How to Roast Garlic (Whole or Cloves)

Roasting garlic transforms it into a creamy, spreadable consistency that’s perfect for using as a sandwich spread, stirring into dips, or flavoring soups and stews. This easy tutorial shares How to Roast Garlic whole or in cloves! 

Why You Should Learn How to Roast Garlic

If you’ve never roasted a garlic bulb before, you might be wondering what the fuss is about. 

Here’s the deal: roasting garlic completely transforms it. 

Raw garlic is eye-wateringly pungent and can only be enjoyed in small doses. That’s why most stir-fries, soups, and stews only ever call for a few small cloves of the stuff. 

But roasted garlic? It’s soft, buttery, and spreadable in texture, with a milder flavor that’s less sharp and much sweeter than raw garlic. 

Roasted garlic can be added to almost any soup or stew recipe that calls for fresh garlic, and it’s actually sweet enough to slather directly onto wraps and sandwiches and eat as a spread itself — seriously! 

As a bonus, roasted garlic is easier to digest than raw garlic, so if you find yourself experiencing — ahem — digestive issues after eating a garlicky dish, try subbing in roasted garlic next time. 

This tutorial will explain how to roast garlic whole or in cloves. Roast a small amount for a recipe you’re making today, or roast a few heads and freeze them for future recipes! 

What Does Roasted Garlic Taste Like? 

Roasted garlic still tastes garlicky, but the flavor is much sweeter and isn’t pungent whatsoever. The consistency is akin to softened butter, and it’s easy to spread. 

If you’re replacing fresh garlic with roasted in a soup recipe, you can use much more roasted garlic since it’s milder in flavor. For recipes like my roasted cauliflower soup, I add an entire head of roasted garlic to the pot! 

Tools You’ll Need to Roast Garlic

Roasting garlic is very simple and requires few pieces of equipment. Here’s what you’ll need:  

• Sharp Knife and Cutting Board — You’ll need to cut off the top third of the garlic head before roasting. 
• Rimmed Baking Sheet — Makes it easier to remove the garlic from the oven. 
• Wire Cooling Rack — I recommend roasting the garlic on a wire cooling rack so the hot air is able to fully circulate around it. 
• Aluminum Foil — Whether you’re roasting garlic cloves or a whole head, you need to wrap the garlic in foil to prevent it from burning. 

Roasted Garlic Recipe Ingredients 

Oven roasted garlic requires just three basic ingredients:  

• Fresh Garlic 
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea Salt 

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable how to roast garlic recipe card.

How to Roast Garlic Whole or in Cloves

You have three options for roasting garlic — you can roast a whole head of garlic (my preferred method), or you can roast garlic cloves (peeled or unpeeled). 

1. How to Roast a Garlic Head 

1. Place the garlic head on its side on a cutting board and cut off the top third of the head. 
2. Place a wire cooling rack on top of a rimmed sheet pan. 
3. Layer a large sheet of aluminum foil on top of the rack. Place cut garlic heads on the foil, root side down. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
4. Connect the two ends of the long side of the foil in the center, forming a tent. Crimp together so they hold. Repeat with the remaining open sides, then seal the foil by connecting all sides of the rectangle in the center. 
5. Roast garlic at 400ºF until the garlic is soft and golden, about 1 – 1 ½ hours.
6. After roasting, remove the pan from the oven and let the garlic cool inside the closed tent for 30 minutes.
7. After cooling, open the tent and remove the garlic heads. To remove the roasted garlic cloves, squeeze the bottom of the garlic head near the roots to push each clove out.

2. How to Roast Garlic Cloves (Unpeeled) 

1. Remove each clove from the head of garlic. 
2. Using a sharp knife, cut the tip of each clove of garlic off (so you can squeeze the garlic pulp out after roasting). 
3. Follow the rest of the recipe as written from the point where you layer foil on top of the wire cooling rack, noting that the final roasting time will be reduced to 10 to 15 minutes. 

3. How to Roast Garlic Cloves (Peeled) 

1. Remove each clove from the head of garlic, then peel. 
2. Follow the same instructions as the whole head of garlic, including coating with oil and roasting in a foil tent. The roast time will be reduced to 10 to 15 minutes. 

The above is simply a quick summary of how to roast garlic. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Tips for How to Roast Garlic

• Let the roast garlic cool before handling — It will be molten hot when it first comes out of the oven. A whole head of garlic can take upwards of 20 to 25 minutes before it’s safe enough to handle. 
• Whole unpeeled head of garlic roasts the best — That’s my suggestion when roasting garlic. However, unpeeled cloves may be used if you’re short on time and need to roast the garlic now. 
• Remove any soft or moldy cloves — After cutting the top third of the head of garlic off, check to see if you notice any cloves that have gone bad. Those can be removed from the head as you won’t want to eat them! 
• Cover the top of the garlic where you cut it with oil — You don’t want it to dry out! 
• Seal the foil tent tightly — This helps the garlic heads roast evenly and prevents them from burning in the oven.  

FAQs: How to Roast Garlic

Got questions about how to roast garlic? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

How much garlic is in a whole head? 

Approximately 10 to 12 cloves, which is equal to about ¼ cup chopped garlic. 

What temperature should garlic be roasted at? How long should it be roasted? 

Garlic should be roasted at 400ºF for 1 hour to 90 minutes. 

How do you know when roasted garlic is done? 

You’ll know the garlic is finished roasting once it’s very soft and golden brown in color. 

Roasted Garlic Storage Instructions 

Let the garlic cool to room temperature before squeezing it out of the skin (you should be able to press from the bottom of the bulb up towards the cut-side of the head and the garlic will pop out easily). 

Once removed from the skin, store the garlic in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. 

How long does roasted garlic last? 

Whole heads can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for 1 to 3 months. You can also remove the garlic from the skin and store it for the same amount of time. 

Can roasted garlic be frozen? 

Yes! Remove the individual cloves from skins first, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag. Roasted garlic can be stored mashed or in whole clove form for up to 3 months. 

Ways to Use Roasted Garlic 

There are so many delicious uses for oven roasted garlic! Some of my favorite ways to eat it include: 

• Add to salad dressings
• Use in marinades and sauces 
• Stir into mashed potatoes
• Spread on crostini or bread 
• Use as a sandwich spread (try this roasted garlic aioli)
• Combine with Greek yogurt or mayo to make a dip 
• Add to your favorite pasta dishes 
• Add to soups 
• Use in place of pizza sauce to create white pizzas 
• Combine with mayo for a sandwich spread 
• Rub it onto corn on the cob 
• Mix it into your favorite hummus 
• Combine with softened butter to make garlic butter 
• Use it to make garlic bread 
• Add it to your favorite salsa or guacamole 

Try Roasting Garlic at Home! 

If you’re looking for more ways to enjoy garlic, give this oven roasted garlic recipe a try!

Did you think the tutorial was easy to follow? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this recipe.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of your roast garlic! 

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