Roasting garlic is a simple process that adds MEGA flavor to your favorite savory dishes! Use these simple steps to learn how to roast garlic at home. You’ll fill your kitchen with the most delicious, welcoming scent and have flavorful garlic to add to your favorite home-cooked meals.

A lot of my recipes lately have used roast garlic, so I thought it was time to dedicate a post to this delicious addition! No matter how you prep it, garlic adds incredible flavor to some of my favorite dishes. If you ask me, though, roasting your garlic takes it up a couple notches! Raw garlic has a pungent, sharp flavor, but roasted garlic is much milder, almost sweet, and so comforting. This is a really easy way to take your at-home cooking to a new level!

How to Roast Garlic

Let’s get to roasting! All you need for this super-simple process is a head of garlic, some extra-virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt. You’ll also use some foil and a ramekin (a small oven-safe dish).

• Slice the top off of the head of garlic! Go about 1/2″ down and make a clean cut with a sharp knife. This will expose the tops of all those little cloves inside. My kids think this is fascinating!
• Wrap the exposed garlic bulb up in foil, leaving the top (the part you cut) open. Place it open side up in a ramekin. This will catch any oil that leaks out.
• Drizzle the olive oil right onto the head of garlic. Another reason you want the foil to hold the garlic close upright is so this oil can soak into every single clove, which is perfect for roasting! Generously sprinkle salt in there, too.
• Now cover the top of the garlic with foil. You can pinch the top closed or add another piece, just make sure the garlic is covered so it doesn’t burn in the oven.
• Let’s make your house smell amazing! Bake the garlic for one hour at 350F. You’ll know it’s done when it’s golden brown, fork-tender, and fragrant.
• Pull it from the oven and let the garlic cool completely at room temperature. My favorite part: squeezing the bottom of the garlic and seeing all the perfectly-roasted cloves come tumbling out. So satisfying!

If you are a visual learner like me, here is a 30-second video (Instagram reel) of how to roast garlic.

How to Use Roast Garlic

Once you have a head of fragrant roasted garlic…now what? What can you put it on? Basically, any recipe that uses garlic will be delicious with this as an addition. I also think it works more like a garnish when it’s roasted, though. You can put roasted garlic cloves on top of pizza, salads, or in hummus. It’s SO GOOD! Since I drizzle quite a bit of oil over the garlic before baking, there’s a lot of leftover oil that spills out into the ramekins. I like to save that garlic-infused olive oil and use it in whatever dish I’m making! It’s filled with incredible roast garlic flavor and enhances any recipe you use it in.

Health Benefits of Garlic

Garlic is part of the onion family, also related to shallots and leeks. It’s been used for centuries in health and medicine. Garlic is low in calories and rich in vitamin C, manganese, and antioxidants. Many people use garlic to boost their immune system, help prevent colds, and even lower blood pressure. Recently, garlic is most commonly promoted as a dietary supplement for conditions related to the heart and blood vessels, including high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure. According to this 2014 study, “different compounds in garlic are thought to reduce the risk for cardiovascular diseases, have anti-tumor and anti-microbial effects, and show benefit on high blood glucose concentration.”  Research is continuing to investigate garlic’s protective and curative properties as an alternative therapy for diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and microbial infections. If you are interested in learning more about garlic’s potential health benefits see this more recent review (July 2020). While there are still studies being done on the health benefits of garlic, it’s a tasty and easy addition to your diet.

More Garlicky Recipes

Vegan Mashed Cauliflower with Roast Garlic

Creamy Vegan Garlic Cilantro Lime Sauce
Mini Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic & Herb Aioli
Creamy Vegan Garlic Mushroom Fettuccini
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Garlic
Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Garlic Pasta
Garlic Cilantro Lime Coleslaw (no mayo!)

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (Pasta with Roasted Garlic, Olive Oil, Chile and Parsley)

How to Roast Garlic

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• Author: Elaine Gordon
• Prep Time: 2
• Cook Time: 60
• Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
• Yield: 8 cloves 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Ingredients

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• 1 large whole garlic bulb
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• generous pinch or two of fine salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Slice the top off an entire head of garlic (about 1/2-inch so the garlic cloves are all exposed).  Discard the top part of the bulb that you trimmed.
3. Wrap the exposed garlic bulb in foil keeping just the top portion open.  Place the foil covered garlic in a small ramekin (cut side up) that is oven safe.  The ramekin will help to catch any oil.  It also keeps the garlic upright so the oil can soak in from the top down.
4. Drizzle the garlic directly with extra virgin olive oil.  You want all cloves to be fully covered in the oil.
5. Sprinkle the garlic bulb generously with fine salt. 
6. Cover in foil completely so the garlic is not exposed (to prevent it from burning).
7. Place the ramekin in the oven for one hour.  You know it is done when it is golden brown and fork tender.
8. Remove and once cooled carefully unwrap the foil to allow the roasted garlic to cool to room temperature.
9. Squeeze the garlic head to release the roasted garlic cloves. Discard the garlic skin.  I like to save the oil that spills out into the ramekin to use in whatever dish I’m making.  It is incredibly flavorful and infused with nutty, rich, sweet roasted garlic flavor.
10. Store in a small airtight container in your refrigerator for up to five days.  Store in your freezer for up to two months.

Equipment

ramekin

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Notes

You can roast multiple garlic bulbs at once if desired. 

• Method: Oven

Keywords: roasted garlic