How To Roast Garlic
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Roasted Garlic is one of my most frequently used kitchen staples. The sharp bite of raw garlic softens into something completely different once it's roasted. It becomes sweet, mellow, and almost buttery in texture, and it's perfect for mixing into mashed potatoes, spreading on crusty bread, or stirring into sauces and soups. Today, we're going to teach you how to roast garlic at home.
If you've never roasted garlic before, you'll be amazed at how simple it is. All it takes is a head of garlic, a drizzle of olive oil, and a little time in the oven. The transformation is nothing short of magical. It also makes your kitchen smell amazing, which is always a bonus.
Once you see how easy it is, you'll want to keep a few heads of roasted garlic on hand at all times. It stores beautifully in the fridge or freezer and adds instant flavor to any savory dish.
Table of Contents
- Here's Why You'll Love This
- Ingredients You'll Need
- In Photos: How to Make Roasted Garlic
- Helpful Tips & Tricks
- More Homemade Recipes
Here's Why You'll Love This
- Sweet, mellow flavor with none of the sharpness of raw garlic.
- Incredibly easy to make with just a few basic ingredients!
- This is a very versatile recipe. You can spread it, mix it, stir it into just about anything.
- Roasted garlic is make-ahead friendly and lasts in the fridge or freezer for easy meal prep.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Garlic: Use a whole head, unpeeled, with cloves still connected.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Adds flavor and helps the garlic caramelize.
- Kosher salt: Just a pinch brings out the sweetness.
In Photos: How to Make Roasted Garlic
Step 1: Identify The Right End
First, you'll want to identify the stem end and the root end. The root end is what holds the garlic head together, so you don't want to cut that. Instead, you'll be working with the stem end.
Step 2: Peel
Peel away the papery outer layers of the garlic, leaving the cloves exposed.
Step 3: Trim
Slice off about ¼ to ½-inch from the stem end of the garlic, exposing the tips of the cloves.
Step 4: Prep
Place the head in aluminum foil (use enough foil so you can wrap up the head). Drizzle with olive oil, covering each clove).
Step 5: Add Salt
Sprinkle kosher salt on top.
Step 6: Wrap In Foil
Wrap the foil tightly around the head.
Step 7: Alternate Methods
Alternately, you can place the garlic head in a ramekin, drizzle with olive oil and salt, then cover the top of the ramekin with foil.
Step 8: Roast
Roast for 35-45 minutes until the garlic is soft and caramelized (the larger the bulb, the longer it will need to roast). Let the garlic cool for 5-10 minutes, then squeeze the bulb to remove the cloves.
Helpful Tips & Tricks
- Tip 1: Save any leftover oil after roasting. You can use this garlic infused oil for cooking or in salad dressings.
- Tip 2: Mash the garlic into a paste after squeezing it from the cloves. This makes it easier to use.
- Tip 3: Garlic that is roasted in a ramekin might have less caramelization than if wrapped in foil. You can bump up the oven temperature to 425 degrees F toward the end and continue roasting until you get the desired color.
More Homemade Recipes
- How To Make Homemade Buttermilk
- Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix
- How to Make Homemade Marshmallows
- Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Homemade Pasta Recipe
- Homemade Vanilla Extract
- Homemade Soft Pretzel Recipe
As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- 2-3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Leaving the head intact so the cloves stay connected, peel away the papery outer layers of the garlic.
- Slice off about ¼ to ½-inch from the stem end of the garlic, exposing the tips of the cloves. (Do not cut the root end. That's the side holding the cloves together).
- Place the garlic on a piece of foil with overhang, sliced side up. Drizzle olive oil over the exposed cloves, then sprinkle lightly with salt. Alternately, you can place the head in a small ramekin, sliced side up. Add the olive oil and salt, then cover the top the ramekin with foil.
- Place on a baking sheet (in case the oil drips) and roast for 35-45 minutes until soft and caramelized (the larger the bulb, the longer it will need to roast). Roasting multiple heads at once might increase the time.
- Let the garlic cool for 5-10 minutes, then squeeze the bulb to remove the cloves.
- Use immediately, refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
