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Learn How to Roast Garlic in the oven for perfectly softened, caramelized, and flavorful cloves-It’s easy!
Roasting garlic is a simple process with beautiful results. It is an essential cooking skill and culinary game-changer with a massive impact on flavor.
If you’ve ever cooked with raw garlic, you may have noticed its strong and pungent flavor. Roasting it in the oven mellows the harshness and intensifies the flavor. The result is sweet, caramelized, and softened garlic cloves, perfect for sauces, breads, mashed potatoes, or any other dish begging for a little garlic magic. Plus, you get to skip the hassle of peeling.
Picking Garlic Bulbs for Roasting
Choosing fresh garlic bulbs is crucial for the best-roasted garlic. When shopping for garlic, look for larger, heavier bulbs. Larger bulbs have larger cloves, which are better for roasting. You’ll also want to check for freshness. Bulbs should feel firm, not soft, and avoid bulbs with green sprouts, dark spots, mold, or blemishes.
How to Roast Garlic in the Oven
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Prepare the garlic bulb(s): Remove any loose outer layers from the garlic bulb’s paper skin, but leave the bulb intact with all the cloves connected. Use a sharp knife to carefully slice off about 1/4 inch from the top of the bulb to expose the tops of the garlic cloves. Place the garlic bulb on a piece of aluminum and drizzle with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil over the cut surface so that the oil seeps into the exposed cloves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (optional). Wrap the garlic bulb loosely with the foil, creating a sealed packet to trap steam.
3. Roast the garlic: Transfer the garlic to a baking sheet and bake for 35-45 minutes, depending on the bulb size. The garlic is roasted when the cloves are golden brown, soft, and fragrant.
4. Cool and serve: Remove the garlic from the oven and carefully open the foil packets. Allow the bulbs to cool for 5-10 minutes before gently squeezing the bulb to push out the softened roasted garlic cloves.
Air Fryer Roasted Garlic
The air fryer is a quick and easy way to roast garlic. Preheat your air fryer to 370°F (188°C) (if preheating is recommended for your model) and prepare the garlic as outlined in the instructions above (step #2). Transfer the wrapped garlic to the air fryer basket and cook for 20-25 minutes, checking at the 15-minute mark. The garlic is roasted when the cloves are golden brown, soft, and fragrant.
Love Garlic? You may also enjoy,
- What is a Clove of Garlic?
- How to Mince Garlic
- 10-Minute Garlic Bok Choy Recipe
- Garlic Butter Pork Chop Recipe (Ready in Just 15 Minutes!)
- Asian Garlic Noodles
- Garlic Aioli
Roasted Garlic Recipe – How to Roast Garlic
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Prepare the garlic bulb(s): Remove any loose outer layers from the garlic bulb's paper skin, but leave the bulb intact with all the cloves connected. Use a sharp knife to carefully slice off about 1/4 inch from the top of the bulb to expose the tops of the garlic cloves.
- Place the garlic bulb on a piece of aluminum and drizzle with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil over the cut surface so that the oil seeps into the exposed cloves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (optional).
- Wrap the garlic bulb loosely with the foil, creating a sealed packet to trap steam.
- Roast the garlic: Transfer the garlic to a baking sheet and bake for 35-45 minutes, depending on the bulb size. The garlic is roasted when the cloves are golden brown, soft, and fragrant.
- Cool and serve: Remove the garlic from the oven and carefully open the foil packets. Allow the bulbs to cool for 5-10 minutes before gently squeezing the bulb to push out the softened roasted garlic cloves.
Notes
- You can roast multiple heads of garlic at the same time. I like to roast 5-6 heads of garlic simultaneously, saving leftovers for later use.
- Refrigeration: Remove the roasted garlic cloves from the bulb and transfer them to an airtight jar or container. Add enough oil to the jar or container so that the cloves are just covered. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Freezer: Remove the roasted garlic cloves from the bulb and transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
