Ready to make all of your meals explode with savory goodness? This Caramelized Garlic recipe is one to keep in your back pocket at all times! The soft caramelized garlic cloves can be used to make almost anything, like soups, pasta, and sauces, extra delicious.
Garlic lovers, rejoice! Learning how to roast garlic in the oven is the secret to ultra-delicious savory sauces, dressings, pasta, mashed potatoes, and so much more.
Caramelized Garlic is easy to make at home with 3 simple ingredients:
- Garlic bulbs
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
After baking for a little while in the oven, the caramelized garlic cloves are soft, spreadable, and creamy. They can even be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge or freezer for later. It’s a savory ingredient you always need in your life!
Tip: You can also get a similar result by making roasted garlic in the air fryer!
Raw garlic vs. caramelized garlic
Not many people are biting into raw garlic because of how potent the taste can be. Usually, garlic needs to be cooked to tone down its strong pungent flavor. Slow roasting garlic in the oven can add layers of depth, enhance the creaminess, and make the cloves much more desirable to eat on their own.
How to caramelize garlic in the oven
- Remove any loose, papery skin from the outside of the garlic heads. Use a sharp knife to slice the top ¼ to ½ off of the heads.
- Place the garlic heads cut side up in a muffin tin or on a baking dish. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top of each one and add a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cover all of the heads in foil.
- Roast the garlic in a 400ºF oven until they’re a light golden color and soft (about 30 to 40 minutes).
- Let them cool, then use your hands to squeeze the tender garlic cloves out of their skins.
How to make ahead & store
Roasted garlic stores and freezes well so you can roast it ahead of time and use it in all kinds of recipes at a moment’s notice:
- To store, place the roasted garlic cloves (out of the skins) in an airtight container and store in the fridge for 2 or 3 days.
- To extend their shelf life, submerge the cloves in olive oil in the airtight container and store in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
- To freeze, wrap the roasted garlic head(s) in a sealed ziplock bag and store in the freezer.
What to do with roasted garlic
- In mashed potatoes: Mash the roasted cloves and stir them into mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash.
- In pasta: Any savory pasta sauce, like miso pasta, roasted tomato sauce, pumpkin sauce, and vodka sauce, could benefit from roasted garlic!
- In risotto or creamy polenta: Swirl some roasted sweet garlic into your bowl or risotto or polenta.
- On crostini: Spread the cloves on some toasted crostini with a bit of cambozola or brie cheese. It’s amazing!!! Or, stir the roasted cloves in melted butter and drizzle it on toast for extra delicious garlic toast.
- In soups and stews: Puree the garlic into quinoa soup, potato soup, lentil soup, or any soup that needs a hit of extra garlic goodness.
- As a topping: On pizza, baked brie, whipped feta, or hummus.
- Blended into sauces: Roasted garlic adds a deeper savory element to Caesar salad dressing, basil tahini sauce, and pesto.
More cooking basics
- 30 Minute Marinara Sauce
- Homemade Italian Seasoning
- How to Make Sun Dried Tomatoes
- Crostini Recipe
- Everything Bagel Seasoning
- How to Cook Perfect Rice
Did you try this caramelized garlic recipe?
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Have an air fryer? Try making roasted garlic in the air fryer too!
How to Make Caramelized Garlic
Ingredients
- One or more whole heads of garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400-degrees.
- Slice ¼-½ inch off the top of the garlic heads.
- Place garlic, cut side up, in a muffin tin, small ramekin, or baking dish.
- Drizzle with 1-2 teaspoons olive oil, per head of garlic, and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
- Cover with foil.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, until cloves are light golden and softened.
- Allow to cool then use your hands to squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins.
Equipment
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2022. It was updated in 2023 to add new information. The caramelized garlic recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
