Tasty, creamy roasted garlic cloves make a wonderful topping for warm bread, mashed cauliflower, or any cooked vegetable.
Even if you’re not a fan of raw garlic (I’m not!), I think you should give this recipe a try. You’ll be pleasantly surprised!
Creamy and almost-sweet, roasted garlic is a delicacy. It’s amazing how cooking eliminates its sharpness, almost unbearable when raw, and replaces it with a creamy sweetness.
What’s the difference between raw and cooked garlic?
There’s a big difference! I deeply dislike it when it’s raw. I find its sharpness unpleasant. And I can’t stand the taste it leaves in my mouth, long after I’ve eaten. Even if I brush my teeth!
I distinctly remember an episode of “Chopped” where one of the contestants made the grave mistake of using too much raw garlic in the dish he had made, overpowering it. He was eliminated that same round, and I have to say, I empathized with the judges!
But when garlic is cooked it’s delicious, and I use it quite often in many of my recipes. Cooking eliminates its sharpness and makes it creamy and mild, although it’s still very flavorful.
You can roast an entire garlic head or just the cloves
Most recipes use a whole garlic head, but I’m a lazy cook and I can’t stand peeling it! So I use pre-peeled cloves that I get at Whole Foods.
It’s just as tasty and it’s so much easier. I’m sure you’ll agree that easy is good when it comes to cooking!
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only need four ingredients to make this tasty and nutritious recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
Peeled garlic cloves: I buy them already peeled at Whole Foods (what can I say, I’m lazy!)
Olive oil: I love cooking with this delicious oil. But if you’d rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead.
kosher salt: If using fine salt instead, you might want to reduce the amount you use.
Black pepper: Freshly ground is the most flavorful.
How to roast garlic cloves
It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. These are the basic steps:
1. You start by coating the garlic cloves in olive oil. I use just a little, but you can use more if you’d like.
2. Next, season them with Kosher salt and black pepper. That’s all you need in terms of spices.
3. Finally, roast the seasoned cloves in the oven until they are tender, golden and creamy.
How to use it
It’s excellent when mashed and spread on warm bread (if you eat bread), or on toasted almond flour bread. It’s also wonderful as a topping for mashed cauliflower.
I often serve it scattered on top of any vegetable dish that I might be making that night. Tonight I steamed some broccoli and topped it with melted butter and roasted garlic cloves. It truly elevated the simple dish and added so much flavor.
Can I keep the leftovers?
Yes! If you have leftovers, you can keep them in the fridge for 3-4 days and gently reheat them the microwave on 50% power. They’ll be just as good as when freshly cooked.
Never miss a recipe!
I typically publish a new recipe once or twice per week. Want the new recipes in your inbox? Subscribe!
Roasted Garlic Cloves
INGREDIENTS
- 24 peeled garlic cloves
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the garlic cloves in a bowl. Add the olive oil, the Kosher salt and the black pepper and mix to coat.
- Spread the garlic cloves on the prepared baking sheet, in a single layer.
- Bake until golden-brown and fork-tender, stirring with a spatula halfway through cooking, about 30 minutes.
More Recipes to Try:
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.