A Spoon Full of Lovin' · March 2025

Roasted Garlic

A kitchen staple that elevates everything

Slow-roasted until golden and sweet — a kitchen staple that elevates everything it touches. Raw garlic is pungent and sharp; roasted garlic is something else entirely. The heat transforms it into something mellow, nutty, and almost buttery. Spread it on sourdough toast, stir it into mashed potatoes, swirl it into pasta, or blend it into salad dressing. Once you start keeping roasted garlic in your fridge, you'll wonder how you ever cooked without it.

Prep Time5 min

Cook Time45 min

Servings2–4 heads

Ingredients

2–4 whole heads of garlic
2–3 tbsp good olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)
Aluminum foil

Instructions

Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

Prep the Garlic

Slice off the top ¼ inch of each garlic head to expose the tops of the cloves. Place each head on a square of aluminum foil.

Season & Wrap

Drizzle each head generously with olive oil, letting it seep down between the cloves. Season with salt and pepper. Add a sprig of thyme if using. Wrap tightly in the foil.

Roast

Place the foil packets on a baking sheet. Roast for 40–50 minutes until the cloves are deeply golden, very soft, and fragrant. The garlic should be completely tender when pierced with a knife.

Cool & Use

Let cool enough to handle. Squeeze the base of each head to pop the roasted cloves out. Use immediately or store in an airtight container covered with olive oil in the refrigerator.

Robin's Tips & Variations

Roasted garlic keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks when covered in olive oil.
Spread on warm sourdough bread with a pinch of flaky salt — it's extraordinary.
Blend into hummus, salad dressings, or compound butter for instant depth of flavor.
Stir into mashed potatoes, risotto, or pasta sauce instead of raw garlic.
The olive oil left in the container becomes infused garlic oil — use it for cooking or dipping.

Roast often, eat well!

If you make this, I'd love to hear how it turned out. Drop me a note on the blog page. Happy cooking — with a spoon full of lovin'!