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I cook with so much garlic that I’m pretty sure my hands perpetually carry its scent, which I should probably apologize to my girlfriend for. But I will never stop doubling and tripling the amount of garlic a recipe calls for, because I like to live my truth. And every savory dish tastes better with garlic—it’s just a fact. And now that I’m a mortar and pestle proselyte, my garlic game is better than ever.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and with it comes many garlicky possibilities. Turkey, mashed potatoes, greens, bread—all of the traditional staples of an American Thanksgiving dinner just happen to also be foods that are better with garlic. And as an added bonus, maybe everyone’s breath will be too rank by the end of the meal for things to devolve into a riotous political debate, as Thanksgiving dinners with my mom’s family tend to go. Garlic breath has never stopped any of us, but maybe one day.
Spoiler alert: One of the following recipes calls for “40 cloves of garlic,” which is the most scintillating phrase I’ve ever read. Let’s get our garlic on this Thanksgiving, pals! And if you comment on this post just to say that you dislike garlic, listen, I respect your right to have an opinion. The holidays are a time for acceptance and unconditional love. But also you’re wrong and not invited to my house for dinner, sorry!
1. Slow-Roast Turkey with 40 Cloves of Garlic
2. Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
3. Garlic Potato Gratin
4. Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Garlic and Chile
5. Garlic Soup
6. Cheese Garlic Biscuits
7. Garlic Bread
8. Sautéed Collard Greens with Garlic
9. Quick Sautéed Spinach with Garlic
10. Roasted Garlic Cauliflower
11. Grilled Garlic Parmesan Zucchini
12. Roasted Garlic Macaroni and Cheese
13. Parmesan Cheese and Garlic Potato Pie
14. Caramelized Garlic, Spinach, and Cheddar Tart
15. Creamy Parmesan Garlic Broccoli Casserole
16. Rosemary Lemon and Garlic Seitan with Brown Rice

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This whole post needs a tic-tac. As a vampire prospect, this is not a safe area for me to in. ?
Also, 40 cloves of garlic??!!!! Are you kidding me? You might as well find a giant clove of garlic and serve that instead.
Actually eating just a giant clove of garlic (elephant garlic) roasted with a bit of crusty bread is delicious!
Okay but if you roast it first that’s actually delicious.
Dude, you are in a losing battle. You are surrounded by garlic lovers and you just gave us the green light to eat roasted garlic without anything else Muahahahaha!
ANY time a recipe calls for a single clove of garlic I assume it must be a mistake and add 3 more.
BUT I am a mashed potato purist, I don’t really want any garlic in those. The gravy is fair game though.
I would put all of these in my mouth. I love garlic! It’s also super heart healthy. A few years ago, I made roasted garlic hummus from scratch, and I highly recommend it. Just roast garlic (cut the whole head in half, wrap it in aluminum foil, and bake it), and your kitchen will smell amazing. GARLIC 4EVA.
Love garlic. Need to try one of these. Thanks for posting. ;)
This might be my favorite food article yet on AS! As a fellow garlic fanatic, yes! Thank you. I bet this gravy is the shiz. And if someone doesn’t like garlic breath, I am certainly not the girl for them!
I love garlic so much!!! Any meal that calls for it, has at minimum 4-5 cloves. Also my first kiss happened after eating garlic bread with someone and that fact just makes me so happy, its basically exactly how I wanted it to happen.
i am horrified by the mere thought of so many people smelling like garlic
garlic is the best !!!!!!!!! aaah !! garlic!
I love it when my mom makes rice with some fresh cloves. I fight over them with my sister. Yummy.
You know what the Internet says, a single clove of garlic is not enough for any recipe, unless the recipe is “how to cook a single clove of Garlic” even in this case, use two.
Yesterday was the closing night of a performance of Dracula where I played Van Helsing, therefore i have lots of leftover garlic. This post came just in time thank u
I love the smell of garlic, but would appreciate tips for how to let my colleagues and strangers not smell any on me in case they don’t!
You forgot dessert. Trust me.
Y’all should go to The Stinkingn Rose restaurant
Garlic ice cream and garlic wine. No kidding.
!!! this is amazing.
Also, pro-tip for those in the PNW: there’s an Elephant Garlic Festival every August in North Plains, OR (about 30 mins west of Portland) where your dreams will come true.