How many tablespoons is 3 cloves of garlic?

In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “How many tablespoons is 3 cloves of garlic?”, discuss answers to other related questions like what can be the substitute for garlic cloves and how to store garlic cloves.

How many tablespoons is 3 cloves of garlic?

3 cloves of garlic are equal to 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic. For minced garlic, we can say that 3 cloves of garlic are equivalent to about ½ tablespoons of minced garlic.

How many cloves of garlic are equal to a tablespoon? 

If a recipe requires you to add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, it means that you can add three medium cloves of garlic. So, the simple conversion would be: 1 Tablespoon minced garlic equals 3 cloves of garlic. Or 1 Teaspoon minced garlic equals 1 medium clove of garlic.

How much is a clove of garlic?

A single clove of garlic is equal to 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic or ½ teaspoon of minced garlic. Here is a quick review of the standard measurements to have an idea about the garlic cloves and their amount:

                Garlic cloves       Chopped garlic (in tablespoons)
1.5 garlic cloves½ tablespoon
2.3 garlic cloves¾ tablespoon 
3 garlic cloves 1 tablespoon
6 garlic cloves2 tablespoons

What does a clove of garlic look like?

The clove of garlic appears to be irregular when observed simply. It has two ends, of which one end is flat while the other end is a spearhead. Each garlic clove is individually paper-skin wrapped.

A maximum of 11-12 individually wrapped cloves is bonded with each other to form a bulb that has a brownish to purple paper skin. These cloves can be peeled and stored individually or you just can store the bulb as a whole.

Does garlic go bad?

Garlic holds a long shelf life but still, it can go bad. So, you can say that it depends on the length of time, the conditions under which you stored the garlic, and the state of garlic to decide either you can use that in your recipe or it has gone bad enough to dispose of.

How to tell if garlic has gone bad?

Fresh garlic has a characteristic smell and taste, but once it is spoiled or rotten, you can know this by:

Spots on the surface

If the garlic has gone bad, it will develop some brown spots on the surface of its cloves. Also, the color at this stage will be changed from particular off-white to a yellowish tan.

Sprouts formation

When the garlic goes bad, there is some expansion of green roots in the center of the garlic cloves. These roots are actually the sprouts that taste bitter. These sprouts should be removed from the center of the cloves but they leave a milder flavor behind.

Squeeze test

The best way to determine if the garlic has gone bad or not is a squeeze test. On squeezing, if the head gets soft or malleable due to pressure, then this is the clear indication of the fact the garlic has gone bad.

Other FAQs about Garlic which you may be interested in.

How long can you store garlic?

What can be the substitute for garlic cloves?

Fresh garlic tastes great but due to its bad odor, sometimes, you can substitute it with its other forms. For example, you can purchase a pre-minced garlic jar from the market and use the respective number of teaspoons in the recipe. This type of garlic, being stored in the jar, also has a relatively long shelf life.

How to store garlic cloves?

Garlic has a relatively longer shelf life as compared to other vegetables but the maintenance of garlic for the long term needs to be accompanied by the proper storage conditions.

The best way to store garlic is to store it as a whole in an open container. This container should be placed at a somewhat cool temperature away from the heat where there is accurate air circulation. It is recommended not to store garlic in the refrigerator, as the refrigeration temperature causes the garlic to sprout.

Try to store garlic as a whole because when one of the cloves of garlic is taken out, its shelf life starts decreasing.

Short term storage

For short-term garlic storage, pack the garlic in a brown paper bag instead of a plastic bag to avoid the chances of humidity. This will help to keep the taste and freshness of garlic for up to 4 to 6 months.

If you are going to refrigerate an individual unpeeled clove of garlic, it can be stored for 10 days. For peeled garlic cloves, store them in a plastic bag for up to 1 to 2 days.

Long term storage

For long-term storage of garlic, you can go for freezing them. Unpeeled, whole garlic (Garlic bulb as a whole) can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 year.

If you want to store peeled and chopped garlic, pack it in the freezer bag and store it in the freezer for up to 1 year.

Conclusion:

In this brief guide, we answered the question “How many tablespoons is 3 cloves of garlic?”, discussed answers to other related questions like what can be the substitute for garlic cloves and how to store garlic cloves.

References:

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