Can you freeze garlic?
Learn how to preserve your excess garlic in the freezer with three different methods.
Equipment
- Knife or food processor
- Cutting board
- Sheet pan or plate
- Parchment paper
- Ziplock bags
Ingredients
Whole bulb
- 1 bulb garlic peel intact
Peeled cloves
- 1 bulb garlic (or pack of pre-peeled garlic cloves)
Minced garlic
- 1 bulb garlic (or pack of pre-peeled garlic cloves)
Minced garlic and oil cubes
- 1 bulb garlic (or pack of pre-peeled garlic cloves)
- neutral cooking oil olive oil preferred
Instructions
- Whole bulb: place a whole bulb of garlic into a Ziplock bag. Remove the excess air and place in the freezer. To use in the future, remove the bulb and let it sit at room temperature (about 10-20 minutes) until you can begin to peel the skin.
- Peeled cloves: Separate the cloves from a garlic bulb and peel the skin. Place parchment paper on a plate or sheet pan. Evenly line the pan with the cloves so none of the cloves stick together. Place in the freezer for 1 hour. Transfer the cloves into a Ziplock bag and freeze. Defrost the cloves for about 10 minutes on the counter if you want to chop or slice them. If you want to use them as a whole, add them into your recipe straight from the freezer.
- Minced garlic: Separate the cloves from the bulb and peel the skin. Add the cloves into a food processor and pulse until minced. Take a tablespoon and/or teaspoon and measure out the minced garlic. Place the scoops onto a parchment paper lined sheet pan or plate. Freeze for one hour, then transfer to an airtight Ziplock bag. Use the minced garlic straight from the freezer into your recipe. If you want to eat them raw, defrost them for about 10-20 minutes, or until they are soft.
- Minced garlic and oil cubes: Separate the cloves from the bulb and peel the skin. Add the cloves in the food processor and pulse until it’s completely minced. Scoop the minced garlic into ice cube trays. Top off with a neutral cooking oil (olive oil preferred) and make sure no garlic peaks above the oil. Place it in the freezer overnight and then transfer the cubes into a Ziplock bag. Use the cubes directly into your pan when you’re sauteing.
