Garlic is one of the most famous seasoning options available today. It works for a wide array of cuisines, and you probably have it in your kitchen right now. There are different variants of garlic, although minced garlic is one of the most prominent.
Easy to work with and with a mild flavor, minced garlic provides a wide array of benefits and can work with different meals. However, you could want to get a different option when cooking from time to time.
What is the best substitute for minced garlic? Garlic cloves, which are diced to create minced garlic, are interestingly the ideal substitutes. They pack a stronger taste, but they can help you capture minced garlic’s essence and work for the same dishes. So, you’re pretty much safe with a garlic clove as your substitute.
An Overview of Minced Garlic
As the name suggests, minced garlic is garlic that’s been neatly cut and diced. Every garlic comes in a bulb, from which you can get individual cloves. To make minced garlic, these cloves are cut into fine patterns and preserved.
You can find minced garlic in grocery stores around you, or you could just get a bulb and mince each clove on your own if you’ve got the time. Most experts recommend going with the latter option, but it’s really down to you and your preference. Pre-minced garlic usually comes with preservatives, so its flavor might not be the same as what you would get if you minced the garlic yourself.
All in all, minced garlic is an attractive seasoning option. You can use it for just about anything.
Why Replace Minced Garlic?
- Garlic allergies: It is common for people to have garlic allergies but still want to capture its essence. Thankfully, some substitutes fit this bill.
- Taste differences: Minced garlic comes with a relatively mild taste compared to other garlic forms. If you want something thicker and stronger, other substitutes could help.
- Non availability: If you don’t have the time to dice your garlic or you can’t find any minced garlic at grocery stores near you, then a substitute will have to do justice.
Options for Minced Garlic Substitutes
Best Overall Substitute for Minced Garlic: Garlic Cloves
This is a pretty easy choice. Garlic cloves are pretty much each segment of the entire bulb. So, they are essentially what you chop and cut into more delicate bits to get minced garlic. Interestingly, garlic cloves also work as excellent alternatives to minced garlic.
In this case, all you would have to do is take each clove and use it in your recipe instead. If you don’t have the time to start mincing the garlic cloves one by one, this option works for you as well. As you can expect, the taste profile is the same thing, so you’re not missing much on that front.
However, you want to note that garlic cloves have a generally stronger taste than minced garlic. So, they aren’t precisely a one-for-one substitute if that’s what you would like.
Most experts recommend that you use one garlic clove as a substitute for half a teaspoon of minced garlic. This way, you can capture the taste and essence rather well.
In addition to the stronger taste, garlic cloves also pack a bit of heat, especially when consumed raw. So, you might want to consider that when you’re cooking. Still, heat considerations shouldn’t be enough for you to pass on this option. Garlic cloves work for the same dishes as minced garlic, and they’re pretty easy to work with as well.
You can find garlic cloves at just about any grocery store. Note that most stores sell them already peeled. While these are more convenient to use, they’re also prone to getting damaged much faster.
Best Substitute for Water-Sensitive Meals: Garlic Powder
Garlic powder has also emerged as a prominent garlic variant that is making the rounds these days. As expected, this is what you get when you crush garlic cloves into powdered form and dry it out. Powdered garlic also has a mild garlic taste that will depend on the quantity you apply, like minced garlic.
In general, the process of making powdered garlic is pretty time-consuming. So, if you don’t have so much time on your hands, you might just get your powdered garlic from a grocery store instead. They’re readily available.
Powdered garlic is usually best in water-sensitive meals like breaded chicken and meatballs. It has a lower moisture content, so it provides the same garlic texture without affecting your dish or its general texture in any significant way.
As for applications, you want to be careful. Experts say that half a teaspoon of minced garlic is the same as ⅛ of a teaspoon of garlic powder. This is because both measurements are respectively equal to one garlic clove. So, ¼ of a powdered garlic teaspoon is the ideal substitute for one teaspoon of minced garlic.
Best Substitute for Allergies: Ginger
If there’s any seasoning option that can challenge garlic in terms of popularity, it would have to be ginger. Interestingly, it also works as an ideal substitute for minced garlic. While they don’t taste anything alike, minced garlic and ginger do quite the same thing and will be perfect substitutes either way.
While your taste of minced garlic will depend on how much you use, ginger offers more of a spicy flavor. It’s similar to what you might get with cinnamon or allspice. You can use ginger in savory and sweet dishes, so it is pretty versatile too.
For application, there’s really no telling how to use ginger as a substitute for minced garlic. Since their tastes aren’t the same, you will need to trust your instincts and taste buds.