What Is Garlic salt and How Can I Use It?

If garlic salt has turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use it with confidence and how to choose it, cook it, store it, what to substitute, and 438 recipes to try it in.

What is garlic salt?

Garlic salt is a blend, not pure garlic.

It is ground dehydrated garlic cut with table salt, usually about one part garlic to three parts salt, plus a pinch of anti-caking agent so it pours. That ratio is the one fact that makes everything else make sense.

When you reach for garlic salt, you are reaching for salt first and garlic second.

So treat it as a seasoned salt that happens to taste of garlic, not as a garlic shortcut. It works in the background of grilled meat, fries, and roast vegetables, but it is the wrong tool when garlic itself is the point.

How to Use It

Use it where you would have salted anyway. Because roughly three-quarters of the jar is salt, season as if it were salt: start with about half what the recipe asks for in plain salt, then taste and adjust.

It dissolves fast and spreads evenly, which makes it good for dry rubs and for a quick shake over something already cooked. A sprinkle seasons grilled chicken or roast potatoes, or the filling in these Avocado Tacos.

The trap is double-salting. If a recipe already calls for a measured amount of salt and you add garlic salt on top, the dish ends up too salty, so cut the plain salt back to make room.

Avoid it entirely where the salt level has to be exact, like baking or pickling. The garlic-to-salt ratio drifts between brands, so you cannot count on it for precise seasoning.

Cooking and Pairing

Garlic salt earns its keep on simple savory food. It belongs on steak and pork before they hit the grill, the way it seasons a plate of Australian Lamb Chops Madrid, and it is at home in a meatball mix like this Italian Meatball Sandwich.

Melt it into butter for garlic bread in seconds, or shake it over fries straight out of the oil. It sits well alongside paprika and dried oregano in a homemade rub, as in Cajun Tofu.

The common mistake is using it where the dish needs real garlic. Garlic salt cannot carry an aioli or a true garlic bread, because those want the sweetness and bite of fresh cloves, not a dried, salty echo.

It is not a swap for fresh herbs either. Let it handle the garlic-and-salt layer, and reach for rosemary or parsley to fill in the rest.

Substitutes

The easiest stand-in is to mix your own. Combine 1 part garlic powder with 3 parts salt and you have rebuilt garlic salt exactly, and a pinch of onion powder rounds it out.

If you have fresh garlic, use it with salt instead. For each teaspoon of garlic salt, mince a small clove and add about ¾ teaspoon of salt, then adjust. You gain real garlic depth and control the salt yourself.

Garlic powder alone works if you remember to salt the dish separately. Onion salt covers the salt-plus-allium role in a pinch, though it pushes the flavor toward onion.

Buying and Storage

Buy small jars rather than bulk. The garlic flavor fades while the salt lasts forever, so a big container outlives its taste. Skip blends padded with MSG or artificial flavor if you want a clean garlic-and-salt mix.

Keep it in an airtight container somewhere cool and dry. The salt pulls in moisture and the powder clumps, and a few grains of dry rice in the jar help keep it loose. If it does cake, break it up with a fork.

Sealed and dry, garlic salt holds its punch for two to three years before the garlic goes flat and dusty-smelling. Past that it just salts without flavoring.

Keep one thing in mind: this is a high-sodium seasoning, so go easy on it if you are watching your salt.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find garlic salt: Garlic salt is usually found in the spices section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Garlic salt is a member of the Spices and Herbs US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

蒜盐

British (UK) term

Garlic salt

en français

sel d'ail

en español

sal de ajo

How much does garlic salt weigh?

Related

Spices and Herbs

Recipes using garlic salt

There are 438 recipes that contain this ingredient.

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Red Pepper Hummus with Toasted Pita

Red pepper hummus blends chickpeas with sweet sauteed red peppers, tahini, lemon, and cumin into a smooth, smoky dip, served with crisp homemade garlic-salt pita chips. A fast, vegan appetizer.

Favourite Guacamole

Easy guacamole with ripe avocados, green chilies, tomato, onion and a splash of Worcestershire. Smooth, tangy, ready in 15 minutes for tortilla chips and tacos.

Barbecued Pork Steaks 2

Thick-cut pork blade steaks pounded tender and grilled with a sticky honey-barbecue glaze spiked with Worcestershire, garlic salt, and mustard. A St. Louis-style grilling staple ready in 40 minutes.

Double-Decker Cheese Melt

Double-decker cheese melt with a creamy cheddar-butter-egg spread blended in a food processor, layered on two slices of bread, and baked until golden and bubbly. Ready in 20 minutes.

Mama Delilah's Pasta Primavera

Hearty and zesty, this is my favorite pasta to make. It's a little bit of work, but comes out as stunning visually as it tastes. Definitely worth the effort. Enjoy!!!

Superb Parmesan Chicken

Baked parmesan-crusted chicken: bite-size pieces dipped in garlic butter, rolled in a Parmesan-breadcrumb coating, and baked hot until golden and crunchy. The family trick is cutting the chicken small.

Burgers Santa Fe

Santa Fe burgers with cheese, salsa, crushed tortilla chips, and cumin mixed right into the patty, then topped with more salsa and cheese. Southwestern grilled burgers with serious flavor built in.

More Power To Ya Meatballs

Smoky barbecue meatballs simmered in a sauce of ketchup, brown sugar, tomato paste, and liquid smoke. A crowd-pleasing party meatball that holds well in the slow cooker.

Cheese & Chive Poutine Marinara

An Italian twist on classic, vegetarian poutine that uses parmesan cheese, chives, garlic and Marinara sauce. What is poutine? Crispy fries with cheese curds and gravy.

Turkey Meatballs

If you're tired of meat, then try these scrumptious turkey meatballs that are bound to be gobbled up in seconds!

Chicken Avocado Melt

Cornmeal-crusted chicken breasts topped with creamy avocado slices, melted cheese, and cool sour cream. This baked chicken avocado melt uses cumin and garlic salt for a Southwestern kick and takes just 45 minutes from start to table.

Burgundy Burgers

Burgundy burgers stretch ground beef with red wine, onion, and Worcestershire for juicy, deeply flavored patties grilled or broiled to order. A 20-minute upgrade on the basic backyard burger.

Favorite Grilled Salmon & Marinade

Grilled salmon with a tangy red wine vinegar and Italian-herb marinade. A simple, foolproof grilling recipe with garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs that lets the salmon flavor shine.

Keir's Orange Roughy Fillet & Baked Garlic Asparagus

A mild sauce over broiled orange Roughy fish with baked garlic asparagus

Roasted Vegetables

These are very healthy vegetables, whenever it is a nice recipe, worth to keep.

Batter-Dipped Fondue Meatballs

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Tomatoey Tabouli

Tomatoey tabouli: a hearty Middle Eastern grain salad with bulgur and pearl barley soaked in tomato juice, finished with lemon, olive oil, parsley, and scallions.

Cheese Garlic-Herb Biscuits

Cheese garlic-herb biscuits with sharp cheddar baked into the dough and brushed with garlic-parsley butter while still hot. The seven-ingredient Red Lobster-style copycat in 20 minutes.

Grandpa's Mashed Potato Casserole

Make-ahead mashed potato casserole with cream cheese, sour cream, butter, and paprika. Baked until golden on top with a creamy, fluffy center.

Texas Sloppy Joes

A quick and easy one-skillet Text style beef dinner is served on top of buns to make delicious Texas Sloppy Joes.

Cheese & Sausage Stuffed Zucchini

Very excellent idea for cooking zucchini. Big surprise.

Basil-Parmesan Scones

They were super easy to make, tasted buttery, cheesy, fluffy and flaky, with the aroma from basil. They can be served pretty much with all the main courses, or just eating them directly is yummy enough!

Granny's Tacos

These tacos were delicious! Made them for a recent family dinner, and everyone at the table just kept asking for more. Thank goodness that I had enough to cover everyone's appetite :)

Avocado Tacos

Avocado tacos pile creamy mashed avocado seasoned with onion and garlic onto warm corn tortillas, finished with fresh cilantro and a hit of jalapeno hot sauce. A fast, fiber-rich vegan taco in about 20 minutes.

Kenny Rogers Barbecue Sauce

A copycat Kenny Rogers barbecue sauce, sweet and fruity with an applesauce base, brown sugar, lemon, and a hint of cinnamon. A glossy basting sauce that caramelizes beautifully on ribs and chicken.

Spicy Bean & Corn Salsa - Superbowl

Super quick and easy to make, instead of canned tomatoes, I used cherry tomatoes and made our own dressing and kept in the refrigerator for about 2 hours to let marinate; the flavor came out delicious, because of cherry tomatoes, it was more like a salad, definitely is a keeper.

Cajun Coleslaw

A delicious variation of coleslaw made with sweet bell peppers and tabasco sauce.

Mayan Chili

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Quick Bisquick Upside-Down Pizza

This Quick Upside-Down Pizza is a delightful twist on traditional pizza, transforming it into a hearty casserole that's easy to prepare and packed with flavor. Layers of seasoned ground beef, onions, mozzarella cheese, and tangy spaghetti sauce are topped with a fluffy biscuit mix batter, creating a dish that's both comforting and satisfying. Perfect for busy weeknights or casual gatherings, this recipe is a crowd-pleaser that serves 6–8.

Chow Fun (Fan)

Definitely a five star recipe. I used salami instead of ham, because that was all I had at the moment, and it came out delicious. If you are a big fan of Chinese food and would't mind cooking in your own kitchen, you should give it a go. By the way, chow fan (fun) is how Chinese say fried rice. Happy Cooking :)

Philly Cheese Steak Wraps

The combination of sauteed sweet bell peppers, onions, roasted beef and gooey-melted cheese was super tasty, then wrapped with a whole-grain flour tortilla. A quick and well balanced meal on both flavor and nutrients is ideal for a busy week day.

Beets in Sour Cream

Tender diced beets warmed in tangy sour cream with a splash of apple cider vinegar, garlic salt, and a pinch of sugar. A classic Eastern European-style side dish ready in 15 minutes.

Crescent City Red Beans & Rice (Crock-Pot)

New Orleans red beans and rice made easy in the slow cooker. Dried red beans cooked low with a smoky ham hock, garlic, and bay, thickened creamy, then piled over rice with browned smoked sausage.

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The crock pot was scrapped clean. Best rating I could have gotten. Everyone raved at how good it was.

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Bisquick Cheese Biscuits with Herbs

Bisquick cheese biscuits made with cheddar and brushed straight out of the oven with garlic-herb butter. A Red Lobster copycat-style drop biscuit ready in 20 minutes flat.

Cheesy Chicken, Rice & Broccoli Casserole

Large, gooey and cheesy pot of chicken, rice and broccoli. Classic American comfort food that my family loves.

Spicy habanero mayonnaise

a moderatly spicy adaptation of "The Joy Of Cooking" blender mayonnaise recipe

Outback Blooming Onion Dipping Sauce

A copycat of the zesty dipping sauce that Outback restaurants serve with their blooming onion dish. Great as a dipping sauce for chicken fingers, fries, onion rings, tater tots, etc.

Texas Beef Skillet

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Dunkley's Famous Macaroni Salad

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Artichoke Bake

Five-ingredient artichoke bake with Parmesan, mayonnaise, garlic salt, and hot sauce. Bubbly, cheesy, and on the table in under an hour.

Fowl Gumbo

Fowl gumbo with boiled chicken, okra, tomatoes, bell pepper, and celery in a rich brown gravy, finished with file powder. Serve over rice or cornbread for a true Southern bowl.

Klein's Kanchi Chicken

Slow cooker chicken breasts with Italian dressing and onion soup mix. Just 5 ingredients, no prep beyond dumping, and the crockpot does the rest over 8 to 10 hours.

Braised Bear

Wild game braised bear steak marinated overnight, seared golden, then slow-simmered in tomato soup with chili powder and onions until fork-tender. A hearty backcountry main dish.

Pop the Cork Pasta Crunch

Pop the Cork Pasta Crunch: deep fried corkscrew macaroni tossed in Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and garlic salt. A crispy, addictive party snack or appetizer.

All 438 recipes