• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Buy This Cook That
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Meal Plans
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » 5 Ingredients or Less

    How to Roast Garlic (And When to Use It)

    Updated Sep 13, 2020

    512 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    How to Roast Garlic

    It has recently occurred to me that roasted garlic is a good cook's secret weapon. Sure, I use garlic a lot. Usually I start with it raw, mince it up, and use it in my recipes. However, there is something magical that happens when you learn how to roast garlic. Garlic takes on a whole new personality. I consider it a glow up. Keep reading to learn how to roast garlic and how to use it.

    overhead picture of three heads of garlic in foil

    Learn How to Roast Garlic to Make Your Food Even More Delicious

    Have you ever ordered a savory meal at a restaurant and it was simply amazing...then you wonder how in the world they made it so delicious?

    It was probably roasted garlic.

    I'm not a professional chef, and I've never been to culinary school, but I have a very strong feeling that learning how to roast garlic is one of those tricks that chefs use to take their recipes to the next level.

    The great thing is that you can roast your own garlic at home with no special equipment and simple ingredients.

    overhead picture of garlic on a wooden board

    What You'll Need to Do This at Home:

    • Whole heads of garlic
    • Extra virgin olive oil
    • Salt + pepper
    • Aluminum foil

    Yep. That's it.

    You can roast just a few heads, or a whole bunch. No worries, we will show you how we store it later in this post.

    drizzling olive oil

    I do recommend that you use a good quality olive oil for the best tasting results. Also, you only need a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper.

    How to Roast Garlic:

    1. First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
    2. On a flat surface, arrange a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to wrap your garlic in.
    3. Slice the TOPS of the garlic heads off about ¼ of an inch to expose the cloves. (The top is the pointed end of the garlic, NOT the root end.)
    4. Drizzle the garlic with olive oil. Use about 1 teaspoon per head.
    5. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper over the top.
    6. Fold the aluminum foil loosely over the garlic on all sides, tucking and folding to secure it. Make sure the seam side stays up.
    7. Place the foil packet directly on the center oven rack and bake for 45 minutes.
    8. Remove the foil packet from the oven, let cool. Open and squeeze out the garlic to use.

    TIP: It is best to use large, full heads of garlic for this method. This makes them easier to squeeze and get the cloves out.

    a foil pack
    picture inside an oven

    I normally roast garlic while I'm baking something else. The foil packet fits easily in the oven next to just about anything. This makes it more efficient that firing up the oven if you are roasting a small batch.

    The garlic cloveswill squeeze out so easily, as the roasting process turns it into a golden, nutty butter-like consistency. And your house will smell soooooo good.

    garlic

    How to Use + Eat Roasted Garlic:

    1. Serve with other roasted vegetables and eat it as is. The soft, golden cloves of garlic are mouthwatering.
    2. Mash the garlic cloves with softened butter for a delicious spread for bread. Stir in a few chopped herbs for color.
    3. Love mashed potatoes? Add a few (or several) cloves of the yummy garlic into your recipe for a twist.
    4. Use in your favorite pastas sauces. Like this one: Roasted Garlic Marinara Sauce.
    5. Mix with mayo and a little sriracha sauce to create your own homemade sandwich spread.
    6. Smear over a grilled steak for a sauce-free experience.
    7. Use as a pizza topping. Yep. Pop the whole cloves right on your pizza. Dynamite.
    8. Whizz with oil, vinegar, and Italian seasoning for a zesty vinaigrette.
    9. Grab your fave store-bought hummus and stir in mashed cloves.
    10. Stir into your soup recipes for a deeper flavor.
    11. Create gourmet infused olive oil.
    How to Roast Garlic

    Recipes You Might Like:

    Roasted Okra, Peppers + Vidalia

    Patatas Bravas with Garlic Tomato Sauce

    Creamy Garlic Mushroom Chicken

    How to Store Roasted Garlic:

    There are a couple of ways you can safely freeze roasted garlic to use at a later time. Here are my most-used methods:

    • Place the garlic cloves into a jar. Cover completely with olive oil. Seal and refrigerate. You can also place the whole head in oil if you prefer.
    • Using a plastic ice cube tray, place one or two cloves in each section. Cover with oil and freeze. Transfer to a freezer safe storage bag and pop in the freezer. This makes them easy to grab and use as you need them.
    • You can also freeze the entire heads. Place them on a tray, freeze, then transfer to air-tight freezer containers.
    garlic preserved in olive oil

    What are the Benefits of Roast Garlic?

    In my opinion, the number one benefit of roast garlic is the amazing, rich, flavor that it adds to your recipes.

    It also allows you to take advantage of excess garlic. For example, if you are a gardener and have an abundance of fresh garlic, this is a great way to use and store it for later use. The same statement applies for a great deal at your farmer's market, too.

    Garlic is a well-known for its health benefits. Enjoying it roasted is another way to incorporate it into your diet.

    garlic

    How to Roast Garlic

    Learn how to roast garlic with this easy method. This simple technique will add so much flavor to your favorite recipes.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Email Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 45 mins
    Cooling Time 15 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 1 Head
    Calories 40 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 garlic head
    • 1 teaspoon Extra virgin olive oil
    • Salt + pepper
    • Aluminum foil

    Instructions
     

    • First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • On a flat surface, arrange a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to wrap your garlic in.
    • Slice the TOPS of the garlic heads off about ¼ of an inch to expose the cloves. (The top is the pointed end of the garlic, NOT the root end.)
    • Drizzle the garlic with olive oil. Use about 1 teaspoon per head.
    • Sprinkle a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper over the top.
    • Fold the aluminum foil loosely over the garlic on all sides, tucking and folding to secure it. Make sure the seam side stays up.
    • Place the foil packet directly on the center oven rack and bake for 45 minutes.
    • Remove the foil packet from the oven, let cool. Open and squeeze out the garlic to use.

    Notes

    The nutritional information and recipe is based on ONE head of garlic for ease of calculation. You can roast one or several heads of garlic at one time.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1HeadCalories: 40kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1mgSugar: 1gVitamin C: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Recipes that Use 5 Ingredients or Less

    • Bacon Wrapped Grilled Cabbage
      How to Make Bacon Wrapped Grilled Cabbage
    • Strawberry Tart
      Fresh Strawberry Tarts - A Simple Dessert Recipe
    • Pickled Onion Rings
      Deliciously Sweet + Dilly Pickled Onion Rings
    • Stuffed Chicken
      Bacon Jalapeno Stuffed Chicken

    SUBSCRIBE

    for weekly recipes.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ron

      March 02, 2020 at 7:07 am

      5 stars
      Haven't tried it yet, but certainly will. Love garlic it's one of the fine things that is actually good for you.

      Reply
      • Teri

        March 02, 2020 at 11:43 am

        Yes it is! Hope you like it.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Playoff Ready

    How to Host a Football Party on a Budget

    Nashville Hot Chicken Wraps

    Nashville Hot Chicken Wraps

    Smoked Bacon Brisket Fries

    Smoked Bacon Brisket Fries

    Cheese Dip

    Skillet Chili Cheese Dip

    More Game Day Recipes →

    Salad Recipes

    Mandarin Chinese Chicken Salad

    Melon Fruit Salad with Honey Yogurt Dressing

    pasta salad

    Bacon Tomato Avocado Salad with Pasta

    Fresh & colorful, this spicy and crunchy Jamaican Slaw Recipe is a flavor-packed side dish. Sweet and bright peppers with healthy cabbage.

    Spicy Jamaican Slaw Recipe

    More Salad Recipes →

    Free Meal Plans

    Footer

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy + Disclosure

    Free Meal Plans

    • Sign Up! for Free Meal Plans

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2022 Buy This Cook That