Use it up · Herbs and aromatics

Garlic

Have extra garlic? Here’s how to choose, store and prep garlic, plus 120 family recipes to use it all up, best matches first.

🍽 See the recipes 🧺 Pick a few things you have

🛒 Choosing it

Heads should be firm and heavy with tight, dry skin.

🧊 Storing it

Pantry: Whole heads: months in a cool, dry, airy place
Fridge: Jarred minced garlic: refrigerate after opening

Keep the fridge at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F. Freezer times are for best quality; food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe. When in doubt, throw it out. Times from Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas A&M University System and NDSU Extension.

🔪 Prepping it

Crush a clove under the flat of a knife to loosen the skin. Add it to hot oil for 30 seconds; it burns quickly.

🥣 Make it from scratch

Homemade staples that use garlic:

Vegetable stock Marinara and pizza sauce Fresh tomato salsa Refrigerator dill pickles Italian-style vinaigrette

🌱 Grow it

You can grow your own: garlic. The Food Garden Planner shows how much to plant for your family and when it comes in.

🌱 Plan a garden with it →

📊 Nutrition per 100 g

Garlic. 100 g is about 3 1/2 ounces.

Calories	149 kcal	7%
Protein	6.4 g	13%
Total fat	0.5 g	1%
Saturated fat	0.1 g	0%
Total carbohydrate	33 g	12%
Dietary fiber	2.1 g	8%
Total sugars	1.0 g
Sodium	17 mg	1%
Calcium	181 mg	14%
Iron	1.7 mg	9%
Potassium	401 mg	9%

% Daily Value for adults (FDA). From USDA FoodData Central 169230 (SR Legacy).

🍽 Recipes that use it up

120 recipes, the ones that use the most garlic first.

With a smaller amount

Plan them into your week in the meal planner, or find recipes for two or three things at once with the “What can I make?” picker.

More herbs and aromatics

Onions Green onions Fresh ginger Shallots and leeks Cilantro Parsley Basil Dill Rosemary and thyme Mint All ingredients →

Storage times and buying tips are general guides from the sources below; follow any date or instructions on the package. Cook meat, poultry, fish and eggs to the USDA safe temperatures in each recipe.