How Many Tablespoons Are 4 Cloves Of Garlic? Ultimate Guide

Today we take a look at how many tablespoons are 4 cloves of garlic. We will have an in-depth look at the variables that affect this number, and how you can do your own calculations.

The quick answer is, if one finely chopped medium garlic clove is one teaspoon, then 4 cloves would be 4 teaspoons. Four teaspoons equal 1 1/3 tablespoons.

So, 4 cloves of garlic (medium in size) will make 1 1/3 tablespoons of finely chopped garlic.

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How To Calculate How Many Tablespoons Are 4 Cloves Of Garlic?

Now, before just jumping into how many tablespoons are four cloves of garlic, let’s look at variable factors.

These are all factors that will ultimately determine the exact answer and not just an estimate.

To summarize, what will affect the number of cloves in a tablespoon of garlic includes the size of the glove and the type of garlic you are making.

Size Of The Garlic Clove

So, to start, we have to figure out what the average size of a garlic clove is. This is obviously because a bigger piece of garlic will make more minced garlic. In turn, more minced garlic means you will need fewer cloves to get to a tablespoon’s worth.

Naturally, there are a couple of different types of garlic. Luckily, most of them look the same and have the same size.

The average weight of a small garlic clove is between 2-3 grams (0.07 – 0.1 ounces). 

A medium garlic clove weighs between 4-6 grams each (0.14 to 0.21 ounces). And a large clove weighs between 7-10 grams (0.24 – 0.35 ounces). 

So, as you can see, there is a very large gap between a small and large garlic clove. So, this will ultimately affect how many cloves of garlic to tbsp you will need.

Form Of Garlic

This is another factor many people overlook. If you take a whole garlic clove and place it into a tablespoon, obviously you will only be able to fit one or two cloves depending on their size.

If you grate the garlic, you will definitely be able to fit in more. But, if you mince the garlic finely, you can pack in even more garlic cloves.

Another great example is powdered garlic. It takes 7 times more cloves to make a tablespoon of garlic powder than it does minced fresh garlic.

The rule here is that the larger the surface area of the glove (meaning the finer the pieces are), the more garlic can fit into a tablespoon.

How Many Tablespoons is one Garlic Clove?

Let’s first take a look at how many tablespoons a single clove of garlic fills. Another way to phrase this question is “How many milliliters is a garlic clove?”

This will directly help you determine how many cloves you ultimately need to fill up the entire tablespoon.

Now, on average, one medium clove of garlic makes 1 teaspoon of finely chopped garlic. 

Keep in mind that the exact size and form of garlic will affect this number. If you use grated garlic, you will use less than a clove to fill a teaspoon. If you use minced garlic, you will use more cloves for a teaspoon.

Therefore one medium finely chopped garlic clove is 1/3 tablespoon.

What About Dried Garlic?

Dried garlic is an exception. The garlic particles are so small, you need quite a lot of cloves to make a single teaspoon of garlic powder.

Garlic powder is made from thinly sliced garlic that has been completely dehydrated. Then, the dried pieces are pulverized into a fine powder.

One garlic clove will only make 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder. That means you need 8 medium cloves of garlic to make a teaspoon of garlic powder. And, you’ll need 24 garlic cloves to make a tablespoon of garlic powder.

If you are using granulated garlic (or garlic granules), it takes 1 clove to make 1/4 teaspoon of garlic granules. So, it takes 4 garlic cloves to make a teaspoon. And ultimately, it takes 12 garlic cloves to make a tablespoon of garlic granules.

FAQs

How many tablespoons are 3 cloves of garlic minced?

If you use the calculations above, you will see that 3 garlic cloves will make 3 teaspoons of garlic. That means that 3 cloves also make 1 tablespoon of garlic. But remember, these calculations are based on finely chopped garlic, not minced.

And because minced garlic has a much finer texture, you could potentially use 4-5 cloves for a tablespoon. But, it depends on the size and fineness of the minced cloves.

What size is a regular garlic clove?

You will see that in the calculations above I didn’t use measurements to determine garlic clove sizes. That’s because it’s a much more difficult method to calculate exact measurements. Using weight is quick and super easy. And, if you say that one tablespoon of garlic is made up of 12-18 grams of cloves, you don’t have to use one size for all of them.

Nevertheless, the average size of a garlic clove is between 1 to 1 1/2 inches in length. And, the width ranges between 3/8 to 3/4 at the widest part.

What is a head of garlic?

This is something many people get confused about in recipes. And the mistake, however innocent, can be detrimental! A head of garlic is the same as a bulb of garlic. It’s the entire thing. A bulb of garlic is an individual segment covered in a thin papery layer of skin.