How to Roast Garlic

Opening up freshly roasted garlic ready to peel.

Bring out the natural sweetness and add depth of flavor to your favorite savory recipe. There are no special tricks to learning how to roast garlic, and having it on hand takes your cooking skills to the next level.

Course Appetiser, Appetizers

Cuisine American, Asian, International, Middle East

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 40

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 5kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

3-4 large heads garlic
1-2 sprigs thyme (optional)
1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil or more for drizzling

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400℉ (205 ℃).
Peel the loose outer layers of the garlic heads without peeling down to the cloves.
Cut ¼-½ inch off the top of the garlic heads so that the tips of the individual cloves are visible. Make sure every garlic clove is exposed.
Place them on a piece of parchment paper together with the thyme. Drizzle the top with a bit of oil, about 1 teaspoon per head.
Wrap them with the parchment paper, tie them with kitchen twine, and place them in the oven. Or wrap them in aluminum foil; this option doesn't require twine. Either works just fine.
Roast at 400℉ (205 ℃) for 35-40 minutes. Cooking times vary depending on the size of the garlic head, its age, and the oven temperature. The garlic is ready when it’s completely soft, fragrant, and easily pierced with a spoon or knife.
Let the garlic cool, then squeeze individual cloves out of the skin.

Notes

Larger heads are easier to peel. That doesn't mean you can't use small heads if that's what you have. It just takes more work. Smaller heads also roast faster.
Olive oil is traditional, but any neutral-flavored cooking oil will work.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition