Can You Freeze Peeled Garlic?

Last updated on September 6th, 2022 at 04:34 am

Garlic gives food a strong flavor. If you love to cook with garlic, you probably buy several cloves at once. But, this vegetable will eventually go bad. 

An unpeeled garlic clove lasts for about 3 weeks. So, to preserve garlic, can you freeze it?

You can freeze peeled garlic. Garlic can even be frozen unpeeled, in individual cloves, whole, chopped, or minced. The great thing about freezing garlic is you can freeze it in different ways until you are ready to use it later. 

Not only a mythical way to ward off vampires, garlic is a staple ingredient in many cooking recipes. It contains a lot of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which can help your health. 

Garlic is used in a variety of dishes for flavor. 

Salad dressings, marinades, sauces, vegetables, meats, soups, and stews can all feature some garlic for a little kick. It is also used to make garlic butter and garlic toast. Although usually it is cooked before eaten, you can also eat garlic peeled and raw. 

Many don’t like to eat garlic alone because of how it tastes. It has a very pungent flavor, which is why it provides so much taste to foods. And it can be frozen!

You can totally freeze garlic to save it for later. It will last for about 6 months in the freezer but for the best flavor, you will want to use it within 3 or 4 months. When you freeze garlic it won’t be as crunchy but the flavor will still be strong. 

Unfortunately during the freezing process most of the garlic’s nutritional benefits are reduced. But, you can still use the frozen garlic for many of your favorite recipes. It thaws quickly at room temperature so you can add it to your cooking wherever you need to use it. 

You can also freeze this vegetable in many different ways. Chopped, peeled, unpeeled, in cloves or whole, garlic can be frozen in all of these ways. 

How Do You Store Garlic In The Freezer?

Now that we know garlic can be stored in the freezer, you can keep garlic for months and use it later in your cooking. But, how exactly do you store it in the freezer?

It is easy and simple to store garlic in your freezer. To freeze garlic, you can either leave it peeled or unpeeled. You can also chop it or blend it up and place in an ice cube tray, freezer bags or a freezer safe container to store until you are ready to use it.

As you can see, there is really no wrong way to freeze garlic. If you are planning to chop or mash it later before adding it into a recipe, then it is best to go ahead and do that before you freeze it. That way you can easily let thaw at room temperature for a few minutes and then add it in. 

But, if you are in a hurry, you can freeze garlic unpeeled and whole, or you can also freeze it in individual cloves peeled or unpeeled. 

Storing garlic in the freezer is a great way to save it especially if you don’t want to chop it right before you cook. It’s much easier if you just grab it from the freezer, let it thaw, and add it in because you already got the mincing out of the way.

So, the only safe way to store garlic in oil is if you freeze it. 

Is Frozen Garlic As Good As Fresh?

Freezing food can help to preserve them but they don’t always taste the same afterwards. So, does this apply to garlic? Is frozen garlic as good as fresh garlic?

Frozen garlic is not as good as fresh garlic because the freezing process reduces the garlic’s quality. Although the garlic will still likely have a strong flavor, it will change in texture as well as diminish in nutrients.

Fresh garlic is definitely better than frozen garlic. But, frozen garlic is still good to use. It doesn’t ruin the taste at all but the texture will be softer and not as crisp. You also shouldn’t peel your garlic if you aren’t going to use it right away or freeze it right after. It will spoil quickly. 

So if you end up with some extra peeled garlic, freeze it for meals in upcoming weeks or months. Frozen garlic lasts for about 6 months in the frigid temperatures but is best when used within 3 or 4 months. 

After being frozen, the garlic doesn’t really taste different. Although its flavor may still be pungent, it also has a different texture and not as many nutrients. This is all due to the freezing process. 

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, peeled garlic can be frozen. In fact, you can freeze garlic peeled, whole or in individual cloves if you want to. Just prepare the garlic however you wish and then freeze them in freezer bags or freezer safe containers. 

Garlic freezes well any way it is frozen although it will change in texture and lose some nutrients. Still, frozen garlic still has a strong taste and is good to use in recipes. 

Just use the garlic within a few months for best results. So, yes, along with any way you want to freeze the garlic, peeled garlic can be frozen.