How to Roast Garlic for Rich, Amazing Flavor

Who doesn’t love garlic? It’s what makes so many of our favorite dishes, like these classic garlic recipes, so delectable. But you can go beyond adding a crushed clove or garlic powder to your dishes. Learning how to make garlic confit or some roasted garlic can take your favorite dishes to a whole new level.

The best part about this technique: It’s easy to do and delicious. We’ll walk you through how to roast garlic to amp up some of your favorite recipes.

Uses for Roasted Garlic

Before we get into the how of roasting garlic, let’s talk about why. Roasted garlic tastes delicious and there are so many uses for this leveled-up bulb.

Let’s start with why this ingredient is so special. Roasted garlic has that classic garlic flavor we all love, but more. Roasting this aromatic at high temperatures caramelizes the natural sugars inside. This provides depth of flavor and some very mild sweetness while mellowing out some of garlic’s more potent bite.

You can use roasted garlic in nearly any recipe that calls for a few cloves of the fresh stuff. Try the roasted version in recipes like garlic mashed potatoes or spread it over garlic bread. You can even stir a few cloves into your favorite pasta sauce. Add it to the jarred stuff or even blend it into your homemade pesto.

How to Roast Garlic in the Oven

You can use this method to roast a single bulb of garlic or many.

Ingredients

• Whole garlic bulbs, as many as you’d like
• Oil—olive, grapeseed and vegetable all work here

Directions

Step 1: Remove (some of) the skin

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The first step is to remove any excess papery skin from your whole bulb of garlic. This will flake and burn in the oven, so it’s best to remove a good amount of it to avoid the mess.

Step 2: Brush with oil

With that excess papery skin removed, you can slice off the top of the bulb with a sharp knife. Then brush the oil of your choosing over the top of the bulbs with a pastry brush.

If you ask our Test Kitchen, your favorite olive oil is perfect here, though canola oil or grapeseed oil will work as well.

Step 3: Wrap in foil

Next, wrap your bulbs in foil. If you’re roasting multiple heads of garlic, you can wrap them all in the same bundle.

Step 4: Roast

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Pop your bundle of garlic into the oven at 400ºF for about 40 minutes.

The garlic is done when you can prick the center clove with a knife or toothpick and it’s nice and soft. If you’re looking for an intense roasted flavor, you can continue to caramelize the garlic until golden. Just keep checking on it in 10-minute increments.

Step 5: Serve or store

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After you’ve roasted the garlic, let it cool slightly. Then you can remove the cloves from the bulb by giving the base of the bulb a squeeze. The soft roasted garlic should come right out. You can always use a small spatula or butter knife to help.

From there, you can use the garlic in the recipe of your choice. You can even spread cloves right over a bit of crostini for an easy appetizer.

If you’re not using the roasted garlic right away, pack it in an airtight container, cover it with oil and refrigerate it for up to four days. You can also freeze this container for two to three months.

Roasted Garlic FAQ

Do you peel garlic before roasting it?

Before roasting, remove any papery skin that’s flaking away from the bulb. Just a quick brush with your hand is enough. The rest of the garlic skin should stay on the bulb.

How do you roast garlic without burning it?

To keep the garlic from burning, wrap it in foil as you roast and make sure you brush it with a bit of oil. This will keep scorching at bay.

How long does it take to roast garlic?

It takes about 40 minutes to roast garlic. For super-rich flavor, you can roast for a full hour.

How do you store roasted garlic?

Roasted garlic can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. You can also freeze it. For best results, use it up within three months. Here, find out how long does garlic last.