Fresh Garlic
Juicy, mild garlic harvested before curing, with tender cloves.
Storage
Store in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer. Use within a few weeks, as fresh garlic doesn’t keep as long as cured bulbs. If it comes with the greens attached, you can leave it in a cool, dry place to cure for longer storage.
Keeps For
Varies by type when properly stored, but best used fresh. Fresh garlic should be consumed while still juicy.
Flavor Profile
Milder and sweeter than cured garlic, with a juicy, crisp texture. The flavor is more delicate and less pungent, with subtle nutty notes. The stems taste like a cross between garlic and leeks.
How to Prep
Peel the thin skins from the cloves—they’re there even if they look absent. Slice the stems as you would scallions. Fresh garlic need not be minced as finely as cured garlic, since it’s less intense.
Ways to Cook
- 1 Roast whole until caramelized
- 2 Grill with vegetables
- 3 Slice raw into salads
- 4 Pickle for longer storage
- 5 Blend into aioli or pesto
Pairs Well With
Good to Know
The papery outer layers may be dirty, but the inner layers are clean. Don’t confuse fresh garlic with green garlic—fresh garlic has distinct cloves, whereas green garlic does not. You can eat the stems of softneck garlic, but hardneck garlic has a woody core; if the stem is hard to bend, it’s hardneck.
Did You Know?
Fresh garlic is a fleeting seasonal treat in most climates, available for just a few weeks between green garlic and cured garlic seasons. In Korea, fresh garlic is prized for making seasonal kimchi, where its unique sweetness shines.
Our Recipes Using Fresh Garlic
A bold, garlicky vinaigrette inspired by the house dressing at Prune in NYC—our take on a simplified, farm-adapted version that we've come to rely on for just about everything.
Market SoupA light coconut curry with greens, potatoes, garlic, and ginger. Inspired by a farmer's market customer, this simple soup is all about balance—earthy greens, rich coconut milk, and a bold hit of garlic and ginger.