How to Freeze Garlic for Long Storage (Easy Preservation Guide)

Year-Round Flavor from the Farm

We are garlic farmers with over 20 years of experience preserving our harvest. We know that organic heirloom garlic, with its wonderfully rare flavor, doesn’t always store well for long periods. That’s why we developed tried-and-true preservation methods to enjoy the full flavor of our garlic until the next harvest. Since we began growing our own garlic, we proudly say we have NEVER purchased garlic from the grocery store!

Explore our other preservation blogs on dehydrating garlic! We recommend using all these methods to preserve your garlic harvest. Each one serves its purpose to provide you with full-flavored heirloom garlic year-round.

Why Freeze Garlic?

Garlic is produce so it naturally has a shelf life. For heirloom garlic, this can range from 3 to 9 months. That’s why knowing how to properly freeze garlic is essential for long-term preservation. This guide will show you how to freeze garlic – minced or whole, raw or roasted. Even if our fresh, homegrown garlic doesn’t last all year, these methods ensure we always have heirloom garlic flavor on hand and never have to buy grocery store garlic again!

How to Freeze Garlic

You can freeze your garlic for future use in the kitchen, but DO NOT freeze garlic for future planting. Freezing garlic changes the texture slightly, however, if you plan to use it in cooked recipes like soups and sauces or to sauté, bake, roast, or blend, it will work quite well.

Freezing Whole Cloves

There are two main ways to freeze whole cloves.  You can take the cloves off the bulb while leaving the garlic wrapper around the clove, and put the garlic clove into a Ziplock bag or container.

Another way to get your garlic ready for the freezer is to simply peel & trim the cloves and put them into a freezer-safe container such as a zippered bag or Mason jar.

To use: Defrost cloves for 2-3 minutes before prepping them for your dish. Defrosted cloves will soften and do not have the same texture as fresh garlic cloves. Keep in mind that there is some flavor loss in freezing so you may find you need to use a bit more garlic for your dish. Frozen and defrosted cloves are best cooked rather than raw.

Freezing Minced Garlic

Prepare your garlic with a garlic press or food processor to your desired size. Scoop the minced garlic into an ice cube tray or spoon small piles onto a lined baking sheet. Place the tray in the freezer until frozen.

Remove garlic from ice cube tray or baking sheet and place in a freezer bag or container.

To use: Simply take a garlic cube and add it to your dish.

Roasting Garlic Before Freezing

How to Roast Garlic

-Prepare heads for roasting by peeling the outer papers while leaving the head intact.

– Carefully trim off the top of the garlic head.

– Drizzle with olive oil & bake for 30-40 minutes at 400F.

-Once cooled, separate your roasted cloves and spread them on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Place in the freezer until frozen. Move your roasted garlic cloves to a freezer-safe container.

Roasting Garlic in Olive Oil Before Freezing

We have followed the Slow Roasted Garlic Mojo Recipe by Rick Bayless for many years. You’ll love having this on hand for immense flavor year-round. It is the best!

1. Peel garlic cloves and mash slightly with the broad side of a knife.

2. Cover the cloves with around 2 cups of good, fruity olive oil. Mix in 1 teaspoon of salt.

3. Roast the garlic cloves in an oven set at 325F for 45-50 minutes.

4. Add 1/2 cup of fresh lime juice to the roasted garlic and return to the oven to roast for 20 minutes more for the garlic to absorb the lime and turn golden brown.

5. Mash with a fork or potato masher or leave cloves intact. Spoon into freezer-safe containers. Cover the garlic cloves with oil. Reserve any extra olive oil for salad dressings & marinades.

Garlic Mojo will last in the fridge for up to 3 months if the garlic remains submerged in the oil. It will last a year or more in the freezer. To use, easily take out a frozen jar and store it in the fridge for up to 3 months. When freezing, be sure to give ~1/2 inch of headspace.

This is great to have in the fridge which can be conveniently used like jarred refrigerated garlic to add that roasted garlic flavor to enhance the flavor of your dishes.   

• Use the garlic infused olive oil to make salad dressings or to marinate meats or vegetables. 

• Add the cloves of garlic to mash potatoes or other vegetables. 

• Add to soups or stews to add roasted garlic flavor.

• Add roasted garlic mojo to meats before or while cooking. 

• Spread on crusty French bread and eat as a spread or use to make garlic bread. 

• The ideas are endless!  Share your ideas with us. 

Share your favorite preservation tips!

As you can see, there are many methods for freezing garlic. Try these ideas and let us know your favorite way to preserve garlic! Enjoy!