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Have you been cooking with garlic powder? Maybe you were out of it, or your dish wasn’t as flavorful as you wanted. You can always wait for the garlic powder to arrive, but do you even have such time?
If you want to get cooking now, some fantastic garlic powder substitutes will keep your recipe on track.
I know it is so hard to give up on your favorite ingredient. Well, I can tell you I understand, and since this happened to me once, I have done my research and found out some products that are good substitutes for garlic powder.
For instance, granulated garlic, fresh garlic, minced garlic, garlic puree, garlic juice, garlic salt, or garlic flakes can all replace garlic powder in your dishes, and you will still get similar flavor.
Have you tried any before?
What Is Garlic Powder?
Garlic powder is a dehydrated, ground version of garlic. It’s a flavor enhancer made by drying fresh garlic ground into a fine, snow-like powder.
It adds garlic flavor to various recipes such as soups, stews, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, and salad dressings.
Best Garlic Powder Substitutes
1. Granulated Garlic
If you don’t have garlic powder, there’s no need to worry. Just use granulated garlic instead! Garlic powder is granulated garlic that has been ground into a fine powder.
In comparison, granulated garlic is made from fresh garlic cloves dried and chopped into small pieces.
Therefore, you can use granulated garlic in any recipe. Keep in mind that two teaspoons of granulated garlic equal one teaspoon of garlic powder.
Although granulated garlic is more calorie-dense than powder, if you are watching your sodium intake, use the powder to cut down on calories.
Both types of seasonings contain similar amounts of antioxidants, but granulated garlic has higher levels of vitamins and minerals like vitamin C and calcium.
2. Fresh Garlic
You can never go wrong with Fresh garlic! I am sure you have heard the saying “good things take time.” Well, that applies to cooking as well. While garlic powder is quick and easy to add to your dishes, it does not have the same flavor as fresh garlic.
Fresh garlic takes time to mince, sauté, or roast but the flavor it adds to your food is worth the extra effort! On the bright side, Fresh garlic has natural antimicrobial properties that help fight off germs in your food.
Garlic powder is made from dried garlic that has had antimicrobial properties removed.
The substitution ratio is one clove of fresh garlic for every 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder.
3. Minced Garlic
It’s easy to use garlic powder when cooking. But reach a little deeper into your pantry, and you’ll find something even better: minced garlic.
Minced garlic is just fresher.
Garlic is picked from the fields and then made into a paste before being packaged up into jars—all within a few days of harvest. So when you use minced garlic in your cooking, you’re getting that fresh-from-the-field taste.
Garlic powder, however, is made from dehydrated garlic flakes ground up into fine dust and mixed with various fillers and preservatives.
This means all that freshness has been lost and some of those healthy vitamins and antioxidants that make fresh garlic so good for us!
Use 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic to substitute one teaspoon of garlic powder.
4. Garlic Puree
Garlic Puree is a blend of fresh garlic, water, and salt. So it’s also a great substitute when you want the rich, intense flavor of fresh garlic.
It’s perfect for soups, stews, and sauces.
However, using puree could overpower other ingredients and create a too-garlicky taste (unless that’s what you’re going for!).
Therefore, for each teaspoon of garlic powder, use 1/4 teaspoon garlic puree.
5. Garlic Juice
Garlic juice is fantastic! Garlic fanatics will be more than happy to use it as a substitute for garlic powder to flavor stir-frys, stews, soups, and several other recipes.
It has a more robust flavor than garlic powder, but it’s also far more subtle.
Because it’s made by pressing the entire clove through a press, there are very few compounds or oils that get exposed to air.
The flavor profile is much more delicate than what you would get from chopping or mincing.
This makes it great for things like salad dressings where you want the delicate savory notes without any harsh hits of garlic or onion flavors.
6. Garlic Salt
Garlic salt is more flavorful than garlic powder since it has a robust aroma and kicks.
Garlic powder does not contain as much garlic flavor because it is dehydrated and ground differently, so it can be substituted in recipes when a lighter flavor is needed.
You can sprinkle over Italian dishes like pasta, salads, grilled vegetables, popcorn, pizza, French fries, bread toasts, and marination of meats.
However, the saltiness of garlic salt makes it less than ideal to use in place of garlic powder in some dishes. So it is in a 1:3 ratio to avoid a story that touches the heart.
7. Garlic Flakes
While there is no perfect substitute for garlic powder, garlic flakes will give you the best flavor and texture. It adds a gentle crunch as well as a burst of flavor
The best part is you can make one yourself.
Just grab a few fresh garlic cloves and peel off their papery outer shells. Then place the whole peeled cloves in a food processor, where they will be chopped up into tiny bits.
Don’t worry if the pieces aren’t uniform — the taste will still be delicious, no matter what shape or size the bits are.
It’s convenient, easy to store and use, and versatile enough to be used in pretty much any recipe.
Is Garlic Powder As Good As Garlic?
Garlic powder is not as good as garlic. You might think that garlic powder is a solid substitute for fresh, whole garlic. After all, garlic powder is made from dehydrated garlic.
But don’t be fooled! There are plenty of reasons why fresh garlic is superior to its powdered counterpart: First, there’s the flavor. Garlic powder sits on a shelf, slowly losing its flavor with each passing day.
It’s the same reason why pre-ground coffee doesn’t taste nearly as good as freshly ground beans. When you use fresh garlic, the oils that give it its signature aroma are still present — they haven’t had time to dissipate yet!
The same cannot be said for the dried stuff.
Then there’s the texture!
Garlic powder can make your food grainy, so if you’re making something like a sauce or pesto, your sauce will have tiny flecks of gritty powder in it — not ideal.
Fresh garlic gives your dishes a velvety smooth consistency that keeps everyone coming back for more.
Frequently Asked Question
Does Powdered Garlic Taste Good?
Powdered garlic tastes good because garlic is a fantastic ingredient. It adds so much flavor to a dish.
Does Garlic Powder Taste The Same As Fresh Garlic?
No, garlic powder doesn’t taste the same as fresh garlic. Garlic powder is much more concentrated than fresh garlic in terms of flavor. It’s made by drying and grinding garlic cloves into a fine powder to get the most out of the smell and taste.
Is Powdered Garlic Healthy?
Yes, garlic has several health benefits, including potential blood pressure and cholesterol reduction.
Conclusion
Therefore, if you ever find yourself without garlic powder, you can use either of these garlic powder substitute. The flavor might be slightly different, but it sure can hold the fort. Some are even nutritious and have more texture and bite than the powder.
Aside from that, these garlic powder substitutes are easy to obtain and use. We have already given you a detailed description of each and how to swap them.
So give it a try and tell us via the comment section how it went.
As for me, I know I will never disturb myself with garlic powder again. I’m confident that I can find a substitute that is even cheaper and flavorful enough.
