Substitutions / garlic
What to use instead of garlic
Use garlic powder at ⅛ tsp / clove. Lacks the sharp bite and aroma of fresh; works best in cooked dishes, not raw applications.
Every option, best first
| Use instead | How much | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Garlic powder | ⅛ tsp / clove | Lacks the sharp bite and aroma of fresh; works best in cooked dishes, not raw applications. |
| Shallot | 1 small / 2–3 cloves | Milder and slightly sweet; adds a different but complementary allium flavor. |
| Garlic paste | ½ tsp / clove | Very close in flavor to fresh; texture is smoother, which blends well in sauces but loses any chunky texture. |
How much is a cup of garlic?
Substituting by volume and weighing are different problems, and the second one has an exact answer. Weigh garlic in grams →
A word on how to read these
A substitution is a trade, not an equivalence. The ratio gets the quantity right; the third column is the part worth reading, because it tells you what you are giving up. In a stew, most of these are invisible. In a cake — where flour, liquid, fat and leavening are in a fixed relationship — the same swap can change the crumb.
Why baking notices and stew doesn't →
Where these came from
These substitutions were written by Gather's own kitchen model — the same one the app uses when you tap an ingredient and ask what else would work — then checked and saved as a fixed list in July 2026. Nothing on this page is generated while you read it. They are a good starting point and not a substitute for tasting as you go.