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    Home » Sides » Elephant Garlic Recipe (Grilled with Herbs)

    Elephant Garlic Recipe (Grilled with Herbs)

    Jun 4, 2014 · by Valentina · 32 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    This Elephant Garlic recipe is one of the most unique sides you can serve. Grilled with fresh herbs, it's also a lovely topping to chicken, meat and pasta dishes. So what is Elephant Garlic? Find out below . . .Herb Grilled Elephant Garlic with fresh thyme on parchment paper.When my husband goes to the Farmer's Market, he inevitably comes home with a handful of produce that's never quite what he's expecting it to be. It's hilarious.

    I could give you some background on his comical produce identifying history, like the time he complimented the grilled peaches, that were in fact butternut squash -- but, let's just get to what he does at the market, shall we?

    Herb-Grilled Elephant Garlic This past Sunday, after he got home from the market, I saw him looking rather curiously at a very large garlic clove.

    After peeling it, he looked even more stumped.

    One clove of peeled Elephant Garlic.When I asked if he meant to get Elephant Garlic, he said, "oh, is that what's going on here?"

    After deciding it was too daunting for him to use, I took it over and made this awesomely, delicious Elephant Garlic recipe.

    One peeled clove of Elephant Garlic.

    What is Elephant Garlic?

    • Interestingly, Elephant garlic isn't really true garlic -- it's actually a variety of leek.
    • The cloves are about four times as big as those in a typical head of garlic, and though more mild, the flavor is more similar to garlic than to a leek.

    Slices of Elephant Garlic with a paring knife.

    What's in this Elephant Garlic recipe?

    • Elephant garlic
    • olive oil
    • fresh thyme
    • fresh oregano
    • salt, pepper

    I love fresh herbs with garlic, and the smoky flavor from the grill is an ingredient in and of itself. Since the cloves are so big, it's easy to grill them.

    Herb Grilled Elephant Garlic with fresh thyme on parchment paper.

    Uses for Grilled Elephant Garlic

    Grilled garlic is a super tasty, unique garnish or condiment for so many dishes. I love topping meat stews with it, and it's divine in salads, pastas and over steak or chicken.

    What to Serve it:

    • Tomato Turmeric Cabbage Stew
    • Fried Lemon Caesar Salad
    • Red Goddess Grilled Flank Steak

    I hope you enjoy this Herb Grilled Elephant Garlic recipe!

    Herb Grilled Elephant Garlic Recipe

    Herb Grilled Elephant Garlic Recipe

    Valentina K. Wein
    Herbed Grilled Elephant Garlic is one of the most unique sides you can serve. And it's also a lovely topping to chicken, meat and pasta dishes.
    Makes about ½ cup
    5 from 3 votes
    Print
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 5 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Side Dish, Condiments
    Cuisine American
    Servings 2 to 4
    Calories 101 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 head Elephant garlic
    • 1½ tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, washed and dried, finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, washed and dried, finely chopped
    • ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Cut the root end off each of the garlic cloves, and then peel them.
    • Lay each clove on its flattest side, and then use a very sharp knife to thinly cut them into approximately ⅛-inch thick slices.
    • Preheat a stove-top grill.
    • In a small bowl, toss the garlic slices with the oil, herbs and sugar. Then spread them out evenly on a large plate, and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
    • Place the garlic slices on the grill once it's very hot. You should hear a sizzling sound — if you don’t, it’s not hot enough yet.  Wait for the sizzle!  Grill just long enough to mark the bottom of the slices, about 2 minutes. (Don't let them get too dark or they'll be bitter.) Carefully flip them over and grill the other side for about 2 more minutes -- again, just to mark them.
    • Remove the garlic from the grill and let it cool to room temperature. (Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 4 days until you're ready to use.)
    Keywords great with meat, great with chicken, garlic recipes
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

    Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 


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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious

      June 05, 2014 at 3:26 am

      Interesting! News to me!

      Reply
      • Christina

        June 05, 2014 at 6:54 am

        I knew it wasn't "proper" garlic, but had no idea it was related to leeks! Great idea to grill it! I have a similar model to your husband, so no surprises in that department 😉

        Reply
        • valentina

          June 05, 2014 at 3:59 pm

          Thanks, Christina. 🙂

          Reply
      • valentina

        September 24, 2014 at 9:47 pm

        Cool, right?

        Reply
    2. Judy at Two Broads Abroad

      June 05, 2014 at 12:58 am

      Thanks for enlightening me to the fact that elephant garlic is in the leek family. Will be doing this once I light the grill.

      Reply
      • valentina

        June 05, 2014 at 2:18 am

        I just learned that, too. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Deb

      June 06, 2014 at 12:46 am

      What a great recipe for the Father's Day grilling menu we have planned! I know your husband adored the "treatment" you gave the Elephant garlic, just lush with flavor!

      Reply
      • valentina

        June 06, 2014 at 10:31 pm

        Oh, I love "grilling menus!" Hope your family has a lovely Father's Day. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Rachel

      June 05, 2014 at 7:29 pm

      Roll the elephant garlic season - here at the bottom of the world we have a few months before the garlic season - on our Farmers' Market stallholders has this lovely garlic in the spring - will put this away until then.

      Reply
      • valentina

        June 06, 2014 at 10:28 pm

        I hope you get your hands on some in the spring. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Gwen

      June 05, 2014 at 8:26 pm

      I adore garlic and could eat this for a snack! Who knew it is really from the leek family? Interesting!

      Reply
      • valentina

        June 06, 2014 at 10:29 pm

        Gwen, I could snack on it, too. Just don't come near me for a couple of days afterwards. 😉

        Reply
    6. Rachel

      June 06, 2014 at 1:22 am

      yum - I need to whip out the Grill Pan to make these (after I successfully identify them at the Farmer's Market). Love these, hope they get a bit of that sweet flavor that I love so much from roasted garlic (even if they are as much leek as garlic). 🙂

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 23, 2014 at 5:52 pm

        Hope you find some at your Farmer's Market. 🙂 Enjoy!

        Reply
    7. Mmm Garlic

      June 10, 2014 at 12:27 pm

      Love this recipe, as it's hard to find good recipes for elephant garlic. Can't wait to try this one out!

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 23, 2014 at 5:52 pm

        Hope you love it!

        Reply
    8. Dana P

      July 21, 2014 at 7:11 pm

      Hi Valentina!
      Someone recommended this recipe to me, and I gave it a shot and wrote about it on my blog.
      Can't wait to try more of your stuff!
      Xo,
      Dana

      Reply
    9. valentina

      July 23, 2014 at 5:53 pm

      Hi Dana -- this is great! Thanks for visiting my site and trying the recipe -- and for sharing it with your readers. 🙂

      Reply
    10. Eathen

      September 22, 2014 at 7:56 am

      Should be perfect for garlic powder, it will save a lot of cutting time. http://youtu.be/C1iG-ENqxTk

      Reply
      • valentina

        September 24, 2014 at 9:45 pm

        love garlic powder, too. 🙂

        Reply
    11. JPWalton

      July 09, 2015 at 1:53 pm

      I find elephant garlic really (REALLY) easy to grow here in the NW. I cut the buds before they flower and stir fry them in olive oil. Yum. The cloves get much bigger than those that flower. I grow for food - my husband likes the big purple flower. They also seem to be good as bug and deer repellant...

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 09, 2015 at 9:47 pm

        What great information, Janie. Thank you! I might just give it a go in my garden! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Patty

      February 20, 2019 at 12:54 am

      Very interesting post! I'd never heard of this elephant garlic, I'll be on the lookout for it, it sounds so delicious, I really want to make your recipe, pinned it!

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 20, 2019 at 12:46 pm

        Thank you, Patty. Hope you come across it and enjoy cooking with it. 🙂

        Reply
    13. Dannii

      February 20, 2019 at 1:20 am

      This looks beautiful, and it would be great to serve on a tapas plate.

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 20, 2019 at 12:46 pm

        Oooh, love that idea. Lovely for a tapa. Thank you!

        Reply
    14. Nathan Wyper

      February 20, 2019 at 1:23 am

      This sounds so interesting and looks delicious, Definitely need to look for this garlic!

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 20, 2019 at 12:43 pm

        Hope you find it and enjoy! Thanks.

        Reply
    15. Jacqueline Debono

      February 20, 2019 at 2:35 am

      I'm not sure I've ever seen elephant garlic here in Italy but going to look out for it. Sounds delicious! I often roast normal garlic cloves unpeeled. My Italian hubby loves them but they do taste quite garlicky!

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 20, 2019 at 12:43 pm

        Love that your husband does that. Delicious! Hope you see them sometime in Italy. Thank you for stopping by. (Wishing I was there at a sweet little café with a macchiato.:-D

        Reply
    16. Amy | The Cook Report

      February 20, 2019 at 4:24 am

      Oh wow I've never heard of elephant garlic! I'm obsessed with garlic though so this sounds perfect for me 🙂

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 20, 2019 at 12:41 pm

        I hope you come across some and try it, Amy. Thank you for the visit.

        Reply

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