No Garlic Pepper? Substitutes to Enhance Your Dishes

If you enjoy grilling meat but run out of garlic pepper seasoning, don’t worry! Make a substitute with just two ingredients: black pepper and garlic powder. Mix them, and you’ll get a similar flavor to garlic pepper.

To make your dishes more flavorful, add other spices like paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, parsley, and a little sugar. This mix you create at home will make food taste great.

What Exactly Is Garlic Pepper?

Garlic pepper is a seasoning mix that combines garlic and black pepper. It’s created by mixing dried and ground garlic powder with coarsely ground black pepper. This offers a balanced and savory taste, combining the essence of garlic with black pepper. The flavor of garlic pepper can fluctuate based on the particular blend and the ratio of garlic to black pepper used. The garlic part adds a savory and slightly sweet undertone, while the black pepper brings in a zesty and mildly spicy element. When these flavors come together, they create a seasoning that can enhance the taste of a wide range of dishes.

Overall, garlic pepper gives you a robust garlic flavor with a noticeable kick from the black pepper. You can easily adjust the amount of garlic and black pepper to suit your taste, making garlic pepper a flexible choice for adding flavor to your favorite dishes.

Popular Uses of Garlic Pepper

Garlic pepper is a widely used seasoning in many dishes, utilized to enhance flavor and taste. Some typical applications of garlic pepper are:

Meat Seasoning 

You can use garlic pepper to make meats like beef, chicken, pork, or seafood taste delicious when you grill, roast, or cook them. It gives your dishes a savory and mildly spicy taste.

Vegetables, Especially Roasted Ones 

Enhance the flavor of your roasted or grilled vegetables by dusting them with garlic pepper. It pairs beautifully with potatoes, carrots, zucchini, and bell peppers.

Boosting Sauces and Dressings

Improve the taste of sauces, marinades, or dressings with garlic pepper. Whether you’re making barbecue sauce, pasta sauces, salad dressings, or even spicing up dips, garlic pepper gives them a tasty twist.

Stir-Fries and Asian-inspired Fare

To add a delicious flavor, sprinkle a bit of garlic-pepper blend on baked goods, especially on bread. It complements soy sauce, ginger, and other Asian seasonings perfectly.

Baking, Especially Bread 

For extra flavor, sprinkle a garlic-pepper blend on your bread and baked goods. Think of using it in rosemary bread, bagels, or muffins.

Popcorn and Snacks 

Transform your freshly popped popcorn or homemade snack mixes with the savory and zesty twist of garlic pepper sprinkled on top.

Top Substitutes for Garlic Pepper

If you run out of garlic pepper, don’t worry; you can try these replacements:

Garlic and Black Pepper

When you make garlic pepper, you mainly use garlic and black pepper. To replace it quickly, mix equal amounts of garlic powder and black pepper for a similar taste. A simple 1:1 ratio works well.

Cajun Seasoning

Choose cajun seasoning instead of garlic pepper for a bold flavor. Cajun seasoning contains garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper. To replicate the garlic pepper taste, use a 2:1 ratio of cajun seasoning to garlic powder.

Lemon Pepper

If you need a garlic pepper substitute, try lemon pepper. It has black pepper, lemon zest, salt, and sometimes garlic powder. For a similar taste, combine two parts lemon pepper with one part garlic powder using a 2:1 ratio.

Italian Seasoning

Another good option is Italian seasoning. This blend contains herbs like basil, oregano, and thyme, with added garlic powder and black pepper. To match the taste of garlic pepper, blend two parts Italian seasoning with one part garlic powder using a 2:1 ratio.

Chili Powder

If you’re after a bit of heat, try replacing garlic pepper with chili powder. Chili powder includes cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and chili pepper. To achieve a similar flavor to garlic pepper, use a 2:1 ratio of chili powder to garlic powder.

Onion Powder and Black Pepper

Another easy substitute is a blend of onion powder and black pepper. This combo provides a taste similar to garlic pepper but without the garlic flavor. To start, use a 1:1 ratio of onion powder to black pepper.

Garlic and White Pepper

For a milder option than black pepper, use one teaspoon of garlic powder and one teaspoon of white pepper with one tablespoon of garlic pepper seasoning.

Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes

If you prefer a spicier kick, combine one teaspoon of garlic powder and half a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes for every one tablespoon of garlic pepper seasoning.

Homemade Garlic Pepper 

A great option is to create garlic pepper using common kitchen ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp cumin

Mix these ingredients in a spice container, and you’ll have your homemade garlic pepper ready to use in recipes.

FAQs

Is garlic pepper made solely from garlic and pepper?

Garlic pepper is a popular seasoning blend with garlic powder, black pepper, and other seasonings and herbs.

Does garlic pepper have the same flavor as pure garlic?

No, garlic pepper combines garlic and black pepper to provide a bold and savory flavor to various dishes.