Got lots of garlic on hand and not sure you’ll use all of it? Around here, we go through garlic like it’s water. It’s the ideal aromatic vegetable to add savory seasoning to soups, stews, sauces, pastas, and more! But wondering whether you can preserve it in the freezer? Here’s what to know about storing this versatile veggie.
Can you freeze garlic?
Garlic freezes well: the flavor of this aromatic vegetable is preserved during the process. The texture does become softer after thawing, but garlic is often served cooked so this is not an issue. Use frozen garlic in cooked dishes like soups, stews, pastas, casseroles, sauces, sautes, garlic bread, and more. Frozen garlic lasts up to 6 months. One caveat, though: whole garlic bulbs last for 3 to 6 months in the pantry. So it’s easiest to simply keep whole bulbs of garlic in a cool, dark place to preserve it. It lasts just as long as it does frozen! But if your garlic is peeled or it’s close to the end of its life in the pantry, you can freeze it to preserve it even longer.
How to freeze garlic
Whole unpeeled garlic bulbs last 3 to 6 months in the pantry, so storing it in a cool, dark place for the long term is the best bet. Peeled garlic cloves last for 1 week refrigerated, so freezing them is a good way to preserve them for up to 6 months. Here’s how to freeze garlic:
Tips for how to use frozen garlic
Frozen garlic can be used right from the freezer in cooked dishes: no need to defrost! Here are a few tips:
Use frozen garlic only in cooked dishes, like soups, stews, pastas, casseroles, sauces, sautes, garlic bread, and more. It’s best not to use garlic in recipes that call for raw garlic. Frozen garlic can be added right to cooked dishes without defrosting. You can simply remove the garlic cloves from the freezer and mince them right away. Use within 3 months. The flavor can degrade the longer it is frozen. While garlic lasts up to 6 months, for best results we recommend using it within 3 months.
Freezing other vegetables & fruits
All veggies, fruits and dairy products hold up differently in the freezer! Here’s what to know about freezing different foods:
Try freezing other veggies and fruits like broccoli, onions, carrots, celery, asparagus, cucumbers, cabbage, green beans, zucchini, corn, potatoes, avocados, tomatoes, strawberries, peaches, blueberries or bananasLearn how to freeze dairy products, like cheese, milk, sour cream, ricotta, yogurt, butter, cream cheese, cottage cheese and mozzarellaTry freezing whole grains like rice
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