Have you ever seen granulated garlic in the spice aisle and thought, can I use this in replace of garlic powder or fresh garlic? Read on to find out more!

Garlic is easily the most popular seasoning used in dishes around the world, providing a distinctive flavor and aroma. However, what happens when you don’t have fresh garlic available? You’re forced to consider comparable dried seasonings like granulated garlic or garlic powder.

What is Granulated Garlic?

Granulated garlic is made up of peeled garlic cloves that have been dried out in the oven and then ground into coarse granules. From there it’s simply vacuum sealing them into spice jars to place on the shelves of supermarkets everywhere. 

Granulated Garlic vs Garlic Powder

You may notice that both granulated garlic and powdered garlic are made with fresh garlic that has been oven-dried.  In both cases,  the cloves are peeled, dried out in the oven and minced before becoming the final product.  

When it comes to granulated garlic, note that the size of the granules are about the same as sesame seeds or fenugreek, while garlic powder has a comparable look to onion powder. Note that garlic powder often has an anti-caking agent to prevent any lumps from forming.

Is Granulated Garlic the Same as Powdered?

Both products are 100% garlic and provide dishes with the same garlicky taste. Where you will notice the difference is in the texture.  Garlic powder essentially has a soft, fine texture, while granules are larger, coarse and quite noticeable. 

For example, you can add garlic powder to a hamburger mixture or in a salad dressing and it would blend, however you cannot do the same with granulated garlic. On the other hand, you can make a coarse dry rub for ribs or wings with granulated garlic. 

Granulated Garlic Substitutes

Garlic flakes

They are sometimes labeled as instant garlic. The flakes are the opposite of granules being more thin and larger flakes. This can be used as a 1:1 substitute. 

Garlic powder

It works perfectly if texture isn’t something you’re after. Here you should use less garlic powder as it can have a more potent flavor. 

Minced fresh garlic

This is great if you’re looking to add in a fresher flavor. Use either bottled minced garlic or a minced clove which is equal to about ⅓  teaspoon of granulated garlic

Garlic Salt

Using a  4:1 ratio here will provide you with the same flavor as granulated garlic. Simply use 1 teaspoon garlic salt per ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic.

Bottled garlic juice

The downfall here is that this only works in wet recipes such as dressings and marinades – so use this option wisely.

The tip here is to choose the option that works best with the recipe you’re making!

Suitability in Recipes

Granulated garlic works best in recipes that have a slow release of flavors. That means, for dry rubs on ribs, chicken and pork shoulder, granulated garlic is your best option. It’s also great if you’re going to use the slow cooker to make stews and soups, this will allow the granulated garlic to work its magic and provide a bold flavor.  

Note, avoid using granulated garlic in dishes with short cooking times, as the granules will not blend and in turn will simply burn.  

Nutrition

When it comes to nutrition, there is nothing better than fresh garlic! However, when the dehydration process kicks in, it removes a fair amount of the nutrients. The good news? Both iron and Vitamin B6 are still evident.