How to store garlic so that it stays fresh for as long as possible

When stored properly, garlic can stay fresh for up to six months – even longer if stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

Where would we be without garlic? Cooked raw hot and mild, it adds delicious aroma and deep flavor to many dishes, from mashed potatoes to shrimp with noodles.

In addition to garlic’s ability to take recipes from good to great, there’s another reason to love this workhorse ingredient: From a storage standpoint, it’s one of the easiest foods you can have in your kitchen. Garlic benefits from a fairly straightforward approach: Give it the air and space it needs, and it can provide you with fresh, rich flavor for months. How to store garlic to keep it fresh longer.

Related: How to Tell When Garlic is Ready to Harvest—and the Best Way to Do It

Storing Whole Garlic

The first thing to keep in mind when storing garlic is that it keeps best when kept together. “The onions are their own storage container, so don’t break them apart until necessary,” says Sur La Table chef Richard Temples. Leave them together, covered with the paper wrapper, resisting the temptation to break the cloves off the bulb until you are ready to use them. “Once the cloves are torn apart, they tend to dry out much more quickly,” adds Stephen Chavez, culinary instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education.

If you’re lucky enough to pick garlic with the long stems still attached, try this tip from Ed Fraser of Fraser’s Garlic Farm in Western New York: He ties or braids it into a bundle, hangs it in his kitchen, and break off cloves as needed.

Choose the right container

Don’t worry too much about what type of container you store the garlic in. A terracotta or ceramic container specifically designed for garlic storage is great, but so is a paper or mesh bag, a wire basket, or even just a simple bowl. The aim is to promote the circulation of dry air, which is why a plastic bag is taboo as it traps moisture. “Baskets, bowls, mesh bags, and any type of container that allows some air circulation are great,” says Temples. “You always want to keep your garlic cool and dry—cool but not cold and with some air circulation.”

If you want to keep your garlic on the countertop, find a spot away from the window. “It can sit in a bowl on the countertop if it is out of direct sunlight,” says Chavez. “Like any other plant/bulb, it germinates much faster with exposure to sunlight.”

Keep it cool (not cold) and dry

Even if you want to keep your garlic cool and dry, that doesn’t mean the basement or refrigerator is the best choice. Fraser often sees people storing garlic in the basement because they think the cool temperatures will help, but he advises against it. “In general, the humidity in the cellar is not suitable for garlic. The garlic becomes soft and dries out,” he says.

The refrigerator, says Temples, is often to cold. “You should always choose the counter over the refrigerator!” he says. “The cold temperature in the refrigerator is similar to the fall of garlic and causes it to sprout within a few weeks. Sprouts are edible, but can have a bitter taste.” The pantry is usually a good place – as long as you keep the garlic away from the potatoes, as garlic, onions and other alliums give off gases that can speed up the sprouting of the potatoes.

Tips

Fresh garlic feels firm and has a bright white color, while garlic that is coloring becomes softer and yellower. If your garlic begins to sprout, it will still be edible, but the flavor will suffer. Moldy garlic should be thrown away immediately, and peeled cloves that begin to dry and shrivel are probably past their prime.

How long does whole garlic last?

If stored properly, a whole unpeeled garlic clove can last longer than expected. “Most people don’t realize that garlic has a shelf life of four to six months when stored in a cool, dry place!” says Temples. As soon as you start breaking the cloves off the bulb, the garlic begins to spoil. After you remove the first clove, you will probably have about 10 days to two weeks before the remaining garlic on the bulb begins to sprout. Fraser points out that smaller garlic cloves keep better than larger ones.

Store peeled and chopped garlic in the refrigerator

“After mincing, we want to prevent the garlic from drying out and accelerating the aging process,” says Temples. Of course, Temples jokes that this is a rare problem, as many chefs follow the “more is more” principle when it comes to garlic: “Leftover garlic? Never heard of it!”

Peeled garlic

If you have peeled more cloves than you need, the refrigerator is the best place to store them. Wrap them in plastic or place them in a sealed bag or container first.

Related: 6 Ways to Peel Garlic Every Home Cook Should Know

Minced garlic

Store minced garlic in an airtight bag or small jar for up to three days, says Chavez. Afterwards, you will notice a discoloration that indicates the garlic is going bad. If you cook the garlic in olive oil before storing it in the refrigerator, it will last for up to a week. “Never store raw garlic in uncooked oil in any form,” he says. “Raw garlic and raw oil become contaminated with botulism very quickly.”

Freeze garlic

Minced or whole garlic will last up to 12 months in the freezer.

Minced garlic

Minced garlic, stored frozen with water in ice cube trays, can be removed individually and thrown into the skillet while cooking. “You can freeze garlic in a little water and add it directly to your recipe,” says Temples. “It has always been a time saver. Freshly minced garlic always has the best flavor, but storing it frozen also has benefits. When you’re meal prepping or just need a few shortcuts to get dinner on the table, it’s nice to have garlic ready to use.

Whole garlic

Peeled whole cloves will also last in the freezer for six to 12 months if stored in an airtight or vacuum-sealed bag, says Chavez. Just prepare them first: “Whole heads or unpeeled cloves should not be frozen because peeling them is very difficult,” he says.