Delicious and Simple No Mess Oven Roasted Garlic

Here is an easy technique for delicious and simple oven roasted garlic.

Oven Roasted Garlic is so easy and adds amazing flavor to just about any dish, but we use it in mashed potatoes pretty much weekly! Raw garlic is great as an ingredient in many recipes, but many people do not enjoy the spice/bitterness that is associated with raw garlic.  Roasting garlic in the oven mellows out the bite associated with fresh garlic while keeping that rich garlic flavor.  Parchment paper is a key “ingredient” for this technique.  You can of course use only aluminum foil but layers of both parchment and aluminum help to insulate your garlic bulb to prevent burning.

Once cooled off, you can use this now spreadable garlic as a delicious topping for toasted bread rounds, crackers, or just about any other food or snack that could benefit from some tasty garlic.

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Why should you make this recipe: 

• Roasting garlic at a relatively low temperature for a while takes away the bite or zing that some people find unappetizing all while still keeping that great garlic flavor
• There is very little prep, and if you are already cooking a meal in the oven, you can easily toss in a whole garlic bulb
• Roasted garlic adds depth to so many dishes and for such a small amount of money

Ideas for customizing this recipe:

• I usually only cook my garlic for 45 minutes to an hour, however at a lower temperature like 300, you could roast this for closer to 90 minutes to deepen the flavor
• Roast at a higher temperature or uncovered to add more color and flavor
• Sprinkle different spices to change the flavor profile; Italian seasoning or oregano flavored garlic would make a nice addition to a lasagna or baked ziti.

What should you serve with your Oven Roasted Garlic:

• Add roasted garlic to just about any dish that would normally call for fresh garlic
• Stir into thick soups, stews, or gravies for a burst of mellow garlic flavor
• Spread this garlic on to crusty bread for a lower calorie alternative to butter
• Mix your garlic into recipes that might not seem like an obvious choice, but may surprise you

       garlic paste ready for your dish

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How to make Oven Roasted Garlic

Pre-Cook Prep:

1. If possible, I like to start with a cold oven; this is not at all necessary, but I cook the garlic as soon as possible so that it will cool off in time for me to use
2. The first thing you need to do is peel off the very outer layer of skin from the garlic.  Not the skin around each clove, but the white papery skin surrounding the whole bulb
3. Once peeled, carefully slice off the top of the whole bulb so that each clove has the top missing
4. Lay down a sheet of aluminum foil then a sheet of parchment paper
5. Place your garlic on top of both sheets in the middle
6. Pour a little (2 tsp) extra virgin olive oil on top of the garlic and sprinkle very lightly with salt
7. Bring all corners of the aluminum foil and parchment together and create a little garlic package.  Twist the top so that your garlic stays put                                                                                               
8. Place in the oven and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  45 minutes in a hot oven, 1 hour in a cold oven
9. After your garlic is finished, carefully place on a hot pad and leave wrapped up until cool.  Your garlic will be EXTREMELY hot for a good 30 minutes, so be cautious
10. Once cooled, use a fork or fingers to squeeze out the garlic cloves and mash into a paste if desired
11. Add to your favorite dish and enjoy!!