If you don’t keep fresh garlic on hand, sooner or later, you will need to know how many teaspoons in a clove of garlic. This is important information to have memorized because garlic is a standard recipe ingredient for many types of cuisine.
A garlic clove is about one teaspoon in volume, though this can vary greatly from one clove to another. That does not mean you should use one teaspoon of preserved garlic in your recipe. Keep reading to find out how to substitute one of the versions of preserved garlic for fresh garlic in your recipe.
How Is It Used In Cooking?
Fresh garlic is fantastic, slightly sweet, and full of flavor. Garlic is used in cooking to add flavor and intensity to your favorite dishes. We love it on our Air Fryer Garlic Naan Bread.
It is found in sautés, roasts, marinades, dry rubs, salad dressing, cheese, oil, dips, casseroles, salads, sauces, stir fry, and more. Preserved garlic can be used interchangeably with fresh garlic and comes in a variety of forms.
Become a garlic pro! How Much is a Clove of Garlic, How Many Tablespoons in a Clove of Garlic, Best Garlic Powder Substitute, How Much Minced Garlic Equals a Clove.
How Much Is A Clove?
Garlic is from the same family as onions, leeks, and shallots and has a similar bite, especially as it ages.
It grows in bulb form, with ten to twenty cloves forming each bulb. A clove of garlic is a spherical piece broken off from a garlic bulb. It is wrapped in its own skin and attached to the bulb stem at one end.
Each clove of fresh garlic is equal to about one teaspoon or 1/48 of a cup in measured volume.
How to Prep Fresh Garlic
Using fresh garlic in cooking is a wonderful way to add depth and flavor to your dish. Fresh garlic can be used in several different ways. It can be used whole, sliced, minced, or grated in your recipes.
To add garlic to your dish, you first need to separate the garlic from the head or bulb of garlic cloves.
One of the easiest ways to do that is to smash the bulb of garlic with the palm of your hand or a heavy measuring cup. Break off as many cloves as you need for the recipe and leave the rest intact.
Next, remove each clove from its skin. The easiest way I have found to get a clove out of the skin is to microwave it for ten to fifteen seconds. You can microwave a handful of 10-20 cloves for thirty seconds. Then each clove will pop right out of its skin when you pinch it. You may have to cut or tear a hole on one end to form an opening.
You can also remove a garlic clove from its skin by soaking it in boiling water for 10-20 seconds.
Cut off the hard end where the garlic is attached to the bulb. Next, prepare the garlic according to the recipe.
Grate garlic using the small side of a box grater. Slice garlic into thin or thick slices. To mince garlic, slice it first, and then cut long thin strips from the slices. Next, slice in the opposite direction to form small pieces.
If you don’t want to get garlic on your skin, use a handy garlic press to mince garlic. These metal kitchen tools will remove the skin and mince the garlic in one simple step.
Forms of Garlic Used in Cooking
Besides fresh garlic, you can purchase a multitude of types of garlic to use in your kitchen and replace fresh garlic in your recipes.
- Dried Minced Garlic. Minced first and then dried and placed in a sealed container.
- Jarred Minced Garlic. Minced garlic is placed in a jar and then preserved in oil. An open jar of minced garlic needs refrigerated. Drain off the oil with a slotted spoon so that it does not add any bitterness to your food.
- Garlic Powder. Dried garlic ground into a powder and then placed in a sealed container. Interestingly, garlic powder can be very finely ground like the texture of baby powder, or more coarsely ground like the texture of table salt.
- Granulated Garlic. Slightly smaller than minced garlic and larger than garlic powder, the granulated form is more like a piece of coarsely ground salt in shape and size.
- Garlic Flakes. A flaked form of dried garlic.
- Freeze-Dried Garlic. This form of preservation removes all moisture and keeps more of the flavor over traditional drying methods.
- Garlic Salt. Salt infused with garlic in a combination form, sometimes with sugar or other ingredients added as well.
Measuring Substitutions
While you asked how many teaspoons in a clove of garlic, the truth is an average-sized clove isn’t even a full teaspoon of your favorite form of preserved garlic. Here’s a chart to break down the substitution amounts for one clove of garlic in a recipe for the type of garlic you have on hand.
| Type of Garlic | One Clove Equals |
| Dried Minced Garlic | 1/4 Teaspoon |
| Jarred Minced Garlic | 1/2 Teaspoon |
| Garlic Powder | 1/8 -1/4 Teaspoon |
| Granulated Garlic | 1/4 Teaspoon |
| Garlic Flakes | 1/2 Teaspoon |
| Freeze-Dried Garlic | 1/2 Teaspoon |
| Garlic Salt* | 1/4 Teaspoon |
What to Make
We love cooking with garlic and use it in many different savory dishes. It adds a little sweetness, a little bite, and a whole bunch of flavor. Try one of these dishes to discover more about the complexity of garlic.
Garlic Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe w/Video
Parmesan Garlic Roasted Green Beans Recipe
How To Store It
Keeping fresh garlic in your kitchen can be tricky. It needs a cool, dry location with air circulation. Leave it in its skin, but don’t leave the garlic bulb in a bag from the store or other container where it will rot or sprout more quickly.
Even in the perfect storage place, garlic will go bad pretty quickly compared to a preserved form. Peeled garlic cloves should be kept in the refrigerator in a jar or airtight container. You can also freeze peeled garlic cloves in an airtight container for up to six months.
The easiest way to ensure you always have garlic on hand for recipes is to keep any form of dried garlic in your pantry. Dried garlic can almost always be used in any recipe as a substitute for fresh garlic.
Keep your bottles of dried garlic (minced garlic, garlic powder, garlic flakes, or granulated garlic) in a cool, dark cabinet away from heat or moisture. In dried form, your garlic will keep for up to six months.
If you have refrigerated minced garlic in a jar, it will last up to three months.
F.A.Q.
First, try washing your hands with hot soapy water. If this doesn’t work, try scrubbing your hands with toothpaste or soaking your fingertips in a small bowl of mouthwash.
Fresh garlic will either sprout and start growing or it will rot and become mushy. If either of these two things happens, discard the garlic and replace it.
No. Fresh minced garlic does not need water added. Drain your jarred minced garlic in oil and do not use the liquid in your recipe.
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Hi!
Ginny Collins is a passionate foodie and recipe creator of Savor and Savvy and Kitchenlaughter. Indoors she focuses on easy, quick recipes for busy families and kitchen basics. Outdoors, she focuses on backyard grilling and smoking to bring family and friends together. She is a lifelong learner who is always taking cooking classes on her travels overseas and stateside. Her work has been featured on MSN, Parade, Fox News, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and many local news outlets. She lives in Florida where you will find her outside on the water in her kayak, riding her bike on trails, and planning her next overseas adventure.
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