• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

WhipSmart Kitchen

Recipes, methods & musings for the whip-smart home cook

  • Home
  • Recipe Index
    • Breakfast
    • Dinner
    • Sides
    • Dessert
    • Vegetarian
  • ABOUT
    • Resources for Food Bloggers
  • Blog

November 21, 2016

How to Roast Garlic in an Oven

Pinnable image of oven-roasted garlic

Sautéeing garlic is one of the best ways to build a savory foundation for a dish, but I would argue the best trick up garlic’s sleeve takes a little more coaxing.

That’s right—roasted garlic is where it’s at.

True story: when I was little, I thought all garlic was like roasted garlic by default. My Ya-ya (grandmother) kept a little repurposed pimento jar full of roasted garlic cloves in the fridge at all times, and used it all throughout the week, every week.

Fast forward to today, I have a tiny pimento jar of roasted garlic in my fridge too.

A pinch prep bowl filled with cloves of roasted garlic, from above

Roasted garlic is more like a bear hug than a punch. Though roasting softens the sharper qualities of garlic, it somehow intensifies the flavor. It’s heavy and insistent, but not jarring.

Roasting brings out its sweetness in garlic by breaking down long chains of fructose, garlic’s choice of energy storage. As the garlic browns, those sugars provide a caramel flavor. meanwhile, you’re softening the sulfurous zing garlic is known for.

What you’re left with is a pod packed with soft, rich, nutty, caramelly, slightly meaty flavor that leaves a totally different impression than the minced, sautéed iteration.

Another perk of roasted garlic is the texture itself. First—and not to be minimized—roasted garlic is sooo easy to peel. Second, the cloves can be easily smashed into a paste that lends sauces and other mixtures a savory-sweet kick, without compromising texture. You can even use whole cloves as a garnish, as they are soft, smooth and much less offensive then their raw counterparts.

A bulb of roasted garlic with one clove off to the side, peels starting to come loose

Okay, now hear me out. Garlic is SO easy to roast. Read this through and I think you’ll realize that. The recipe is a little long, but only because I want everything to be clear as possible. First, some tips!

How to roast garlic in an oven

Giving away the milk for free, I know. The gist of it is to cut off the top and remove any extra paper, drench it in olive oil, and roast it until it’s soft and creamy. See the recipe at the bottom for detailed instructions.

Extra virgin olive oil being drizzled over a bulb of garlic with the top cut off

What to use roasted garlic for

So what can you use this magical ingredient for? Here are some of my faves:

  • Use it to add extra layers of flavor to chili.
  • Rub meats with it before (or after!) cooking.
  • Mix with softened butter to make the best garlic bread of your life.
  • Use roasted garlic paste in sauces.
  • Toss pasta with garlic paste and cream.
  • Spread some on toast (it’s different!)
  • Work a little roasted garlic paste into your hamburger or meatball mix.
  • Use it as a condiment on a sandwich.

Raw garlic with the top cut off and a full bulb and garlic roaster in the background

How to store roasted garlic

Another perk of roasted garlic is that it keeps well in the refrigerator. I like to make a lot at once and store it in the fridge to easily use whenever something needs a little extra flavor, or when I don’t feel like mincing garlic and don’t mind changing up the flavor a bit.

How long will it last?

Two to three weeks is almost a definite, though I have kept it up to a month. Just make certain it still smells and looks good before using.

How to store roasted garlic in individual cloves

Place peeled cloves in a small jar or bowl, drizzle with a little oil, seal tightly and store in the refrigerator.

How to store as roasted garlic paste

Smash garlic cloves with the back of a spoon, adding a touch of oil if it’s not smooth enough. Place small bowl or jar, drizzle with a little oil to limit air exposure, seal and store in the refrigerator
Roasted garlic in aluminum foil, waiting to be peeled

How to peel roasted garlic

There are a few different methods for peeling I use depending on the situation.

Method 1

Pick individual cloves off the bulb, pull the paper apart from the tip and remove the clove, intact.

Method 2

Squeeze the garlic out of individual cloves and into a bowl. This works well if you are going to turn the cloves into paste.

Method 3

Squeeze the whole bulb of garlic from bottom to top into a bowl like toothpaste. Pick out any paper that may have stuck to the paste. This method works best for bulbs with large and evenly-sized cloves, and if you don’t care that the cloves will be crushed.
No matter which method you use, lick your fingers after, because that stuff is gold. Then wash your hands, please.
Peeled cloves of garlic on a cutting board with a roasted bulb of garlic in the background
There are a million and one ways to use roasted garlic, I’m positive. I’m finding new ones all the time. What will you do with your roasted garlic? Let me know in the comments!
If you liked this post, I’d love for you to join my VIP List. When you do, you’ll receive a freebie to help you get every recipe right, every time. You can find the signup in the sidebar near the top.

Extra virgin olive oil being poured over garlic from above

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Roasted garlic cloves

Oven-Roasted Garlic


  • Author: Leannda Cavalier
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 1 bulb (or more if you choose)
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • A large bulb of garlic (not pre-peeled)
  • Extra virgin olive oil
Special equipment
  • Garlic roaster or aluminum foil

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400º F.
  2. Cut off the top of a bulb* of garlic. Turn the clove sideways, and lay it on the flattest side you can find. Stabilize the bottom of the bulb with your fingertips. With a very sharp knife, slice off the stem and the tips of as many cloves as possible (see slideshow). Don’t sweat it if you can’t get them all.
  3. Remove any excess paper from the outside of the bulb. Don’t take all the paper off as it will help protect the garlic, but if it looks like it’s going to flake off anyway, go ahead and get rid of it.
  4. Lay the bulb, right side up in a garlic roaster, or on a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to cover the entire bulb.
  5. Drizzle olive oil over the garlic, covering as much of it as possible. Be certain to cover all the parts you cut, and let the oil run into the exposed nooks and crannies.
  6. Place the lid on the roaster, or wrap up your bulb in foil. Place it in the oven (on a baking sheet if using foil), and allow it to cook for 45 minutes.
  7. At about the 20-minute mark, take a moment to SMELL YOUR KITCHEN OH MY GOD.
  8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes, or until it is cool enough to touch.
  9. Peel back the foil (or remove the lid of the roaster) and peel.
  10. Use in your favorite recipes, mash into a paste or store sealed in the refrigerator!

Notes

  • *Note the difference between a clove of garlic and a bulb. A bulb is the entire mass you buy at the store, made up of many individually papered cloves. This will go without saying for a lot of people, but it’s an easy and critical mistake to make for a beginner, so don’t judge.
  • Don’t forget about the leftover oil at the bottom of the dish or foil! Save whatever is left to infuse garlic flavor in dishes, or pour it over your cloves to store in the fridge.
  • If you notice a burning smell toward the end of the roasting time, take the garlic out immediately. You can always cook it more, but you can’t un-burn it. Cook times can vary based on garlic size and individual oven.
  • Make as much or as little of this as you would like. This works as well for ten bulbs as it does for one.
  • In a pinch you can put a few oil-drizzled cloves in foil and roast them for a quick recipe. It should cook in about 15-20 minutes.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Condiment
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: oven-roasted garlic, garlic, roasted garlic, roasted garlic paste, toom

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @leanndacavalier on Instagram and hashtag it #whipsmartkitchen

Extra virgin olive oil being drizzled over a bulb of garlic with the top cut off

Filed Under: Comfort Food, Fundamentals, How-To, Make-ahead, Method, Recipe

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

About Leannda

Hey, I'm Leannda! I love to cook and I'm always down for some tiramisu. When I'm not cooking I'm probably teaching or sideline reporting. DWest Virginia native. Lover of mountains and rivers. Currently living in Tennessee with my husband, Adam; daughter, Siena; and our cats, Professor and Steely. read more

Stay Conneted

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Stay Updated

Privacy

We respect your privacy & will never spam you or share your email address with third parties.

Popular Recipes

Fluffy peanut butter pie dip

Fluffy Peanut Butter Pie Dip

Ultimate Spinach Artichoke dip in a baking dish with crostini being dipped into it.

Ultimate Spinach Artichoke Dip

Spiced Pork Tenderloin topped with Tomato Peach Sauce

Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Tomato Peach Sauce

Don’t Miss These!

A white bowl full of caldo de pollo on a gray tea towel surrounded by limes and avocado slices in fiestaware bowls

Caldo de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Soup)

Braised Adobo Chicken Tacos topped with sliced radishes, guacamole, pickled onions and cilantro

Braised Adobo Chicken Tacos

Ravioli in Pea Pesto Sauce, topped with tomatoes

Ravioli with Pea Pesto Cream Sauce

Fluffy peanut butter pie dip

Fluffy Peanut Butter Pie Dip

Recent Posts

  • Crispy Roasted Green Beans
  • Refrigerator Dill Pickle Spears
  • Roasted Turkey Breast with Gravy
  • Apple Chicken Harvest Salad
  • Cheesy Vegetarian Quinoa Enchilada Bake
my foodgawker gallery
7 essential tools for making recipe videos.

I'm a member of Food Blogger Pro. Learn how to start and grow your food blog.

Footer

About the Blogger

Hey, I'm Leannda! I'm into healthy eating, but I'm always down for some tiramisu. When I'm not cooking I'm probably teaching or sideline reporting. I live outside Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband Adam, and our cats Professor and Steely. Read More…

My Favorites

Crispy roasted green beans laying over parchment paper on a baking sheet, slightly askew
Refrigerator dill pickles in a plastic container on a cutting board, with stray pickle spears laying beside the container
Roasted turkey on a white platter with orange slices, rosemary and thyme.

stay connected

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Privacy
  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Terms

Copyright© 2023 · Brunch Pro Theme by Feast Design Co.