Garlic Substitute

Name: Garlic Substitute
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 7 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Healthy
Ingredients: 1/2 teaspoon jarred Minced Garlic; 1/2 teaspoon Dehydrated garlic flakes; 1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder; 1 tablespoon Shallots; 1 tablespoon Green Onion; 1 tablespoon Chives

by Deborah on Aug 20, 2023 (updated Sep 27, 2024) 0 comments

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Need a good substitute for garlic cloves? Garlic has a unique flavor that’s hard to replace. But if you’re in a pinch and need a replacement, here’s the best garlic substitutes you can use.

A small wooden box filled with garlic bulbs - for best garlic substitutes.

If you’re in the middle of making a recipe that calls for garlic and you don’t have any on hand, there’s a few substitutes you can use to replace it, though the flavor won’t be quite the same

What Is Garlic?

Garlic is a member of the Allium genus family (like onions, scallions, shallots, leeks and chives) and is classified as Allium sativa (which means “cultivated garlic”). Each garlic bulb has several small sections called cloves, which are individually wrapped by a papery covering.

How Do You Choose The Best Garlic?

Choose garlic that is sold loose, so you can pick and choose the best bulbs. Garlic bulbs should be firm without any broken skins. Avoid bulbs that are moist or have soft spots or bulbs that feel light and hollow when gently squeezed. This indicates that the cloves inside may have dried out. A firm bulb with large cloves should indicate that the garlic inside is fresh and will be flavorful. Garlic bulbs with green sprouts means the cloves inside may have a mild flavor, so you may need to add more cloves to your recipe to compensate the lack of flavor. To prevent garlic from sprouting, garlic bulbs should be kept in a dark but airy place.

Best Garlic Substitutes

1. Dried Garlic

Dried garlic comes in several different forms, such as minced, flakes, powder, granules and salt. Each of these makes a good choice if you need to substitute garlic cloves.

Minced Garlic – Use 1/2 teaspoon jarred minced garlic to replace 1 garlic clove.
Dehydrated garlic flakes – Use 1/2 teaspoon dehydrated garlic flakes to replace 1 garlic clove.
Garlic powder – Use 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder to replace 1 garlic clove.

2. Shallots

Shallots are a small mild-flavored member of the Allium genus family. They look like both an onion and garlic, and the flavor is somewhere in between the two. Their bulbs are wrapped in a delicate papery skin similar to onions and garlic, and it’s divided into small segmented cloves similar to garlic. They make an excellent substitute for garlic. Use 1 tablespoon minced shallot for each garlic clove.

3. Green Onion

Green onions are also a mild-flavored member of the Allium family. The term green onion is used interchangeable with scallions, but there is a minor difference. Green onions are harvested in the small bulb stage, but scallions are pulled from the soil while their tops are still green but before a bulb has formed. They also make a good substitute for garlic. Use 1 tablespoon minced green onion for each garlic clove.

4. Chives

Chives are also a mild-flavored member of the Allium family. They also make a good substitute for garlic. Use 1 tablespoon minced chives for each garlic clove.

Garlic Recipes

Still want more ideas? Here’s our favorite garlic recipes.

More Resources

Yield: 1 serving