How Long Frozen Garlic Will Last When It's Peeled Vs Whole

Garlic is one of the most common aromatics used in savory recipes, and it's a great thing to have on hand for any cooking needs. But unless you're making a garlic confit, you likely aren't using a whole head of garlic and have some leftovers. While your first instinct may be to leave it in the fruit bowl on the counter with the rest of your produce, try sticking it in the freezer instead.

Garlic in all forms is perfectly suitable for freezing, but its form will affect how long the garlic lasts. A whole bulb or head of garlic can last up to six months when frozen, but peeled — or otherwise chopped — garlic will only last a few weeks. Regardless, whether you're sticking in the whole thing, just a few cloves, finely chopped bits, or even a pre-sautéed mixture with butter, your garlic will freeze as long as it's in a safe container. You can use a freezer or Ziploc bag, a mason jar, or a sealed, airtight storage container, and they will all keep your garlic fresh — you'll simply want to check for any odd smells or textures once the garlic is thawed, just in case.

The best way to freeze and store your garlic is also dependent on the form it takes, very similar to how long it lasts. The most commonly used storage method is a freezer-safe bag which works for all garlic shapes and sizes. You can seal a whole head of garlic in an airtight bag, or pre-peel it for easy use later and do the same. The only thing to note when storing peeled garlic is that the cloves should be wrapped in aluminum foil before being placed in the bag; this gives them extra protection so they last longer.

You can also store garlic paste by packing it flat into a plastic bag, pressing all the air out, then lightly scoring the outside of the bag to create divots in the garlic. This makes it easy to take out just a chunk of the paste to use for cookingwithout thawing the entire bag. Frozen garlic truly does make for easy meal prep that will keep for a long time, and it's perfect to dump into any recipe. Use your frozen cloves or paste in a comforting soup recipe, like chicken tortilla soup, that you can cook all winter long. Or whip out the frozen garlic as the secret ingredient in your spaghetti sauce for your next family dinner. With so many storage possibilities and how long it keeps, freezing garlic is absolutely the way to go.