If you are a fan of garlic, then you will surely love roasted garlic. Roasting garlic is a classic technique that mellows and enhances the flavor of garlic, bringing out its sweetness in the most savory way. Unlike raw garlic, roasted garlic has no bite. Instead, you get insanely soft and creamy garlic cloves with a rich earthy savoriness that will instantly upgrade your favorite dish. The bold flavor of freshly roasted garlic has a way of giving your mashed potatoes, steak pasta, and other meals that extra kick.
Roasting garlic also makes it easier to digest. The best part about roasting garlic is that it is quite easy to do, and there are many different ways to do it. Once ready, you can use your roasted garlic as a spread on your crusty bread or crackers or mix it into pasta sauce, hummus, or just about anything else.
How Long Does It Take to Roast Garlic?
The exact amount of time it takes to roast garlic depends on several factors. But generally, roasting garlic can take anywhere from 40 minutes to 70 minutes. There are a lot of factors at play here. The length of time will depend on the variety of garlic, size, and quantity of bulbs you want to roast, their freshness. The amount of oil used and your roasting preferences.
To be on the safe side, when roasting garlic, start checking them at around 40 minutes and continue cooking as you’d like. When you roast your garlic long enough, it transforms from pungent and crisp to mellow and soft. It becomes irresistible caramelized and spreads over bread like butter.
How to Roast Garlic in the Oven
This is an excellent way to enjoy warm and toasty roasted garlic cloves straight out of the garlic head. The best part of roasting garlic in the oven is that it’s nearly impossible to mess up. Note, however, that this method takes the longest, but the caramelized, sweet flavor and aroma you get are well worth the wait.
Ingredients
- 2 whole heads of garlic – Make sure to choose medium to large heads of garlic that feel firm and heavy for their size. Smaller heads easily dry out or burn more easily when roasting. Also, avoid any bulbs that have soft spots, seem to have dried out, or have mold.
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil – Although any neutral cooking oil can work, we highly recommend using olive oil.
Directions
Step 1: Preheat Oven
Before you start preparing your heads of garlic for roasting, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
Step 2: Prepare Your Garlic Heads
Peel off the papery skins of the garlic bulb and discard. Leave intact the skin of each clove. This skin will help prevent the garlic from drying out in the oven.
Step 3: Slice Off the Top of the Heads
Using a sharp paring knife, cut a thin (about 1/4 to 1/2-inch) slice from the top of each head of garlic. This should expose the tops of the cloves so you can drizzle oil on them. Alternatively, you can roast the garlic heads intact.
Step 4: Set the Garlic Heads in a Muffin Pan or Aluminum Foil
Place the garlic in a small baking dish or muffin pan with the cut side up. A muffin pan works great for this as it prevents the garlic bulbs from rolling around. Alternatively, you can wrap your heads of garlic in aluminum foil paper. Wrapping them allows for you to slow roast your garlic.
Step 5: Pour Olive Oil Over the Garlic
Drizzle some olive oil over the exposed cloves. Use your fingers to rub the oil into the garlic cloves. This oil helps to brown your garlic. Plus, without it, you will only be steaming your garlic.
Step 6: Enclose the Garlic
Cover the garlic with parchment paper-lined foil or put them in a foil packet.
Step 7: Stick It in the Oven
Finally, it’s time to put the garlic in the oven. But, you don’t want to put your cloves in direct contact with the conductive metal as it increases the risk of them scorching. So, instead, place the foil packets on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, and you will get evenly cooked garlic.
Step 8: Roast Until Golden Brown and Soft
Let it roast until the cloves turn golden brown and feel soft to the touch. Of course, the deeper the color, the deeper the flavor. At this point, your kitchen should be smelling outrageously and maddeningly good. That’s how you know your roasted garlic is ready.
Step 9: Let it Cool
out of the oven, the garlic will be blazing hot. Set it aside to cool for a few minutes before you can touch it. Just do not leave it a room temperature for too long as it could develop Clostridium botulinum.
Note that when roasted as whole heads of garlic, the cloves end up squished especially when trying to remove them from their skin. This makes it hard to use it for anything else. Alternatively, you can opt to separate the garlic heads into individual cloves of garlic.
How to Roast Garlic Cloves in the Oven
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Break apart the head of garlic
- Remove the flaky papery skin, but do not peel them
- Cut off the root end of each clove.. make sure to leave the skin on
- Put the cloves on a square of aluminum foil
- Drizzle with olive oil
- Use your fingers to rub the olive oil all over the cloves.
- Gather the foil into a pouch and set it on your oven rack
- Let the cloves roast for about 45 minutes until they become soft and golden.
- When done, open the ouch and the garlic cool before you can handle them.
- Once cooled, give each roasted garlic clove a squeeze at the untrimmed end. The garlic should slide right out intact.
How to Roast Garlic in a Pan
Roasting garlic on a pan is a quicker way to enjoy roasted garlic. However, since you are cooking your garlic directly over stovetop heat, this method requires your full attention. Step away for a minute, and you can easily burn it. Peeled garlic cloves will roast the fastest in stainless steel or cast-iron skillet, but you can also roast unpeeled garlic cloves. For this method, you will need to use canola oil or any other oil with a high smoke point.
Duration: 5 minutes
Directions
- Heat your skillet over medium heat.
- Pour in a small amount of canola oil.
- Toast the cloves shaking the pan frequently for about 5 minutes until softened and golden brown.
- Let them cool for about 10 minutes, and then use them as desired.
How to Roast Garlic in a Microwave
If you need to roast a few heads of garlic quickly, the microwave is a solid solution. Unlike making roasted garlic in the oven that takes close to an hour, roasting garlic in the microwave takes just a few minutes. Note, however, that roasting garlic in the microwave really isn’t roasting but steaming. The result is soft, smashable cooked garlic that you can use in a recipe that calls for roasted garlic.
While it won’t be as mellow, when used in a recipe it will be indistinguishable from the longer cooked variety. Microwave roasted garlic is great for mixing with scrambled eggs or infusing roast chicken or baked potatoes with intense flavor.
Duration: 6-8 minutes
What You Need
- 1 or more heads of garlic
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Microwave
- A microwave-safe dish
- A microwave-safe lead
Directions
- Cut the top off your heads of garlic
- Remove the outer wrappers of your garlic, leaving the skin of the cloves on
- Set the trimmed garlic bulbs in a microwave-safe dish
- Drizzle with olive oil
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Cover the dish with a microwave-safe lid
- Microwave on 50% power in periods of 3 minutes
- Check the garlic after every 3 minutes. poke it with a fork to see how tender the cloves are
- If they are all firm, microwave for another 3 minutes. If after the first 6 minutes your garlic is still not ready, cook in increments of 1 minute each until the garlic is soft and easily pierced with a fork.
- When ready and cooled, squeeze the garlic out of cloves and use it in your favorite vegetarian recipes, fresh recipes, or more.
How to Roast Garlic on the Grill
Roasting garlic on the grill is similar to roasting it in the oven. Whole heads of garlic are best for grilling. You will need to prep them as you would before oven roasting.
Duration: 40 – 60 minutes
Directions
- Prep your garlic bulbs and place them on a sheet of heavy-duty foil.
- Drizzle olive oil over the exposed cloves and then bring up the edges of the foil and crimp to seal.
- Grill your garlic over indirect heat, making sure to place it on the opposite side of the heat source.
- Cover and grill garlic until soft for about 40 to 45 minutes.
- Let it cool, and then use as desired.
How to Roast Garlic in the Air Fryer
Here is another exciting thing you can do with your air fryer – roast garlic! Roasted garlic is easy to pop out of its papery casing and as soft as butter.
Duration: 30 – 60 minutes
Directions
- Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F.
- Cut the top off the head of garlic and place it on a piece of aluminum foil.
- Bring the foil up around the garlic bulb and drizzle olive oil over the cut side of the garlic.
- Optional season with salt and pepper and bring the ends of the foil together to create a pouch.
- Air fry your garlic for 16 to 20 minutes until the garlic is soft.
- Open the foil pouch very carefully as hot steam will escape.
What to Do With Roasted Garlic Cloves
There are many things to do with your roasted garlic. Other than eating them straight from the head, you can add the cloves to salad dressings or a bowl of soup, use them as a spread on warm french bread or mash them up with mashed potatoes.
Make Compound Butter
Mash the roasted garlic cloves into a thick, creamy paste using a fork. Add in some butter to ump the taste. For a strong butter taste, use equal parts of butter and the roasted garlic paste. You can also opt to use more butter to soften the garlic taste—season with salt. Make sure to store the mixture in the fridge immediately to use within 4 days to avoid food poisoning.
Make a Dip
You can also mix the roasted garlic cloves with sour cream to make a dip
Smear on Toast
Spread your roasted garlic on bread or crackers. Top it off with some flaky salt. Or better yet, make roasted garlic bread.
Add It to Your Favorite Roasted Garlic Recipe
Savory dishes that are rich, creamy, or garlicky are excellent candidates. Think roasted garlic mashed potatoes, dips, soups, and sauces like tahini sauce, aioli, or hummus.
How to Store Garlic After Roasting
Roasted garlic can be refrigerated to extend its shelf life for a few days. Remove the roasted garlic cloves and put them in a clean and airtight container. Cover the cloves with olive oil and seal the container. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. The olive oil you use to store garlic will benefit from the infused garlic flavors, which is great when you want to cook with garlic oil.
You can also freeze roasted garlic either as whole cloves or mashed up into a puree or covered in olive oil. The frozen roasted garlic should last up to three months.
People Also Ask:
How Long Does It Take to Roast a Clove of Garlic?
Roasting a clove of garlic in the air fryer takes approximately 16-20 minutes, while it takes 40-45 minutes for grilling or oven roasting.
How Long Does Garlic Need to Cook?
When grilling or oven roasting, garlic should be cooked for about 40-45 minutes, while air frying takes around 16-20 minutes.
How Do You Roast Garlic Without Burning It?
To avoid burning your garlic, try these cooking techniques: use indirect heat when grilling or oven roasting. When air frying, cook at 380 degrees F for 16 to 20 minutes, but be cautious when opening the pouch since it will release scorching steam.
How Long Does Garlic Stay in the Oven for?
To roast garlic in the oven, it typically takes 40-45 minutes. Keep in mind that the exact time can vary based on the oven type and the amount of garlic being cooked.
References
https://www.allrecipes.com/article/how-make-roasted-garlic-4-easy-ways/
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/roasted_garlic/
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a22553960/how-to-roast-garlic/
