Garlic powder is one of those powerful ingredients that can make the world of a difference in a recipe. It is used in a variety of cuisines, in diverse recipes, and in different ways. Whether you’re making soups, sauces, gravies, or a simple salad, it can enhance the flavor of every dish.
But since it is such a versatile and frequently used ingredient, you may run out of it without notice. So it’s better to always have an alternative in your pantry for such situations. Here’s a list of the best garlic powder substitutes that you can get.
Best Garlic Powder Substitutes
Garlic powder has a more intense pungent flavor than garlic cloves. It allows ease of measurement and usage as compared to other forms of garlic. The powder blends with food, adding a uniform flavor throughout. These alternatives can play the same role in your recipes.
1. Fresh Garlic
This is the most easily available and natural alternative. Garlic cloves will impart a more fresh flavor and offer several health benefits. However, you’ll need to put some effort into peeling and chopping the cloves.
Fresh cloves of garlic have a sharp pungent and garlic taste. You can include it in sautée recipes or even add it raw to a salad. The cloves can be ground, sliced, or diced into small pieces. It depends on your preference and what your recipe asks for. But remember that diced or sliced pieces won’t blend with the food and might stay as solid portions.
Use this alternative in seasonings and making pasta, soups, sauces, or dips. Take 4 to 5 cloves in place of one teaspoon of garlic powder.
2. Garlic Puree
You can get garlic puree from a grocery store or prepare it at home. Just take a cup or two of fresh and peeled garlic cloves and work it in a blender. It tastes the same as the powder form but has a more intense and pungent aroma. Like garlic powder, the puree also blends with the food, enhancing its overall flavor.
Although it has more calories, garlic puree offers the same health benefits as garlic powder. Use it when preparing spreads, pasta sauces, mayonnaise sandwiches, or gravies. Due to its stronger flavor, put only ¼ teaspoon of garlic puree instead of one teaspoon of garlic powder.
3. Minced Garlic
It is simply garlic cloves diced into tiny pieces. You can get a jar of minced garlic from the grocery store or chop the cloves at home. However, buying would save you from having to peel and cut the small cloves.
Minced garlic has a more potent flavor than garlic powder. But it doesn’t mix easily with the food. It’s better to include it in stir-fries, sautées, or salads. Since the chunks are tiny, minced garlic takes very low cooking time. You can also use it in marinades but not for rubs due to the solid pieces.
It has a shaper flavor and aroma. So use half the amount of minced garlic as opposed to garlic powder.
4. Chives
Chives are a good choice if you want a non-garlic alternative. These belong to the same plant family as garlic and have a flavor that resembles something like onions and garlic. Keep in mind, you cannot use chives where the dryness of the ingredient is important. So, the use in meat-rubs and similar dishes is out of the question.
Minced chives are not a perfect replacement for garlic powder, but they get pretty close. You can substitute a quarter spoon of garlic powder with one spoon of chives.
5. Garlic Flakes
Like garlic powder, garlic flakes are also dehydrated garlic cloves, minus the grinding. Instead, the cloves are cut into thin slices. Both forms of garlic have a similar taste.
You can use these flakes in three ways. Include them directly in liquid-based meals like soups, gravies, or stocks. Or, soak these flakes in water then use them while cooking. This allows the dehydrated flakes to impart most of their flavor.
You can grind these flakes to obtain garlic powder which can be used in a 1:1 ratio. When using dry or soaked flakes, add one teaspoon for every ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.
Garlic flakes can be used in soups, stews, pasta, or other stir-fry and sautéeing recipes.
6. Garlic Juice
This alternative is mostly used for health benefits. But you can use it to replace garlic powder. This juice is obtained either by straining garlic puree or by pressing fresh garlic cloves. It has a sharp and pungent flavor and aroma.
This alternative blends with the food to give a uniform flavor. Employ it in marinades, pasta, or gravies. It works in every recipe that uses garlic powder.
Due to its intense flavor, use half a teaspoon of garlic juice for one teaspoon of garlic powder.
7. Granulated Garlic
This is the best substitute for garlic powder in terms of taste. It is also made from dried garlic cloves. But instead of grinding, the cloves are crushed into tiny granules. Its texture is very similar to cornmeal. So, it won’t blend as easily as garlic powder.
However, you can add it to slow-cooking meals. This way the granules can mix properly with the food. Also, the granules are less absorbent than garlic powder. Keep this in mind when making a liquid-based recipe like soup or stock.
Although it tastes similar, granulated garlic has a less intense flavor than garlic powder. So it can be used in recipes that include a soft and light zest. Use it when making pasta, ravioli, stew, or sandwich fillings. Take twice the amount of granulated garlic as compared to garlic powder.
8. Shallot
People often confuse shallots with onions. But the two are distinct condiments. Shallots are sweeter with less pungent and intense flavor. They also have soft undertones of garlic flavor. Use finely minced shallots in place of garlic powder if you want a less intense taste of garlic.
Use it when making ramen, pasta, stir-fry, or dips. It also adds volume to the recipe along with taste. Take one tablespoon of minced shallots for every ¼ tablespoon of garlic powder.
9. Asafoetida Powder
It is a completely different element from garlic powder. But if you don’t like the taste of garlic and want a strong and aromatic ingredient for your recipe, this is a worthwhile pick. Like garlic powder, asafoetida powder is known for its several health benefits. It boosts the immune system and is good for our digestive health.
You can get it at a grocery store at a low price. It is available as tiny seeds or in powder form. Asafoetida has a sharp and pungent taste and aroma. So use it in small amounts. Take half a teaspoon of asafoetida powder for one teaspoon of garlic powder.
Use it when making a salad, soups, stews, or seasonings. It also tastes good in fish and egg-based recipes.
10. Onion Powder
There is a huge difference in the taste of onion and garlic, even though the overall pungent flavor keeps them for similar uses. However, in powdered form and with specific applications, onion powder can work as a decent garlic powder replacement. It gets even better if you can’t stand the smell of garlic.
The replacement ratio is simple, use twice the onion powder in place of garlic powder.
Onion powder’s best use as a replacement is in marinating meat. The powder will absorb deep into the cooking ingredients, adding another dimension to the taste.
11. Cumin
If there’s nothing else available, let some cumin work as a garlic powder replacement. It’s not an ideal choice, as it doesn’t emulate the flavor that garlic powder brings. However, cumin adds its own deep flavor and intensity.
While it won’t replace garlic, it can be a decent way to cover up the lack of garlic in a dish. Besides, the spicy flavor that cumin adds is a bit of reward on its own. Consider replacing cumin for garlic powder in a 1:1 ratio.
How To Use Garlic Powder In Your Recipes
Garlic powder is easier to work with as compared to other forms of garlic. It also blends easily with the food. And since it is dehydrated garlic, it has a longer shelf life.
You can include it in soups, salads, stews, pizza, gravies, and sauces. It is also a part of marinades and seasonings. Use it for rubs on meat and fish. This helps to eliminate the odor and the excess meaty or fishy taste.
Including small amounts of garlic powder in your diet has several health benefits. It aids in maintaining the blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in the body. Garlic powder also strengthens our immunity and helps in fighting against cancer.
How Much Garlic Powder Equals One Clove
Fresh garlic is an excellent ingredient for adding taste and spice to a dish. It isn’t all that tasty by itself, but it does help balance out the flavors in a well-cooked meal. So, if we’re using garlic powder, what amount would equal a clove of garlic?
Garlic powder is a pure and concentrated form of garlic. On the other hand, a clove will include other elements, like water, which affects the weight.
In terms of flavor, one teaspoon of garlic powder equals roughly eight cloves of garlic. Therefore, one clove of garlic equals ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder.
Choose The Best Garlic Powder Alternative For Your Recipe
Garlic can be used in several forms. While using garlic powder is convenient, cloves, flakes, granules, or juice of garlic also give the same taste. They differ only in texture and the amounts used. However, if you don’t like the taste of garlic, shallots and asafoetida powder also make good garlic powder substitutes.