How to Use Garlic Chives
The Savory Blades
Garlic-like · Savory · Herbaceous · Earthy
Garlic chives, also called Chinese chives, offer a mild garlicky flavor, similar to raw cloves but far less pungent. Their mellow, savory bite is extremely popular in stir-fries, noodle soups, dumplings, pancakes, and sauces across East Asia.
FORMS
- Fresh garlic chive leaves are the preferred form. They’re bright and crisp when raw and turn sweeter and more aromatic with brief cooking.
- Dried and chopped garlic chives do exist, although much less common than fresh. They're often used in broths or soups to slowly release flavor, but the impact is muted compared to their raw form.
- Flower buds can be eaten fresh or lightly cooked, offering a uniquely floral garlic accent that is prized in stir-fries and salads.
STORAGE
- Fresh garlic chives should be used quickly once cut because they wilt faster than onion chives. They'll last up to 5 days in the refrigerator if wrapped in a damp paper towel and sealed in a bag. For longer storage, you can blanch briefly, pat dry, and freeze.
- Dried: Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place for up to a year.
- Flower: The buds are highly perishable. Store them unwashed, loosely wrapped in a dry paper towel, and sealed in a container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
PREPARATION
- Chopping: Cut into 1–2 inch pieces (above) for stir-fries, salads, or tofu dishes (below). Finely mince for dumplings, omelets, pancakes, and the like.
- Garnishing: Garlic chives are great as a garnish, sprinkled fresh over rice, eggs, soups, salads, tofu, or seafood to finish the dish before serving.
COOKING
- When to Add: Just like onion chives, garlic chives are best added near the end of cooking so they retain their texture and flavor.
- Quick Cooking: If you're not using them raw, garlic chives are best flash-cooked over high heat. Overcooking kills their texture and dulls their flavor.
Miso sesame tofu with garlic chives (nira in Japanese). Their flat solid leaves carry more sulfur compounds than common chives, giving a distinct garlicky bite that pairs well with the rich miso-sesame coating without needing raw garlic anywhere in the dish.