Garlic lovers, rejoice—National Garlic Day is April 19th! Whether you’re roasting, sautéing, or making a marinade, how you prepare and cut your garlic makes a major difference in its flavor. That’s because slicing, chopping, or crushing garlic breaks its cells and triggers an enzymatic reaction with oxygen. This reaction creates sulfur-rich compounds like allicin, which give garlic its signature pungency and health benefits.
Let’s dive into how to prepare garlic properly based on your flavor goals.
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The more you break down garlic’s structure, the more allicin is produced—and the more intense the flavor becomes.
Pro Tip: Let chopped or minced garlic sit for 10–15 minutes before cooking. This resting time allows the allicin to fully develop, enhancing both flavor and nutrition.
While the mildest garlic flavor comes from roasting whole cloves, the following methods are in order from moderate to very strong garlic flavor. To try out these techniques, you’ll need Spice World Fresh Garlic, a clean cutting board, and a chef’s knife.
f you’re starting with a full bulb:
Short on time? Try Spice World Fresh Peeled Garlic or Organic Fresh Peeled Garlic for added convenience.
Sliced garlic can add another layer of flavor to stir fries, marinades, sauces, or even pickled vegetables. Plus, it’s one of the simpler methods you can do—just be careful when using a sharp knife.
Flavor Profile: Moderate
A rough chop of fresh garlic can be another quick way to add strong garlic flavor to your dishes. It’s the perfect texture and taste for chilis and soups but might be too chunky for salad dressing or sauces.
Flavor profile: Strong
Try it in a fragrant garlic sauce for roasted vegetables or grilled meat.
Mincing garlic is typically the most common method for preparing it for meals. It is a finer dice than chopped garlic and adds a powerful punch if you want some fresh garlic flavor. Try it in dips, dressings, marinades, and even on baked breads or in pasta sauce!
Flavor profile: Stronger
Pro Tip: You can also use a tool like a garlic press.
Or you can skip all the prep work and save time with Spice World Minced Garlic—great for fast, flavorful meals like Garlic Avocado Toast.
When you crush garlic, you break most of its cells, meaning it will taste stronger than the other prepared versions of garlic. Crushed garlic works great in slow cooked meals like pot-roasts and stews.
Flavor Profile: Strongest
Use crushed garlic when you want the boldest flavor but can remove the clove after cooking.
After all that garlic prep, you’ll need a way to remove the garlic smell from your hands! Here are a few ways you can get rid of that garlic smell:
No matter how you slice it, Spice World’s fresh garlic options—from whole cloves to ready-to-use products—help you save time and boost flavor. Whether you’re roasting, mincing, or marinating, there’s a garlic style for every dish.
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