Whole, Crushed, or Minced Garlic: What's the Difference?

Garlic is the flavor backbone of almost everything we cook. Have you ever been curious why some recipes call for whole garlic, some for minced garlic, and some for garlic paste instead of something else? Here's what we think!

Garlic bulbs contain a sulfuric compound just like onions, shallots, and other members of the tasty allium family. In the wild, this acts as a defense to ward away animals. In our kitchens, the same sulfur compounds transform our food into aromatic, mouthwatering dishes - though raw garlic is still a bit too potent for many of us to enjoy!

The sulfur compounds are released as soon as we cut into a bulb of garlic and expose the inside surfaces to oxygen in the air. More chopping will release more of the compounds, so it follows that minced garlic and garlic paste will have the strongest taste.

We use garlic paste and minced garlic in dishes where we want a strong garlic flavor permeating the dish. The small little pieces will also dissolve into the other ingredients over long cooking, leaving sauces smooth and evenly seasoned.

Whole garlic is at the other end of the spectrum. Since the sulfur compounds are never forcefully released, whole garlic will simply add a subtle and slightly sweet garlic flavor to dishes. Crushing the cloves releases a little of the sulfur, making the garlic flavor a little stronger. Roughly chopped garlic dials up the flavor yet again.

Changing how finely you chop your garlic is one way to control the garlic flavor in your dish. You don't necessarily have to follow the recipe! Next time you make a stir-fry or pasta sauce, experiment with different levels of garlic intensity and see if you can tell the difference!

Do you love strong garlic flavor in your dishes, or do you like it more toned down?

(Image: Flickr member Muffet licensed under Creative Commons)

Comments (11)

The stronger the better for me! I LOVE roasted garlic smeared on homemade pizza dough before adding toppings. I have been known to put two heads worth on a pizza. Absolute favorite!

I've been using garlic in the jar from Trader Joes and then Fresh Direct. Obviously this will never be as good as fresh garlic, but I've noticed as of late that I need a lot more of the garlic in the jar to have the taste I used to get using fresh bulbs.

Debating switching back to fresh, it's not like I use it that often, but the jar is just cheaper.

I like breaking up a head of garlic and then freezing the whole cloves (still in their peel). It makes the peel much easier to remove when I need garlic, and mutes the flavor just a little bit...plus I don't need to worry about it going bad.

Really, the JAR is cheaper?! A head of garlic is less than a dollar!

I love garlic. Put as much as possible for me :-)

Love garlic. I use it in pretty much everything.

Ah, this makes sense -- I sometimes put garlic in the water when I boil pasta, and I noticed that the taste is much stronger when I mince.

I usually sauteé garlic completely separate from the rest of the meal, since my husband isn't a fan. Then once the food is plated, I add a tiny bit to his and all the rest to my own.

Personally, I can't get enough of garlic.

I shred it with my Microplane grater, and almost every meal winds up with a half a head of garlic finely grated in it, often more.

Delicious as it is, garlic sometimes gives me bad indigestion. Since it's hit or miss, I'm assuming that the different preparations discussed above make a difference in how it will affects my tum.

I can find lots online about how the preparation method changes garlic's taste and health benefits, but absolutely nothing about how it affects your digestion. Anyone have any insights? From the above, I would guess roasting a whole clove would be best since it releases fewer sulfur compounds.

One caveat for the garlic lovers out there: there's nothing ickier than being at the gym and smelling last night's garlic just oozing out of someone's sweaty pores. Chances are good that you don't smell it on yourself, but remember that everyone else does.

i looove it. put it in nearly everything. thankfully my dude likes it too, so no problem!

The more the better. I put minced garlic in almost everything, and usually double or triple the amount called for.

As far as I'm concerned, garlic is a root vegetable. ;-)