How to Roast Garlic

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Wondering how to add depth of flavor to your potatoes, casseroles, pasta and breads? Learn how to roast garlic. It’s easier than think!

I love recipes that hold a secret. We have several of them. Have you tried any? The heavy cream on the rolls, or the oil and salt on the perfect baked potatoes. The pad of butter in the strawberry sauce that makes it so rich.

Have you ever had a recipe that you liked, but it just needed something small to boost the flavor and texture a bit? If you have, we’re going to share a tip today that can take many savory recipes to the next level.

It’s all about how to roast garlic.

This little twist can really make big changes in your family’s favorite recipes.

A close up of roasted garlic

What does roasted garlic taste like?

Roasted garlic will still taste like garlic, but it will also have a sweet flavor, and that comes from the fact that it gets slightly caramelized as it roasts in the oven. Roasted garlic has a milder flavor than raw garlic.

What are the benefits of roasted garlic?

Roasted garlic has many healthy benefits! According to this article, garlic can boost immunity, calm inflamed joints and muscles, improve heart health, clear up skin, treat athlete’s foot, and even kill bacteria in your food that may lead to food poisoning.

Although there are many health benefits, don’t add too much to your diet too quickly. It can cause stomach problems.

Note: There are the most benefits in eating garlic when it is raw.

How to Make Roasted Garlic

Roasted Garlic Ingredients.

Besides whole garlic heads, there are just a few ingredients you need for flavorful roasted garlic:

  • 10 medium heads garlic
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

How to Roast Garlic.

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Line baking sheet with foil.
  • Carefully peel off several loose layers of the garlic “skin”, but make sure that the clove stays together.
  • Cut the top off the garlic head (not the root end) so that the cloves are exposed.
A wooden cutting board, with Garlic
  • Sprinkle the cut ends of garlic with olive oil. Rub the oil into the cut ends slightly. Then sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
garlic on a foil lined pan
  • Turn the cloves over so the cut side is down. 
garlic on a foil lined pan
  • Fold the edges of foil up around the garlic cloves and tent it to cover the bulbs.
  • Bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes, until the garlic is soft.
  • Let the garlic cool for about 20 minutes.
garlic on a foil lined pan

How to Roast Garlic Without Foil

Many don’t like to bake foods with foil. You can roast garlic without foil, but if you don’t cover it at all, it may dry out. Here are a few options:

  • Place a clear oven safe bowl over the garlic and cook.
  • Wrap the garlic in parchment paper (NOT wax paper).
  • Use the muffin tin technique (described below).

How to Roast Garlic in a Muffin Tin

Another option is to use a cupcake pan to roast garlic. The garlic heads are often the perfect size to fit inside the muffin holes. If you have a second muffin pan of the same size, use that to cover the muffin pan with the cloves in it. No foil needed!

How do you get roast garlic out of the bulb?

After the bulbs have cooled, hold the uncut end of the garlic bulb and simply squeeze the soft cloves out. It should be really easy to squeeze out and be so soft that it slightly mashes when you squeeze.

What do you eat roasted garlic with?

You can spread roasted garlic on toast or Italian bread. Add roasted garlic cloves to mashed potatoes. Or spaghetti sauce. Or alfredo sauce. Or Italian casseroles.

Rub it on turkey, grilled burgers, or add it to cheese balls.

We love it added to macaroni and cheese, too! The possibilities really are endless. Any recipe that calls for garlic, you can kick up the flavor a bit by adding roasted garlic.

A bowl of roasted garlic

How to Store Roasted Garlic

How you store oven roasted garlic will depend on how long you are going to keep it. How long will roasted garlic keep? Here are some guidelines:

  • If you are using garlic within 3 days, store it in an airtight container or zippered baggie in the refrigerator.
  • If you are using garlic within a week, submerge the garlic in olive oil and refrigerate it for a week.
  • If you want to freeze garlic, mash it up and store it in teaspoon or tablespoon size helpings in an a zippered bag (or ice cube tray). Freeze for up to 3 months.
A close up of roasted garlic

Roasted Garlic Recipes

How to Roast Garlic
How to Roast Garlic

How to Make Roasted Garlic

5 from 4 votes
Add a boost of flavor to your favorite recipes with this easy oven roasted garlic recipe.
Servings 10
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour

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Ingredients
 

  • 10 medium heads garlic
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Line baking sheet with foil.
  • Cut the top off the garlic head (not the root end) so that the cloves are exposed.
  • Carefully peel off any loose pieces of garlic skin, being very careful not to separate the bulbs.
  • Sprinkle the cut ends of garlic with olive oil. Rub the oil into the cut ends slightly. Then sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
  • Turn the cloves over so the cut side is down.
  • Fold the edges of foil up around the garlic cloves and tent it to cover the bulbs.
  • Bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes, until the garlic is soft.
  • Let the garlic cool for about 20 minutes.
  • Squeeze the soft roasted garlic out and serve.

Notes

The calories shown are based on one garlic bulb, medium size. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition

Calories: 42kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg
Course Condiment
Cuisine American
Calories 42
Keyword garlic, roasted garlic
A close up of roasted garlic
About JulieJulie Clark

About Julie Clark

I'm Julie Clark, CEO and recipe developer of Tastes of Lizzy T. With my B.A. in Education and over 30 years of cooking and baking, I want to teach YOU the best of our family recipes.

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Leanne Hopkins
1 month ago

Can the roasted garlic be freeze dried?

Christine
2 years ago

5 stars
Thank you for sending this recipe to me! Roasted 2 Garlic heads for a recipe tomorrow. Fantastic!

Diane
3 years ago

Great article! I’m definitely going to try it.

Allen
3 years ago

Hello – so glad to have found you – I’m an old guy bachelor trying to spice up my plain Jane repositoria of things I remember from my mom’s cooking – already used several of your recipes – just writing now to say thank you and please keep ’em coming – I live alone so I’m also looking for single serving portions (don’t want to regain the weight I’ve already lost) – thanks again – Allen

Gale
4 years ago

How long will it last in the fridge? I was thinking of mixing with butter to have on hand.