How to Roast Garlic
Oven roast garlic cloves are a flavorful addition to any dish! How to roast garlic, the easiest way possible.
There are moments in life when you find yourself in possession of massive amounts of garlic.
I’m not sure exactly how this happens…. but it happens.
Maybe you planted a load of garlic in your garden, expecting half of it to die, but instead it all flourished and is ready to harvest.
Maybe you hit the mother-of-all-sales on garlic at the farmers market and you couldn’t resist buying it up by the armful.
Maybe your vampire fearing brother-in-law came to visit over the weekend.
However you came about this garlic-overload, you’ve got to figure out what to do with it, before it dries out.
I suggest roasting it.
For a few reasons:
One, oven roast garlic is so yummy, with dark roasted tones and a nutty essence.
I’m under the impression that anytime a dish is lacking flavor, it probably needs a hefty dose of garlic. Adding roasted garlic to dishes, provides a sweetness and a unique complexity, you just can’t get from regular garlic.
Two, it’s easy to keep: canned, packed in oil and refrigerated, or even in the freezer.
Three, instead of chopping it, you simply smash the tender little cloves and mix them into whatever you are cooking. I like smashing things… it’s therapeutic.
Roast garlic cloves are easy to prepare. I believe the best way to insure even roasting and rich flavor is to roast the garlic in a dutch oven.
The thick sides and lid of the dutch oven, insulate the garlic cloves, and regulate the temperature for even cooking and color.
This is how I do it…
How to Roast Garlic
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the tops off the heads of garlic, so that most (or all) of the cloves are exposed.
Place the heads of garlic in a dutch oven, cut-side-up. You can place as many as you like in the dutch oven, in a single layer. I usually roast anywhere from 3 heads up to a dozen.
Drizzle olive oil liberally over the top of each head. Depending on how many heads of garlic you plan to roast, you may use between 1/4 – 1/2 cup of oil.
Generously sprinkle good quality sea salt (I like Celtic Makai Pure) over the tops of the garlic and pepper to taste.
Place the lid on the top of the dutch oven and move it to the oven.
Roast for 35-45 minutes, until the garlic tops are golden brown.
Once the oven roasted garlic is cool enough to touch, squeeze the cloves out of each head into a bowl.
You may have to peel back layers if the outer cloves weren’t exposed enough.
Store in an air-tight container in the fridge until ready to use. You can also “can” or freeze the roast garlic cloves.
I like to use oven roasted garlic cloves in:Â breads, soups, salad dressings, mashed potatoes… the possibilities are endless!
Mmmmm.. I could literally smell the caramelized garlic. Yummy!!
I remember years ago when I tasted my first roasted garlic – I had no idea how easy it was to make at home. Love spreading it on bread and mixing it in mashed potatoes for extra flavor without all the fat.
Mmm, doesn’t get much better than warm, roasted garlic. Love that little Dutch oven!
Nice and easy! Thanks for the “how-to.” :)
Thanks for the easy tip. One of my favorite restaurants in Monterey California on the wharf, Domenico’s, serves roasted warm garlic with fresh French bread. Slather on some, it is delicious. Once roasted the garlic odor is turned down a notch and the carmelized flavor is outstanding!
I sent this to my garlic loving brother. Once YEARS ago, when he was in junior high he saw roasted garlic on food network. Anywho, he tried it and IT WENT ALL WRONG. Our house smelled like acrid burned garlic for days. Now he can finally get it right. I bet his wife will thank me, lol…so long as she eats some too =)
Roasted garlic is one of my favorites! Love this method!
I love roasted garlic and often times I turn it into something resembling petrified wood so I will be trying your method next time.
Roasted garlic makes me cry. The sexy kind.
After they are done roasting, you pop the bulbs into your mouth and eat. haha. :) I love oven roasted garlic!
I love roasted garlic, it adds so much great flavor to any dish. This method looks so easy and definitely something I need to try soon! Thanks! :)
There is not much that I love more than roasted garlic. I love this method!
Oven roasted garlic is one of my favorite foods! We used to make it all the time growing up. I would even catch my dad sneaking cloves as a snack. That man really loves his garlic!
Yummy! And so many great uses for it. Thanks for the great tutorial!
It happens that I end up with a huge load of Chinese garlic. Next time I know what I ll do with it. It’s a nice way to bring some warmth into the house with the aroma of roasted Garlic.
Yet another great tutorial, Sommer! This past Thanksgiving, hubby and I shot our roasted garlic tutorial. But, I never got my mashed potato recipe posted in time for the Christmas holiday with the blog launch. Will do it later this year, however. LOVE your Emile Henry dutch oven…so pretty!
Roasted garlic is such a flavor maker!
Not bad problem to have..,what a great idea!