Simple, practical, and full of everyday flavour, How to Make Garlic Paste? is a vegetarian Indian pantry essentials made with garlic cloves and olive oil in about 20 minutes. The recipe lays out the ingredients and each cooking step clearly, so you can adjust seasoning, texture, and serving size for your own kitchen.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: Not specified
  • Total time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cup
  • Category: Pantry Essentials
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 pound garlic cloves
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Method

Separating the Garlic Cloves

  1. There are a few methods to separate garlic cloves from bulbs. Place the whole garlic bulb on a cutting board with the root side facing up. Using the flat side of a chef's knife, press down firmly on the garlic bulb to break the cloves apart.Smash it hard with your hand, then loosen and separate the cloves.

Peeling Garlic Cloves

  1. There are a few methods to peel garlic cloves based on your preference or the tools available in your kitchen. Using a garlic peeler: Place the clove inside a silicone tube and roll it back and forth by applying pressure using your hands. This will loosen the skin and be easy to remove. Using a knife: Take a single clove and trim a small portion of the root end with a knife. Then, place the clove on the cutting board and gently press the clove with the flat side of the chef's knife to loosen the skin. Using your mason jar: Separate the cloves from the bulb, place them in the glass or mason jar, and shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds. Then open the jar, and the skin should come off easily. Using your hands: Use your other hand to gently pull the skin away from the clove. This method works especially for cloves with thicker skin. Note: Skip the above steps if using store-bought peeled garlic cloves.

Making Garlic Paste

  1. Add garlic cloves and olive oil (if desired) to the blender or food processor.
  2. Blend the ingredients to a smooth paste. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the blender at least once in between.
  3. Transfer the garlic paste to a clean air-tight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.