Easy roasted garlic recipe- this post walks you through exactly how to roast garlic with step by step photos!
It’s time for another ‘how to’ post! I love sharing my favorite cooking tips and tricks with you, and today, we’re talking roasting garlic.
Roasting garlic brings out a whole new side to garlic: it caramelizes, mellowing out the harshness of raw garlic, and bringing out a slight sweetness you never knew garlic had!
PS- your house is going to smell amazing.
Don’t forget to pin this post to save it for later!
Why you should be roasting garlic
- it adds so much depth of flavor to so many dishes
- it’s so different from raw or sauteed garlic and gets kind of sweet
- it’s super versatile, and works in tons of recipes
- it’s cheap, easy, and so delicious!
How to roast garlic
Roasting garlic is so easy! Here is my step by step process:
- chop off the end of the head of garlic (enough so you open the ends of each clove; about 1/4 inch)
- wrap each head of garlic in foil
- drizzle with a little olive oil
- seal the foil up
- roast in the oven for 45 minutes
- cool slightly
- ‘squish’ the garlic out and enjoy!
How to use it?
- I used it in this Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- and this White Bean Hummus Recipe
- you could also add it in place of regular garlic to these Herb & Garlic Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or this Creamy Parmesan Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower (stove top and slow cooker version is here!)
- blend it into your soup- like this Butternut Squash Soup or this Carrot Ginger Soup
- spread it on your toast or your sandwich
- blend it into a vinaigrette- I’d start with this White Wine Vinaigrette and blend a whole head of garlic in!
- blend it into sauces such as chicken marinades or pasta sauce
How do you store roasted garlic?
Unlike raw garlic, roasted garlic must be stored in the fridge. If I am not using it right away, I don’t pop the cloves out of the head and leave it wrapped in the roasting foil for 1-2 weeks or until I’m ready to use. You can also pop out the cloves and store in a jar with a glug of olive oil.
Can I freeze it?
Yes! I would freeze the individual cloves in ice cube trays with olive oil, then pop them out and store in a reusable freezer bag.
Can I roast garlic in my Instant Pot?
I have seen some people claim they have roasted garlic in the Instant Pot, but if you consider the fact that the Instant Pot cooks with steam, I’m thinking you’d end up with ‘steamed garlic’. In order to get the brown caramelization you see in the photos, you would need to roast it. Translation: I have not tried and I am extremely skeptical.
Can I roast garlic without the foil?
I rarely use foil, and roasted garlic is one of the few exceptions. It’s important to cover your garlic while roasting so the cloves don’t dry out, so if you’re looking for a zero-waste garlic roasting method, you could try putting in a baking dish and covering with a reusable silicone lid.
Recipe tips
- here’s my favorite chef’s knife
that made chopping a breeze (I wish I had bought a good one sooner!)
- I roasted the garlic in a 5 x 5 inch baking dish
- go for a good quality extra virgin olive oil; this is the one
I always have in my pantry
Easy Roasted Garlic Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 head of garlic
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425°F.
- Cut garlic- chop the top 1/4 inch off the top of the head of garlic. You want to expose the top of each clove.
- Wrap & drizzle- wrap each head of garlic with foil, leaving the top open. Drizzle with olive oil so that it covers the top of the head of garlic and pools slightly around it (1-2 teaspoons total).
- Roast it up- Seal the foil up around the top of the garlic. Roast in the oven at 425°F for 45 or so minutes (start checking at 35 min). Your garlic is ready to come out when it is golden and soft throughout.
- Cool + store- Cool the roasted garlic for 20 minutes, until it is safe to handle. Squeeze the head of garlic to pop the cloves out. Store in a jar for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- fridge- store in an air tight jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can drizzle with extra olive oil to keep it moist.
- freezer- press the roasted garlic into ice cube trays and freeze until solid. Transfer to a silicone freezer bag or reusable container and freeze for up to 6 months.
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