This Roasted Garlic Recipe takes raw garlic and transforms it into a warm, caramelized, buttery, subtly sweet paste. Use this garlic in soup, pasta, pizza, mashed potatoes, or spread it on bread or crackers!
Tear off a medium-sized piece of tin foil -- large enough to wrap easily around the garlic.
Cut the top off of the head of garlic -- do not peel or separate! You can peel off the papery exterior but leave the head in tact. Expose all of the cloves as best you can.
Drizzle oil over the cut side of the garlic and wrap tightly in foil. Place directly on oven rack or on a baking sheet in the oven.
Roast for 35-40 minutes (check at 30 and continue roasting if desired) until light golden brown. The exact cook time may vary depending on the size of the head.
Unwrap and allow to cool enough to handle. Use a sharp knife to remove each clove from the head or turn the head upside down and squeeze out all of the cloves.
Mash with a fork or use as desired. Refrigerate for 3-4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Notes
Tips:
Expose the cloves. Without peeling or separating the cloves, expose as much as you can. The more garlic that's exposed, the more caramelized it gets.
Drizzle with oil. Oil increases the surface temp of the garlic as it cooks which gives it that delicious golden exterior.
Wrap in foil. The foil keeps the garlic from burning and helps it cook more evenly.
Feel free to season it. A sprinkle of salt and pepper is a great way to take the flavor up a notch.
Let it cool. Don't try to get the roasted garlic out of the head too soon after cooking. It will be hot!
Roast in bulk. If you're a big garlic lover, roast in bulk and store the garlic in the freezer to have on hand whenever you need it!
Storage:Roasted Garlic will last wrapped tightly in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze, spread it in a thin layer in a bag and freeze it flat. That way, you can just snap frozen pieces off to use as needed. When you're ready to use it, simply place as much as you need on the counter to thaw for 10-15 minutes or warm in the oven.