If you have ever wondered how to roast garlic at home, this tutorial lays out all of the steps for you, including photos.
How many of you made New Year's resolutions to work on your cooking skills or at least branch out in your recipe repertoire, such as cooking with roasted garlic? When I started my "How to" series a year ago, it was with the intention of providing tips for some much-used cooking techniques, such as chopping an onion or holding and cutting with a chef's knife (Knife Skills 101). If you would like to check out the whole series, head to the How to page or click the tab in the header above. If you want to learn to roast garlic, then stick around to learn this technique for making an easy appetizer or adding an extra layer of flavor to your favorite soups or pasta dishes.
Not only is the method for roasting garlic easy, but the ingredient list just doesn't get any shorter. A bulb of garlic, olive oil and a piece of foil will do the trick. Peel the papery skin off the bulb, rub the whole thing with olive oil, bundle it up in a piece of foil and tuck it into the oven. Forty minutes later you'll be rewarded with creamy, slightly sweet garlic that can be smeared on toasted pieces of baguette, pureed into creamy soups or stirred into pasta sauces.
How to roast garlic:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel all of the loose papery skin from the outside of the garlic bulb, leaving the bulb intact. Cut off the top of the bulb, leaving the top of the cloves exposed.
Place the bulb on a sheet of foil, drizzle over 2 tablespoons olive oil and throughly rub the olive oil onto the entire surface of the bulb.
Close the foil and place the package in an oven-proof dish.
Roast the garlic until the cloves are soft when pierced with a small, sharp knife, about 40 minutes. Let the garlic cool for about 10 minutes before handling.
Using a small knife or your fingers remove the garlic from the skin. My favorite way to do this is to remove the whole clove from the bulb and squeeze out the soft pulp.
Mash the garlic with the back of a fork, if you wish, and serve on pieces of toasted baguette or in a recipe (think stews, soups, dips...) The roasted garlic is fantastic with roasted vegetables or smashed avocados.
Recipes with roasted garlic:
Cookin' Canuck's Mashed Cauliflower with Roasted Garlic
Hungry Foodies Pharmacy's Roasted Garlic, Bacon & Onion Marmalade
Good Life Eats' Roasted Garlic & Cauliflower Soup
My Kitchen Addiction's Roasted Garlic Pasta Salad with White Beans & Spinach
How to: Roast Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 bulb garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Peel all of the loose papery skin from the outside of the garlic bulb, leaving the bulb intact. Cut off the top of the bulb, leaving the top of the cloves exposed.
- Place the bulb on a sheet of foil, drizzle over 2 tablespoons olive oil and throughly rub the olive oil onto the entire surface of the bulb.
- Close the foil and place the package in an oven-proof dish.
- Roast the garlic until the cloves are soft when pierced with a small, sharp knife, about 40 minutes. Let the garlic cool for about 10 minutes before handling.
Nutrition
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Yuri - Chef Pandita
I roast garlic for hummus to avoid strong garlic after taste 🙂
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Great idea! I'll try that the next time I make hummus.
Jackie Thompson
Yum, roasted garlic makes everything taste better, doesn't it!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Indeed it does!
Asiya
I just recently started roasting garlic and love it...so easy to do. I love to bake potatoes and roast the garlic in the oven at the same time. When the potatoes are done so is my garlic and I can mix the two together!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Asiya, you're making me hungry. Potatoes and roasted garlic really are a perfect match.
Barbara | Creative Culinary
I also roast several bulbs at one time too. Out of necessity...shopping at Costco means a lot of garlic at one time! Terry does exactly what I do with some but I also freeze some in Tbsp portions and put them in a plastic bag...they get thrown into soups, stews and pasta.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Another great idea! I don't know why I haven't thought to freeze them.
Terry
I always roast several bulbs at a time. After carefully removing them from their skin I toss them into a covered glass filled with olive oil. They store well right on my kitchen counter and ready to use at my slightest whim.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Great idea, Terry. I am definitely going to do this.
Megan
Mmmm --- LOVE roasted garlic! Great post
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks, Megan.
A@Bigcitykitchen
Looks great. Roasted garlic is a staple in our house. My daughter eats it straight from the oven - at least we won't have to worry about vampires.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
You daughter is my kind of gal!
Deborah
Roasted garlic is one of my favorite things - ever!!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Every time I roast garlic I wonder why I don't do it more often.
the wicked noodle
I just love, love, love roasting garlic!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
I hear you, Kristy. So much flavor for so little effort.
Barbara @ Barbara Bakes
Nice how to post. Love the difference roasting garlic makes in the flavor.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
You're right, Barbara. It really is a great added flavor.