Roasting garlic is easy to do at home. It has a wonderful earthy flavor that is great by itself or used in a variety of recipes. Roasted garlic cloves become more mellow, softer and easier to spread than raw garlic. Roasted garlic is extremely versatile– it can be eaten alone or mixed into a variety of dishes. Below are simple step by step directions to make roasted garlic in your oven, followed by a list of simple and delicious serving suggestions.
How to Roast Garlic
First, pick a large, fresh head of garlic that is firm to the touch. Large heads will have the largest cloves and will be easier to eat later. Peel away the first layer of skin off the head of garlic so you can see the individual heads of garlic. Then cut a quarter of an inch off the top of the head exposing the inside of the garlic cloves. Place the heads on a baking sheet with the cut tops facing up. Drizzle a tablespoon of oil over the top of each head of garlic and cover the whole pan with aluminum foil. Place the baking sheet in a 400 degree preheated oven. Cook the garlic heads for at least 45 minutes or until they are all soft to the touch. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the garlic cool so it can be easily handled. Use a knife or fork to peel the individual cloves, which are now ready to enjoy.
Roasted Garlic Recipe Ideas
Roasted garlic has many different uses and ways it can be eaten. Try some of the ideas below or experiment with your own roasted garlic recipes.
- Some people love to spread the soft garlic cloves directly on fresh, home made bread.
- Mix chopped roasted garlic with fresh, unsalted butter to create a compound garlic butter. Spread the garlic butter on bread slices to make bruschetta. Serve with a side of olive tapenade.
- Mix chopped roasted garlic with parmesan and serve over pasta drizzled with olive oil for a simple garlic pasta sauce.
- Blend roasted garlic with plain low fat yogurt and a dash of salt in a food processor to make a fast and healthy creamy roasted garlic salad dressing.
- Mixed roasted garlic with sour cream and served over baked potatoes.
- Two cloves of roasted garlic can be mixed with a roasted eggplant, a teaspoon each of tahini, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste for a delightful baba ghanoush dip. Serve the dip as an appetizer with pita bread and vegetable spears.
Cooking with garlic is easy and it adds a wonderful flavor to dishes that might otherwise fall flat. Additionally, garlic has many health benefits that should not be overlooked. For more information on some of the health benefits of garlic, see The Top Ten Health Benefits of Garlic by Lucy Tashman.
Join the Conversation