The Fastest Way to Prep Garlic, According to a Restaurant Chef

There are very few food items that I don't enjoy. In fact, as a home cook who loves a wide range of cuisines, I like to think that I use quite a range of ingredients when preparing dinner each night. And, while I find my years of restaurant experience have made me pretty flexible when it comes to substitutions and winging recipes, there’s one ingredient that I cannot—and will not—live without: garlic.

I’ve always been a fan of garlic—I love it sliced, minced, raw… heck, when I feel a cold coming on, I’ll even eat whole cloves (much to my boyfriend’s dismay). So, when I was working in a restaurant years ago, I discovered the easiest garlic prep hack, and I found myself grinning ear to ear.

My Quick Garlic Prep Solution

The trick is simple: peel a garlic clove and grate it with a zester. Often referred to as a Microplane (a common brand of rasp graters), these tools are the perfect solution for the tiny cloves.

I pretty much rely on this tool and technique every time I cook. Dragging a garlic clove along the razor-sharp teeth of the rasp grater essentially creates pulp, which, in my opinion, is superior to chopping or mincing garlic. It infuses beautifully into whatever you're making, saturating the dish with a subtle garlic flavor that’s never too pungent or sharp.

How to Use Grated Garlic

I find this technique works wonders for marinades, stirred into soup and curries, and whisked into salad dressings and dips. Hands down, though, one of my favorite ways to use this made-to-order garlic paste is to mix it with olive oil, salt, and lemon juice, then toss with veggies before roasting—it makes for a crisp, garlicky side that’s never boring.

Don't get me wrong—there is truly a place for sliced garlic. It packs a flavorful punch without inundating the entire dish with its flavor. However, whenever a recipe, like garlic chicken or smashed potatoes, suggests dicing or, especially, mincing, I’ll always whip out my microplane.

Grating garlic not only injects garlicky flavor into every bite, it also takes a whole lot less work than finely chopping the little cloves. A little secret of mine: If you're looking to perfect garlic bread, this is the way to do it.