The Easiest Way To Peel Garlic Involves Your Microwave

Just ask Italy, garlic is a culinary godsend. But peeling it? Mamma mia — that's a whole other story. Those stubborn little papery skins cling to the cloves like they're madly in love, and sure, smashing garlic with the flat side of a knife may work, but it gets messy, and not everyone wants garlic smells lingering on their hands for the rest of the day. Fortunately for us all, there's one trick that makes peeling garlic nearly effortless... and it all happens inside your microwave.

A quick blast of heat in the microwave will loosen the garlic skins, making them slip right off the bulbs without a fuss. This is because microwaving garlic causes the natural moisture inside the cloves to create steam, which weakens the bond between the skin and the flesh. No more endless peeling or sticky fingers, and certainly no more shouting at an inanimate piece of garlic when a tiny piece of its skin just refuses to budge. Because we've all done that, right?

And the best part is this trick works whether you need just one cloves or entire bulbs. Just whack the garlic in the microwave for about 15 to 20 seconds, and when it's cool enough to handle, the skins should slide off easily. And this method is especially helpful if you're dealing with fresh garlic, which tends to have tighter skins, just be sure not to overheat the cloves, or they might start cooking before you even had a chance to use them.

This microwave trick isn't just a total time-saver — it actually could enhance the garlic in other, unexpected ways. A brief warm-up, like microwaving or blanching, can mellow the garlic's bite, making it easier on the palate for raw applications such as dressings and dips, like in a homemade aioli. The heat tames some of the harsher sulfur compounds responsible for garlic's pungency, giving it a more balanced flavor while still preserving its signature garlicky taste.

And beyond that, this method could be a game changer for anyone who loves roasted garlic. Pre-warming is commonly recommended for meat to promote even cooking, and a similar approach could be applied to garlic to help it roast more consistently and develop its natural sweetness. Plus, pre-softened cloves are even easier to mash or blend (or just spread onto a slice of crusty bread with a drizzle of olive oil).

For those who prep garlic in bulk, this could be your new weekly ritual. Peeling an entire head of garlic by hand can be tedious, but with a microwave, the process is streamlined which is perfect if you need to peel a load of garlic at once, like for a chicken with 40 garlic cloves recipe. Once they're peeled, the cloves can be stored in olive oil, frozen for future use or quickly minced and kept in a jar in the fridge for the coming week's cooking. Easy. If you'd rather skip the fresh garlic and go with powder, make sure not to make this big mistake people often make with garlic powder.