How to Prep Garlic in Bulk and Freeze It

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If you’re tired of fussing around with peeling garlic cloves and wasting time chopping by hand when you just want to get dinner on the table, this easy garlic prep hack is for you! Prep a month of garlic in very little time and stop letting it hold you back!

The Easiest Way to Peel, Chop, and Freeze Garlic for the Month

Learning how to prep garlic ahead of time can save a lot of work during the week. Instead of peeling cloves every time you cook, you can process garlic in bulk, store it properly, and keep it ready to use in the freezer.

I’ll show you how to prep garlic step by step, including how to peel, chop, and freeze garlic so it stays fresh for weeks.

I buy large bags of garlic, like 1-2kg, and prep it all at once in the food processor, and freeze it in small portions.

This is more economical, and makes cooking faster while keeping the garlic from going bad before I can use it. True garlic lovers need this method!

I still like to keep some fresh cloves on hand, for times when I need whole cloves, like when I’m making toum, aioli, or garlic toast.

How to Prep Garlic

The first step is to peel the papery skins and separate the garlic cloves. The outer part of the head of garlic has light papery skins that are very easy to peel off. Next, squeeze the head of garlic in your hand, and the cloves should come apart easily.

How to Peel Garlic Fast

There are a few ways to speed up this process.

• The Smash: You can smash each clove on the counter, under the flat blade of your chef’s knife (be careful!). This loosens the skin and makes it easier to remove. This does take time, though. You can also twist them, and this helps loosen them as well.
• The Shake: You can also add a bunch of cloves to a container with a lid and shake for 30-45 seconds. This works surprisingly well and results in most of the cloves being fully peeled!

How to Chop Garlic Quickly

• Knife: You can obviously do this with a chef’s knife. You can carefully mince each clove, or do a rough chop of a bunch of the cloves, and then keep rocking your knife back over the cloves until you get a nice mince.
• Food Processor: So quick and easy, a win for me! I toss all of the cloves into the food processor and pulse until well-chopped. This takes only a minute or two. I drizzle in a bit of olive oil at the end and pulse a bit more to coat the garlic. I’ve found that this helps prevent the garlic from drying out in the freezer.

How to Freeze Garlic

1. Trays: You can portion the minced garlic into ice cube trays and cover with plastic wrap until frozen. Once frozen, remove from the trays and store in a ziptop freezer bag.
2. Flat: I like to transfer my minced garlic to a large sheet of plastic wrap. I flatten it into a rectangle and then wrap it. Score with a plastic bench scraper or something similar. This helps when breaking frozen squares off. I then freeze the garlic and just break off as much as I need. It takes up very little space in the freezer and takes only a few minutes to thaw when you’re ready to use it. Sometimes I’ll toss it in the pan frozen – it works fine.

How Long Does Prepped Garlic Last

Frozen garlic can last for 3-6 months in the freezer. I use a lot of garlic, and usually use mine within 6-8 weeks.

Tips for Prepping Garlic in Bulk (My Method)

• Pulse the garlic instead of blending, for minced garlic instead of a paste.
• Storing the minced garlic in a flat slab makes it easy to store in the freezer!
• Label the package with the date to make it easier.

FAQs

How to Prep + Freeze Fresh Garlic

To prep garlic:

• peel the cloves
• pulse them in a food processor until finely chopped
• store in the fridge for a few days, or
• freeze for long-term use

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