Garlic and ginger are two of my most-used, aromatic, flavor-boosting ingredients. So much so that I’ve already shared guides on how to peel garlic, how to crush, chop, and mince garlic cloves, and how to freeze garlic. I’ve also shared several DIYs on homemade garlic paste, flakes, powder, and even garlic-infused olive oil. This time, though, I’ll be discussing how much garlic is in a clove (i.e., a garlic clove to tsp amount), so you can create any recipe confusion-free, regardless of if the recipe calls for a specific amount of cloves or a generic amount like “1/4 cup minced garlic”. I’ve also included how to easily substitute fresh garlic cloves. That includes a garlic cloves to powder conversion along with garlic flakes, garlic salt, or garlic paste – so choosing the perfect amount of garlic, no matter what you have, will be quick & easy.
How Many Cloves Are in a Head of Garlic?
The number of garlic cloves per head/bulb will vary. However, as a rule of thumb, most grocery store garlic bulbs contain 10-12 cloves (usually 4-7 grams per clove). The weight and size of cloves vary, though, meaning you may need anywhere between 14-25 cloves for ½ lb. of garlic. Volume amounts are easier to use and convert.
How Much Minced Garlic Equals a Clove?
One clove produces approximately 1 teaspoon of chopped or ½ teaspoon of minced garlic. More specifically:
1 garlic clove = ½ teaspoon of minced garlic, 2 garlic cloves = 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, 3 garlic cloves = 1 ½ teaspoons of minced garlic, 4 garlic cloves = 2 teaspoons of minced garlic.
I.e., How many cloves of garlic are in a tablespoon? Following the above minced garlic to cloves guidance, you’d need 3 chopped garlic cloves or 6 minced garlic cloves per tablespoon. In other words, since 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons, therefore 1 Tbps of minced garlic = 3 tsp x 2 garlic cloves = 6 garlic cloves. A large clove produces closer to 1 ½ teaspoons of chopped garlic and just below 1 teaspoon of minced garlic.
What are The Best Substitutes for Fresh Garlic?
Non-garlic substitutes include shallots, chives, or green onions. Also, if you’re on a garlic-free low FODMAP diet, did you know garlic-infused olive oil is often FODMAP-friendly?!
An Easy Garlic Conversion Chart
Below is a general guideline for how to convert 1 medium clove of fresh garlic to any of the below substitutes. Adjust the amount to taste and based on your specific recipe. Just note that garlic salt usually contains a 3:1 ratio of salt to garlic powder, so the recipe may need adjusting (i.e., using less added salt). I recommend leaving out any other salt until after you’ve added the garlic salt and tasted the dish.
How to Use Garlic
Homemade Garlic Aioli Garlic Cream Sauce (Garlic Alfredo Sauce) Creamy Roasted Garlic Dressing Easy Garlic and Olive Oil Pasta (Pasta Aglio e Olio) 30 recipes that use garlic as a main ingredient
I’d love to hear any thoughts/questions in the comment below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
