There is more than one way to roast garlic! Most people roast a head of garlic by wrapping it up in aluminum foil and putting it in a hot oven. In recent years I have worked to reduce the amount of aluminum in my cooking process. Through trial and error I have found many different ways to roast garlic without it being wrapped in foil, both in the oven and on the stovetop, with a whole head or with pre-peeled garlic cloves. Read on to learn how!
One of my very first blogs back in 2010 was a tutorial on roasted garlic. Since that time I’ve learned quite a few different methods to achieve perfectly roasted, tender and golden brown caramelized garlic cloves. At the same time, I have worked to reduce my aluminum foil usage due to growing concerns that chronic aluminum exposure may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. I figured it’s time to refresh this garlic roasting tutorial with the many new methods I now use in my own kitchen, all of which reduce direct exposure to aluminum.
For those of you who are garlic lovers, the soft smoky cloves can be spread straight onto bread as a condiment (it’s especially yummy paired with goat cheese on toasted french bread or with a simple sprinkle of salt and pepper). It can also be substituted for raw garlic in many recipes to give a milder, more delicate flavor– like in hummus, baba ghanoush, or falafel.
How do you store roasted garlic?
Roasted garlic doesn’t keep very well in the refrigerator, so it’s best to use it within a few hours after making it. Fortunately, you can easily freeze cloves for future use. I like to keep a batch roasted garlic cloves in my freezer so that I have it on hand for impulsive hummus and baba ghanoush cravings! They can be frozen by removing the cloves from the head (if you’ve roasted whole heads of garlic), and removing individual cloves of garlic from the olive oil with a slotted spoon. Spread the roasted cloves on a small baking sheet and place in the freezer until firm, then transfer the frozen cloves to a sealed container or freezer bag and freeze until ready to serve.
Is oven roasted garlic healthy?
Garlic is a major ingredient in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking, and I adore the flavor, but raw garlic hard on my stomach. Roasting garlic in the oven before adding it to certain dishes makes it much easier to digest. I also love the flavor that roasting brings out of garlic– it adds depth, makes it tender, and gives it a mild smoky sweetness that is just lovely. According to Consumer Reports, roasted garlic may also help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and offer an anti-inflammatory effect, a reduced risk of cancer, and a stronger immune system.
Here are my five tried-and-true methods for roasting garlic. Each one has its own advantages, so use whatever works best for you and your kitchen. All of the methods are very simple, and the results are super yummy. I hope it’s helpful to you!
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How to Roast Garlic - Five Easy Methods
Ingredients
- 1 head of garlic , or more as needed
- Olive oil
Instructions
Preparing the Garlic Head for Roasting
- The following methods will detail various ways you can roast a head of garlic in the oven. The key to oven roasting is making sure that the garlic is both roasted and steamed at the same time, so the cloves don't dry out. For all of these methods, you will need to prepare the whole head of garlic prior to roasting. If you only have garlic cloves and not the whole head, skip to the stovetop roasting method at the end of this tutorial.
- To prepare a whole head of garlic for roasting, peel the outer skin from the garlic head, leaving the cloves intact in their casings. Peel gently and carefully to ensure no garlic cloves separate from the head.
- Slice the top part of the garlic head off, leaving the cloves exposed. All of the cloves need to have a small portion exposed to roast properly, so check around the edges and slice off any additional clove tips as needed.From here, you have a few different options for roasting. All of these methods seek to eliminate direct contact between aluminum foil and the garlic.
Roast Garlic in a Muffin Pan
- The first method, which I use most often, involves using two muffin pans of the same size. This allows you to roast a lot of garlic at once. You can roast just one head, or up to 12 - one in each cup. Place your heads of garlic into the pan, cut side up, one head in each muffin cup.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Drizzle each head of garlic with about 2 tsp of olive oil each, making sure all of the exposed cloves and surfaces are coated with a light layer of oil. Use your fingers to massage the oil gently around the head of garlic to ensure even coverage.
- Place the other muffin pan inverted directly on top of the pan with the garlic, so that each muffin cup is covered by another muffin cup.
- Roast in the oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until the heads of garlic are tender, aromatic and caramelized.
Roast Garlic in a Loaf Pan
- The next method involves using a small loaf pan or baking dish. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and prepare the garlic heads as described above. Place your prepared heads of garlic into the loaf pan and drizzle with 2 tsp of olive oil each, coating the heads evenly.
- Because loaf pans don't have lids, you will need to cover the pan. Aluminum foil is the best way to do over the pan securely. The foil won't actually touch the garlic heads, but to be extra safe I first use a piece of parchment to cover the pan...
- Then I secure the parchment in place with a layer of foil. Roast in the oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until the heads of garlic are tender, aromatic and caramelized. Be careful when opening the foil and parchment, hot steam will have gathered during cooking.
Roast Garlic in a Roasting Dish - Ceramic or Cast Iron
- If you roast a lot of garlic you can purchase a garlic roasting dish with lid. Here is a ceramic option. If you want the ability to also roast on the grill, this cast iron one is pretty neat too. Check your dish for instructions for the recommended temperature and time required. Preheat oven to that temperature.Place prepared garlic heads in the dish. Drizzle each garlic head with 2 tsp of olive oil each, coating the heads evenly. Cover the roasting dish and roast for the recommended time at the recommended temperature. For my dish, it is 300 degrees for 1 hour. At the end of the hour, I like to uncover the dish, raise the temperature to 400 and let it roast for 10-15 minutes longer to achieve some caramelization. You can experiment with your dish to see what works best for you.
Roasting Garlic in a Parchment and Foil Packet
- This method involves aluminum foil, but the head of garlic is separated from the foil by a layer of parchment. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and prepare the garlic heads as described above. For each head of garlic, cut a square of parchment paper and another square of foil, both large enough to wrap around the head of garlic completely. Place the foil on a flat surface and layer the parchment on top. Place the garlic head in the center of the parchment square and drizzle with olive oil.
- Wrap up the garlic in the parchment, crumpling the paper at the top to create a pouch. Secure the pouch with the layer of foil, wrapping it around the parchment to create a sealed pouch.
- Roast in the hot oven for 40-45 minutes until the cloves are soft and tender. In the packet the garlic will steam more than roast, and it won't really caramelize. However, you can take the garlic out of the packet at the end of cooking (careful, hot steam will come out!), place it on a baking tray, and let it roast in the hot oven for 10-15 minutes longer to achieve some caramelization if you wish.
Removing the Roasted Garlic Cloves
- After you have roasted your head of garlic using any of the methods above, remove the roasted cloves by pulling the head apart, clove by clove, then gently squeezing each clove casing.
Roasting Cloves of Garlic on the Stovetop
- Grocery stores now sell pre-peeled garlic cloves, which are very convenient. But what if you want to roast them? Try this nifty method will allow you to roast many whole cloves at once.
- Take a small saucepan or skillet and pour in 6 tbsp of olive oil. Add your whole cloves to the pan. You can roast quite a few at the same time, I have done up to 25-30 at a time with good results. Don't overcrowd the pan.
- Heat the olive oil on medium for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully the whole time, until it just begins to sizzle around the cloves. Don't let them sizzle too long or you'll start to fry the cloves.
- Reduce heat immediately to between low and medium low. Stir well to coat the garlic cloves in hot oil. Let the garlic cook slowly for 20-30 minutes, stirring and flipping the cloves every few minutes, until the cloves are soft, tender and golden.
- Remove cloves from the oil with a slotted spoon. Allow the oil to cool.
- This method will also leave you with a nice garlic-infused olive oil to use for cooking or in salad dressings. Refrigerate the oil until ready to use.
How to Keep Roasted Garlic
- Roasted garlic should be used within a few hours of making. It doesn't keep very well in the refrigerator, but you can easily freeze cloves for future use. I keep a batch of frozen roasted garlic that I thaw for quick batches of hummus and baba ghanoush.
- Remove garlic cloves from the head, if you've roasted a whole head. For roasted cloves, separate them from the olive oil with a slotted spoon. Spread the roasted cloves on a small baking sheet and freeze until firm, then put the frozen cloves into a sealed container or freezer bag. Freeze until ready to serve.
- Alternatively, you can mash the roasted cloves and measure out teaspoon-sized portions, which can be stored in an ice cube tray. The tray should be reserved for this purpose, as it will absorb the smell of the garlic.
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!
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Just made my first roasted garlic. I happen to have use the same ceramic dish that you have. Can it go in the microwave and for how long if so?
Hi Louise– not sure about that, I’ve only used it in the oven before.
Why the parchment?
_
On both of the methods where I use parchment, I use it to separate the garlic from the aluminum foil. If you read the post I discuss why.
Roasted garlic has SO many health benefits!! I’m roasting some right now for lunch! ?
can I peel off the outer leave and chop of the top the day before I bake the garlic?
For those reluctant to use aluminium foil, I have always roasted garlic in the same way that Tori does but without any covering at all. If you choose not to cover the garlic, don’t cut the tips off the top. After you’ve squeezed off the dry husk and are left with the head as Tori describes, merely drizzle that with olive oil and add it to whatever you are roasting in your oven – lamb, chicken, vegetables, potatoes – or alone on a baking tray. Serve as is and let your guests use a knife or fork to squeeze out the delicious roasted clove on their plates. Thanks, Tori for your wonderful blog and fantastic recipes.
Re: the comment on not cutting the tops off the garlic. I thought this was a great idea and was very pleased with my first batch done this way as it saved garlic and time! The second time I did it the garlic must have cooked a lot faster and only 20 minutes in a clove exploded!! What a mess! So I will only cook in a covered pot from now on!
Any advice on how to get the garlic out of its casing without burning your fingers. This is a messy job at best and I am all thumbs whenever I have to do it and end up loosing half the garlic and getting singed fingers.
Well, the simple answer is to wait until it cools 🙂 but if you’re in a hurry, squeeze the whole head of garlic (you can use kitchen gloves or tongs) to squeeze out multiple cloves at once. They may lose their clove shape a bit, but it tastes the same.
This was great. We love garlic but always use raw, only did a few to try. Gone in about two days. I just put large (Sam’s Club) bag. I sprayed a cookie sheet with low sides, sprayed pan, cut, oiled and covered with foil. Baking and going to see how it works out. Hubby wants some garlic mashed potatoes for dinner.
Great recipe for roasted garlic! So easy and they turn out perfectly.
I experimented cooking some garlic heads with olive oil as per the recipe, and some with coconut oil to see if there would be any difference, surprisingly they taste pretty much the same – like delicious garlic with a roasted flavour.
For those who are worried about the time it takes to cook them, here’s what I do – I just roast a few heads anytime I’m cooking something else in the oven, so I always have roasted garlic on hand at home in the fridge that I can use anytime in another recipe or condiment without adding 45 min to the prep time. They can hold for quite long in the fridge (if not already eaten!)
I was also able to taste the difference as Tori wrote in one of hercomments, that cooking the garlic cloves in their casing makes for a sweeter and deeper flavour than peeling them before hand.
Thank you for your simple instructions… I just did this in a toaster over, 200 degrees celsius for 45 mins and perfecto. For some variation, what type of seasoning would you suggest we could add? Perhaps some paprika for spice or something?
Hi Tori,
Do garlic cloves pickle well? Do you have any tips for me?
Garlic cloves turn blue when you try to pickle them, in my experience. 🙂 That’s the only tip I have!
This is what’s for dinner tonight. I have 2 heads of garlic soaking in a bowl of olive oil. I will roast them on the grill in an aliminum pan, then spread it on fresh bread with brie cheese. Also am making fresh artichokes to go with. My favorite meal ever.
My neighbors do a “refrigerator pickle” quite often. Sliced Onions, cucumbers, whole cloves of garlic and whatever catches their eye at the moment. I don’t know how long it could lasts, but it really doesn’t get a chance since since a jar gets eaten in a week (or less).
Everything is from their large garden.
I buy pickled garlic cloves at the local dollar store, one buck for an 8oz bottle, and the liquid is a great seasoner, too. They are teriffic by themselves or in recipes.
Hi
Can we also fry them in a pan with some oil? Does it do the job if i want to use it in hummus? This method looks a bit time consuming for me!
Hi Gopi, yes you can but the process will also take some time– you can’t really rush roasted garlic! I have added steps for pan-roasting above.
I’ve been roasting whole garlic heads with my roast chicken and potatoes. There’s almost a fight over them. I love them. My son loves them. My daughter loves them and now my 14 year old granddaughter loves them. Superb. Oh and ashkenasis also love baba ganouche.
Hi and thank you for your prompt response. Yes, I mean a toaster oven ! Its about the size of a large shoe box, quite small actually. 🙂 Barbara
Okay, this is totally do-able. Do you have a small tray (cookie sheet style) that fits into the oven? If you do, you can use the cut in half method of roasting the eggplants featured on my How to Roast Eggplant blog. Make sure you use small eggplants (Japanese will work well), and you probably only have room to roast one or two at a time. They may not get the same smokey flavor as they would on a stovetop, but they will caramelize if you let them roast long enough.
For the garlic, the method is the same as you would use for a big oven.If you have degree temp control, use the same temp as in the blog. If you don’t, roast it on high and keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn. Good luck!
The roast garlic and roast eggplant looks great but I don’t have a stove where I am at the moment.
We have a little electic griller oven and a micro wave oven. Do you have any suggestions for these appliances, eg can I just wrap them in the foil and leave them in the griller oven for 45 mins. I realise that I can’t put foil on them in the micro…but is there a simple way of doing them in it ?
Hey Barbara, great question. When you say griller oven, do you mean a toaster oven? Knowing specifically what equipment you have will help me to give you the right advice. 🙂
Karen, great to know! I’ve never frozen them, I’ll have to try that. Suzanne and Shirin, happy to help!
Wow thanks so much for this! My boyfriend’s mother roasts garlic all the time but never shares how! I appreciate the help!
This is wonderful. I refuse to use my oven this summer, but I’m going to try this tomorrow on the grill. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Will probably have it as a condiment at my cook-out on the forth.
If you need longer storage, you can freeze them! Make sure to start by freezing them in individual cloves or you might not be able to break them apart if you want just one. After they are frozen, you can put them into a freezable canning jar for easy access and all of the savory aroma will be kept where they should be. 😉
Wow, never tried this before, didn’t realize it’s so easy. Will try it next time I make my famous homemade pesto sauce! What’s the recipe tomorrow???
Thank you so much for this! I’m not a fan of raw garlic myself, so this is perfect. One question: how would you store any leftover cloves?
Hi Krista, happy to help! I usually squeeze the extra cloves from their casings into a small Tupperware or glass jar, cover them with extra virgin olive oil, and refrigerate. It will keep this way for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.