Garlic is a staple in many of my South Louisiana recipes, offering versatility and bold flavor. Its raw, sharp, and spicy taste transforms when cooked, adding depth and savoriness to any dish. Roasting garlic softens its sharpness, bringing out a sweet, caramelized flavor and a smooth, buttery texture. Here are the simple steps that will help you roast garlic at home.
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Keys to the Best Roasting Garlic
Garlic, uncooked, can have a sharp flavor and spicy bite. The typical flavors of garlic will soften with cooking, adding its distinctive flavor to many recipes. Roasting Garlic mellows its familiar crisp, spicy, and intense taste into a sweet, mild flavor with a creamy texture. Its versatility makes it perfect in many recipes, providing a great depth of flavor and complexity. These simple keys help bring out the best in Roasted Garlic:
- Use good, fresh garlic heads. (See the Ingredient Notes below for selecting the best Garlic heads.
- Remove any loose outer skin on the Head.
- Slice enough of the garlic head to expose the cloves and the holes are large enough to easily squeeze the roasted garlic through. Usually, ¼ inch will work, but sometimes, due to the shape and size of the head, ½ inch is necessary.
- Place the cut side up while roasting.
- Use enough olive oil to coat all the cloves very well.
- Generously sprinkle kosher salt on the cut end of the heads.
- Use a baking pan underneath the garlic heads (unless using a muffin tin) in case some leaks out during roasting.
Here's What You Need
A complete list of ingredients with suggested quantities can be found in the printable recipe card at the end of this article.
Ingredient Notes
- Whole Garlic Head: Choose a Head or Bulb of garlic that is as fresh as possible. It should be white, firm to the touch, and seemingly heavy for its size. The cloves should be tight with minimal loose outer skin. There should be no soft areas or brown, discolored spots on the Head of Garlic.
- Olive Oil: I use Extra Virgin Olive Oil for this recipe because I don't generally keep two types of Olive Oil on hand. You can use regular Olive Oil for this recipe because it has a higher smoke point than EEVO. EEVO is best for non-heat-related uses (like dressings and marinades).
- Salt: Use kosher salt because the flakeiness will help it melt into the garlic.
Lagniappe Tip: The whole garlic is called a Head or a Bulb, the individual sections or "toes" are called cloves.
Cookware
Place your garlic heads on a baking sheet, or use a muffin tin while roasting the garlic. Other than that, you'll need a chef's knife and a cutting board.
Hints and Tips (FAQ)
The great thing about Roasted Garlic is that it can be made up to 2 months in advance of use, and then stored in a manner that allows you to use just the quantity you need. Refer to the Storeing Roasted Garlic section below for options.
Garlic provides lots of health benefits that are not lost by roasting. Among its many health benefits, Roasted Garlic can help reduce inflammation, boost immunities, and aid digestion. It helps lower cholesterol, improves blood circulation, and provides some protection against certain cancers. Check out this article from our friends at MAXLab: Roasted Garlic Health Benefits - 6 Benefits To Boost Your Health.
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Here's What You Do
First...you have a beer. This is more of a process than a recipe, but you should have a beer anyway. This helps get you in the right frame of mind and gives you a chance to review the process before starting.
- Remove all loose skin from the garlic pods, leaving them whole. Trim off about ¼ inch from the pointy end of the garlic head.
- Place the trimmed garlic pods on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle the olive oil all over the cut end of the garlic pods, then apply the kosher salt on the cut ends.
- Wrap the trimmed and seasoned garlic pods tightly in the aluminum foil, trying not to let the bulbs touch each other. Place the foil pods onto a baking sheet in a preheated 400-degree Fahrenheit oven. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set aside to cool. Once the pods are cooled, unwrap.
Lagniappe Tip: A muffin tin is helpful when roasting multiple garlic heads. Place each head in a separate muffin cup. After preparing the garlic for roasting, cover the entire tin with aluminum foil. If you don't have a muffin tin but still want to roast several garlic heads, arrange them in an aluminum foil packet, ensuring they don't touch each other.
- If you plan to use the roasted garlic right away, squeeze the cloves into a small bowl.
- Smash the roasted garlic with a spoon into a paste. Check out the Storing Roasted Garlic section below if you don't plan to use it right away.
Serving Suggestions
Roasted Garlic will elevate Mashed Potatoes to a heartwarming level. One bite and you will achieve total knowledge! Check out Sweet Daddy D's Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe.
Roasted garlic is also the perfect addition to Spreads, Sauces, Compound Butters, Soups, Dips, and Pasta Dishes.
Make a paste of the Roasted Garlic and add it to these great recipes from Sweet Daddy D:
Storing Roasted Garlic
Roasted Garlic can be kept in the freezer for 2 to 3 months and in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Do not store Roasted Garlic at room temperature. To maintain the highest quality, here are the methods for storing Roasted Garlic:
To Refrigerate:
If you are going to use the Roasted Garlic immediately, simply squeeze the garlic out of the pods where you cut the heads before roasting. Squeeze them into a small prep bowl where you can turn them into a paste.
If you are not going to use it right away, carefully pull the cloves apart (unpeeled), place the cloves into a small jar, and add olive oil to cover. The olive oil will keep the air off, serving as a preservative to prevent spoilage.
To Freeze:
Squeeze out all the cloves onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Try to make Tablespoon size portions. Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the garlic is completely frozen, then move the frozen garlic to a freezer bag (remove the air). You will be able to remove whatever quantity you need. It will maintain its quality in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
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Recipe
Roasted Garlic
Here's What You Need
- 2 Whole Garlic Heads
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Here's What You Do
- Remove all loose skin from the garlic heads, leaving them whole.
- Trim off about ¼ inch from the stem end of the garlic heads.
- Place the trimmed garlic heads on a sheet of aluminum foil.
- Drizzle the olive oil all over the cut end of the garlic heads, then apply the kosher salt on the cut ends.
- Wrap the trimmed and seasoned garlic heads tightly in the aluminum foil.
- Place the foil pods onto a baking sheet and place that in a preheated 400-degree Fahrenheit oven.
- Roast for 40 to 45 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Once the heads are cooled, unwrap.
- Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the pods into a small bowl.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Estimate
It's Me!
Louisiana is a wonderful place where the rich cultural heritage enriches and entertains. I'm Dave Howson, aka Sweet Daddy D. I'm glad you found my website and I look forward to exploring the cultural mosaic of Louisiana with you…
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Betty Nichols
Enjoyed reading your post and can't wait to try this garlic. I enjoy garlic but have.never had roasted. Am eager to try. You provided clear, easy instructions. Thanks
Sweet Daddy D
Thanks, Betty. Let me know how you liked the garlic. I love the smooth, mellow flavor of the garlic after its roasted. I appreciate you taking the time to reach out.
Sweet Daddy D
I know you will enjoy this recipe.