Whole Roasted Garlic Bulbs

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 08/1/21
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)
103 Calories
9g Fat
5g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 103
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 16mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Protein 1g
Calcium 7mg 1%
*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 bulbs are a delicious addition to a variety of meals and fill 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 bulbs. If you want to reduce waste, a muffin tin produces the same results and requires less foil. Whichever approach you choose, be sure to remove most of the loose, papery skin from each bulb and be generous with the oil. For consistent cooking times, choose bulbs that are about the same size. The recipe is written for six bulbs of garlic, but you can roast as many or as few as you like at one time.

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Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Whole Roasted Garlic
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  2. Preheat oven to 400 F.

  3. Remove the loose outer skin from each bulb of garlic, stopping when you start to see the outline of the individual cloves. Be careful not to loosen the cloves or remove all of the papery skin.

    Removing Loose Garlic Skin From Bulbs
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

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

    Cutting the Top Off Garlic Bulbs Before Roasting
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

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

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

    Two Ways to Prepare Roasted Garlic
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

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

    Wrapping Garlic Bulbs With Foil Before Roasting
    The Spruce Eats / 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 bulbs from the hot foil or tin.

    Freshly Roasted Garlic Bulbs
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

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

    Freshly Roasted Garlic
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  9. Serve and enjoy!

    Roasted Garlic on Toasted Bread
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

Tips

  • Extra virgin olive oil is not recommended for roasting. It has a lower smoke point than the pure or light varieties and cannot handle the high oven temperature in this recipe. Use canola, peanut, or similar high-heat cooking oil as a substitute.
  • Get a nice roast over the entire bulb by rubbing the oil into the outer skin before adding salt.
  • To eliminate the use of foil completely, cover the muffin tin with a second tin of the same size. Place it upside down to create a dome over the garlic.
  • A small pan (e.g., loaf or square pan) can work instead of a muffin tin. Do your best to prevent the bulbs from touching.
  • Don't place foil-wrapped garlic in the oven without a pan because the oil may leak from the package.
  • To store roasted garlic, remove all of the cloves from the bulbs. Keep at room temperature (it doesn't do well in the refrigerator) in an airtight container and eat within a day or two.
  • To freeze it, lay the cloves 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.