A little reason to celebrate

National Garlic Day

Food · April 19

A food day for garlic, the pungent bulb that flavors cooking around the world, from roasted cloves to garlic bread and simple pan sauces.

National Garlic Day falls on Monday, April 19, 2027. That is 174 days away.

Garlic is a bulb made of small cloves wrapped in papery skin, and it belongs to the same plant family as onions, leeks and chives. Raw, it is sharp and hot. Cooked, it turns mellow and sweet.

Much of its character comes from what happens when a clove is cut or crushed. Breaking the cells sets off a reaction that produces its strong smell, so a sliced clove, a minced clove and a whole roasted clove can taste like three different ingredients. Cooks pick the cut to match the dish.

People mark the day in the kitchen, mostly. Some roast a whole head until the cloves go soft enough to spread on bread. Others make garlic bread, toss pasta with olive oil and sliced garlic, or stir it into a stir fry. Gardeners sometimes use it as a reminder to plan a planting, since garlic is usually grown from individual cloves pushed into the soil.

There are two broad kinds. Softneck garlic has a flexible stem and tends to keep well, which is why it shows up braided at markets. Hardneck garlic grows a stiff central stalk and sends up a curly green shoot called a scape, which can be cooked too.

Garlic burns quickly in a hot pan and turns bitter when it does, so many cooks add it near the end of sautéing.

Ways to celebrate

Roast a whole head of garlic and spread the soft cloves on toast.
Make garlic bread from scratch with butter and fresh minced cloves.
Taste raw, sautéed and roasted garlic side by side.
Look for garlic scapes or braided garlic at a farmers market.
Plant a single clove in a pot and watch it sprout.

Dates

Year	Date
2026	Sunday, April 19
2027	Monday, April 19
2028	Wednesday, April 19
2029	Thursday, April 19
2030	Friday, April 19

All national days on April 19

Also on April 19

Categories: Food days