Learn how to make Garlic Paste to save yourself time in the kitchen. A homemade stash of this incredibly aromatic ingredient can easily be added to main dishes, soups, and sauces for quick meals.
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The taste of fresh garlic can’t be beaten, but it is time-consuming to peel and puree it anytime a recipe calls for garlic paste.
You can buy commercial pastes, but many of them contain sugar, dairy products, and gums/additives. The homemade version is easy to make and so handy to have in your fridge or freezer.
How to Use Garlic Paste
Much like chopped frozen garlic, you can use the paste version in almost any recipe.
Add some to Lemon Garlic Pasta, Gluten-Free Scalloped Potatoes, Instant Pot Garlic Butter Rice, Gluten-Free Cheese Sauce, Ramen Noodle Bowls, Air Fryer Egg Rolls, Atakilt Wat, and Misir Wot.
Garlic Measurements
- 1 clove of garlic is usually equivelant to ~1-1.5 teaspoons of minced garlic.
- The average head of garlic from most grocery stores will have 10-15 cloves of garlic.
- 1 tsp of paste = 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic.
- 1 tbsp of paste = 3-6 cloves of fresh garlic.
Variations
- I used avocado oil, but any neutral-flavored oil will work. Ex: light olive oil, sunflower oil, or canola. If organic is in your budget, I would steer towards organic canola oil vs conventional.
- If you plan to use the garlic in any recipe that requires high heat, grapeseed oil has a high smoke point and would be a great option.
- You can use water instead of oil in this recipe.
- Salt can be added if desired.
- If fresh garlic is too strong for you, use Air Fryer Roasted Garlic or Instant Pot Roasted Garlic in this recipe. The soften garlic + the olive oil used for roasting will give you an even smoother paste.
How Long Will Garlic Paste Last in the Fridge?
You can store the homemade version for 3-4 days in an air-tight container (like a small mason jar) in the fridge, or up to 12 months in the freezer. There are multiple ways you can freeze it in small portions so that you’re able to access exactly what you need.
Freezing Option 1: Silicone Molds or Ice Cube Trays
You’ll see these molds in the photos and I love that they’re smaller than a traditional ice cube tray. I can freeze 1-2 teaspoons of paste per section. Even better, the trays come with lids, which keep the garlic from getting icy during the freezing process.
Once frozen, pop them out of the molds or ice cube trays and store them in freezer-safe storage. Sustainability tip: store in reusable silicone storage bags. We love Zip Top and Stasher bags.
Freezing Option 2: Mini Muffin Tins
Mini muffin tins are how I’ve been freezing my frozen chopped garlic for years. I use this tin with these parchment liners, but I know many of my readers freeze directly in the tins and then pop out the “pucks” with a butter knife after freezing.
Freezing Option 3: Freezer Bag
Transfer the blended paste to a freezer-proof bag. Remove all the air from the bag, seal, and then smoosh the paste around to distribute it to allow it to freeze flat.
This will allow you to break off the amount you need and then put the bag back in the freezer. The downside to this method is you’re only able to estimate how much paste you’re using each time.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Select large/plump heads of garlic with dry, papery skin.
- You can use pre-peeled garlic from the grocery store. It won’t be as fresh, but sometimes we all need an easy win in the kitchen.
- Transfer any paste from the fridge to the freezer after 4 days. The danger of botulism is high with fresh garlic after that time.
- The recipe suggests the amount of oil or water to use per head of garlic. You’re welcome to add more or use less depending on your preferences. The more liquid added, the smoother the finished product. This will help if you don’t have a high-powdered blender or food processor.
- If you have leftover cloves/heads of garlic, this post will walk you through how to dehydrate garlic and How to Make Garlic Powder for a shelf-stable option.
- Interested in growing your own? Check out this post on How to Plant Garlic.
More Easy Homemade Meal Prep Hacks
How to Make Garlic Paste
Ingredients
- 3 heads garlic {~10-15 cloves per head}
- 3 tsp avocado oil {or other neutral oil}
Equipment
Instructions
- Break apart the heads of garlic by pressing down on it with the palm of your hands.3 heads garlic
- Cut off the root end from each clove, and then remove the papery skin from the cloves.
- Add the cloves to a food processor or blender and process/blend.
- With the machine running, slowly drizzle in oil or water, pausing to scrape down the sides as needed.3 tsp avocado oil
- Blend/process until the paste is smooth.
- Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for 12 months.
Notes
- Select large/plump heads of garlic with dry, papery skin.
- 1 tsp of paste = 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic.
- 1 tbsp of paste = 3-6 cloves of fresh garlic.
- Salt can be added if desired.
- Transfer any paste from the fridge to the freezer after 4 days. The danger of botulism is high with fresh garlic after that time.
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I do this with fresh ginger as well, and freeze flat in a zip tip bag. It is very convenient to snap off a piece when I need fresh ginger.
Yes, that works so well! Ginger is one of those things that you either have too much of or never have when you need it.