From simple appetizers like garlic bread and bruschetta to braised chicken dishes and lamb chops, make garlic magic happen with these delicious recipes.
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Garlic is an essential ingredient in so many recipes; from simple salad dressings and weeknight pasta dishes to elegant, elevated holiday recipes. Even one clove of garlic adds so much flavor to your favorite meals. But why do we all love it so? That's because it's versatile, inexpensive, easy to find, and always brings extra oomph. And in these 20 recipes, garlic is the star of the show.
Garlic is not a seasoning; it's not even a second cousin to salt and pepper. It is an allium that is related to shallots, onions, leeks, and chives—and a pugnacious bulb at that. Although you can find fresh garlic year-round in any grocery store, it's at its peak between February and June. When shopping for garlic, look for firm, plump bulbs with dry white or purple papery skins. Avoid yellowing skin or bulbs that are shriveled; feel hollow, light, or have brown spots; or those with green sprouts.
Store fresh garlic in an open container (away from other foods) in a cool, dark place. Unbroken bulbs can be kept up to eight weeks. Once broken from the bulb, individual cloves will last three to 10 days.
See how garlic works its magic in the recipe you see right here for Spaghetti with Garlic, Oil, and Chile. In this 25 minute pasta dish, thinly sliced garlic is cooked in extra-virgin olive oil until it starts to release its aroma. Then, starchy pasta water, fresh sage, and thinly sliced chile peppers are added to the mix to form a sauce that's loaded with flavor. Cooked spaghetti is twirled into the sauce along with plenty of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for a decadent dish that the whole family will love.
One of everyone's favorite recipes that uses the staple allium is garlic bread. We have several recipes that run the gamut from upgraded store-bought bread with garlic to homemade loaves with garlic baked right in.
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Garlic-Herb Dinner Roll Wreath
This is the most stunning version of garlic bread that we've ever seen. A savory herb butter made with garlic cloves, fresh parsley and thyme, and Parmigiano-Reggiano is spread over the bread dough before it's rolled and formed into a wreath.
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Slow-Cooker Chicken with 20 Cloves of Garlic
If the usual 40 cloves are too intense for you, you may prefer this mellowed-down version of the classic dish. Our recipe calls for eight chicken legs, 20 cloves of garlic, and two thinly sliced lemons for an amazing slow-cooker recipe.
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Roasted-Garlic Toast with Tomato
In this uber-garlicky and elevated version of bruschetta, homemade garlic confit is spread on crusty rustic bread and then topped with thinly sliced Campari tomatoes.
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Herb-Coated Beef Tenderloin with Roasted-Garlic Aioli
Two heads of roasted garlic are used to make the super creamy aioli that accompanies this beef tenderloin. A combination of fresh dill, parsley, and cilantro is used to coat the meat to create a fragrant, eye-catching crust.
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Garlic-Thyme Mashed Potatoes
Follow this recipe to learn how to make a classic side dish—mashed potatoes with garlic. Four cloves cook with the spuds, and then they're mashed together with thyme-infused whole milk and melted butter.
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Pull-Apart Garlic Bread
Not only is this garlic bread look totally fun to unravel, but it's also absolutely delicious. Despite the long prep time, there's not much hands-on work needed from the chef; most of the time is reserved for letting the dough rise into a pillowy loaf.
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Garlic-Vinegar Mayonnaise
Dress up burgers, sandwiches, or other bites with this super savory mayonnaise. All you need to do is mix together the store-bought condiment with chopped garlic and sherry vinegar and voilà.
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Garlic Confit
Confit means to cook something in fat—in this case, we're slow-roasting whole garlic heads in olive oil with thyme. Serve the confit with cheese and charcuterie, stir it into pasta, or smash the softened cloves over toast—no matter how you use them, you'll love the saturated, savory flavor of garlic confit.
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Grilled Garlic Bread with Herb Butter
The charred flavor of grilled ciabatta bread is delicious on its own, but pair it with homemade garlic-herb butter and you're in for an extra-special treat.
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Sautéed Asparagus with Garlic and Thyme
Asparagus doesn't need a whole lot to make it shine (especially when it's in season during spring). Here, all we've done is sautéed it with sliced garlic and thyme springs until the stalks are totally tender.
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Vinegar-and-Garlic-Braised Chicken
Over the course of three hours, bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs transform into a savory, umami-packed protein that gets lots of flavor from a combination of rice vinegar, soy sauce, light brown sugar, and an entire head of garlic (yes, really!).
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Rosemary-and-Garlic Lamb Chops
In just 35 minutes, lamb shoulder chops become fork-tender and super flavorful as they cook with minced garlic and rosemary in a rich tomato broth. It's the ultimate cold-weather recipe.
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Pasta with Salmon, Broccoli Rabe, and Garlic
This is no ordinary weeknight pasta dish—it's a garlic-packed bowl bursting with color, texture, and flavor. And the best part is that it comes together in 30 minutes.
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Roast Chicken with Paprika and Roasted Garlic
To accompany paprika-spiced chicken, an entire head of garlic roasts with carrots and sweet potatoes for a cozy, hearty dinner.
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Mustard Green and Roasted Garlic Pesto with Pecorino-Romano Cheese
Take your pesto to the next level with this ingenious garlicky recipe. In place of basil, we've swapped in a large bunch of mustard greens along with garlic, almonds, and Pecorino-Romano for a punchy pasta sauce.
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Shaved Kohlrabi and Arugula Salad with Chunky Garlic and Pimenton Dressing
A combination of raw, shaved garlic and roasted garlic bring new life to a traditional Dijon vinaigrette, which is dressed over a simple salad of very thinly sliced kohlrabi, arugula leaves, and toasted sliced almonds.
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Rutabaga-Sweet Potato Mash with Garlic and Sage
Instead of the usual sweet potato mash, we added rutabagas—plus garlic and fresh sage—for a silky-smooth side dish that is perfect for fall.
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Garlic-Ginger Cucumbers
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Roasted Potatoes with Preserved Lemon, Garlic, and Chiles
For this deliciously garlicky version of roasted potatoes, chopped Yukon golds are roasted with homemade preserved lemons, jalapeño peppers, and red onions. The result is a colorful, zesty bite.
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