How to Roast Garlic

You’re about to master the technique for Roasting Garlic in the Oven the best and easiest way with this simple method! Heads of garlic are wrapped in foil and baked to tender, sweet perfection. These caramelized cloves have so much flavor and are excellent in endless dishes, or simply spread on baguettes!

Roasting garlic in the oven is one of those simple cooking techniques that can initially seem intimidating.

After all, how can something SO decadent also be quick and easy to do?

You are in luck today, my friend, because roasting a head of garlic in the oven is SO super simple to do.

Think of roasting garlic in the oven as more of a process than a recipe.

There are only THREE ingredients required (yup, that’s it!) and your hands-on time is less than 5 minutes.

And in those 5 minutes you not only get ONE roasted garlic clove, but you can crank out an entire HEAD.  This is a secret weapon you can keep on hand when you want to add a little pizzazz to any dish. (Like this Roasted Garlic Mashed Cauliflower!)

Ingredients

For this roasted garlic recipe you will only need a few simple ingredients:

• Heads of garlic. When selecting make sure you find ones that are free of mold. Also, if you are roasting more than just one at a time make sure they are a similar size.
• Oil. Avocado oil is preferred since you’ll be roasting the garlic at a high heat. Choose a good quality oil for the best taste. You can also use olive oil if you would prefer.
• Salt. Either a coarser sea salt, or a finer salt will both work.

How to Roast Garlic in the Oven

Here are the basic steps for this roasted garlic recipe. Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.

Peel the skin

Peel and remove almost all of the papery skin from the head(s) of garlic you will be roasting. Stop just before you get to the last layer. You want to keep the skin that is tightly adhered to the garlic cloves.

Expose the cloves

Cut off ½-inch from the tip of the head of garlic. If you do not see all of the garlic cloves simply trim around the other cloves so they are all exposed.

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Add Some Oil

Rub in some oil and sprinkle the cloves with a bit of salt. Salt is optional, but it helps to bring out the natural flavor of the roasted garlic.

Wrap it Up

Wrap up the prepared heads of garlic in foil or place them in a loaf pan that is covered with aluminum foil. A piece of parchment paper can be added between the foil and the garlic if you’re concerned about the foil contacting your food.

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Roast in Oven

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 40-50 minutes.

This will largely depend on how large or small the heads of garlic are. Check on them at about 40-45 minutes to ensure they do not burn.

Remove the Cloves

Wait until the garlic has cooled until it is safe to the touch to remove the cloves.

The easiest way to do this is to place a small spoon around the rim of each garlic clove, twist it around to loosen up the skin, and then push down to pop out the garlic clove.

Expert Tip: If you do not want to heat up your oven, you can also roast garlic in a skillet by following these instructions. Fair warning: they will not get nearly as soft and tender as roasting them in the oven will produce!

Meal Prep and Storage

• To Prep-Ahead: Roast up garlic to have on hand for recipes for the week.
• To Store: Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, or up to a week if stored in olive oil.
• To Freeze: Place the roasted cloves in a single layer on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months.
• To Reheat: Warm in the microwave, or simply add to your recipes as you are cooking.

FAQs

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Similar in size and shape. You want them to cook up evenly if you are roasting multiple heads at a time.
• Don’t overdo it. Just a drizzle of oil and a sprinkle of salt is all you need.
• Protect with parchment. If you don’t want the foil touching the garlic, place parchment paper in between.
• Take a peak. Garlic will burn, so be sure to check on them after 40 minutes.
• Scoop with a spoon. The easiest technique to get the clove to pop right out.

Ways to Use Roasted Garlic

You have all of this oven roasted garlic, now what should you do with it? Here are a few of my favorite roasted garlic recipes:

• Use it in this Mashed Cauliflower recipe.
• Add it to a Roasted Broccoli recipe.
• Use it in an Instant Pot Chicken Vegetable Soup
  • (Or one of these other Healthy Soup Recipes.)
• Serve it up on a toasted baguette with some Roasted Cherry Tomatoes