Whole Roasted Garlic

By
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich is a food writer, recipe video producer, and culinary school instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the food industry.
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Updated on 03/16/23
Whole Roasted Garlic

The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 24 servings
Yield: 6 bulbs
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
21 Calories
2g Fat
0g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 21
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 24mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 0g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 1mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 3mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Whole roasted garlic is a delicious addition to a variety of meals and fills the kitchen with an inviting aroma that will make anyone hungry. It's an easy recipe that creates soft, caramelized cloves with a milder and sweeter flavor than raw garlic.

There are many excellent uses for roasted garlic. You can spread it on toasted slices of bread, serve it alongside roasted chicken or beef dishes, or mash it into dressings, sauces, or potatoes.

There are two methods that work best for roasting garlic in the oven. The most common way is to create foil packets that hold individual garlic heads, but this recipe uses muffin tins. Whichever approach you choose, be sure to remove most of the loose, papery skin from each head and be generous with the oil, making sure it coats the entire head.

For consistent cooking times, choose heads that are about the same size. The recipe is written for six heads of garlic, but you can roast as many or as few as you like at one time.

Ingredients

  • 6 whole garlic heads

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, pure or light, plus more as needed

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for whole roasted garlic

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  2. Preheat oven to 400 F.

  3. Remove the loose outer skin from each head of garlic, stopping when you start to see the outline of the individual cloves. Don't loosen the cloves or remove all of the papery skin.

    Loose garlic skin removed from bulbs on a cutting board

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  4. Turn the whole head of garlic onto its side. With a sharp knife, cut off the pointed top of the head to reveal the raw cloves.

    Cut the top off the garlic bulbs before roasting

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  5. Place each garlic head onto a piece of foil between 6 and 8 inches square, depending on the size of the heads. Alternatively, place each head inside the cup of a muffin tin.

    Drizzle 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil over the cut surface and sides of each head. Sprinkle with salt.

    Preparing roasted garlic bulbs in foil and in muffin tins

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  6. For foil-wrapped garlic, bring the corners of the foil together above the head then twist to create a tight package (like Hershey's Kisses candy). Place the wrapped heads of garlic in a baking dish. If using a muffin tin, secure a piece of foil over the entire pan.

    Wrap garlic bulbs with foil before roasting

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  7. Place the garlic in the oven and roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until the cloves are soft, caramelized, and golden brown on top. Carefully remove the heads from the hot foil or tin.

    Freshly roasted garlic bulbs in foil and in a muffin tin

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  8. Remove the individual cloves from each head: Use your thumb and start at the base of each clove, pushing it up and out of the skin.

    Freshly roasted garlic bulbs

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  9. Serve and enjoy!

    Roasted garlic on toasted bread

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Tips

  • Extra virgin olive oil is not recommended for roasting. It has a lower smoke point and cannot handle the high oven temperature. Use light or regular olive oil, or canola oil.
  • A small pan (e.g., loaf or square pan) can work instead of a muffin tin. Do your best to prevent the heads from touching.
  • Don't place foil-wrapped garlic in the oven without a pan because the oil may leak from the package.

How to Store and Freeze Roasted Garlic

  • To store roasted garlic, remove all of the cloves from the heads. Refrigerate in an airtight container with a little bit of olive oil in it, and eat within a week.
  • To freeze roasted garlic, lay the cloves (squeezed from their papery skins) in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer to a freezer container or bag and use as an ingredient within a month.