The study of more than 2,000 UK adults also found that nearly half (49%) add extra garlic often or every time they cook, placing it among the ingredients most likely to be increased in home kitchens.
Tara Acton is an award-winning vegan private chef and garlic lover.
How garlic is prepared appears to matter just as much as how much is used. Three in five respondents (60%) believe garlic delivers its strongest flavour when crushed or pressed, far ahead of chopping (19%), slicing (8%) or leaving it whole (3%). This preference is reflected in kitchen habits, with 31% saying a garlic press is their go-to preparation method. By comparison, 25% prefer finely slicing or chopping by hand, while smaller numbers opt for grating or mincing (14%), pre-prepared jarred garlic (14%), roasting whole bulbs (4%) or using frozen garlic (4%).
Tara Acton, an award-winning vegan private chef, said garlic’s versatility and strength make it highly personal in use. “Garlic is such a special ingredient, not just for its aromatic complexity, but for the depth it brings to a dish. It has a bold character, so the amount you use often comes down to personal taste,” she said.
She advises home cooks to add garlic early in the cooking process to allow it to mellow and integrate into the dish, reducing the risk of bitterness. She also highlighted simple applications such as garlic butter infused with herbs as an easy way to elevate everyday meals.
The findings reveal a clear generational divide in attitudes to cooking. Those aged 25 to 34 are four times more likely than over-65s to say they always add extra garlic, with 20% of younger adults doing so compared with just 5% of older respondents. The results suggest younger cooks are more confident in adapting recipes, while older generations are more likely to follow them closely.
Regionally, London stands out as the UK’s most garlic-loving area, with 93% of residents saying they have added extra garlic to a recipe at some point. One in five Londoners say they typically follow recipes but always increase the garlic, reinforcing the capital’s reputation for bold, flavour-driven cooking.
The research also highlights differences between men and women in the kitchen. Women are more likely to add extra garlic every time they cook (20% compared with 14% of men) and tend to be more generous with herbs, while men are more likely to increase quantities of chilli, salt and pepper.
Heidi Thomas of DK Household Brands, which includes Zyliss, said the results underline garlic’s distinctive role in British cooking. “People clearly see it as an ingredient that deserves instinct rather than strict measurement, and for many, a recipe is just the starting point,” she said, adding that the preference for crushing or pressing garlic reflects a strong awareness of how preparation impacts flavour.
The brand itself has a long-standing association with garlic preparation, with founder Karl Zysset credited as the original inventor of the garlic press in 1948. The survey, conducted by Obsurvant in April 2026, offers a snapshot of how central garlic remains to UK home cooking today, both in flavour and in habit.
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