How to Roast Garlic: Roasted Garlic Recipe

Have you ever wondered How to Roast Garlic without the addition of oil? This roasted garlic recipe is nothing short of spectacular.

Are you ready to witness the simple transformation of garlic from pungent to mellow, bitter-like to sweet, and coarse to buttery in texture? 

If you’ve been here before, you know that I love to use this popular ingredient in cooking.

Without a doubt, one of my favorite recipes is these Garlic Knots. They make terrific appetizers, especially when served with this Simple Marinara Sauce.

This metamorphosis we are talking about today is easily achievable by doing just one thing: roasting it.

How to roast garlic

Start by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C).

Remove any loose layers from the outer head, making sure to leave it intact.

Cut off about a ¼-½ inch from the top with a very sharp knife.

Arrange the head cut side up, in an unoiled small baking dish. 

Feel free to prepare as many as you like.

Add a tablespoon of water and cover.

Alternatively, wrap the head in some parchment paper with the addition of 1 tablespoon of water.  Then cover with aluminum paper to create a sealed package. 

Place in the oven and bake for at least 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, verify whether it is soft to the touch. Another indication is if you can pierce the center clove with a paring knife.

Note that the total baking time will vary based on the size of the cloves.

Soon, you will begin to smell a wonderfully sweet fragrance! 

The longer it stays in the oven, the more intense the flavor becomes.

You will also begin to notice some caramelizing.

Once removed and when cool enough to handle, grab the bulb from the bottom and give it a gentle squeeze. The cloves should pop straight out of their skin.

Tips

• The total yield will vary based on the size of the bulb.
• Use the sharpest knife to cut off the heads.

How to store this essential Italian ingredient?

Keep refrigerated in an airtight container.

How long does it last?

These aromatic cloves can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 2 months. 

Garlic recipes we love

• Garlicky Green Beans
• Sauteed Swiss Chard
• Garlic Scape Pesto
• Roasted Brussel Sprouts
• Garlic Yogurt Sauce
• Oven Roasted Garlic Potatoes
• Sauteed Garlic Broccolini

The garlic story

My mom would love to make roasted garlic cloves. She would use them in countless ways, especially in her vegetables.

My dad also loved it – he would prefer to eat his raw. He would tell us it was good for his health, and of course, he would be right, as there are so many health benefits.

Did you know that these bulbs are extremely winter hardy? The best time to plant the individual cloves is in the fall. And, according to my family’s tradition, there is another optimal planting condition: the moon apparently must be in the waning phase…

I vividly remember the conversations between my paternal grandparents and my dad as to when the best time would be to plant it.

Every year, without fail, this discussion took place. Even as a teenager, and especially throughout my young adult life, these animated conversations always intrigued me.  

After my paternal grandparents passed away, my father continued to follow their tradition: he planted the bulbs in the fall, during the waning phase of the moon, to have the most fragrant and magnificent bulbs when harvested.

A few months ago, my dad was hospitalized. I realized that my dad’s time to plant this bulbous herb had come to an end.

This fall, I had the garlic conversation one final time with my dad.

And so, I found myself researching moon phases to determine when would be the best time to plant my organic bulbs It might be worth mentioning that there are so many reliable sources that report that there is no conclusive evidence showing the validity of so-called agricultural astrology.

So really, maybe that special conversation that persisted throughout the years wasn’t as important as I thought it was, growing up.

Still, though, I planted it during the waning phase of the moon, to honor my father, and as I did, my thoughts lingered on the changing seasons and I turned to Mother Nature for solace.

The transition of the seasons is inevitable, like so many things in life…

My father passed away this week, from lung cancer. Reluctantly, we accept.

It’s never easy to say good-bye.

This post is dedicated to the loving memory of my father.

Grazie Pa! Sarai sembre nei nostri cuori ♥

Recipe

How to Roast Garlic

Learn how to roast a whole garlic head to witness the simple transformation from pungent to mellow, bitter to sweet & coarse to buttery in texture.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 47 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 garlic head of cloves

Calories: 42kcal

Author: Maria Vannelli RD

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Ingredients

• 1 head garlic or as many as needed
• 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Remove any loose layers from the outer head. Make sure to leave the head whole and intact.
• Cut off about a ¼-½ inch from the head.
• Arrange cut side up, in an unoiled small baking dish.
• Add a tablespoon of water and cover.
• Alternatively, wrap the head in some parchment paper with the addition of 1 tablespoon of water.  Then cover with aluminum paper to create a sealed package. 
• Place in the oven and bake for at least 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, verify whether the garlic is soft to the touch. Another indication that your garlic is ready is if you can pierce the center clove with a paring knife.
• When cool enough to handle, grab the bulb from the bottom and give it a gentle squeeze. The cloves should pop straight out of their skin.
• Note that the total baking time will vary based on the size of the cloves.

Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

Notes

• The total yield will vary based on the size of the bulb.
• Use the sharpest knife to cut off the tip of the bulb.

How to Store? Keep refrigerated in an airtight container.

How long does it last? These aromatic cloves can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 2 months. 

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1head | Calories: 42kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg

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This post was originally published on December 4, 2016, and republished on January 24, 2020, with updated photos and content. Thanks for sharing!