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Once you learn how to roast garlic, you’ll be including this healthy side dish more often with your meals.
Roasted garlic tastes sweet and nutty and sends wonderful aromas throughout the kitchen. Garlic, as a cooking spice, is quite versatile. There are not many dishes or cuisines for which garlic is not a good complement either as a side dish, as an infusion or mixed into the meal.
For the best flavored garlic, learning how to roast fresh garlic cloves can give a subtle difference to the taste of a dish. Compared to dried powdered, salted garlic or minced garlic that is pre-prepared and purchased in a store?
Well, there really is no comparison – fresh roasted garlic cloves win! Hands down!
It might come as a surprise how sweet and nutty freshly roasted garlic can taste compared to the mass-manufactured and pre-prepared garlic seasonings.
Roasted garlic complements most recipes or can be sautéed with onions, butter and a little brown sugar for a succulent side dish.
How to Roast Garlic in Oil
Garlic can be roasted using a toaster oven, convection oven or conventional oven or on the grill, but garlic can also be roasted in a pan on a stovetop.
Roasting garlic is the best way to bring out the nutty sweetness that garlic is known for, instead of the pungent aroma often found with processed garlic.
In fact, garlic that is roasted doesn’t leave the bad breath scent for which garlic sometimes gets a bad rap, and there are many researched health benefits to consuming raw or roasted fresh garlic.
How to Oven Roast Garlic in Foil
Peel the desired amount of garlic cloves or just cut off the pointed tops of a whole garlic bulb to release the aroma and interior oils (just like that picture above). These pieces can be roasted whole or cut or chopped, and then placed inside foil. Leave the foil unsealed at the top.
Drizzle the garlic with a favorite oil (or flavoured oil) and add any complementary spices you like.
Which Spices Go Good with Garlic?
Any savory spice will work well, including:
- rosemary
- thyme
- basil
- sage
- paprika
- sea salt
- pepper
Place the foil on a baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake at 350-375 degrees for 40 minutes, until the tops of the garlic are lightly browned but not burnt.
How to Roast Garlic Cloves on the Stove
Roasting garlic in a pan uses the same oil drizzle technique, except the garlic cloves cannot be unattended while roasting. Simply place the cloves in the pan, (we love Lodge cast iron – highly recommend) add a little butter, flavors and spices, and then drizzle the oil over the cloves.
Turn the flame onto a low/medium-low heat, and use a spatula to constantly move the garlic.
Once the garlic has softened, and this might take as much as 15-20 minutes of constantly stirring, the flame can be turned up higher and the cloves allowed to sizzle until lightly browned and slightly firm on the outside.
More Garlic FAQ:
How to Store Roasted Garlic?
Roasted garlic can be stored for up to a month in the refrigerator before it begins to lose its flavor. Just be sure to store in an air-tight container, plastic bag or jar.
Garlic can also be infused into an oil and kept for longer.
How do I Store Garlic Bulbs?
If bought fresh from grocers or farmers’ markets, garlic can be stored for several months in a cool and dry place in a pantry. We store our garlic in an open weave basket in the kitchen.
There is no reason to refrigerate garlic prior to roasting.
Can I Grow Garlic in Containers?
Yes you sure can grow garlic in pots or containers! Here’s everything you need to know about how to grow garlic in the backyard!
Can I Freeze Garlic for Eating Later?
Yup you can – here are several ways to preserve garlic by freezing.
More Garlic Appetizer recipes
These Garlic and Bacon Bombs are the perfect appy side dish!
Feta and Garlic? Yes please! Try this Feta Cheese and Garlic Dip appetizer recipe
Garlic side dishes for your family to enjoy.