Crispy fried garlic is such a treat!! I love to sprinkle it on chicken, veggies, or anything that could use a kick of flavor!
This “secret” microwave shortcut gets the job done in minutes without a mess or hassle of traditional deep frying.
How to Make Fried Garlic (in the Microwave!)
My husband (the chef in our family) taught me this amazing kitchen hack that I just had to share: how to make fried garlic in the microwave.
Yes, “fried” garlic – in the microwave – ready in less than 5 minutes from start to finish!
BONUS: you also make garlic-infused oil at the same time!
For your convenience I’ve included shop-able ad links to products used to make this recipe; disclosure policy available here.
You’ll need:
- 1 head garlic
- 1/2 cup cooking oil (not olive oil)
- microwave-safe bowl
How to Cook Garlic in the Microwave
A free printable copy of this recipe is available at the bottom of the post.
Keep reading for photo step-by-step instructions and cooking tips or click here to jump to printable recipe.
Peel and dice one head of garlic and place in a medium microwave-safe bowl.
Add vegetable, canola, or coconut oil until garlic is fully submerged (at least 1/4-1/2 cup).
Tip: Avoid using olive oil because it has a lower melting point and could burn, leaving an undesirable taste.
Microwave for 2-3 minutes (cooking times will vary depending on your microwave’s power), checking every 30 seconds after the first minute.
Don’t be alarmed if the oil starts to bubble — this is how the magic happens! The garlic is done cooking when it is a gorgeous shade of golden brown — it will look similar in color to roasted cashews.
Allow fried garlic to rest until oil is no longer bubbling before removing carefully from microwave. (Always use caution, as both the oil and bowl
will be hot).
You can now separate the fried garlic pieces from the oil. Sprinkle fried garlic to any dish while cooking for an extra dose of flavor. Any unused garlic can be refrigerated and saved for another time.
Easy Garlic Infused Oil
Wait! Don’t toss the “leftover” oil! After cooking the garlic, this oil is infused with rich garlic taste and is perfect for sautéing meat, veggies, and more.
My husband uses the garlic infused oil to cook both chicken and cashews for this delicious Thai Glass Noodle Salad. Love this Bormioli Rocco Bottle for making your oil look like a work of art on your counter!
Grab a free printable copy of our easy fried garlic recipe:
How to Make Fried Garlic (in the Microwave!)
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil may sub coconut oil or canola oil
Instructions
- Peel and dice and place in a medium microwave-safe bowl.
- Add your choice cooking oil (we recommend vegetable, canola, or coconut) until garlic is fully submerged.
- Microwave for 2-3 minutes (cooking times will vary depending on your microwave's power), checking every 30 seconds after the first minute.
- Don't be alarmed if the oil starts to bubble — this is how the magic happens! The garlic is done cooking when it is a gorgeous shade of golden brown — it will look similar in color to roasted cashews.
- Allow to rest until oil is no longer bubbling before removing carefully from microwave. (Always use caution, as both the oil and bowl will be hot).
- You can now separate the fried garlic pieces from the oil. Allow to dry on a paper towel, to remove excess oil.
- After removing garlic pieces, you may save this garlic-infused oil for other cooking projects. It's full of flavor!
Notes
Nutrition
More of our favorite easy toppings & sauces:
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Jessica Sato says
Please mention that you need to use a microwave safe glass or ceramic bowl. Microwave safe plastic will still melt. We just tried this and the plastic container literally melted down into a puddle of burned garlic and hot oil…
Stacey aka the Soccer Mom says
Hi Jessica – thank you for the feedback! I’m not sure that there really is such a thing as microwave safe plastic — if your container was labeled as such you should let the company know that is a false claim and unsafe.