off the heat, and allow to sit for about 2 hours. Strain into the clean jar, making sure to remove all of the garlic pieces; we like to line a fine wire-meshed strainer with cheesecloth to catch any garlic pieces. Seal jars and store in refrigerator, using within 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months for safety (see headnote and TIPS below).
Dédé's Quick Recipe Tips Video
Notes:
TIPS
- You may use whatever kind of oil that you like. Our recipes will specify whether we are calling for Garlic-Infused Oil made with olive oil or a more neutral carrier oil, such as sunflower, canola, rice bran or the like.
- Think about how you will be using the oil. If you are planning to make pesto or about to cook some Italian foods, then use olive oil as your base. If you want to cook Mexican or know that you do not want the flavor that olive brings to a dish, then choose a more subtle flavored oil, such as the ones listed above.
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UPDATE: You can freeze the oil safely. Take advantage of this fact and make larger batches. In theory the oil can be frozen indefinitely but the flavors might degrade. We suggest freezing some 1 month, tasting it, and see if the flavor is to your liking. If it is, try pushing it and try 3 months or longer. Freeze in ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop the cubes out and stir in an airtight container.
The freezing does not affect the FODMAP aspect and the recipe remains totally compliant with all Monash University recommendations.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
Hello! I think this page may be experiencing a formatting issue – it doesn’t actually show the recipe, just the storage updates and then the comments. I can see the recipe on the onion-infused oil page, however. Wanted to give you a heads-up, thanks!
How odd! Fixing right away. THANK YOU! Please check again soon…
Hello
Just wondering if anyone has tried making mayonnaise out of the finished oil product? Could be a good way to have garlic aioli when following fodmaps. I would be curious about the safe storage aspect though.
Hi Steph, we have a Garlic Aioli recipe for you! Our suggestion is to use it immediately, as this is not a pasteurized, commercial product that has storage life.
Very excited to have garlic flavor again! I plan to roast the whole garlic at high temp to kill botulism then dehydrate so that no spoilage can occur and keep the oil at room temp
Hi Steven, you are free to do whatever you would like in your home kitchen of course but we stand by the FDA recommendations for safety.
Dede, how would you suggest I make the garlic-infused oil per recipe? What I mean is, say the recipe calls for 1 garlic clove. Can I take some olive oil and the garlic clove and infuse it? I guess I’m trying to avoid wasting the garlic infused oil. I wouldn’t use the 2 cups in 3 days, and would hesitate freezing it because I’d probably forget about it!! I would hate the waste.
When I want to do it in the manner mentioned I just follow the conventional recipe at hand, or just cook on the fly. Put your oil in your pot, add whatever garlic is called for it that you would like, sauté and then remove all garlic before proceeding with any other ingredients.
Hello, i freeze little portions in bpa-free lollipop molds. Maby a nice tip from holland 😊. love your internet site. (My writing is not the best i hope i did i wright).
YES thank you for the tip! Very helpful.
Could butter be used, or no since there is still a small percentage of water in butter?
Hi Terry, butter is not a pure fat like oil, so we do not recommend using it to infuse garlic or onion.
Thanks for your recipe, your site has been incredibly useful!
Question about the use of the oil. If it is used in a recipe, such as your low FODMAP hummus, would that final product, the hummus, also have to be used within three days to avoid risk of botulism growth?
Thanks!
Hi Kerry. This is a great question! As you might have noticed, we always give an option between using homemade infused oil and commercially prepared, so storage could be variable, depending. Also, if a recipe is cooked – let’s say in a tomato sauce – then that would also be different from a recipe that is not cooked, like a hummus. Our recommendation in the hummus recipe is max storage for 3 days at any rate. Do these variables make sense for you?
If you are going to freeze the oil immediately, do you have to boil those containers? I can’t imagine it is necessary, but wanted to confirm. I want to use my ice cube tray to make small garlic infused oil cubes, but I really don’t want to have to pour boiling water over the plastic.
I have never used boiling water, nor was that a necessity recommended from the extension folks that I spoke to. Just make sure they are clean.
Tried this. It destroyed my stomach. Don’t recommend if you’re sensitive to garlic.
Summer, whatever GI distress you experienced was not due to FODMAPs, if you followed our instructions. It very well could be that you are sensitive to fats, which is not unusual, but a fat reaction would not be an indicator of the recipe not being appropriate from a FODMAP perspective. A RD can help you figure out your triggers and will give you the best chance of success in healing and managing symptoms.
I understand the science behind the FODMAPs in garlic not being fat-soluble, so leaving the cloves whole (given that they weren’t crushed or bruised in removing the skin) would make sense as a low FODMAP option. I can’t help. Ut wonder though if halving the cloves for stronger flavor would allow some garlic juices into the oil solution. Even though it’s not absorbed by the oil, I would think there would think one would need to somehow then separate the oil and juices for the finished product to remain low-FODMAP.
I understand what you are saying. When we first took this recipe to Monash for them to look at it, I had the garlic smashed and minced. They asked us to re-write it as presented. They were not comfortable with us bringing the garlic down to smaller pieces.
Hi Dédé,
Thank you for your blog. I want to ask that can I use this garlic oil to avoid the flu?
Michael
Hi Michael, none of our foods are meant to prevent or cure any medical diagnosis or potential medical issue. The low FODMAP diet, which is our focus, is a system that can help alleviate or eliminate IBS symptoms in the great majority of those with IBS.
I think it is great for preventing the flu. So I’ll try to do it. Thanks you!
As long as you understand that we are not endorsing this as a flu preventative. We hope you enjoy it!
Thank you for this site! I’m making a kale salad to share on the 4th. The garlic-infused oil recipe is a godsend! (Just started low FODMAP diet, still recovering from the shock of no garlic.)
ENJOY!!!! Have a safe holiday. So glad you found us.
A life without garlic would be a less flavorful life
Thank you for such usefully information
What do you do with the cheesecloth once you’ve strained the garlic? Can it be washed or does it have to be binned? I’ve never used cheesecloth before, but I find disposing of/cleaning oil difficult.
I usually wipe down bowls, jars or pans with kitchen roll (which goes in the bin), then wash with hot soapy water.
Great question. There are certainly various grades of cheesecloth and in most professional kitchens I have used the type that is considered disposable, and that is what we did/do. You could look into “better” quality”, but the minute the mesh gets too thick and sturdy, you will loose usability. “If” you were going to wash, I would do a thorough wash and dry.
I made garlic infused oil and froze it; it’s great but sometimes would like a stronger flavour.
This year, I want to be ready when our local garlic season arrives (Montréal, Québec). I will have a choice of many different varieties of hardneck garlic with different flavours and pungencies. Which varieties work best for infusing? To make a stronger flavoured oil, can I put more cloves in the warm oil or must I keep to 6 pungent ones per 2 cups oil?
Yvonne
We often make double strength (more garlic), which is what I recommend for our Basil Pesto, for instance. As long as you remove all the solids you will have a low FODMAP end result. If you are looking for more garlic flavor you might want to look into FreeFod Garlic Replacer, which we love, or the other garlic products out there like Smoke n Sanity Essence of Garlic (which also contains salt).
I want to make this but does it really only keep for 3 days? If I refrigerated it would it increase the shelf life?
Thanks!
It lasts 3 days REFRIGERATED. Please do not leave out at room temperature. There are instructions for freezing for longer storage.
I use a lot of garlic infused oil. Once I’ve sieved it, I pour it into ice cube tray( each ice cube hole takes 18 mg) but I only fill them half way so I have 9mg cubes. When frozen, (they don’t go hard like ice so are easy to cut through it you want to make larger cubes), remove from tray and put in whatever freezer container you use . They melt very fast so using them is a doddle. I do this with Pesto sauce too as I would never be able to use a whole bottle at one go, and it goes mouldy fast, so this saves time, money and my patience! Good luck!
Yes, this is what we do, too! Freezing instructions are in the recipe.
Does it matter if the pot has a lid on it when the Garlic is sitting with the oil?
No it does not
Just to be certain: If I use this oil to make, say, a pasta salad: Is the salad then, by extension, only good for three days (in the fridge)?
I would say no pasta salads are going to be great longer than that anyway…
Does it have to be fresh garlic? I have jarred available so I was curious.
Hi, great question. Most jarred garlic will have been treated with some sort of preservative, so you wouldn’t have any botulism issues, however, I have never tasted any prepped garlic product that tastes as good as fresh. If you are going to go to the trouble to make this from scratch, I highly recommend fresh garlic. But, you could use jarred; I just cannot vouch for the flavor and outcome.
Can you use sesame oil for this?
Any 100% oil can be used as all pure fats are non FODMAP: avocado oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, peanut oil etc.