Is Garlic Powder the Same as Garlic Salt in Cooking?

Garlic is a kitchen essential around the world. Whether in home cooking or large-scale food manufacturing, it brings a savory depth and aroma that few ingredients can match. In dried form, garlic is most commonly available as garlic powder or garlic salt. While both offer garlic flavor, they are not the same—and using one in place of the other without understanding the difference can lead to unintended results in your dishes.

As a global supplier of garlic powder and custom seasoning solutions, we often receive questions about these two ingredients. In this article, we’ll explain the key differences, when to use each, and why choosing the right garlic product matters for both home cooks and food professionals.

What Is Garlic Powder?

Garlic powder is made from whole garlic cloves that have been cleaned, dehydrated, and finely ground. It is a pure, concentrated form of garlic with no added salt or preservatives. This makes it especially valuable for chefs, manufacturers, and health-conscious consumers who want to control sodium content and use clean-label ingredients.

In cooking, garlic powder is appreciated for its versatility and ease of use. It blends seamlessly into dry spice mixes, rubs, soups, sauces, dressings, and marinades. Unlike fresh garlic, it has a long shelf life and does not require peeling or chopping, making it convenient for high-efficiency kitchens and food production lines.

What Is Garlic Salt?

Garlic salt is a seasoning blend made from garlic powder and table salt. The typical ratio is one part garlic powder to three parts salt, though this can vary by brand or custom formulation. Garlic salt is designed to serve as a convenient two-in-one seasoning—adding both garlic flavor and saltiness in a single shake.

This convenience makes garlic salt popular in ready-to-eat foods and quick-service cooking. It's often sprinkled on garlic bread, French fries, roasted vegetables, popcorn, and other snacks. While it delivers a pleasant, milder garlic taste, its high sodium content limits its flexibility in recipes where precise control over salt levels is important.

Key Differences Between Garlic Powder and Garlic Salt

The most important distinction between garlic powder and garlic salt is their composition. Garlic powder is 100% garlic and contains no sodium, while garlic salt is a blend that includes a significant amount of salt. This means that garlic powder offers a more intense garlic flavor per gram and is more suitable for applications that require flavor precision or low-sodium formulations.

From a production perspective, garlic powder is typically used as an ingredient in large-scale food manufacturing, where garlic flavor needs to be integrated into sauces, seasonings, or meat products. Garlic salt, on the other hand, is more commonly used as a finished product for direct consumer use or as a topping in RTE (ready-to-eat) applications.

Another difference is how these products behave in recipes. Garlic powder dissolves easily and blends uniformly, while garlic salt can introduce an uneven saltiness if not carefully mixed. For this reason, garlic powder is preferred in spice rubs, meat seasonings, and sauces, where even distribution and flavor control are essential.

Can You Substitute Garlic Powder for Garlic Salt?

Yes, garlic powder and garlic salt can be substituted for one another, but only with careful adjustments. If a recipe calls for garlic powder and you use garlic salt instead, you will be adding significantly more sodium. To compensate, you must reduce or eliminate other sources of salt in the recipe to avoid an overly salty result.

Conversely, if you need garlic salt but only have garlic powder, you can mix your own by combining one part garlic powder with three parts salt. However, in commercial food production, such substitutions are not recommended due to consistency and quality control standards.

For food manufacturers and culinary brands, using the correct ingredient is essential. That's why we work with our clients to provide not only standard garlic products but also customized blends tailored to their product formulations and taste preferences.

Why Choose shundi foods as Your Garlic Powder and Seasoning Supplier

With over 30 years of experience, ShunDi Foods is a leading manufacturer of Dried Garlic products and customized seasonings. Our garlic powder is processed in modern, BRC certified facilities and meets global food safety standards including HALAL and KOSHER certifications. We offer a range of garlic products in different mesh sizes and moisture levels, suitable for use in everything from retail seasoning jars to industrial-scale food processing.

In addition to bulk garlic powder, we specialize in the development of custom seasoning blends for private label clients. Whether you need a unique garlic salt recipe, a sodium-reduced option, or a blend enhanced with herbs, our professional R&D team will work closely with you to develop and produce seasonings that meet your exact requirements.

Conclusion

Garlic powder and garlic salt are both valuable ingredients in the kitchen, but they are not interchangeable without adjustments. For food brands, spice manufacturers, and ingredient buyers, understanding the difference is key to creating delicious, balanced products. At ShunDi Foods, we provide reliable supply, custom solutions, and expert support to help your business deliver high-quality garlic products to market.

Contact us today to request a sample or learn more.