My Secret Pantry Staple Is An Absolute Must-Have for Garlic Lovers

I grew up in a garlic-free home where the pasta sauce of choice was an onion- and garlic-free marinara. Maybe I’ve been making up for lost time, but there’s certainly no shortage of garlic in my kitchen today — and working at Italian eateries has certainly influenced my palate! In one way or another, garlic makes its way into almost all my meals, whether I’m grating a few swipes over a microplane into a stir fry, slicing thin shavings into pasta sauce, or slow-cooking whole cloves nestled under a roast chicken. That’s why I’m obsessed with Kosterina’s Garlic Olive Oil, a delectable ingredient that makes it incredibly easy to slip garlicky goodness into every dish.

One reason that I love Kosterina’s garlic oil is that, just like raw garlic, it mellows out and gives off slow-roasted flavor as it cooks. I’ve used it to saute farmers’ market mushrooms, massaged it into kale chips, and added it into my go-to chicken marinade (along with red wine vinegar, dijon, and honey), all with absolutely delicious results! I lean on it for lazy weeknight pantry pastas (garlic oil, lemon, parmesan, and black pepper — yum!). Of course, nothing can replace the textural element of garlic in dishes like spaghetti aglio e olio and bagna cuada, but more often than not, I lean on my bottle of garlic olive oil for a pop of flavor when I’m throwing together a quick meal.

And it works just as beautifully uncooked. Whether I’m dipping bread into this sumptuous olive oil or stirring it into salad dressing, the flavor is spot on. I’m looking forward to pairing it with Kosterina’s slightly sweet balsamic for my favorite summer appetizer, bruschetta. As soon as it’s time for alfresco gatherings in the park, you’d better believe that this Kosterina oil is going to make a show-stopping addition to my antipasto spread alongside summery grilled peaches and roasted red peppers.

The applications for this must-have oil are truly endless on veggies, potatoes, chicken, and more. Instead of peeling and chopping a clove, I just reach for the sleek, chic white Kosterina bottle on my countertop and shave minutes off my prep and cleanup time — win, win, win! If you’re pro garlic (I see you), do yourself a solid and get your hands on your own bottle of this scrumptious garlic-infused olive oil ASAP.

Buy: Kosterina Garlic Olive Oil, $24.95