The way to get the best flavor from your garlic is by roasting it. So I wrote an entire post detailing how to roast garlic, and let me tell you- it couldn't be easier!
Check out these other great recipes featuring pecans: Pumpkin Crunch Cake, Caramel Pretzel Turtles
Roasted Garlic
Is it even possible not to love garlic? As an Italian-American, I say NO! Garlic cloves have a way of adding fantastic flavor to pretty much anything you add them to, which is why you'll find them in most recipes.
But I think, the secret to getting the absolute best garlic flavor, is to roast it. Something about leaving it in the oven for an hour and letting it do its thing, allows the garlic cloves to get perfectly soft, spreadable and caramelized. And the best part is, it's SO easy to make!
Tips for oven roasted garlic
- You'll want to use a super sharp knife, as a dull knife makes it harder to cut through the papery skin on the garlic.
- I find it easiest to cut the stem off first and then gently peel some of the papery skin off around the sides, but be careful- you want to leave enough that the bulb stays together and the cloves don't separate.
- Try to use heavy duty foil so it doesn't spring a leak while cooking.
Helpful ingredient information
- Garlic: Be sure to buy whole garlic bulbs, not the individual cloves.
- Olive oil: High-quality olive oil is key (this is really important for everything you're cooking).
Recipe FAQs
Not only does it keep everything together, it also helps prevent the individual cloves from burning.
Raw garlic can be extremely overpowering and spicy. Roasting it mellows the flavor tremendously while still giving the delicious, savory flavor it brings to the table.
You certainly can season it with whatever flavorings and spices you prefer. I chose not to for this recipe because I didn't want to alter the flavor of the garlic.
Honestly, I like to place the open side over whatever I'll be using or storing it in and squeeze it out starting at the root (kind of like a tube of toothpaste). Works every time!
There are a ton of good way to use it- first of all, once it's roasted it becomes spreadable, so I highly encourage you to spread it on toasted baguette with whatever other toppings you like for a delicious appetizer or snack. It's the perfect addition to mashed potatoes, pasta sauce, roast chicken, salad dress- truly the possibilities are endless!
Storage:
This will last up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge and up to 6 months in the freezer.
Helpful tools:
- A good Chef's Knife
- A Cutting Board
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
How to Roast Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 whole bulb garlic, unpeeled
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 sheet heavy duty tin foil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Begin by slicing off any excess roots hanging off the end while still leaving the root in place
- Slice off the very top of the stem. Be careful not to cut off too much, only enough so that you expose the very tops of all the garlic cloves from within the skins.
- Remove most of the papery skin from the outside of the bulb, except for the very first layer- leave that to help hold the cloves in place.
- Place the bulb onto a sheet of foil, root side down.
- Drizzle with olive oil and pull all the ends of the foil up to the top wrapping the garlic bulb tightly and securing the top shut by pressing together to seal.
- Bake for 1 hour in a small oven safe pan.
- Remove from the oven and cool. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator.
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