Roundups
30+ Recipes That Use Garlic As A Main Ingredient
By Samira Kazan
updated April 10, 2025
30+ garlic recipes that make garlic the star! Including simple DIYs, sauces, dips, pasta dishes, and more – to make a garlic lover out of anyone!
Garlic is one of the most important ingredients in my kitchen. I could probably find an excuse to add it to every savory dish I make. It’s the perfect aromatic, flavor-boosting, finishing, and delicious ingredient to boost sauces, soups, and pasta dishes, enhance vegetable side dishes, and more. So, it’s high time I pull together this list of all my favorite garlic recipes that make this ingredient a star!
Cooking with garlic is not only simple. There are plenty of ways to introduce it into a dish for distinct flavor and textural differences.
And whether you’re a one-clove- or five-cloves-per-dish type of person, the garlic breath is more than worth it for the right recipes. I’m definitely in the “is there even such a thing as too much garlic?!” camp.
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- How To Cook With Garlic: Top Tips
- What To Do With Fresh Garlic
- Garlic Sauces and Dips
- Garlic Bread Recipes
- Garlic Vegetable Side Dishes
- Pasta and Noodles
- Other Garlic Recipes
- More Helpful Round-ups
How To Cook With Garlic: Top Tips
The most important thing to know about cooking with garlic is that the more you cut or mash the garlic, the stronger the flavor will be. This is because garlic contains flavor and aroma compounds (allicin) that are activated when cut. Therefore, adding whole garlic cloves to any dish will add a very subtle flavor. At the same time, garlic puree will have a very robust flavor and aroma.
The way you cook garlic also affects its flavor , as it decreases the allicin enzymes. For example, raw garlic is very pungent and spicy. So I usually use it in small quantities in sauces, etc.
Quick-cooked garlic (like sautéing it) mellows the harshest spice/pungency while retaining a strong flavor and slight bitterness. However, any slow-cooked garlic (like confit, roasting, in soups, etc.) will become wonderfully mellow and slightly sweet. And it will lose its bitter, harsh edge entirely.
Lastly, garlic burns quickly and easily . So if you plan to cook it in a pan, heavy-based ones are best for more even heat distribution. It’s also best to add garlic towards the end of cooking (both when pan-cooking and roasting in the oven). This will avoid burning it, which can make the entire dish bitter.
What To Do With Fresh Garlic
If you’re specifically looking for recipes that use a lot of garlic (whole heads of garlic), perhaps one of these DIYs is perfect for you.
Top Tips for Peeling Garlic
How to Peel Garlic (6+ Easy Ways to Peel Garlic)
How To Crush, Chop, And Mince Garlic
How To Crush, Chop, And Mince Garlic
Also check How Much Minced Garlic Equals a Clove .
How to Freeze Garlic
How to freeze garlic
Homemade Garlic Paste
How To Make Garlic Paste (Garlic Puree)
Garlic Powder
Homemade Garlic Powder (3 Easy Ways)
Garlic Flakes
How To Make Garlic Flakes
Homemade Garlic Salt
How to Make Homemade Garlic Salt
How to Roast Garlic in the Oven
How to Roast Garlic in the Oven (Whole Roasted Garlic + Cloves)
Garlic Infused Olive Oil
Garlic Infused Olive Oil
Pickled Garlic
How to Make Pickled Garlic (Plain or Spicy)
Garlic Confit (& Garlic Oil)
Garlic Confit (3 Easy Methods)
Roasted Garlic Butter
Homemade Roasted Garlic Butter (+ Flavor Variations)
Black Garlic
How to Make Black Garlic
Garlic Sauces and Dips
Sauces, dressings, and dips are a delicious way to enjoy raw or cooked garlic (usually minced garlic). They give any meal a powerful boost of garlic flavor.
Lebanese Garlic Sauce (Toum)
Garlic Alfredo Sauce
Lemon Butter Sauce
How to Make Fermented Garlic Honey
Garlic and Chili Infused Honey
Creamy Roasted Garlic Dressing
Garlic Aioli
Roasted Garlic White Bean Dip
Creamy Hummus
Garlic Bread Recipes
No list of recipes for fresh garlic would be complete without garlic bread, of course. But that isn’t the only way to pair the two ingredients for delicious results.
Quick Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe
Simple Roasted Garlic Bread
Garlic Naan Bread
homemade Croutons
Pan Con Tomate
Garlic Vegetable Side Dishes
Preparing vegetables is one of my favorite ways of cooking with garlic to add maximum flavor but minimal ingredients and fuss. Here are just some of my favorite garlicky vegetables.
Garlic Sautéed Spinach
Garlic and Parmesan Sautéed Zucchini
Simple Sauteed Green Beans with Garlic
There are tons of veggie recipes with garlic, thanks to its versatility. Along with the recipes already mentioned, you might enjoy garlic sautéed asparagus or garlicky cauliflower steaks !
Oven-Roasted Corn with Garlic Butter
Garlic Butter Mushrooms
Prefer something creamy? Check out these creamy, garlicky mushrooms on toast.
Garlic Crispy Roasted Potatoes
Likewise, boost the flavor of creamy mashed potatoes with plenty of roasted garlic!
Authentic Chinese Eggplant Stir Fry
Pasta and Noodles
Here are some simple garlic dinner recipes where garlic takes more of a “star role.”
Easy Garlic and Olive Oil Pasta
Garlic Lemon Pasta
Easy Garlic Chili Oil Noodles
Le Mein Garlic Noodles
Other Garlic Recipes
And just a few more garlic dishes to whet your appetite…
Filipino Garlic Fried Rice (Sinangag)
Creamy Roasted Garlic Potato Soup
Turkish Poached Eggs with Garlic Yogurt
Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon
More Helpful Round-ups
- How to Prepare and Use Ginger
- How to Use Turmeric
- 60 Dinner Ideas in 30 Minutes or Less
- 30 Hot Lunch Ideas (Fast, Meal Prep, Easy Recipes)
