How to Make Perfect Roasted Garlic – No Foil Needed!

Roasted garlic is a delicious and versatile ingredient that can add depth and flavor to a wide variety of dishes. Whether you’re using it in pasta sauces, marinades, or simply spreading it on bread, it’s a simple and easy way to truly take your cooking to the next level. However, there is nothing worse than wanting to make roasted garlic, only to find out that you’ve run out foil. But fear not, because in this post, I’ll be teaching you How to Make Perfect Roasted Garlic – No Foil Needed!

Friends, before we get into the recipe, let’s talk about why you should make roasted garlic. Not only does roasted garlic have a sweeter, milder flavor than raw garlic, but it also has a smooth, creamy texture that can add richness to dishes. I’d go as far as to say that any recipe that uses traditional garlic could be made better with roasted garlic. Trust me. 😉

While the flavor of roasted garlic is truly unbelievable, it is also incredibly versatile – it can be used in everything from soups and stews to salad dressings and dips. I especially love it spread across a buttery piece of toast. With a little flaky sea salt on top? It’s a delectable treat any time of day.

But traditional roasted garlic involves using kitchen foil – and a lot of it. If you’re someone like me who is trying to decrease the amount of kitchen foil that they use, for environmental reasons, or is simply out of foil and wants to make roasted garlic in a pinch, then this is the perfect recipe for you. With these six easy tips, you’ll be able to make the most delicious roasted garlic, every time – no foil needed!

Six Tips to Making the Perfect Roasted Garlic

You only need these six simple and easy tips to make the perfect roasted garlic, sans the foil!

1. Slice Your Garlic: The first (and arguably, most important) step is to slice the top off of your garlic, so that the bulbs are exposed. This is important, otherwise the hot garlic can burst out of the bulbs and burn, which is not what we want.
2. Add to a Pot: Next, since we aren’t using foil, add your sliced garlic bulbs to an oven-safe pot, exposed-side up.
3. Drizzle: Then, drizzle your garlic bulbs with a little bit of olive oil. This helps the garlic get nice and soft and spreadable, which is exactly what we want! The Graza olive oil is my favorite lately, and has become a new staple in my kitchen! If you want to sprinkle some flaky salt over your garlic bulbs for extra flavor, then add it at this step.

4. Cover Your Pot: The garlic must be enclosed for this method to work. ⁣Instead of using foil, we’ll be using the lid of the pot to enclose the garlic.
5. Roast Your Garlic: Place the covered pot into the oven at 400F, keeping it in there until the garlic bulbs become soft, buttery, and spreadable. I find this take about 40-50 minutes, but this may differ depending on your make and model of oven. CAREFULLY remove the cover once it’s done, and if you’d like a little more golden color to your garlic, broil for one minute. ⁣
6. Remove From Oven: Once your garlic is done, remove it from the oven, let cool for 10 minutes, then use and enjoy!

How to Use Your Perfectly Roasted Garlic

And if you’re wondering, “Nicole, how do I use this roasted garlic?” Then don’t worry, because I have got plenty of options for you!

• Add it to your favorite soups: I can’t think of a single soup recipe that wouldn’t benefit from a little roasted garlic! In fact, almost any soup recipe that calls for traditional garlic could be made better with roasted garlic. My Hearty Tuscan White Bean Soup and my Cozy Turkey Noodle Soup are two recipes that would be delicious with this roasted garlic!
• Spread it across toast: As mentioned above, this roasted garlic is delicious as-is. In fact, when spread across a piece of toast, it makes for the perfect snack!
• Turn it into compound butter: Compound butter is a fancy word for butter with other ingredients added to it. This roasted garlic would be PERFECT to add to any compound butter recipe! Simply soften your butter (or vegan butter) to room temperature, and smash your roasted garlic cloves into it, with a little bit of sea salt. Then, refrigerate your compound butter and use it within four days!
• Add it to your favorite pasta dishes: Pasta and roasted garlic is a match made in heaven. My Restaurant Style Creamy Red Pepper Pasta would be absolutely delicious with this roasted garlic added to it!

How to Store Your Roasted Garlic

One note to make about roasted garlic (and garlic in general) is that storing it improperly can increase your risk for botulism. To ensure proper food safety measures, I recommend enjoying this garlic right away, or storing it in the refrigerator for up to four days. If you want to freeze this roasted garlic, it will remain good in the freezer for up to two months.

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Bea Moreno