Have you ever wondered how steak houses or nice restaurants are able to achieve such a delicate, yet powerful garlic flavor in their foods? The secret is MSG. Just kidding, it is most likely the fact they use roasted garlic. The best roasted garlic imparts such a mild, sweet but still robust garlic flavor, bringing your meal to another level. You can enhance just about any savory dish with a delicious head of roasted garlic. Add it to your next pasta dish, steak, mashed potatoes, or even a loaf of sourdough bread. The best part? It takes two minutes to prepare, then throw it in the oven or toaster oven, and let it roast.

Using roasted garlic can elevate your meal, and is a great element to have at your next dinner party, charcuterie board or really anywhere you want to impress someone! Show off your chef skills and roast that garlic!

Tips for roasting garlic

-don’t submerge them in oil. It is unnecessary and a waste of oil. Unless a recipe calls for that form of ingredient specifically, just use about half a teaspoon to one teaspoon per head of garlic.
-don’t want to heat your whole oven for a tiny head of garlic? You can easily use a toaster oven.
– refrigerate or freeze leftovers. Keep in airtight container in fridge for up to 2 days, and freeze in freezer safe container for several months.

How to achieve the Best Roasted Garlic

Begin with a head of garlic (or 2 or 4, whatever you want!) Peel off the outer papery layer/peel. Keep the bottom of the garlic head attached and trim off just the tips of the tops of garlic cloves. Make sure you cut the ones around the outside which can be shorter and your knife might not reach them like the taller central cloves.

Set the head of garlic on a piece of tin foil, and drizzle with about a 1/2 teaspoon of avocado oil per head of garlic. You can also use olive oil but I prefer the neutral flavor of avocado oil. Wrap the garlic and seal it like a little package with the opening at the top. You don’t want leaking garlic oils all over the place. Bake in oven or toaster oven at 400°F for about 40 minutes. It will be very soft and begin to turn a caramelized color when it’s ready. Allow the garlic to cool slightly, then remove the cloves by squeezing up from the bottom/base, trying to avoid getting the inner papery peel. Mash the soft garlic in a bowl if desired or leave as whole pieces. Serve on top of bread, mixed with butter in mashed potatoes or mixed into an Alfredo sauce!

after squeezing the garlic out, you can serve it as it’s whole pieces, OR mash it in a small bowl

Roasted garlic potatoes — Whole cloves, baked and soft

Roasted garlic soup — Mashed roasted garlic cloves

Things that helped in the kitchen for this recipe, and can help you too:

The best/ my favorite avocado oil I use it for cooking and baking. Avocado oil is a ‘better for you’ oil.

toaster oven – no need to heat the big oven, just place the garlic directly on the rack inside a toaster oven.

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How to make the best roasted garlic

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Ingredients

One head of garlic with outer peel removed, but keeping cloves attached at base
1/2 teaspoon avocado oil or olive oil, another neutral oil

Instructions

Begin with a head of garlic. Peel off the outer papery layer/peel. Keep the bottom of the garlic head attached and trim just the tips off of garlic cloves. Make sure you cut the ones around the outside which can be shorter and your knife might not reach them like the taller central cloves.
Set the trimmed head of garlic on a piece of tin foil, and drizzle with about a 1/2 teaspoon of avocado oil per head of garlic. You can also use olive oil.
Wrap the garlic and seal it like a little package with the opening at the top. You don’t want leaking garlic oils all over the place. Bake directly on rack, or a small pan, in oven or toaster oven at 400°F for about 40 minutes. It will be very soft and begin to turn a caramelized color when it’s ready. Allow the garlic to cool slightly, then remove the cloves by squeezing up from the bottom/base, trying to avoid getting the inner papery peel. Option to mash the garlic cloves or leave whole.
Serve on top of bread, soup, mixed with butter in mashed potatoes, meats or mixed into an Alfredo sauce!