Garlic Weight Calculation: Clove, minced, Volume, and More

Garlic Weight Calculation:

Bulb Grades

Not all ajo heads are created equal. We group bulbs into four grades by weight and typical clove count:

Grado	Weight per Bulb (g)	Typical Cloves	Descripción
S	< 30	6–8	Petite bulbs with small cloves—ideal for delicate dishes.
M	30–40	8–10	Standard supermarket size—versatile and reliable.
L	40–50	10–12	Large, plump cloves—perfect if you love bold garlic flavor.
XL	> 50	≥ 12	Extra‑large, hearty bulbs—best for roasting whole heads.

Popular Garlic Varieties

Different varieties bring unique flavors, storage qualities, and bulb sizes:

Variety	Tipo	Avg. Bulb Weight (g)	Clove Size	Flavor Profile
Artichoke	Softneck	30–40	Small	Mild and sweet; stores well.
Silverskin	Softneck	20–30	Small	Sharp bite; excellent shelf life.
Rocambole	Hardneck	40–50	Medium	Rich, complex “garlicky” notes.
Porcelain	Hardneck	50–60	Grande	Pungent heat; robust intensity.
Purple Stripe	Hardneck	35–45	Medium	Sweet undertones; decorative streaks.

Choose a variety based on your flavor goals: Porcelain for spicy roast, Artichoke for gentle sautés, Rocambole when you crave deep garlic complexity.

2. Weight & Volume Conversions

Understanding common conversions makes recipe adjustments a breeze.

Weight Units
- 1 pound (lb) = 454 g
- 1 ounce (oz) ≈ 28.35 g
Clove Weights
- Small clove ≈ 2 g
- Medium clove ≈ 3 g
- Large clove ≈ 4 g
Volume Measures
- 1 clove minced ≈ 1 teaspoon (tsp) ≈ 5 mL
- 1 tablespoon (Tbsp) = 3 tsp = 15 mL
Peeling Loss
Raw cloves lose about 10–15% weight after peeling.
$\text{Peeled weight} \approx \text{Raw weight} \times 0.85$

3. Measuring Tools & Garlic Equivalents

Here’s a handy table mapping common kitchen measures to garlic weight and cloves:

Utensil	Volume (mL)	Approx. Garlic Weight (g)	Equivalent Cloves
⅛ tsp	0.6	0.4	~ 0.1
¼ tsp	1.25	0.8	~ 0.3
½ tsp	2.5	1.5	~ 0.5
1 tsp	5	3.0	1
1 Tbsp	15	9.0	3
¼ cup (~60 mL)	60	36.0	12
½ cup (~120 mL)	120	72.0	24

Assuming minced garlic has a density of about 0.6 g/mL.

4. Quick Q&A: Your Garlic Questions Answered

Q: How much does a bulb of garlic weigh?

Grado	Gama de pesos (g)	Example Avg. Weight (g)
S	< 30	25
M	30–40	35
L	40–50	45
XL	> 50	55

Use the “Example Avg.” column for rough calculations; adjust if your bulbs run smaller or larger.

Q: How many bulbs in a pound?

Grado	Avg. Bulb Weight (g)	Calculation	Bulbs per Pound
S	25	454 ÷ 25	18.2 ≈ 18
M	35	454 ÷ 35	12.97 ≈ 13
L	45	454 ÷ 45	10.1 ≈ 10
XL	55	454 ÷ 55	8.25 ≈ 8

Q: How many ounces are in a clove of garlic?

Clove Size	Weight (g)	Calculation	Ounces (oz)
Small	2	2 ÷ 28.35	0.07
Medium	3	3 ÷ 28.35	0.11
Grande	4	4 ÷ 28.35	0.14

Q: How many cloves in a head of garlic?

Grado	Avg. Bulb Weight (g)	Avg. Clove Weight (g)	Calc’d Clove Count (g/g)	Typical Range
S	25	2.5	25 ÷ 2.5 = 10	6–8
M	35	3	35 ÷ 3 ≈ 11.7	8–10
L	45	3.5	45 ÷ 3.5 ≈ 12.9	10–12
XL	55	4	55 ÷ 4 ≈ 13.8	≥ 12

Q: How many cloves of garlic in a tablespoon (minced)?

Cloves Minced	Volume (tsp)	Volume (Tbsp)
2	2 tsp	0.67 Tbsp
3	3 tsp	1 Tbsp
4	4 tsp	1.33 Tbsp
5	5 tsp	1.67 Tbsp

Q: What volume is 1 clove minced?

Clove Size	Raw Weight (g)	Peeled Weight (g)	Minced Volume (tsp/mL)
Small	2	1.7	0.7 tsp (3.5 mL)
Medium	3	2.6	1 tsp (5 mL)
Grande	4	3.4	1.3 tsp (6.5 mL)

Q: How many tablespoons is 2 cloves of garlic?

Clove Size	Total Weight (g)	Total Volume (tsp)	Tbsp
Small	2 × 2 = 4	0.7 × 2 = 1.4	0.47 Tbsp
Medium	2 × 3 = 6	1 × 2 = 2	0.67 Tbsp
Grande	2 × 4 = 8	1.3 × 2 = 2.6	0.87 Tbsp

Q: How many tablespoons is 4 cloves of garlic?

Clove Size	Total Weight (g)	Total Volume (tsp)	Tbsp
Small	4 × 2 = 8	0.7 × 4 = 2.8	0.93 Tbsp
Medium	4 × 3 = 12	1 × 4 = 4	1.33 Tbsp
Grande	4 × 4 = 16	1.3 × 4 = 5.2	1.73 Tbsp