Having a stash of peeled garlic in the freezer is a terrific time-saver. You can freeze it in various forms, as described below for about a year. Pick whatever form you find most convenient.

Whole raw cloves–Scatter whole peeled cloves of garlic on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the freezer overnight. The next day, use a flat spatula to loosen the cloves. Place them in freezer bags or airtight containers and store in the freezer.

Chopped or minced raw cloves–Chop or mince peeled garlic, make tablespoon-sized mounds on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, then place in the freezer. The next day, loosen the garlic mounds and freeze as described above. You can also suspend the garlic in olive o

Mincing garlic is fast and easy in a small food processor. Loosen it with a little olive oil. These cool little trays are from my niece’s Pampered Chef party.

il by adding a little to the minced garlic before freezing. Old ice cube trays work great for freezing a garlic/oil mixture. Once it is frozen, pop the “cubes” from the tray and store them in the freezer in freezer bags or airtight containers. Frozen chopped or minced garlic is super convenient for making garlic bread, sauces, and dressings.

Roasted garlic–Roasted garlic is a vastly different creature than raw garlic—mellow, nutty, and slightly smokey. It’s delicious spread on bread or crackers and in dressings. Garlic can be roasted by placing whole peeled cloves on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing them with a little olive oil, and roasting at 350 degrees til soft. Alternatively, slice the heads longitudinally, place them in a small baking dish or piece of foil, and brush with olive oil. Either cover the baking dish with foil, or wrap the heads in foil and roast at 400 degrees until the garlic is soft. Let cool slightly then squeeze each half to release the cloves. Freeze roasted garlic in airtight containers or freezer bags.