Garlic substitute
Use 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder for each clove of fresh garlic. McCormick and university extension charts give the same figure. Jarred minced garlic works at 1/2 teaspoon per clove.
Out of garlic mid-recipe?
Tell Sous Chef what you are missing. It swaps the ingredient and rewrites the steps that use it, and keeps your original recipe.
What are you making?
-
Garlic powder
Great fit⅛ tsp garlic powder
For this dish: Fine powder dissolves easily in liquids.
How: Use 1/8 teaspoon per clove. Stir it into liquids or mix it into rubs. Some brands suggest up to 1/4 teaspoon, so start low and taste.
What changes: Milder and more toasted than fresh garlic, with no bite and no texture.
No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.
-
Jarred minced garlic
Great fit½ tsp jarred minced garlic
For this dish: It cooks into sauces and soups much like fresh garlic.
How: Use 1/2 teaspoon per clove. Drain off the liquid if the dish is delicate. Refrigerate the jar after opening.
What changes: Closest in texture to fresh, but softer, since it is packed in water or oil.
No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.
-
Frozen crushed garlic cube
Great fit1 frozen crushed garlic cube
For this dish: It melts straight into hot liquids.
How: Dorot Gardens says one of its crushed garlic cubes equals one clove. Add it straight from frozen to the pan or pot, or thaw it first.
What changes: Used like fresh crushed garlic. Check the label of the brand you buy for added ingredients.
No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.
-
Granulated garlic
Works¼ tsp granulated garlic
For this dish: It dissolves more slowly than fine powder.
How: Use 1/4 teaspoon per clove, twice the garlic powder amount, since the coarser grains are less concentrated.
What changes: Like garlic powder but coarser, so it is good on surfaces and less smooth in sauces.
No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.
-
Garlic salt
Works½ tsp garlic salt
For this dish: Works if you cut the other salt; taste before adding more.
How: Use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per clove, and reduce the salt the recipe calls for.
What changes: Mostly salt. Illinois Extension notes that 1/4 teaspoon can hold 490 mg of sodium, so it is easy to oversalt.
No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.
What garlic does in a recipe
Fresh garlic gives a sharp, pungent bite when raw and turns sweet and mellow when it cooks in fat. It also adds a little moisture and texture when minced. Dried forms carry the flavor but not the texture or the browned notes of garlic cooked in oil.
Swap it in your recipe with Sous Chef
A substitution is more than one ingredient line. The steps that use it change too. Sous Chef edits both on a working copy of your recipe, so the original is always one tap away.
You ask Sous Chef
"I don't have garlic."
Sous Chef edits the recipe
⅛ tsp garlic powder
Use 1/8 teaspoon per clove. Stir it into liquids or mix it into rubs. Some brands suggest up to 1/4 teaspoon, so start low and taste.
When not to substitute
Where raw garlic is the main flavor, as in aioli, toum, tzatziki or bruschetta, dried garlic tastes flat. Use fresh garlic, or choose another recipe.
Common questions
How much garlic powder equals one clove?
1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder per clove, according to McCormick and Colorado State University Extension. Spice Islands suggests 1/4 teaspoon for its powder, so start with 1/8 and add more to taste.
How much jarred minced garlic equals one clove?
About 1/2 teaspoon of jarred minced garlic per clove, according to University of Illinois Extension.
Can I use garlic salt instead of garlic cloves?
Yes, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per clove, but reduce the salt the recipe calls for. Garlic salt is garlic powder mixed with salt.
Is granulated garlic the same as garlic powder?
Both are dried, ground garlic, but granulated is coarser. Illinois Extension suggests 1/4 teaspoon of granulated garlic or 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder per small clove.
Can I use roasted garlic powder instead of fresh garlic?
Yes. McCormick suggests starting with 1/8 teaspoon of roasted garlic powder for each clove of raw garlic and seasoning to taste. It tastes sweeter and mellower than raw garlic.
Related
- Shallots substitutes
- Fresh herbs substitutes
- Italian seasoning substitutes
- Soy sauce substitutes
- All ingredient substitutes
- How to substitute an ingredient
Sources
- Flavor story: garlic powder (McCormick)
- About garlic: uses, pairings and recipes (McCormick)
- Garlic: a flavorful staple in any kitchen (University of Illinois Extension)
- Ingredient substitutions (Colorado State University Extension)
- Garlic powder (Spice Islands)
- Frequently asked questions (Dorot Gardens)
- How to safely make infused oils (Penn State Extension)
Cook with what you have.
Import any recipe into Sous Chef and ask for the swap. It rewrites the ingredient list and the steps, and never loses the original. Free on iPhone.