How to Roast Garlic (Plus a Bonus Recipe!)

Oven-roasted garlic is the new latest and greatest Internet culinary craze. Everything old is new again, huh?

Seemingly simple, this take on a savory topper to vegetables and Italian-inspired dishes has foodies in a frenzy. It’s unclear what made this classic technique so trendy again, but roasted garlic cloves have a delicious aroma and a mellow, rich taste. Like other alliums, garlic is a good source of prebiotic fiber to feed your gut microbiota, and it boasts some other impressive health benefits as well. Even if you usually find garlic a bit too pungent for your taste, I’d strongly encourage you to give this recipe a try.

Making Roasted Garlic

Makes: Recipe is for one head of garlic, but you can make as many as you want at one time!

Ingredients

Directions

The smell and taste of roasted garlic is delicious in SO many recipes, and it’s very simple to make.

To make roasted garlic, first cut off the top quarter or third of your head of garlic horizontally so you can see all of the little cloves inside.

Next, you have three options depending on what you have on hand:

1. Place the head of garlic cut side up in the center of a small piece of parchment. Drizzle a teaspoon or two of olive oil or avocado oil on top of the exposed cloves. Wrap the parchment up over the garlic and tie with a piece of butcher twine.
2. Place the head of garlic cut side up in the center of a small piece of parchment. Drizzle a teaspoon or two of olive or avocado oil on top. Wrap up the parchment over the garlic like a little package. Then place the covered garlic in the center of a small piece of foil and wrap the foil up over the top of the garlic.
3. Place the garlic in a small ramekin cut side up and drizzle it with oil.

Any of the above options will work! Once you’ve prepped your garlic, place it on a small sheet pan and put it in a 375 degree Fahrenheit (190 degree Celsius) oven for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the garlic cloves are soft.

When finished, allow the garlic to cool for a few minutes, then remove it from whatever paper or container it is in. Squeeze the garlic from the bottom so the cloves squeeze out of the top. Squeeze the roasted cloves into a small ramekin and then use in your favorite recipe.

How to Store Roasted Garlic

I find that I use roasted garlic right away, so I personally never need to store it. There are concerns about botulism from storing garlic in oil at room temperature, so store garlic covered in oil in the fridge for short-term storage. However, I recommend if you make extra garlic and want to store it, keeping it in the freezer works best.

Simply squeeze out the cloves and place them into a freezer-safe vessel, or mix them with oil and freeze the mixture in ice cube trays.

Ways to Use Roasted Garlic:

Add roasted garlic to your favorite roasted vegetables, salad dressings, or soups. Below are a few recipes in which you can use roasted garlic. Simply add as much roasted garlic as you want or replace 1 to 2 times the amount of garlic in the recipe with the roasted garlic:

Butternut Squash Soup
Swedish Meatballs
Mashed Root Vegetables
Lemon Butter Chicken

Bonus Recipe: Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

This is a great little salad dressing featuring roasted garlic. It is delicious over massaged kale salads and can be adapted for any type of salad year round!

Ingredients:

• 1 head roasted garlic
• 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. honey
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

To make this dressing, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out into a small bowl and mash with the olive oil. Whisk in the lemon juice, vinegar, onion powder, and honey. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dress your salad and enjoy!

More Recipes for Garlic Lovers from Mark’s Daily Apple:

Roasted Garlic FAQs

How long does it take to roast garlic?

With your oven set to 400 degrees, you’ll want to cook garlic cloves for 30 to 40 minutes. You’ll know they are done when they feel soft when you press on them. They should have a nice carmelized color and a rich aroma.

How long does roasted garlic last?

When kept in an airtight container, roasted garlic should last about 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Alternatively, freeze whole roasted garlic cloves on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then transfer them to an airtight container. Or, mash the cloves and freeze them in ice cube trays with olive oil.

Can you cook garlic in the air fryer?

You can! If your air fryer has a Bake or Roast setting, you can follow the directions above. Start checking the garlic after 20 minutes and remove it when it’s soft. Or, air fry at 380 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Is garlic a vegetable?

Yes, garlic is technically a vegetable. More specifically, garlic is an allium, as are onions, leeks, shallots, chives, and scallions. You can eat garlic raw or cooked. Garlic has long been used used in traditional medicine, and research suggests it indeed has many health benefits.

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