The best substitute for garlic depends on what your recipe needs. If you’re out of fresh cloves, frozen garlic cubes, jarred minced garlic, garlic powder, granulated garlic, or garlic paste can all work well, depending on the dish.
If you need to avoid garlic altogether, choose another flavorful ingredient instead. Start by considering whether the garlic is adding flavor, texture, or both.
First, Do You Need a Fresh-Garlic Substitute or a Garlic-Free Substitute?
Before choosing a replacement, decide what kind of swap you need.
If you can eat garlic but don’t have fresh cloves, another form of garlic will usually provide the closest flavor. Frozen garlic, jarred minced garlic, garlic powder, granulated garlic, and garlic paste can all replace fresh garlic in many recipes.
If you need an ingredient with no garlic, the best choice depends on the dish. Shallots, onions, chives, scallions, leeks, and other flavorful ingredients can help create a savory base, although none will taste exactly like garlic.
The Best Substitutes for Garlic
Use this quick guide to find the best option for your recipe.
| If You Need… | Try… | Best For |
| An easy clove-for-clove option | Frozen garlic cubes | Soups, sauces, stir-fries, sautés |
| Ready-to-use minced garlic | Jarred minced garlic | Sauces, soups, marinades, cooked dishes |
| A pantry-friendly option | Garlic powder | Sauces, seasonings, spice blends |
| A slightly coarser dry option | Granulated garlic | Rubs, seasonings, cooked dishes |
| Garlic that blends into a recipe | Garlic paste | Dressings, marinades, sauces |
| A garlic-free flavor boost | Shallot, onion, chives, or another suitable ingredient | Dishes that start with sautéed aromatics |
Another form of garlic is usually the closest substitute for it, although the flavor, strength, and texture may vary.
1. Frozen Garlic Cubes: Best for Everyday Cooked Dishes
If your recipe calls for chopped or minced fresh garlic, frozen garlic cubes are a convenient choice for many cooked dishes.
Dorot Gardens Crushed Garlic is made with peeled, crushed garlic frozen into convenient portions. One cube equals one garlic clove, so it’s easy to use in recipes that measure garlic by the clove.
Add a cube straight from the freezer to dishes such as:
- Pasta sauces
- Soups and stews
- Stir-fries
- Skillet meals
- Sautéed vegetables
- Cooked sauces
Because the garlic is already prepared, it works especially well when stirred into the dish as it cooks. However, it is less suitable when a recipe depends on the texture of whole cloves, sliced garlic, or roasted garlic.
2. Jarred Minced Garlic: Best When You Need Ready-to-Use Pieces
Jarred minced garlic is another useful garlic cloves substitute when the recipe calls for garlic to be mixed into a cooked dish.
As a general starting point, about ½ teaspoon of jarred minced garlic can replace one fresh clove, although the strength and texture can vary by brand. Check the package directions when available.
It works well in:
- Soups
- Sauces
- Marinades
- Casseroles
- Meat mixtures
- Sautés
This is a handy option when you want small pieces of garlic without peeling and chopping.
3. Garlic Powder: Best Pantry Substitute
Garlic powder is a convenient choice when you want garlic flavor without fresh pieces.
A common starting point is about ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder for one small fresh clove. Since clove sizes and product strengths vary, add more if needed.
Garlic powder works particularly well in:
- Dry rubs
- Seasoning blends
- Sauces
- Soups
- Marinades
- Meat mixtures
It blends into a recipe, so it will not provide the bite or visible pieces of fresh garlic.
What About Garlic Salt?
Garlic salt can add garlic flavor, but it also adds salt. If you use it as a replacement, reduce the other salt in the recipe as needed. Follow the product directions rather than relying on one fixed clove-to-teaspoon conversion.
4. Granulated Garlic: Best for Rubs and Seasonings
Granulated garlic is similar to garlic powder but has a slightly coarser texture.
A common starting amount is approximately ¼ teaspoon of granulated garlic for one small clove. The right amount depends on the product and the size of the garlic clove.
Granulated garlic works well in:
- Dry rubs
- Seasoning mixes
- Roasted vegetables
- Sauces
- Soups
- Meat dishes
Choose it when you want dry garlic flavor with a little more texture than garlic powder.
5. Garlic Paste: Best When Garlic Needs to Blend In
Garlic paste is useful when you want garlic to mix smoothly throughout a recipe.
It works especially well in:
- Marinades
- Dressings
- Sauces
- Soups
- Curries
- Stir-fries
Prepared garlic pastes vary by brand, so use the package directions when available instead of relying on one universal conversion.
Garlic paste can be a practical minced garlic alternative, but it will not provide the same texture as sliced or whole fresh cloves.
What If You Need a Substitute With No Garlic?
If you need to avoid garlic, another form of garlic—such as powder, paste, or frozen garlic—will not be suitable.
Instead, consider what garlic adds to the recipe. In many savory dishes, it is cooked with other flavorful ingredients at the beginning to create a tasty base.
Depending on the dish and the ingredients that work for you, possible alternatives include:
- Shallots
- Onion
- Chives
- Scallions
- Leeks
- Asafoetida in suitable cooked recipes
These ingredients do not taste exactly like garlic, but they can add savory flavor.
If you are avoiding garlic because of an allergy, intolerance, or other dietary concern, check product labels carefully and choose ingredients that suit your needs. Do not assume that another member of the allium family will automatically be right for you.
Garlic Substitute Conversion Guide
Use these amounts as starting points when replacing one fresh garlic clove.
| Instead of 1 Garlic Clove | Starting Amount |
| Dorot Gardens Garlic | 1 cube |
| Jarred minced garlic | About ½ teaspoon |
| Garlic powder | About ⅛ teaspoon |
| Granulated garlic | About ¼ teaspoon |
Fresh cloves vary in size, and prepared products differ in strength. When a package provides its own conversion, follow that guidance first and adjust to taste.
When Is Fresh Garlic Harder to Replace?
Many substitutions work well when garlic is chopped or minced and cooked into a dish. They are less direct when the recipe depends on garlic’s shape or texture.
Fresh garlic may be a better choice when the recipe calls for:
- Whole roasted garlic cloves
- Thin garlic slices
- Large smashed cloves
- Raw garlic as a noticeable ingredient
- Garlic pieces that add texture
For example, a frozen cube or garlic powder can add garlic flavor to a sauce, but neither will recreate the texture of thinly sliced garlic.
If you’re unsure what a recipe means by crushed or smashed garlic, our crushed garlic guide explains how different garlic preparations work in recipes.
Where Do Dorot Gardens Garlic Cubes Fit?
Dorot Gardens garlic cubes are a convenient choice for recipes where fresh garlic would normally be minced, crushed, or mixed into the dish.
Each portion equals one garlic clove, and the cubes can go straight from the freezer into cooked recipes. They are especially useful for everyday meals when you want garlic ready without peeling and chopping a fresh clove.
They are not meant to recreate every fresh-garlic preparation. If your recipe needs whole cloves, slices, or the texture of raw garlic, fresh garlic may still be the better choice.
Ready to keep garlic on hand for your next meal? Use the Dorot Gardens store locator to find products near you in the frozen vegetable aisle.