This roasted garlic recipe is easy to make and results in tender, sweet, caramelized, creamy, golden garlic cloves that are perfect for adding to mashed potatoes, bread, soups, and more!
Have you ever tasted roasted garlic? It is truly transformational! Pungent, sharp garlic becomes sweet and nutty without any of its raw edges. It is easier to digest while not losing any of its tremendous health benefits.
As a chef, both at my restaurant and in my catering business, we would take the last of the farmers market garlic, and roast it off whole in large hotel pans, freezing some for future use. On those days the kitchen smelled heavenly.
Here, I’ll teach you how to roast garlic in two different ways: whole garlic heads or peeled individual garlic cloves.
I’ll also share a few chef’s tricks for storing and preserving roasted garlic and, my favorite, making a roasted garlic paste to use at home or in your restaurant. You’ll find a million uses for roasted garlic! I love the flavorful depth it imparts, giving food a beautiful complexity.
Why You’ll Love Roasted Garlic
- The flavor! Roasting garlic concentrates the sugars, transforming it into a caramelized, spreadable, buttery texture with sweet, deep, nutty, earthy, complex flavors. This process removes all the sharpness, pungency, and bite.
- Increases Digestibility! It’s easier to digest for many people, while not losing any of the health benefits!
What you’ll need
- Fresh Raw Garlic– either whole heads of garlic (garlic bulbs) or peeled garlic cloves.
- Extra Virgin Olive oil
- Optional: salt and pepper
How to Roast Garlic
- With a sharp knife, cut off half-inch of the tips off so the inner cloves are exposed.
- Place in a well-oiled skillet or baking dish and drizzle with oil and optional salt and pepper. Feel free to add fresh herbs. We skip the foil packet to minimize aluminum exposure.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35- 40 minutes in a 400F oven.
- Uncover and continue roasting until caramelized and golden, 10-20 more minutes.
When they come out, they will be golden, tender, and creamy. Let them cool and just squeeze them out.
How to Roast peeled Garlic
Now, if you happen to buy big bags of peeled garlic, roasting garlic is even easier! You can roast big batches, blend the paste, and freeze the resulting paste in little jars, pulling them out as needed.
- Place 1 cup peeled garlic cloves in a well-oiled glass baking dish (TIP: a glass baking dish lets you see the level of color as it develops.) Again, we skip using a “foil packet” to minimize aluminum exposure.
- Toss generously with 2-3 tablespoons olive oil (and optional salt and pepper)
- Cover with foil. Bake at 400F until tender and golden, 20-30 minutes
Peel the garlic and place in a baking dish, drizzle with oil and cover with foil. When it’s done the roasted garlic will be golden, buttery and delicious. I let these go a little longer because my husband really enjoys a little of the edges crispy and caramelized texture.
How to store roasted garlic
Roasted garlic can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
How to Make Garlic Paste!
Make a garlic “paste” (see photo below) by pureeing roasted garlic with a little olive oil, place in a jar, cover with a layer of olive oil and keep in the fridge for up to 10 days. Or freeze, and pull out as needed- ice cube trays work great here.
Store Roasted Garlic in Olive Oil
Roasted individual cloves of garlic, stored in olive oil, will keep in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Note that it must be refrigerated. Do not let roasted garlic sit out for more than a couple of hours, as it can spoil easily at room temperature.
How to use Roasted Garlic
Roasted garlic is lovely in mashed potatoes, sauces, pasta, pizza, stews and soups.
- Spread on Bread: Spread warm roasted garlic cloves on toasted bread or baguette slices for a tasty and simple appetizer.
- Add to Dips and Spreads: Mix roasted garlic cloves into hummus, guacamole, or sour cream-based dips for a flavorful twist.
- Enhance Mashed Potatoes: Mash a few roasted garlic cloves into your favorite mashed potato recipe for a savory and aromatic side dish.
- Add to pasta dishes.
- In Soups and Stews: Puree roasted garlic cloves and add them to soups and stews to infuse them with a deep, rich flavor.
- Blend into Sauces: Mix roasted garlic cloves into tomato sauces, pesto, or creamy pasta sauces for an extra layer of flavor.
- Topping for Pizza: Scatter roasted garlic cloves over your pizza toppings before baking to add a sweet and mellow flavor.
- Flavor Butter and Spreads: Mix chopped roasted garlic into softened butter, cream cheese, or mayo for a delicious spread for bread or crackers.
- Add some to your next Sourdough loaf!
- Salad Dressings: Blend roasted garlic cloves with olive oil, vinegar, and herbs to create a flavorful dressing for salads.
I’m so excited to hear all the ways you will use roasted garlic over the holidays. Please let me know in the comments below.
More Cooking Basics
Watch how to Roast Garlic
Roasted Garlic Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup
- Category: condiment, cooking basics
- Method: roasted
- Cuisine: american
- Diet: Vegan
Description
How to roast garlic in the oven (using whole heads of garlic or peeled garlic cloves). Roasting garlic transforms it! Spreadable, buttery, sweet, earthy, and complex it has a multitude of uses in the kitchen! With so many health benefits!
Ingredients
- Garlic- either 6 whole heads, or 1 cup peeled cloves
- olive oil (1 teaspoon per head) or 2-3 tablespoons per cup of peeled cloves
- salt and pepper to taste – optional
- a few fresh sprigs of rosemary or thyme- optional
Instructions
Roasting Whole Garlic Heads
- preheat oven to 400F
- Cut the tips of the heads, exposing the cloves inside, slicing off roughly 1/2 inch
- Place in a well-oiled skillet or baking dish.
- Drizzle generously with olive oil roughly, 1 teaspoon per head.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper if you like, and tuck in some sprigs of rosemary or thyme. Both optional.
- Cover tightly with foil.
- Roast 35 minutes, check for tenderness, by inserting the tip of a knife into an inner clove. If tender, uncover and roast until golden and caramelized, 10-20 more minutes. If not tender, recover with foil and check again in 5-10 minutes.
Roasting Peeled Garlic
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Place 1 cup garlic cloves in a baking dish ( glass allows you to see the depth of color).
- Drizzle generously with olive oil 2-4 tablespoons ( the flavorful oil can be used in dressings, and to preserve the garlic)
- Cover with foil.
- Place in the hot oven for 20 minutes, check, continue roasting until golden and caramelied,
Notes
To preserve and store: Refrigerate whole heads in ziplock bags for up to 5 days (or freeze for 6 months).
To preserve roasted (peeled) cloves, simple cover with a layer of olive oil in a jar. Add herbs, lemon zest and chili flakes if you like. This will keep 10 days in the refrigerator with the garlic submerged in oil. Use the flavorful garlic-infused oil in your cooking or dressings etc, but always top off the jar with more oil, so the garlic is completely covered. Take care to always refrigerate, and not leave too long at room temperature.
Or freeze in little jars. You can also freeze cloves in little ziplock bags.
Make Roasted Garlic Paste: My favorite way is to blend the garlic cloves with the oil in a food processor and make a paste, covering with a tiny layer of olive oil. This will last 10 days in the fridge. For longer, store the garlic paste in little jars in the freezer, and pull out as needed. You could also free in ice cube trays.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 28
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 1.4 mg
- Fat: 1.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.8 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
What if you’re working with hard-neck garlic? I can’t seem to cut the top off and bake in the bulb without breaking the whole thing apart. Any suggestions?
Shoot. I wonder if you tried cutting the top off after it was roasted?
Great recipe!
Hello friends, it’s a wonderful recipe.
First, I grilled the garlic along with a variety vegetables. Then I mushed several cloves and mixed with olive oil, zaatar, dill, salt and pepper.
I served it with turmeric rice and the grilled veggies.
Oh my! So amazing!
I ate some of the garlic on bagel chips while cooking. 😇
Yum TJ!!!
How do you measure for recipes ….. 1 clove would equal how much roasted paste?
One clove would be about a teaspoon. 🙂
I use roasted garlic (usually a whole head for a large pot) and add it to homemade chicken soup. Gives it such a great flavor!!
Great to hear!
I am a vampire and I am offended. 😀
😉
Great info !
I love garlic and add it to everything but never roasted it. Will definitely give it a try. My question is how do you add the roasted garlic to sourdough bread? While mixing the starter with water? Thank you.
There is a recipe for Rosemary Olive Bread with Roasted Garlic- I fold it in after it rises. Maybe refer to those photos?
Amazing! For the whole cloves storing in a jar with olive oil, I saw you put lemon, rosemary and red peppers in it, it looks amazing, wondering if they also need to be roasted to be put with garlic together?
Thank you!
Hi Julian, I didnt roast them -but feel free to. I think I used a dry chili here.
I roast the elephant garlic for an hour, then mash it up with olive oil, parm, grated pepper and a little balsamic vinegar. Use it as a spread for bread, atop grilled steaks or pork chops on grill. Keeps in jar for about a week.
Yum!
i peel about 15 heads
and put it all in an electric put
POUR in one cup of oil
boil them for 30 minuets
cool it well and put it in to the jar
and keep the jar in fridge
until it is all gone
about 2-3 weeks
i like to eat it right FROM THE JAR TOO
BUT YOU CAN USE THEM AN YWAY YOU LIK
Roasted garlic is staple in our family. Your article is the most complete guide! Thank you!
How often do you eat the 6 cloves for the health benefits, once a week, month?
We eat it often- but huge garlic fans…
I made it! It really is delicious! I ate it with toasted bread. I can’t wait to start using it in my soups! Thanks!
I just roasted garlic for the first time. Yes it smells awesome. I have looked up several references to guide me. Yours was the best and clearest. I was especially needing to learn how to store it and what to use it in.
Thank you. I will check your blog more often now.
Easy to follow recipe and it really adds flavor to our daily menu. Thank you so much.
Is it safe if I left the full head with skins on roasted in the fridge in a baggie for 2 days? i didn’t have time and threw it in there, but went to use it for a salad dressing two days later.
Yes, it is fine! It keeps up to five days in the fridge 🙂
Its delicious I actually did this and ate it before i came to your page…. just to read more but i ate the whole garlic 😍
Perfect!
Love this so great for your body. Tyvm for this information much appreciated!
I’ve been roasting garlic for years (hubby and I just polished off almost four heads worth), but never looked up the health benefits until now. While I had heard of most, a few surprised me (pleasingly), so thanks much.
There aren’t many savory dishes that aren’t improved with some form of garlic. If you going for chopped raw, remember that if you wait about 20 minutes before using more helpful compounds form.
Thanks so much Carrie!
I go through about 5 bulbs of garlic per month by myself. I wrap individual cloves in foil with a little oil, parsley, & italian seasoning. I use my toaster oven @ 275 for 30 minutes and use it in everything or sometimes just eat it right out of the foil…Soooo good!!
Sounds perfect!
Hi,
Your website is marvellous !!!
I wish you could put the fahrenheit also in your recipes ( i live in Belgium)…
Im working on that!
Thank you Sylvia for this recipe! I love garlic alone or in most savory dishes. Roasted and mashed on crackers is one of my favorites but your recipes above is a great variety to try, expanding my horizons!
Thanks Sherry!!!
Hello Sylvia, I have been roasting garlic for years..
I love love love all your ideas. I did not know I could roast individual cloves .yay
I love all the ideas you gave us about how to preserve it etc!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes.
We’re on vacation and I look forward to going home and roasting a bunch of garlic!
I love your blog and I look forward to your recipes each month!
I know if I make any of your recipes it’s going to turn out delicious for both my husband and I whom eat differently.
🙏 thank you,Ally
Awwww… thanks Allison- appreciate this so much!
mam give your email addres send some garlic photo
sylvia@feastingathome.com