Quick Pickled Garlic Recipe - Home. Made. Interest. (2024)

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published May 23, 2022 — last updated June 15, 2022

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Pickled garlic is a healthy and delicious snack that is easy to make. All you need is just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes and you’ll have this trendy treat!

Quick Pickled Garlic Recipe - Home. Made. Interest. (1)

Garlic lovers, this one is you for you! Not a garlic lover? You will be after trying pickled garlic.

All you need for pickling vegetables is a simple brine that you can customize to your liking using different combination of vegetables, herbs, and spices to make your own custom flavors. We’ve made pickled carrots, radishes, green beans, and cauliflower just to name a few.

We use a little more vinegar in our brine for pickling garlic because the vinegar helps to neutralize the sharp flavor of the garlic.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Garlic – You’ll use approximately 6 -8 heads of garlic to fill up 2 half pint mason jars.
  • White vinegar – You can substitute any vinegar you would like including rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar. Do note that if you use red wine vinegar, it will color your garlic red.
  • Water
  • Kosher salt – The salt must be non-iodized. We suggest kosher salt or sea salt. Iodized salt will turn vegetables a dark color and make your brine cloudy.
  • Sugar – You can use alternatives to sugar such as honey, agave, maple syrup, or an artificial sweetener such as Stevia or Splenda.
  • Black Peppercorns – always a good choice for giving your dish some spice
  • Crushed red pepper flakes – this will give your garlic a little spice

You can also add any other herbs or spices you would like to your pickled garlic recipe, depending on your own tastes. Try adding bay leaves, coriander, or mustard seeds. Play with the spices and see what you like best!

Want to learn more. Check out our guide on How to Make Quick Pickled Vegetables!

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How to Peel Garlic

You’ll be peeling a lot of garlic so try one of these simple tips for making it go a little faster.

Method 1 – Blanche it. Break garlic bulb into individual cloves. Place the garlic cloves in bowl. Pour very hot water over the garlic and let them soak for 1 minute.

After soaking pour them through a strainer to remove the water. cut the end off of each clove and then press on the tip of the clove. The garlic will slip from the peel.

Method 2 – Shake it. Break garlic bulb into individual cloves. Place the cloves in a jar and fasten the lid in place. Shake hard for 1 minute. The garlic cloves will separate from the peel.

How to Pickle Garlic

Step 1 – Prepare the garlic. Peel the garlic cloves and pack them into the jar.

Step 2 – Make the brine. In a small saucepan combine vinegar, water, salt, sugar, peppercorns, and red pepper flakes. Stir together.

Bring the mixture to a boil and then remove the pot from the heat.

Step 3 – Add the liquid. Let the mixture cool for 2-3 minutes and then pour the liquid into the jar until the garlic is fully covered.

Step 4 – Pickle. Screw the lid on and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 months. Garlic can be used as soon as you like but we recommend letting it pickle for 2-3 weeks for the best flavor.

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Best Container To Use

We recommend glass wide mouth pint jars. The glass won’t react with the vinegar and they are durable and reusable with air tight seal.

How to Use It

Pickled garlic is a great addition to charcuterie board along with pickled carrots, pickled radishes, and pickled red onions, olives, cheeses, and meats.

Pickled garlic can also be used in any recipe that you would use regular garlic. We add it to dishes like our sheet pan honey garlic chicken or restaurant style salsa.

Lots of people also eat it on it’s own as a snack. Since the pickling process, more specifically the vinegar, mellows out the sharpness of the garlic you can just pop them in your mouth and enjoy!

What Does Pickled Garlic Taste Like?

Pickled garlic has a more mellow flavor thank regular raw garlic. The vinegar tames down the sharp, overwhelming taste of the garlic and makes it more palatable.

The herbs and spices you include in your brine will also chance the flavor. You can make it taste more like a pickle by adding dill, or make it spicier by adding red pepper flakes or including sliced up chili peppers.

Is Pickled Garlic Healthy?

Garlic has lots of health benefits. Civilizations throughout history have used garlic for its medicinal properties. It is low in calorie and rich in minerals and vitamins, including vitamins C and B6. It is has prebiotic fiber which is good for your digestion and is full of antioxidants.

Garlic helps fight off illness, reduce blood pressure, lower your risk for heart disease, may also help protect against any heavy metals (such as lead) in your body!Quick Pickled Garlic Recipe - Home. Made. Interest. (5)

Why Did My Garlic Turn Blue?

Sometimes during the pickling process, your garlic can take on a blue hue. Don’t panic! There is nothing wrong with your garlic and it is totally safe to eat!

The reason this happens is sometimes the enzymes and sulfur-containing amino acids in the garlic react to the acidity in the vinegar. This can cause a blueish color. It is a natural process and not harmful.

How Long Is Pickled Garlic Good For?

Because this is a quick pickling recipe, your pickled garlic is not shelf-stable and should not be stored at room temperature. It will need to be refrigerated. It will be good for up to 3 months in the fridge.

Looking for More Quick Pickled Vegetables?

  • Quick Pickled Cucumber
  • Quick and Easy Pickled Cauliflower
  • Easy Refrigerator Zucchini Pickles
  • Pickled Green Beans {Dilly Beans}
  • Quick Pickled Carrots
  • Quick Pickled Jalapenos
  • Pickled Red Onions
  • Quick Pickled Radishes
  • More Pickled Vegetables…

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Servings: 20

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 3 minutes mins

Pickling Time:: 21 days d

Total Time: 21 days d 23 minutes mins

Quick Pickled Garlic

Pickled garlic is a healthy and delicious snack that is easy to make. All you need is just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes and you’re ready to start pickling garlic.

Quick Pickled Garlic Recipe - Home. Made. Interest. (6)

Print Recipe

4.80 from 5 votes

Ingredients

  • 8 heads Garlic
  • 1.5 cup White vinegar
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon Sugar, can use sugar substitute
  • 1 teaspoon Peppercorns
  • 1/2 teaspoon Crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

  • Peel the garlic cloves and trim off the hard end. Pack the cloves into the jar. See post for tips on peeling garlic.

  • In a small pot combine vinegar, water, salt, sugar, peppercorns, and red pepper flakes. Stir together.

  • Bring the mixture to a boil and then remove the pot from the heat.

  • Let the mixture cool for 2-3 minutes and then pour it into the jar until the garlic is fully covered.

  • Screw the lid on and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 months. Garlic can be used as soon as you like but we recommend letting it pickle for 2-3 weeks for the best flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 4cloves, Calories: 23kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 236mg, Potassium: 49mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 17IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 23mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition Disclaimer: We are not certified nutritionists. Nutrition facts are an estimate and are provided as a courtesy. They are generated by an online API which recognizes ingredient names and amounts and makes calculations based on the serving size. Results may vary.

Author: Kat Jeter & Melinda Caldwell

Course: Side

Cuisine: American

Keyword: garlic in vinegar, how to pickle garlic, pickled garlic, pickling garlic

Quick Pickled Garlic Recipe - Home. Made. Interest. (7)

Cooking Method Gluten-Free Pickled Recipes by Diet Sides

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4 comments on “Quick Pickled Garlic”

  1. Paul Botnen December 5, 2022 @ 11:24 am Reply

    wasteful printing process. 21 pages to get a one page recipe. will not be back.Quick Pickled Garlic Recipe - Home. Made. Interest. (8)

    • Melinda December 5, 2022 @ 7:04 pm Reply

      Paul I just tried printing it on my end and it is only 1 page. Below the title of the post there is a button that says PRINT RECIPE. Maybe you printed the whole post?

  2. Carol A McCollum May 8, 2023 @ 6:16 pm Reply

    Can less salt be used? Have to limit my sodium intake.

    • Kat May 17, 2023 @ 1:51 pm Reply

      Yes, in “quick pickle” recipes you can lower the salt amount safely.

Quick Pickled Garlic Recipe - Home. Made. Interest. (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take for pickled garlic to be ready to eat? ›

Add pickling liquid to garlic, store:

Pour hot vinegar mixture over garlic in jar. Let stand, uncovered, until cooled to room temperature, about 45 minutes. Cover with lid, and refrigerate 8 hours. Serve.

What happens when you soak garlic in vinegar? ›

A compound called allicin present in garlic can react in the presence of vinegar turning the cloves a blueish-green. This may happen when you are using older cloves, have certain minerals present in the water or have the cloves come in contact with certain metals like copper or cast iron (stainless steel is OK).

How do you pickle garlic without it turning blue? ›

To prevent garlic from turning blue during fermentation, you can blanch the garlic cloves briefly before fermenting them. This can help reduce the chemical reaction that causes the colour change. However, be aware that blanching can slightly alter the flavour and texture of the garlic.

How long does pickled garlic last in the refrigerator? ›

Refrigerator Life: The pickled garlic will last approximately 4 months in the refrigerator. Discard if you see any signs of mold, yeast growth, or contamination or if the smell has changed.

How many cloves of pickled garlic should you eat a day? ›

How much should you eat? Although no official recommendations exist for how much garlic you should eat, studies show that eating 1–2 cloves (3–6 grams) per day may have health benefits ( 1 ). If you notice any side effects after eating more than this amount, consider reducing your intake.

What happens if you eat too much pickled garlic? ›

Because it can thin your blood, eating large amounts of garlic can increase bleeding risk. It can also react with other blood thinners, including: salicylate (aspirin) warfarin (Coumadin)

Why does garlic turn blue when soaked in vinegar? ›

Later, the chemical reaction that makes garlic turn blue (the actual color is green-blue) is the formation ofpyrroles. When garlic is in contact with acetic acid (a monocarboxylic acid found in vinegar), the allicin reacts with amino acids and forms carbon-nitrogen rings called pyrroles.

What's the difference between fermented garlic and pickled garlic? ›

Just like pickling, fermenting preserves your garlic but also increases its bioactivity, enriching it with probiotics which can help to heal the gut, improve digestion, and help our bodies to absorb nutrients better.

Is it better to preserve garlic in oil or vinegar? ›

Storing garlic in vinegar is a safer option for preserving it as the acidic pH of the vinegar eliminates the risk of botulism. You can use any of your favorite kinds of vinegar – I like white wine vinegar – and submerge the garlic cloves in it as you would with oil. Store it in the fridge for a year or more.

Why did my garlic turn green in my homemade pickles? ›

These studies have found a number of complicated chemical processes responsible for garlic turning shades of blue, green, and even pink under certain conditions. The colors occur when enzymes and amino acids present in garlic react with the sulfur compounds responsible for garlic's pungent smell.

Why does pickled garlic not taste like garlic? ›

Unlike raw garlic, which has a spicy, sharp flavor, garlic that's pickled in vinegar becomes mellow and even slightly sweet.

Why do you boil vinegar when pickling? ›

Quick pickling, or refrigerator pickling, involves a simple boil-and-pour method of pickling. You take all of your ingredients, apart from the product that is being pickled, and bring them to a boil. The heating process helps activate the flavors in the brine and marry them together.

How can you tell if pickled garlic has gone bad? ›

However, if you detect an unusually foul or rotten smell, this is a pretty clear indication that it has spoiled. Also, be on the lookout for mold and yeast growth, another sign that it's time to kick your pickled garlic to the curb.

Can you use apple cider vinegar to pickle garlic? ›

Vinegars: Distilled white vinegar always works well for pickling, but apple cider vinegar is a good choice if you'd like a bit more flavor. I like to use a mix of 1/2 a cup each. Spicy: Add thin slices of hot chile peppers like jalapeños or serranos to the jar before adding the hot brine.

Can you eat a whole jar of pickled garlic? ›

Screw the lid back on, and shake the jar vigorously until everything is mixed and the garlic is well-coated. "I always eat the whole glass in one sitting, and it's healthy, too!" says Lala; in another video, she noted that because the garlic is pickled, it doesn't have that strong a smell: "It's delicious.

Can you eat straight pickled garlic? ›

Unlike raw garlic, which has a spicy, sharp flavor, garlic that's pickled in vinegar becomes mellow and even slightly sweet. You can eat it raw or add it to meals for a burst of unique flavor. Try it with whatever you're eating—you might be pleasantly surprised with an original flavor combination!

How do you know when fermented garlic is ripe? ›

Let the garlic ferment in a cool, dimly lit place for about two weeks. You can also place the jars in your fridge but the cold temperature will slow down the fermenting process and it could take up to a month for the garlic to be ready. The garlic paste will turn golden brown once it is fermented and ready to use.

How long should garlic sit before cooking? ›

Cutting a garlic clove breaks its cells and releases stored enzymes that react with oxygen. That triggers healthy sulfide compounds, such as allicin, to form. Letting the chopped garlic stand for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking allows the compounds to fully develop before heat inactivates the enzymes.

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