Roasted garlic is an incredibly versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes to add flavor and depth. It’s milder than raw garlic and has a nutty, earthy flavor that makes it perfect for adding to soups, sauces, and even desserts! But what makes it really stand out is its health benefits – roasted garlic has been shown to reduce inflammation, fight bacteria and viruses, and even boost the immune system. So, if you’re looking for a way to add flavor and nutrition to your meals, roasted garlic is the way to go! Here’s a list of 22 of my favorite ways to enjoy it.
How to Roast Garlic
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then cut off the top of a head of garlic to expose each individual clove. Coat the garlic with olive oil and wrap in a layer of foil. Place the wrapped head of garlic directly on the oven rack for 30-35 minutes. The garlic will become golden brown and very tender.
Alternatively, individual cloves can be submerged in oil and baked for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and tender.
Let it cool completely. Then simply squeeze the head of the garlic upside down and the soft cloves will pop right out.
1. Make hummus
Hummus is a delicious and healthy dip that is perfect for snacking or serving as an appetizer. To make roasted garlic hummus, combine one head of roasted garlic cloves, two cans of chickpeas, two tablespoons of olive oil, one teaspoon of cumin, one tablespoon of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Serve with pita chips or fresh vegetables.
2. Make mayonnaise
Homemade mayo is delicious and extremely useful. Turn it up a notch by adding a few cloves of roasted garlic and using it on your next grilled cheese sandwich (instead of butter).
3. Make a salad dressing or vinaigrette
Whisk a few mashed cloves into your next salad dressing or vinaigrette. Combine mashed roasted garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 teaspoon of honey, 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and 2 tablespoons of water using a food processor or immersion blender.
4. Make an aioli
Aioli is a delicious condiment that is perfect for adding a bit of flavor to sandwiches and salads. To make roasted garlic aioli, combine one head of roasted garlic cloves, one cup of mayonnaise, one tablespoon of Dijon mustard, one tablespoon of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Serve with sandwiches, salads, or on top of roasted vegetables.
5. Roasted garlic butter
Roasted garlic butter is a delicious and easy way to add flavor to a variety of dishes. To make it, combine one head of roasted garlic cloves, one cup of softened butter, one tablespoon of olive oil, and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Serve with bread, vegetables, or meat dishes.
6. Spread on toast with pesto
After toasting your favorite bread, spread a clove of roasted garlic on it. Next, add a layer of homemade (or your favorite store-bought) pesto and grated parmesan for a delicious snack/appetizer/breakfast.
7. Stir into mashed potatoes
Mashed potatoes are a classic side dish, but adding roasted garlic takes them to the next level. Once the potatoes have been cooked, combine them with milk or cream, broth, salt, pepper, butter, and a whole head of roasted garlic.
8. Smear onto a pita or naan
Turn any flatbread into a delicious, garlicky situation by smearing roasted garlic onto one or both sides after baking.
9. Add to soups
Pretty much any soup could benefit from the addition of a little roasted garlic. Broccoli cheddar soup, loaded potato leek soup, and chicken and rice soup just to name a few.
10. Smear onto the skin of a roast chicken
Before roasting: Add mashed roasted garlic to butter or oil before smearing it onto (and under) the skin of the raw chicken.
10 minutes before it’s finished roasting: Melt butter and combine with mashed, roasted garlic then brush or pour all over the skin. Return to the oven to finish cooking and crisping up.
11. Stir it into casseroles
Casseroles are known for combining flavors and baking them together into an easy dish that can feed the whole family. Stir mashed, roasted garlic into your next casserole. It will add depth and complexity and make it seem like you’ve been cooking all day. Try it with this southwestern turkey casserole or a broccoli, cheese, and rice casserole.
12. Add to pasta sauce
The more the better when it comes to adding roasted garlic to pasta sauce. Whether it’s alfredo (creamy parmesan), marinara (tomato and herb), or bolognese (a tomato meat sauce) – all pasta sauces can stand to have a little bit of that rich, garlic flavor.
13. Spread on crackers with cheese
Take your next charcuterie situation to the next level with a thick layer of smeared garlic to add to cheese, crackers, olives, etc.
14. Substitute it for fresh garlic in pesto, salsa, or guacamole
Fresh garlic is a staple in condiments like pesto, salsa, and guacamole. Try a more mellow, but deeply flavored version of your favorite recipe by substituting the fresh garlic for the same amount of roasted garlic cloves.
15. Add to roasted garlic macaroni and cheese
Macaroni and cheese is technically a casserole so, as mentioned above, it can be enhanced in the same ways. It can be added to the bechamel sauce, stirred directly into the cooked noodles with the butter and cheese, and spread onto the finished dish.
16. As a baked potato topping
Instead of just butter, sour cream, and chives, try adding a little mashed roasted garlic to the mix the next time you have baked potatoes.
17. On a pizza
Add thinly sliced garlic to a pizza raw to roast it or, after roasting, mash the garlic into a spread and brush onto the pizza crust before adding toppings. It can also be brushed onto the crust right after baking.
18. To enhance any vegetable side dish
Arguably one of the best (and definitely the healthiest) ways to enjoy roasted garlic is simply to spread it onto vegetables right before they’re tender to your liking. The garlic doesn’t need to be cooked further, just mashed and added so if your oven-roasted broccoli or sauteed brussel sprouts are 5 minutes from being finished, stir in a couple of cloves of mashed, roasted garlic. Thank me later.
19. Add to warm and cold dips
Dips are quick and easy to make, but they don’t have to taste like they were made in 15 minutes. Adding roasted garlic takes dips like buffalo chicken dip and spinach dip to another level.
20. Add to potato salad
Potato salad is a classic. A standard. But there’s an easy way to make your potato salad stand out from the crowd. Add a head of roasted garlic to your next batch and become the crowd favorite.
21. Mash into burger patties
You’ve probably heard of adding raw onions and garlic to ground beef/turkey/lamb or whatever kind of burger you’re making. Why not add a few cloves of roasted garlic to the mix and step your burgers up a notch?
22. Add to gravy
Gravy’s flavor can be enhanced by adding roasted garlic. Just remove it from the skins, mash it, and whisk it into the gravy once it’s reached your desired consistency.
Tips for Roasting Garlic
Roasting garlic is an easy way to add flavor and nutrition to your meals, but there are a few things to keep in mind when roasting garlic.
- First, make sure to use fresh garlic. Old or dried-out garlic won’t have the same intense flavor as fresh garlic.
- Second, be sure to cut the top off of the head of garlic before roasting. This will help the garlic to roast more evenly.
- Third, use enough olive oil to coat the garlic head. This will help ensure that the garlic roasts evenly and doesn’t burn.
- Finally, make sure to roast the garlic at a low temperature, around 350 degrees. This will ensure that the garlic is roasted evenly without burning.
