Cooking with Garlic

April 09, 2013
Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell
Whether you grow your own garlic or buy it fresh from a local market, there is no denying its distinctive flavor. It can truly bring life to a dish. From chicken recipes to pastas to veggie cakes, enjoy our collection of garlic recipes that will showcase the variety and levels of flavor that this summer produce has to offer. 
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Garlic-and-Sesame Green Beans

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
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Chicken Piccata with Crispy Garlic

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Chicken Piccata with Crispy Garlic

This classic garlicky Italian dish of breaded chicken over angel hair pasta topped with a sauce made of chicken stock, capers, lemon juice, and parsley will delight diners of all ages.

Cost for 4: $9.15
Total Time: 30 minutes

This recipe is part of our Let's Cook! curriculum: Find more easy, healthy, affordable recipes anyone can make at CookingLight.com/LetsCook.

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Umami Broth with Buckwheat and Vegetables

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Umami Broth with Buckwheat and Vegetables

The richness of the broth comes from what’s basically an Asian version of soffrito, the Italian “starter paste” that flavors so many delicious soups and sauces. Whereas the Italian version is a mixture of sautéed celery, onions, garlic, bell peppers, and sometimes tomato paste, this version uses miso, onion, ginger, and garlic sautéed in toasty sesame oil until browned and caramelized. We opt for red miso here, the saltiest and most pungent kind. If you only have white miso on hand, it will work, too; you just might want to add a splash of soy sauce to deepen the flavor.

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Wheat Berry "Ribollita"

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Wheat Berry "Ribollita"

Traditional ribollita is a Tuscan specialty made of leftover minestrone warmed up with chunks of bread tossed into it. In this version, wheat berries stand in for bread, bulking up the soup with nutty flavor and pleasant texture. The Parmesan cheese rind that simmers in the broth enriches the whole pot with umami depth. It’s a great technique that’ll convince you to always save your Parmesan rinds, stashing them in the freezer for uses like this. If you don’t have any, check the cheese counter at your local gourmet grocer; you’ll often find rinds for sale there.

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Herbed Ricotta, Asparagus, and Phyllo Tart

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Herbed Ricotta, Asparagus, and Phyllo Tart

If working with phyllo dough fills you with fear, don't worry—this recipe is beginner-friendly. There's no crimping or folding the dough; you just lay flat sheets of dough on top of each other for a rustic, unfinished edge.

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Spinach Pesto Pasta with Shrimp

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Spinach Pesto Pasta with Shrimp

Pesto tends to go army green if made ahead. We blanch the spinach and basil to preserve color without diluting flavor. Fresh tomato adds moisture and a mild acidity to the sauce.

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Mediterranean Chicken and Bulgur Skillet

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Mediterranean Chicken and Bulgur Skillet

You'll be delighted by the incredible results from this one-pot wonder: tender, fluffy bulgur; creamy feta; and moist chicken. You don't even need a sauce since there's so much flavor in the pan. It's a complete meal, though you could serve with a side salad if you'd like.

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Pesto Chicken with Blistered Tomatoes

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Pesto Chicken with Blistered Tomatoes

Here, pesto acts as a binder, helping the crispy panko topping stick to the chicken. Serve with green beans tossed with lemon rind. Garnish with any extra basil you have on hand.

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Spinach-Artichoke Strata

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Spinach-Artichoke Strata

This easy get-ahead dish plays off the appeal of spinach-artichoke dip. Assemble everything the night before; in the morning, let the strata stand while the oven preheats, and then pop it in. You don't need to fully blend in the herbed cheese; it's nice to hit little "pockets" of creamy goodness.

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Sweet-and-Sour Chicken Bowl

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Sweet-and-Sour Chicken Bowl

If ketchup goes with every chicken dinner in your family, try these saucy, sweet, and tangy chicken thighs instead. The meat becomes incredibly tender in the slow cooker so you can easily slip out the bones and cut the chicken into bite-size pieces for kids. Bone-in chicken thighs are pan-seared before being basted with sticky-sweet sauce and slow cooked to fork-tender perfection. Sear the chicken thighs in batches to avoid over-crowding the pan and hindering browning. Though we swoon over the superiorly moist meat, the real magic lies within the sauce, which masters the balance of savory and sweet. For a burst of freshness, we add a simple cabbage slaw that rounds out the meal with a satisfying crunch. For an extra dose of veggies, pair it with sugar snap or snow peas. Our recipe requires little legwork and saves 300 calories and 250mg of sodium over the classic.

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Chimichurri Chicken Thighs With Potatoes

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Chimichurri Chicken Thighs With Potatoes

An herb-packed chimichurri sacue makes this meat-and-potatoes main vibrant and exciting. Double the mixture and spoon it over grilled steak or fish on another night. For less heat in both the chimichurri and the potatoes, remove the seeds from the Fresno chile.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Posole

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Posole

Think of posole as chili’s brothier, lighter cousin, a Mexican version of chicken soup. Posole is also another name for the hominy, or rehydrated dried corn, that goes in the dish. Starchy, slightly chewy hominy will hold up during the long simmer while the onion and poblano pepper release their flavor into the stock and become tender. Rather than add the tomatillo at the beginning, we stir it in just before serving for a bright, bracing contrast to the stew. Tomatillos have a firm texture similar to unripe or green tomatoes that is also welcome here. If you can’t find tortilla strips, you can use lightly crushed corn tortilla chips.

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Vegetable Soup au Pistou

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Vegetable Soup au Pistou

A traditional French pistou is a nut-free pesto, but the spinach pesto (or any refrigerated brand) is delicious here. Don't rinse the canned beans after draining; any remaining starches will help bring the soup together.

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Sumac Chicken with Cauliflower and Carrots

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Sumac Chicken with Cauliflower and Carrots

A bright citrus kick is just the thing for cold nights. This sheet pan supper gets a double dose from thin lemon slices roasted until tender, and fresh lemon juice added to a quick herb dressing that’s spooned over the finished dish. Sumac has a tart, lemony quality as well. It’s fantastic as a rub here, but is also delicious in vinaigrettes or sprinkled over dips. If you can’t find sumac, you can substitute 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind. If you want a little extra browning, pop the pan under the broiler for about 5 minutes, being careful not to let the vegetables get too dark.

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Pork Ragù With Polenta

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Pork Ragù With Polenta

Create a flavorful, golden crust on the pork roast by browning it well before placing it in the slow cooker. Red wine, tomatoes, and plenty of aromatics enrich the ragù with savory depth as it cooks low and slow.

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Spinach, Cheese, and Bacon Bread Puddings

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Spinach, Cheese, and Bacon Bread Puddings

You just can’t go wrong with a savory bread pudding—think of it as a cross between holiday stuffing and a cheesy breakfast casserole. If you don’t have individual ramekins, place the bread mixture in an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. For a vegetarian spin, skip the bacon, sub vegetable stock for chicken stock, and add shiitake or cremini mushrooms to the onion mixture.

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Broccoli, Cheddar, and Brown Rice Cakes

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Broccoli, Cheddar, and Brown Rice Cakes

These quick, crispy vegetarian cakes are inspired by cheesy broccoli-and-rice casserole, right down to the layer of melted cheddar cheese on top. Make the cakes ahead and refrigerate or freeze for a last-minute meal. You could also increase the number of servings and serve the cakes as a side with a simple tomato soup. Grainy mustard packs a welcome punch and adds great texture to the cakes. It’s also fantastic in creamy sandwich spreads, rémoulade sauce, and glazes with a sweet base (such as maple syrup or honey) for contrast and balance.

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Pasta with Pea Puree

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Pasta with Pea Puree

We swap traditional red sauce for this light spring pasta, which delivers fresh flavor thanks to green peas, Parmesan, and fresh mint.

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Farro-Kraut Pilaf

Credit: Photo: Sarah Anne Ward

Sauerkraut livens up this whole-grain side with crunch, tang, and a little bit of fermentation funk. Use refrigerated, probiotic-rich sauerkraut; shelf-stable versions have been pasteurized, killing any gut-friendly bacteria.

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Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

Credit: Cooking Light
View Recipe: Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

This classic French comfort food is simple and satisfying at its best. One of the basic tenets of French cuisine is making full use of ingredients—hence, whole chickens in this recipe.

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Green Beans with Toasted Garlic

Credit: Photo: Johnny Autry
Simple, garlicky beans are a great side dish to any meal.

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Shrimp and White Bean Cakes with Roasted Garlic Sauce

Credit: Photo: Johnny Autry

Our Shrimp and White Bean Cakes with Roasted Garlic Sauce are delectable. Roasting mellows it to a sweeter, caramelized paste that is great on a toasted baguette or in sauces like this one, perfect for shrimp and cannellini bean cakes.

 

 

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Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash Cassoulet

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
To get a head start, roast the garlic, caramelize the onions, and even assemble this robust casserole the day before you plan to serve it. Use leftover roasted garlic to flavor soups, or combine with olive oil as a spread for toasted baguette slices.

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Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Credit: Photo: Levi Brown
These mashed potatoes start with red potatoes and 2 cloves of garlic and are then cooked together. Simple ingredients, such as milk, butter, and seasonings, are all that's added to make this side dish a standout.

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Roasted Garlic and Shallot Potato Soup with Cheesy Croutons

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
The strong cheeses provide a good opportunity to enjoy a full-flavored ale that doesn't dominate the food. Try Fuller's ESB from London, or Dock Street Ale from Philadelphia. The caramel flavors of Guinness stout would also work well, bringing out the sweetness of the onions.

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Roasted Garlic Pizza

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
Roast the garlic a day ahead; cool, extract the pulp, and refrigerate until you're ready to assemble the pizza. A slice of this pizza makes a tasty hors d'oeuvre, or serve two slices with a tossed salad for supper.

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Garlic Fries

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
Tossing the fries in a small amount of butter and garlic after cooking makes them unbelievably rich, yet still lower in fat than fast-food fries.

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Garlicky Spaghetti with Beans and Greens

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
Canned beans are a great pantry staple with lots of protein and fiber. To help reduce sodium in regular canned beans, we rinse and drain them.

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Lemon-Garlic Asparagus

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell
Simple, sauteed asparagus is an easy side dish that adds color and garlicky flavor to your meal.

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