How to Freeze Garlic — Some years my garden explodes with garlic since it’s fairly easy to grow. This isn’t really a problem because I think garlic makes everything better!
But even as much garlic as I use, sometimes it still goes to waste.
Saving your garlic harvest to use all year long is easier than you think. If you prepare it right, you can have your very own garden-fresh garlic to use in sauces, soups and recipes until your next summer harvest!
The taste of frozen garlic is just as delicious as fresh, but the texture is a bit different. Garlic that has been frozen is softer and a tad mushier than fresh garlic, but works great in most recipes.
Here’s how I freeze my garlic:
Peel and chop
Once the garlic is peeled, I like to throw mine in the food processor. But that’s because I like to do large batches. If you are doing just a bit, a chopper or good ole knife will do.
Add olive oil
Once the garlic is peeled and chopped, I mix in a bit of good quality olive oil. I add enough oil that the garlic pieces are fully coated in the oil, but not so much that they start to sink.
I’d say I use about a tablespoon of chopped garlic for every tablespoon of olive oil: so 50/50 really.
Freeze
I love to freeze my garlic/olive oil combo in ice cube trays. They are mold-able silicone trays, which makes it perfect when you go to pop them out. I bag them up in large Ziploc bags and then just pull out a cube or two when I need it.
Do you freeze garlic? How to you do it?
~Mavis
You might also be interested in my post on 10 Fun Facts About Garlic.
Jam says
Yes i’ve been freezing it for years. I mince it up like you do in a food processer in big batches but I freeze flat on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Then I bag it up in a freezer ziploc. I don’t like to freeze it in oil so this works great for having just garlic. Saves sooo much time. I do the same with ginger. And, I also freeze lime and lemon juice (separately) in little shallow bowls and then bag them up in a ziploc too so it’s easy to break off the amount of frozen lemon or lime juice I need and add it to a recipe too.
Danielle C says
My process for garlic is exactly the same as yours! I start with the peeled refrigerated garlic from Sams or Costco which is about $9 for 3lbs in my area.
Lana says
I cut lemons and limes in quarters and flash freeze. Then I put them in jars in the freezer. They keep for a year that way and taste just like fresh when thawed.
Diana says
I like to roast my garlic heads with a little olive oil and seasoning and then squeeze the garlic out. I freeze it in ice cube trays and then in silicone bags. It is delicious for garlic bread, in soups, or pasta dishes.
Helen says
I don’t process – I just separate the cloves making sure to leave at least one layer of the papery outer shell on the clove, then just flash freeze and store in the freezer. They take around 2 minutes to defrost and just peel and use as usual.
Margo says
I make garlic infused oils by slicing the cloves and steeping them in either hot (not hot enough to fry the garlic) olive oil or coconut oil for an hour or more Remove the garlic afterwards, and place it in the silicone ice trays or disks. Then I freeze them and once frozen pop them out of the trays into a plastic bag and into the freezer. Great for cooking or even for salad dressings.