When To Use Fresh Garlic Vs Powder

Ah, garlic. We've been cooking with this pungent member of the allium family practically since time immemorial, with evidence of people using garlic dating back millennia. As a result, there are plenty of myths about garlic that many believe to be true, and the allium has also ingrained itself into the culinary lexicon as one of the seasonings you absolutely must have on hand. And while the guide to cooking with garlic may have been narrowed down to a science by now, there are still questions about which kind of garlic you should use for which purpose. More specifically, when is it best to use fresh garlic cloves versus their powdered counterpart?

A good guideline you can use is to remember that garlic powder is going to be stronger than fresh garlic, and that fresh garlic will impart a subtler taste in comparison. So if you're seeking a garlic flavor that's more rounded and less bold, fresh garlic is probably the choice for you. However, if you want a punchier flavor and more control over precisely when you add your garlicky component, garlic powder is more useful in that regard, as it can be added at virtually any stage in cooking. Of course, the finer details paint a more nuanced picture, but as a rule of thumb, this can get you far with your garlic ingredients.

Fresh garlic cloves are a beautiful thing, but the hitch when using these is that you have to make sure they're cooked adequately while avoiding overcooking or burning them. Undercooked or even raw garlic can be bitter and intense, so it's best to avoid that if it can be helped, whether that's by toning down its harshness using citruses or by cooking the bitterness out of it. As a result, fresh garlic works wonders when it's used as a cooked aromatic component, be it in pasta dishes and sauces, or roasted as a supplementary feature in vegetable dishes. Garlic cloves can also be pressed to make delicious aioli and garlic butter among other things.

Garlic powder, meanwhile, also has its areas where it shines. As the dried and thoroughly crushed product of regular garlic cloves, garlic powder has a much more concentrated taste comparatively. This means you can use it as not only to double down on the garlic for an ultra flavorful garlic bread, but also to effortlessly amplify the garlicky notes of whatever dish you're making. Garlic powder is also right at home in dry rubs, meat seasonings, and even in soups and salad dressings. Whether it's fresh or powdered, you really can add garlic to just about anything if you really want to.