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!

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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.

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