12 Tasty Ways To Eat Garlic Without Cooking It

The humble garlic clove is a versatile ingredient that can be used to add depth to many dishes. However, you don’t always need to cook it to take advantage of those delicious flavors.

It’s often much better to eat it raw as you preserve more of the health benefits. If you’re looking for a few tasty ways to eat garlic without cooking it, you’ve come to the right place.

Try it finely chopped on salads, stir-fries, omelets, and pasta. Make garlic butter, oil, paste, or tea. Add it to sauces like pesto, dressing, hummus, guacamole, or aioli. Try with tomatoes and basil as a topping for bruschetta.

Not everyone finds eating raw garlic on its own to their taste as well as it being incredibly smelly. I decided to compile a list of my favorite top 12 ideas and put them in this article.

Why Eat Raw Garlic?

There are many health benefits to eating raw garlic and in the past, it was utilized in a variety of ways to help treat colds, breathing disorders, fevers, worms, bad digestion, diabetes, Tuberculosis, and even dysentery.

Garlic is still consumed by many health-conscious people today, despite the fact that modern medicine has developed treatments for many of these problems. Garlic turns out to be very good for you too.

Uncooked garlic is high in allicin which is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent and is also rich in antioxidants. These are believed to protect against free radicals which may damage cells.

When your body breaks down food or is exposed to harmful environmental factors, free radicals are formed, so eating foods rich in antioxidants may help protect you against those damaging effects.

In addition, raw garlic is a good source of Vitamins A and C as well as potassium which can help reduce the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) and heart disease.

So whether you’re looking for an easy way to add rich flavor to your food or want to preserve some of the health benefits of garlic, eating it raw is a great way to go.

• Related article: Why Do People Like Garlic So Much In Food?

12 Ways To Eat Raw Garlic

Now that you know why eating raw garlic is a great idea, here is my list of 12 easy ways to help you make sure you’re consuming some every day. I’ll leave it up to you on how much you use as not everyone enjoys the strong taste or smell of too much garlic, even if it is good for you.

1. Mince It And Add To Salads Or Salad Dressing

While raw garlic can be too strong for some people, adding a small amount of minced or finely shaved garlic to your favorite salad is a great way to get the health benefits of garlic without having an overpowering flavor.

Try mixing minced garlic with 4 parts olive oil and 1 part vinegar to make a tangy salad dressing.

2. Add It To Homemade Hummus

Hummus is a popular dip made from chickpeas, tahini, garlic, and other ingredients. Adding an extra clove of raw garlic to this delicious hummus recipe will give it a delicious and healthy kick.

3. Mix With Tomatoes To Make Bruschetta

The classic pairing of chopped tomatoes and minced garlic together with some olive oil and fresh basil is absolutely delicious spread on top of a thick slice of toasted bread to make some bruschetta and is easy to make at home.

4. Make Garlic Butter

Garlic butter is a classic condiment that can be used on toast, vegetables, and meats. To make your own garlic butter, combine equal parts of softened butter and mashed raw garlic with some herbs and spices (such as parsley or oregano). Then add to toast for garlic bread or melt on steak.

5. Make Aioli

Aioli is a versatile and simple condiment that can be used in sauces or just on its own as a dipping sauce for seafood or meat. It’s basically just mayonnaise with crushed garlic, but if you want to make your own from scratch just follow this easy recipe.

6. Add It To Guacamole

Guacamole is a popular Mexican dip made from avocados and other ingredients but depending on who you ask, doesn’t always include garlic. To give your guacamole an extra kick, try adding 1-2 minced cloves before serving and enjoy.

7. Make A Garlic Paste

Garlic paste is a great way to add a powerful garlic flavor to many different dishes. To make your own garlic paste, mince 4-5 cloves of raw garlic and mix with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt using a pestle and mortar.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

8. Add It To Sauces

Raw garlic can add a great flavor to many different sauces. Simply mince the garlic and mix it into your favorite sauce just before serving to really boost the taste.

9. Add It To Smoothies

If you’re brave enough to try it, adding a few cloves of raw garlic to your morning smoothie can be a great way to get the health benefits of garlic in one super-antioxidant hit! It’s a great way to boost your immune system but start with only 1-2 cloves and add more if needed.

Here’s a great avocado, cucumber, and garlic smoothie recipe I found for some inspiration.

10. Make Garlic Infused Oil

Infusing oils with garlic can be a great way to add flavor to salads, pasta dishes, and more. To make your own infused oil, simply combine 1-2 cloves of minced raw garlic with ¼ cup of olive oil and let sit for at least 30 minutes before using. Simple but effective.

11. Make Garlic Tea

Garlic tea is an old folk remedy believed to have many health benefits and is simple to brew. To make your own garlic tea, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add 2-3 cloves of crushed raw garlic and steep for 10-15 minutes before straining and you’re good to go.

12. Add It To Store-Bought Pesto

Pesto is a classic Italian sauce made from basil, pine nuts, garlic, plus a few other ingredients. To boost a store-bought version try mincing a clove or two and mixing it in before serving. You can also make your own quite easily using this basic pesto recipe.

Conclusion

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading through my list of 12 different ways to add raw garlic to your diet and found some ideas that you like.

There are so many health benefits to eating this versatile ingredient without cooking it that I only had time to touch on here, so it’s very much worth trying to eat more of it raw if you can.

So go ahead and give one of these ideas a try the next time you want to eat some raw garlic but can’t face just eating a portion straight off the spoon.

And if you’re cooking or just want to add a touch of flavor to your food you can see there are plenty of ways to use uncooked garlic in your dish that you may not have thought of.