The key to enhancing the taste of numerous savory dishes lies in using fresh garlic. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the proper methods of storing garlic. If not stored correctly, this allium can sprout, leading to bitterness, or worse, it may shrivel and deteriorate.
Sliced, diced or pressed with a garlic press, garlic is essential in so many recipes: garlic bread, stir-fries, pesto, pasta sauces and much more. When cooking or eating, a subpar clove just won’t do! Learn the best ways to keep garlic fresh so you always have this pantry staple on hand.
How do you keep garlic fresh longer?
First, buy just one or two heads at a time and choose them wisely. Look for whole heads of garlic with tightly packed skins and firm cloves. Avoid anything that feels soft and has started to sprout (bright green shoots growing out the top of each garlic clove).
Purple-tinged garlic is totally fine—it’s just a different variety called hardneck (because of the woody stem). All-white garlic, or softneck, lacks this stem. The two varieties can be used interchangeably.
No matter what type of garlic you pick up, here’s how to store your stash to make it last:
Store a head of garlic at room temperature
Keep entire garlic bulbs or unpeeled garlic cloves in a cool and dry location, using a container with proper airflow, like a mesh bag or a loosely woven basket. Keep it in your pantry or in a basket on your counter out of the sun.
Store peeled garlic in the fridge
Although refrigerating entire garlic bulbs is not recommended as it may induce sprouting, the refrigerator is an excellent option for storing whole peeled cloves, as well as sliced or minced garlic. Let’s say you sliced a bunch of garlic for a recipe and have extra, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Use it within 2-3 days.
Store lots of garlic in the freezer
Got heaps of heads? Here’s an easy way to preserve them: Finely chop, grate or press raw garlic cloves into ice cube trays, cover with oil and freeze. Quick food safety note: According to the CDC, it’s important to freeze this mixture right away to avoid foodborne illness. Do not hold or store it at room temperature.
Dehydrate garlic
You can transform fresh and undamaged garlic cloves into flavorful garlic “chips” by drying them. These chips can provide a crunchy element to a variety of dishes, including rice and chicken recipes. To prepare, peel and cut cloves in half lengthwise, then follow instructions on your dehydrator.
To dehydrate garlic in an oven, dry at 140°F for 2 hours, then reduce the heat to 130°F and continue drying until the garlic is crisp, 4-6 hours. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
But if that bag you bought from the bulk store is about to go bad, we’ve got another idea: Cook it up! Here, a few of our favorite recipes for garlic lovers:
The bottom line
Garlic is an essential pantry ingredient. You can store whole heads at room temperature in a dry, dark place, refrigerate peeled or cut cloves in an airtight container or freeze garlic in oil. With a variety of ways to store (and eat!) fresh garlic, you’ll never have to go without.