How to Mince Garlic

Wondering how to mince garlic? Here’s a step by step guide and video that shows you how to cut garlic, including sliced and minced garlic.

Video: How to mince garlic

Are you wondering how to mince garlic but not sure the best way? So many of our recipes use garlic here at A Couple Cooks that it was one of the first knife skills we mastered in the kitchen. We use this method all the time, like when we make our mashed potatoes with garlic and creamy marinara sauce, or literally all of our soup recipes. Garlic literally makes the world go round in our kitchen, so we hope this method gives you confidence to use it often in yours! Here’s our step by step guide for how to mince garlic, including a video of me mincing garlic in our kitchen.

Related: 20 Knife Skills Videos: How to Cut Everything!

How to mince garlic step by step

Step 1

Using a large chef’s knife, cut off the root end of the garlic.

Step 2

To peel the garlic, gently tap the garlic clove with a jar or glass until the peel splits.

Step 3

Remove the peel with your fingers.

Step 4

With a firm grip on the base of the chef’s knife, use the tip of the knife to cut thin vertical slices into the garlic clove, leaving it attached at the root end.

Step 5

Carefully turn the knife and make a horizontal slice through the center of the garlic clove, leaving it attached at the root end.

Step 6

Make thin slices crosswise to mince the garlic into small pieces. Continue chopping back and forth through the garlic until you have the size of minced garlic that you need.

And there you have it: how to mince garlic in 6 easy steps!

Let us know if you try our method for how to mince garlic, and tell us how it goes in the comments below.

Best chef knife & cutting boards

Alex and I are often asked about the best kitchen tools. And every time we answer, “A good sharp chef’s knife!” A good knife can drastically improve your time in the kitchen, and lasts for years (we’ve had our chef knives for 10 plus years). Here are some of the knives we recommend, as well as cutting boards and the best knife sharpener. These recommendations are perfect for outfitting your own kitchen, or great gifts for a wedding registry or someone who loves to cook!

Video: Knife Skills, Gear, & How to Hold a Knife!

• 7″ Chef’s Knife — our best knife recommendation
• 10″ Chef’s Knife — our favorite large knife
• 8″ Chef’s Knife — our favorite affordable knife
• Paring Knife
• Serrated Knife / Bread Knife
• Non-Slip Wood Cutting Board (used in the video!) or Non-Slip Bamboo Cutting Board
• Non-Slip Plastic Cutting Board
• Knife Sharpener
• Drawer Knife Organizer — this is how we store our knives, and it’s even slicker than a knife block

Looking for garlic recipes?

Now that you know how to mince garlic, here are some of our favorite garlic recipes for you to try:

• Roasted Garlic
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Mashed Red Potatoes with Garlic
• Crispy Baked Fries with Garlic Aioli
• Quick Garlicky Shrimp Couscous
• Garlic Herb Focaccia Bread
• Vegetarian Kale Soup with Mushrooms and Garlic (uses sliced garlic, a technique also shown in the video)
• Garlic Roasted Broccoli
• Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup Recipe
• Golden Vegetable Soup Recipe
• Creamy Pasta Marinara
• Pasta Puttanesca Recipe

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