Roasted garlic transforms garlic cloves into soft, caramelized, spreadable garlic. The flavor is mellow and light, to be eaten as a spread or added to other recipes like mashed potatoes.

The first time I tasted roasted garlic was at a restaurant in Chicago a million years ago. It was memorable because I had not seen garlic so simply prepared but with so much flair and flavor. It quickly became a favorite way to elevate everyday dishes, adding roasted garlic cloves. So many of my favorite recipes call for the sweet flavor of garlic, a crucial ingredient in Lebanese food, but this roasted garlic recipe is a great way to take things to the next level for any garlic lover. It’s also a  healthy recipe using just three ingredients. My dad often told me that his mother, would roast garlic in a pan and eat the cloves wrapped in pieces of Lebanese bread. She knew that garlic is one of the best ways to get your daily values of nutrients that also support the immune system. Smart Sitto!

Ingredients 

Large garlic bulb. I typically use four whole heads of garlic for this recipe. 

Extra virgin olive oil. Find the good stuff, Lebanese extra-virgin olive oil, in my online shop. 

Salt. Just a little bit balances the sweetness of the roasted garlic, a delicious addition. A pinch of salt flakes such as Maldon adds flavor and crunch, or try Lebanese sea salt.

How to Roast Garlic

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 2. Trim the top ¼ inch off the top of the garlic head with a sharp knife. Ensure all of the papery skin is off the tops of the garlic (peel off excess outer skin if necessary). 

Step 3. Place the raw garlic cut-side up on a large piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Nestle the garlic in the piece of aluminum foil, then fold the tin foil over the garlic, and place into a baking dish.

Step 4. Roast garlic for 40 to 60 minutes or until the cloves are deep golden brown and tender.

Step 5. Serve the roasted cloves warm or at room temperature. Use a spoon or knife to remove the individual cloves from the head.

How to Use Roasted Garlic

There are many different ways to use roasted garlic, and once you start making it you’ll find roasted garlic cloves belong in many of your favorite dishes. Some of the best things this garlic recipe can be used for is to give a richer garlic flavor to salad dressings, spread onto crusty bread for garlic bread,  mashed potatoes, and pasta dishes. You can also fold some of the individual garlic cloves (roasted) into cream cheese, spread onto french bread, add to  pizza crust, or use it to revive a piece of crusty bread. 

Tips

If you want to ensure none of the oil spills out from the tin foil wrap and into the bottom of the pan you’re using, line it with a sheet of parchment paper. That way if a little olive oil escapes, the paper will catch it.

Use any small oven-safe dish with an oven-safe lid that can tolerate the indicated oven temperature for the roasting process. Or, you can place garlic heads on a baking tray or baking sheet as long as the foil is used. Use a tiny  cocktail fork for an easy method of removing the cloves.

Elephant garlic, a variety different than regular garlic with its very large, mild cloves, will give you mild  garlic taste and soft garlic texture. 

It’s a good idea to save the oil you use when making this form of garlic confit.Use it in place of regular oil as an inexpensive way to give any dish more robust flavor. 

If you want to avoid having excess oil, go with about a tablespoon of olive oil over top of the cloves. 

Allow the garlic to cool to room temperature if you plan to remove the individual garlic cloves by hand!

Avoid using black pepper when you season the whole bulb; it might burn in the oven and its dark specs are not as lovely. 

An air fryer is not as useful for roasting garlic; better to roast garlic an the oven.

Should You Peel Garlic Before Roasting?

Do not peel the garlic before roasting, loose garlic cloves in lots of olive oil alone may cause them to burn in the hot oven. The whole bulb of garlic roasts intact.

Preventing the Garlic from Burning

The garlic will caramelize and soften without burning if it is fully covered during roasting. Wrap the garlic in aluminum foil to prevent the garlic from burning and be sure to coat the garlic with olive oil so it isn’t dry.

How Long Does Roasted Garlic Last? 

To store in the fridge, let the garlic cool and put it in an airtight container (with the oil), or in a large bag with a zip top. 

For longer storage, mash up the garlic without the skin to make roasted garlic paste and place in a freezer safe bag. Garlic will keep frozen for about six months.