How to Roast Garlic

Garlic is roasted with a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt which makes it spreadable like butter and super delicious. It’s a great addition to any recipe that includes garlic!

Roasted garlic recipe

If you love garlic as much as I do, check out my rosemary garlic dinner rolls, pan roasted broccoli with garlic, or my honey garlic chicken stir fry!

I think I know what heaven smells like. It smells like heads of garlic, drizzled in bold extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled in coarse sea salt, and roasted until the bulbs are tender, spreadable, and super fragrant.

Seriously, the smell is heavenly.

Roasted garlic is a staple in most Italian homes. It can be used in any recipe that calls for garlic, can be spread on warm bread, or added to recipes like pasta or pizza.

Garlic is a very bold flavor, but when it is roasted, the flavor profile changes. It is more mild, caramelized, and warming. A perfect toned down version of garlic that compliments dishes well.

I really love making roasted garlic ahead of time because I pull the cloves out of the bulb and store it in a glass jar with olive oil in my fridge. This way, the garlic is ready to use whenever I need it!

There are so many ways to roast garlic, some methods include using tin foil. I try my best to reduce our use of tin foil in the kitchen because it does pose health risks. I’ll include both methods because they both work and will result in tender, spreadable garlic!

Roasted garlic ingredients

• Heads of garlic- Look for fresh garlic that does not have any brown rotting spots. I like to use large heads of garlic because the individual cloves are usually larger and easier to pull out of the head when it’s roasted.
• Extra virgin olive oil– Opt for a quality extra virgin olive oil since this will contribute to the taste and quality. I like to use California Olive Ranch because they are ranked for having quality olive oil.
• Salt– Use sea salt, not table salt, for this recipe. The sea salt complements the olive oil and garlic and brings out more flavor.

Chef’s tips

Enclose the garlic

Garlic can easily burn in the dry, high heat of the oven. Bump the heat down just a tad and make sure to cover the garlic so the halved top of it will not burn as easily.

Store it for later

My favorite way to preserve roasted garlic is to remove the cloves of garlic from the head and place them in a glass jar. Cover the cloves with extra virigin olive oil and place a lid on it.

This way, the garlic is ready for use whenever you need it and can be easily added to your favorite recipes!

Make some bread with it

Here’s my favorite foodie tip to you- if you are making roasted garlic, make some bread while you are at it! My crusty French bread rolls or rosemary garlic dinner rolls are fabulous dinner rolls that you can spread your freshly roasted garlic on. The taste is like no other!

How to roast garlic (with tin foil)

1. Prepare the garlic. Halve the garlic and remove the top. Make sure you slice the garlic just above the halfway cut. You want to expose the garlic cloves. Place the garlic on a large sheet of tin foil over a baking sheet.
2. Drizzle and sprinkle. Use your favorite extra virgin olive oil to drizzle over the garlic cloves, then sprinkle sea salt.
3. Wrap and roast. Cover the garlic with the tin foil, making sure the wrap it so it’s tight and enclosed. Roast the garlic at 400 degrees for anywhere between 40-70 minutes. The deeper the color, the more caramelized and deeper the flavor is. No matter the length of time, the garlic cloves will be tender and spreadable.
4. Serve. Remove the garlic from the oven, remove the tin foil wrap, and allow the garlic to cool a little before serving. To serve, use a fork to scoop out the garlic cloves from the head.

How to roast garlic without tin foil

1. Prepare the garlic. Slice the top half of the garlic off and discard it. Place the garlic in an oven-safe pan (with a lid) and drizzle it with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt.
2. Roast the garlic. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the lid on the pan and place it in the oven. Roast the garlic for 40-70 minutes until it is tender and golden in color.

Note: You can also place the garlic in a muffin tin. Put one head of garlic in each muffin cup, then cover it with another (upside down) muffin pan.

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram to stay in touch! I love to see your creations! Tag me at #SeaSaltSavorings to show me what you’ve made!