How to Roast Garlic (2 Ways and No Foil)
Roasting garlic gives it a mellow, slightly sweet flavor and turns the cloves buttery and spreadable. I love to roast a few heads of garlic at once then freeze the cloves so I always have some on hand to add to soups, sauces and salad dressings or just to spread on toasted bread.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 385kcal
Equipment
- 1 ceramic baking dish with a lid
Ingredients
Classic Roasted Garlic
- 2-3 heads garlic, (or more; see Note 1)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Add-ins of choice, such as chili flakes or herbs (see Note 2)
Garlic Confit
- 2-3 heads garlic, peeled and cloves separated (or more; see Note 1)
- 1 cup olive oil (or just enough to cover the cloves)
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Add-ins of choice, such as chili flakes or herbs (see Note 2)
Instructions
Classic Roasted Garlic
- Preheat oven to 400℉
- Slice the top off the heads of roasted garlic to expose the cloves
- Add the oil, salt and freshly cracked black pepper to the bottom of a ceramic baking dish with a lid; you need just enough oil to coat the bottom of the dish with a thin layer
- Place the cloves cut side down in the baking dish and ensure they are touching the oil (see Note 3)
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the cloves are soft and a deep golden color
- Let the roasted garlic cool then gently pop out the cloves and transfer them to an airtight container or resealable bag; store in the fridge and use within 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months
Garlic Confit
- Preheat oven to 400℉
- Add the peeled garlic cloves to a ceramic baking dish
- Pour the oil over the cloves, ensuring they are just covered
- Add the salt and freshly cracked black pepper, and any add ins of choice to the oil
- Cover with the lid (this helps ensure the oil does not bubble over in the oven)
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the cloves are soft and a deep golden color
- Let the cloves cool before removing them from the oil (DO NOT discard the oil; it's so full of flavor and can be stored in the fridge and used within 7-10 days - see Note 4)
- Transfer the cloves to an airtight container or resealable bag; store in the fridge and use within 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months
Notes
Note 1: You can roast as many heads or cloves of garlic as your baking dish fits. I love to roast garlic in big batches because it freezes beautifully. I freeze a large resealable bag of container of cloves then take out a few at a time to add to sauces, soups, salad dressings or just to spread on warm, toasted bread.
Note 2: Feel free to add any fresh or dried herbs of choice for extra flavor. Rosemary and thyme are both great options. You can also add whole peppercorns, chili flakes or bay leaves. This works especially well for Garlic Confit because the extra herbs and spices add amazing flavor to the oil the cloves are submerged in.
Note 3: You can also use a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush each head of garlic with the oil, salt and pepper before placing them cut side down. I prefer using a dish with a lid because it helps prevent the garlic from burning or getting overcooked. If you're using a baking dish, you may need to reduce the cooking time to 25 minutes or reduce the oven temperature to 375℉.
Note 4: The oil that is left over after making the garlic confit is full of flavor. Store it in the fridge and use it within 7 days. It's fantastic for sauteing or adding to salad dressings.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 30g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg