I wanted to make this whole roasted garlic recipe for a few reasons. Number 1, because no recipe should be this simple, but also this delicious and not be shared with the world. Number 2: Roasted garlic is one of the cheapest ways to add big flavor to so many dishes. I wanted to be able to point back to it whenever I run into a recipe in the future that calls for it.
Buying a Whole Head of Garlic
While there is absolutely a place in my kitchen for a good ol' Costco-size jar of pre-minced garlic (no judgment here), there is also a pretty consistent need for fresh roasted garlic as well. While that pre-minced garlic is way more convenient, the flavor you get from roasting your own head of garlic is hard to match.
Speaking of Costco, if you've been around Tabetha's Table for any amount of time, you'll know is a solid favorite of mine. I recently bought a HUGE bag of garlic heads and decided I was going to roast them all off to save myself some work in the future.
Roasting the Garlic
Whole roasting garlic is as simple as cutting off the top, drizzling it with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roasting it in the oven wrapped in foil. Seriously. I think the secret bonus to making this recipe is that it makes your house smell like what I would only assume is Heaven.
How to Use Your Roasted Garlic
Anywhere you can use regular garlic, or you could technically use roasted garlic in place of it. It isn't always necessary, but you could. Some of my favorite ways to use roasted garlic are in risotto (recipe coming), garlic bread (recipe also coming), and basically any yummy sauce or dressing you can think of.
It can also be used on its own! After squeezing out all of that garlicky goodness, I will put it in a bed of olive oil, shave some parmesan cheese on top, and give it a sprinkle of crushed red pepper. This would be absolutely stunning with some lightly toasted sourdough or baguette.
Substitute Roasted Garlic in Your Recipes
Here are some great recipes you can sub out roasted garlic in and would be AMAZING. I need you to know my love of garlic is deep and I hope you love all these yummy garlicky recipes as much as I do!
📖 Recipe
Whole Roasted Garlic
Equipment
- Tin Foil
Ingredients
- 4 Whole Head of Garlic
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- tt Kosher Salt
- tt Fresh Ground Pepper
Instructions
- Carefully cut off the top ¼ of the head of garlic so you can see each of the individual pieces of garlic.
- Place your garlic heads on a sheet of aluminum foil.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with a pinch of kosher salt, and a few cranks of fresh ground pepper.
- Carefully bring the corners of the foil together on top and crunchy them up so you have a perfect little packet of garlic.
- Roast in a 350-degree oven for 50-60 minutes or until tender and golden in color.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes or until you can easily handle them without burning yourself.
- One garlic head at a time, starting from the bottom, squeeze out all the delicious golden garlicky goodness into a small bowl. Try to keep as much of the garlic paper/skin out as possible.
- You can keep your cloves whole, or mash them all together into a paste.
- Store in the fridge for 2-3 days.
