What's the difference if you sauté garlic or onions first?

Well one reason I can think of for putting onions in before garlic is that onions are able to cook longer, if you cook garlic too long and it begins to burn it will start to get a bitter flavor. If you put the garlic in just after you add the oil you might be trying to infuse the oil with the flavor of the garlic, therefore allowing the flavor of the garlic to penetrate the oil, then that oil will have more flavor and flavor the rest of the food you place in the pan with a bit of garlic flavor.

I think the important part is to saute first rather than the onion before the garlic. But I am also a novice, so I really don't know! Maybe someone can enlighten us even more!

Garlic is more powerful than onions, so you might want to sauté garlic first and then sauté the onions. Using Extra Virgin Olive Oil is good for when you are going to sauté your garlic and onions. Rachel Ray does that all of the time.

I am not a good cook. I also love watching cooking shows because I learn from it. As far as I know, the reason why or the difference sauteing first the onions then the garlic is because garlic easily gets burned than onions. That is what I think the main and only reason. Other than that, I cannot see any difference. It is not a big deal though which should be sauteed first.

When I like my onions to caramelize but still have the sting of the garlic in my dish, then I cook the onions first and the garlic- half done. When I want a toasted garlic flavor on my dish, then I saute it first then caramelize the onions after. When I want a sting on both, then I saute them together, half done.

i think garlic first,,, a lot of foods that needs to be sautéed is that, the taste of the food depends on how it is sautéed, that is why this step in coking these kind of foods is very essential. on my experience, i let the oil first be hot followed by the garlic until golden brown and next would be the onion or meat. any way there are a lot of websites that could teach you this... happy cooking!!!!

totallyundecided, Actually, if you have onions and garlic in your dish, then the actual correct order will be to sauté the onions first until they appear to be clear then you will add the garlic. The very first reason behind this is that onions take a longer time to actually produce the fragrance and flavor for the eventual dish. If you reverse the order, you will end up with the garlic overcooked or to some extent burnt and you will eventually end up with a bitter tasting dish. Also, garlic fragrant easily and one of the best sauté technique is not to brown the garlic but fragrant it before adding the rest of the main ingredients. Once the all the ingredients are all inside - speed up with your stirring and tossing to give the dish a good mix and blend. Over the duration of the cooking the sauté will just blend in perfectly when the dish is cooked. Try it out and I am sure you will be able to tell the stark difference when you do not sauté in the correct order.

Usually you saute the onion first, it's because yes, as almost all the ones informed you it's because it does take longer for it to cook, and also, you usually put on more onions than garlic, hence onion to me seems more pungent than garlic. It is also that garlic does burn really fast, you wouldn't want burnt garlic taste in your food.. You also put like a clove or two of garlic as well not like onions, if you cook with one medium onions, the amount of onions is much more than the garlic as well. So, to me, if you cook western food, use onions first.. In Chinese stir-fry, they do not use onions that much, it's more garlic than onions, just to let you know.. :) Interesting question! Thanks for asking!

totallyundecided I don't think it makes much difference really as I saute garlic and onions together to add to a dish, and it always tastes great to me. I cannot cook now that I am here in this retirement center but I have cooked for years, and I seldom need a recipe for most things I make as I know most of my favorite dishes by heart. Cooking is not that hard once you decide what you want to make and online there are a zillion good recipe sites too to help you. You really can teach yourself how to make really great dishes. good luck and God bless hugs from hatley.

Hi T.U, I also don't know, and I'm not a good cook either. Although I haven't really given up on the idea that I will be someday. hehe Anyway, my uncle sautes tomatoes first actually until all the juice has come out and the flesh and skin have separated. Then he adds the onions until they turn translucent. He sautes the garlic last because according to him, putting it last prevents it from getting burnt. Maybe it just depends on the preference of the cook. Some people want their garlic toasted or burnt, some don't.

Hi, I am doing my cooking everyday,but I really have no idea which one to saute first,garlic or onion,until one day, my mother-in-law was at my side when I was cooking and I actually sauted the garlic first ,then putting my onions.She corrected me and I should actually sauted the onions,then only added the garlics. I was curious and asking her why should I do so. Then she explained to me that onions takes longer time to get brownish ,while onions take shorter time to get brownish. Most of my dishes will have both garlic and onions. Actually I love onions taste more than garlics taste. And it is definitely opposite from my husband,he dislike onions taste. Therefore if I were to chopped the garlic,make sure I chopped them thinly or else, my husband don't like to eat that particular dishes. I am not sure whether my mother -in-law explanation is right or wrong,but I am sharing with you guys my cooking experience and start from that day onward, I always sauted my garlic,then follow by onions.

If you want to go technical, here it is. The cooking time for garlic is much less than that of an onion. If you try to saute sliced garlic first, the garlic flakes will get fired brown by the time onions are not even half done. By the end garlic will have become carbonized, leaving an acrid smell in the whole dish. Not very appetizing. The right time to put in the garlic is by the time onions are half done then bot onions and garlic will be done at the same time and the flavors will blend giving the dish a very appetizing aroma. Here is one more trick to blend in almost all vegetables with garlic when sauteing. Let the vegetables be half done, add garlic a few moments after you add salt. Salt has this nature of bringing out the juices from vegetables. When garlic cooks in these juices it adds to the flavor and aroma. Happy cooking!

Hello totallyundecided, If you do not do the garlic or onions first they take a lot longer to get soft or carmelize for the onions and the garlic it is get the juice or flavour mixed in better when they are hot with the other ingredients. I hope this helps. I have tried to do the garlic and onions later on in the receipe and it did not taste right with the dish. Thanks and have a great day Sincerely unique16

When I am cooking I am actually using a recipe book wherein most of them time the recipe book says that I have to put onions and garlic all together. That is why when I am cooking the other dishes I am putting them just both and it does not matter to me if what should I prioritize. Although I agree as what others said that garlic easily burn.

Well you can actually cook either first. However, garlic can easily be burned and tends to be dark when over cooked. I have learned this in one cooking show as well, that the reason they sautéed onions first to avoid the garlic getting burned. I believe in terms of the flavor there isn't much of a difference at all.

Onions take longer to cook than garlic, therefor you need to put them in first, If I read any recipe that says put them in together, I stop reading. Obviously the writer isn't a cook. If someone tells me to put them in at the same time, I sarcastically ask if they are trying for raw onions or burnt garlic.

It's very important not to brown the garlic, it turns very bitter fast. If you put onion in first and them the garlic you can control the cooking of the garlic easier.

I am also a novice but I cook first the garlic then the onions. I would say that it really will depends on how you like the garlic be looking. I want my garlic be brownish, since it taste bad when it is half cook. right? the onions would also depends on what dish you are preparing. for adobo it would be nice to have a medium cook onions, for corn beef, i do it very long making it soft before putting the corn beef in.

I always cook the garlic first. Then I put the onions. I was told that that's how to cook it. I always want the garlic a little bit brown... and the onions are cooked when they are a little translucent. They taste really great! Just experiment for a while and you'll get the flavor you want.

I think the best way is to saute onion first and garlic second because garlic is easy to be burn and trust me no one wants the taste of burned garlic to their food. Onion in the other hand is way longer to be burned and the longer you cook it the more it caramelized and it tasted good. One more tip when sauteing garlic is that when you smell the aroma then that's the sign that it is done and you can add onions and stuff!