3 methods to roast garlic

The difference between raw and roasted garlic is night and day. Garlic’s world-famous bite is toned down in the cooking process, adding smooth sweetness to its already rich flavor profile. Roasted garlic is arguably even more versatile than its raw counterpart too, as it can be added to dishes that only need a subtle garlic flavor. There are more than a few ways to roast it to perfection. Be sure to test out these three in your kitchen and find which one is right for you.

THE TRADITIONAL

The classics are classic for a reason. We’re still big fans of simply wrapping entire garlic heads in aluminum foil and adding them to the oven because it’s simple and delicious. It’s important to properly prepare your garlic beforehand, however; for best results, peel off all the papery layers from your garlic. Slice off the top of the head, and generously coat the exposed area in olive oil. Afterward, wrap in foil and roast until soft and golden. It’s important to note that different varieties require different cook times. So visit our exploration on garlic varieties and plan accordingly.

THE FOIL-FREE

If you don’t have aluminum foil readily available or simply prefer to cook without it, there are a few different avenues that you can take. We prefer roasting whole heads of garlic in a muffin tin. Use a separate muffin tin as a “cover” to keep the heat intact. Best of all, this method is a great way to roast a lot of garlic in a minimal amount of time. You can stick an entire head in each of the muffin slots! Prepare each garlic head just as you would with the traditional method. Be sure to coat in olive oil before adding to the pan to prevent the garlic from sticking.

THE CLOVE METHOD

As the name suggests, this method veers away from roasting entire bulbs and instead focuses on roasting a ton of individual cloves. This works best if you’ve used raw garlic in another form and have leftover cloves or have purchased pre-peeled garlic. While there are numerous ways to roast cloves individually, we like keeping it simple by coating them in olive oil, spreading across a baking sheet, and roasting for about an hour. To increase the shelf life of your garlic afterward, try storing in a jar full of olive oil in the fridge; if sealed, you can expect your garlic to last two or more weeks before going bad.

• Pro Tip: Season your cloves before roasting for an extra layer of flavor.