Roasted Garlic
This Roasted Garlic recipe is a simple method for how to roast garlic in the oven. I’m also sharing ideas for how to use roasted garlic and how to store it.
I love garlic, but sometimes the sharp flavor of raw garlic can be too much. That’s where roasted garlic comes in. Baking garlic in the oven softens its flavor and makes it smooth and spreadable. It’s like magic! I can’t get enough of the sweet, delicate flavor and love to spread freshly roasted garlic on everything from toasted bread to roasted vegetables.
My favorite way to roast garlic is to roast the garlic bulbs whole. Since you don’t have to peel the garlic or separate the cloves, this method is especially easy. The cloves bake perfectly inside the papery skins, and once roasted the skins are easy to remove.
How to Roast Garlic
Roasting garlic in the oven is really simple. You can use this method to roast one head of garlic or more. I usually roast a few garlic bulbs at a time, because they can be easily stored in the freezer or refrigerator for later use. You’ll find storage tips below.
To start, if there are any loose papery skins on the garlic head, remove them. Don’t peel the garlic or separate the cloves though, since we’re roasting the garlic bulb whole. Use a sharp knife to cut off about 1/4-inch from the top of the bulb, just enough to expose the tops of the cloves.
Place the garlic bulb on a piece of foil. If you’re roasting a few bulbs, they can all be wrapped in the same piece of foil. Drizzle the garlic with a little of olive oil. This helps to keep the garlic moist as it bakes and adds a bit of flavor. Sprinkle on a bit of salt and black pepper, if desired. I like to use coarse kosher salt for flavor.
Then wrap the foil up and around the garlic, keeping the bulb sitting upright. Place the wrapped garlic in a baking dish or on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° F for 40-55 minutes, or until the garlic is soft and golden brown.
Finally, let the garlic rest for a few minutes until it is cool enough to handle. Use your fingers or a small fork to remove the roasted garlic cloves from the skins. You can use them as is, mash them to use in your favorite recipes, or freeze for later.
Recipe Tips
- To tell if the garlic is done baking, squeeze the foil-wrapped bulbs gently. Be sure to use an oven mitt or towel to protect your hand from the heat. If the garlic feels soft, then you can open up the foil to peek and see if the garlic has browned enough.
- If you don’t want to cook with foil, you can wrap the garlic cloves in parchment paper instead.
- To bake garlic in a muffin tin, place the heads of garlic in the individual wells of the muffin tin. Drizzle with olive oil and then cover with foil. This is a great way to roast a lot of garlic at once.
How to Use Roasted Garlic
Roasted garlic is so versatile! It’s perfect for spreading or mixing into dishes like pasta or potatoes.
- Mashed Potatoes: Roasted garlic makes the best Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Or mash the cloves from one head of roasted garlic into Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.
- Pasta: Mash the garlic and then toss it with warm pasta, along with a bit of olive oil or butter. Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese and enjoy.
- Bread: Spread mashed roasted garlic on toasted crusty bread.
- Roasted Vegetables: Toss roasted garlic cloves with roasted carrots, Brussels sprouts or cauliflower.
- Sandwich Spread: The subtle sweet flavor of roasted garlic makes it a delicious spread for a veggie sandwich, air fryer grilled cheese, and more.
- Hummus: Blend it into hummus for the best roasted garlic hummus.
How to Store Roasted Garlic
- Refrigerator: To keep roasted garlic fresh for longer in the refrigerator, you can store it covered in olive oil. First, peel the papery skins off of the garlic cloves and place them in a small glass jar. Cover the cloves with olive oil and place a lid on the jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Without olive oil, roasted garlic can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
- Freezer: To freeze, first peel the papery skins off of the roasted garlic cloves. Then freeze the cloves in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, you can transfer the garlic to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze mashed roasted garlic. I like to freeze it in tablespoon sized portions for easy usage. First, freeze the individual portions of mashed garlic on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Once frozen, you can transfer the garlic portions to an airtight container and freeze without worrying about them sticking together.
More Garlic Recipes
Roasted Garlic Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 whole garlic bulb, or more
- olive oil
- salt and pepper, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- If the garlic bulb has any loose papery skins, remove them. Do not peel the garlic though, as you want the cloves to stay together in the bulb. Slice off about ¼ inch of the top of the garlic bulb, or enough to expose the tops of the garlic cloves.
- Place garlic bulb(s) on a piece of foil. Drizzle with olive oil. If desired, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap the foil up and around the garlic, keeping the bulb sitting upright.
- Place the foil-wrapped garlic in a small baking dish. Roast in the oven for 40-55 minutes, until garlic is soft and browned.
- Let the garlic bulb cool until it is cool enough to handle. Then use a small fork and your fingers to remove the roasted garlic cloves from the papery skins. Use roasted garlic in recipes that call for roasted garlic, mash it and spread it on toasted crusty bread, or freeze for later use.
Notes
- To Store in the Refrigerator: First, peel the papery skins off of the roasted garlic cloves and place them in a small glass jar. Cover the cloves with olive oil and place a lid on the jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Without olive oil, roasted garlic can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
- To Freeze: Peel the papery skins off of the roasted garlic cloves. Then freeze the cloves in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, you can transfer the garlic to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze mashed roasted garlic. I like to freeze it in tablespoon sized portions for easy usage. First, freeze the individual portions of mashed garlic on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Once frozen, you can transfer the garlic portions to an airtight container and freeze without worrying about them sticking together.
