Roasted Garlic Recipe

The Basics: Roasted Garlic

August 13, 2010

One of the world's most sublimely simple pleasures is roasted garlic. There's something so wonderful about the soft spreadable cloves that are sweet and slightly caramelized. I can't help but pop them into my mouth or slather them on French bread. Roasted garlic is also a great flavor enhancer for all sorts of dishes from salad dressings to pasta sauces. Anytime I need a last minute appetizer, I'll roast a couple of heads of garlic, then throw them on a plate next to some bread, cheese, and olives. It totally fools people into thinking you've made something special. But really, the technique is so easy! To learn how to roast garlic, a culinary basic you'll use over and over again, keep reading.

Adapted from Simply Recipes

Roasted Garlic

Ingredients

4 heads of garlic
Olive oil for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel off some of the outer layers of garlic skin. Slice off the top of the garlic head, about 1/4 inch off. Place each head in the hole of a muffin tin. Alternately, set each head on a small sheet of foil.
Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Cover each bulb tightly with foil or wrap the foil around the garlic to close.
Roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the cloves are soft and just starting to turn golden brown.
Set aside until they are cool enough to handle. Remove the garlic and enjoy as an appetizer spread on crusty bread, or use following another recipe.

Makes 4 heads of roasted garlic.

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8 Comments

amber512 2 years 39 weeks

Does this only work if you make it fresh? Or can I make ahead of time and reheat in some way?

xxstardust 2 years 39 weeks

I've always thought it was easier to pull the cloves off the head, rather then leaving them attached, before roasting them. Much neater and party-friendly ... people can grab a couple cloves out of the bowl and pop them out of the skins onto a crostini or whatever, rather then wrestling to get it out of the head! It comes out exactly the same consistency and flavor. Just pop the cloves off the head of garlic, remove the outer layers of skin, and cut a very small piece off the end of the clove. Then it's the same cooking method as a whole head - drizzled in olive oil and wrapped in tin foil.

Spectra 2 years 39 weeks

This sounds amazing! I've never tried it, but I bet it would taste fantastic!

chiefdishwasher 2 years 39 weeks

Nothing like some grilled crostini to spread that garlic on!!!!!

RoaringSilence 2 years 39 weeks

Hahha I love making this, it's soo.. garlicky!

imLissy 2 years 39 weeks

why have I never thought to do this? I love roasted garlic!

betty kraker 2 years 39 weeks

and a quick easy way to liven up mashes potatoes is throw a few cloves of garlic in while you are boiling the potatoes

skigurl 2 years 39 weeks

I do this all the time now - it's so easy and perfect to put on stuff like homemade pizza. I usually don't put S&P though I might start. and if you just wrap the clove in foil, you don't even need to put it on anything, just throw it on the rack in the oven (it's big enough it won't fall through).

Roasted Garlic

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