If You Need a Substitute for Garlic, We Have Answers

A few bulbs of garlic are a pantry staple for many home cooks since it's a key ingredient to flavor tons of savory recipes. But you may need to grab a substitute for garlic if you forgot to add it to your grocery list this week, and it's almost dinnertime. The good news is there are a couple of different ingredients you can use instead if you're in a pinch, and most of them will last longer than fresh garlic.

Even if you don't reach for it very often, it's worth picking up at least one substitute for garlic to keep in your pantry in case you run out or find that the head of garlic you just bought isn't as fresh as you thought.

What Can Be Used as a Substitute for Garlic?

An easy substitute for garlic is jarred minced garlic. For one clove of garlic, use ½ tsp. of jarred minced garlic. A jar will keep in your fridge for about three months after opening, whereas a peeled, fresh clove will probably only last about one week. Plus, it's already minced for you, so in many ways, it's even easier than dicing up a fresh clove.

Jarred garlic does tend to have a milder flavor than fresh, so if you like a strong garlic flavor in your food, you might want to consider adding a little extra jarred garlic if you're using it as a substitute.

If you don't have jarred garlic, you probably do have a different version of garlic on your spice rack. So, can you substitute garlic powder for minced garlic? The answer is yes! Use ⅛ tsp. garlic powder for one fresh clove. Garlic powder is just fresh garlic dried and ground into a fine powder.

Since it's a little more concentrated than a clove of garlic, a little bit of powder can go a long way to flavor your dish. As a bonus, garlic powder should keep for about two to three years, so it's an easy substitute for garlic to have around.

Other Substitutes for Garlic

Jarred minced garlic and garlic powder will usually be the easiest, most common substitutes for garlic, but there are other options. Garlic salt can also work when you're in a bind—use ¾ tsp. garlic salt for one clove of garlic. Since it's a seasoning blend and not pure garlic, you'll also want to reduce the amount of salt in your recipe by at least ½ tsp.

And what about other spices? Can you use onion powder as a substitute for garlic? In some situations, yes. Onion powder is a better substitute for fresh onions than garlic (FYI: use ½ tsp. onion powder for every ½ cup of chopped fresh onions). However, you can use onion powder as a substitute for garlic powder in rubs and other seasoning mixtures. It'll have a slight flavor difference, so you're better off using jarred or dried garlic for fresh garlic.

Or, if you can't stand peeling fresh garlic cloves, look for already-peeled loose cloves at your grocery store. Most supermarkets carry them, and they can speed up prep if you like using fresh garlic but don't want to take the time to peel the cloves. They're convenient for recipes that use a ton of garlic, like pickled garlic, or dishes that call for using whole garlic cloves. Just be sure to pick a bag with plump, firm white cloves with no bad spots.

Additional Spice Substitutions

Other substitutions for commonly used spices may already be in your spice drawer. For example, savory thyme can be substituted with basil, marjoram, or oregano, and chili powder can be used instead of cumin. Start slowly with any replacement spice to ensure you don't over-season your recipe.

We have more herb and spice substitutions to help you when you need a replacement in a pinch.

Other Emergency Substitutions

Our list of substitutions for other ingredients can help you save time and money on items used frequently in cooking and baking. For example, if you run out of eggs mid-quiche preparation, combine 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water to replace 1 egg. Or if you're craving a stir-fry, but there's no soy sauce to be found, substitute 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce mixed with 1 tablespoon water. Download this chart to keep on hand to help with all kinds of last-minute substitutions.