Roasted Garlic (Oven or Slow Cooker Method)

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There are some ingredients that, when you go the extra step, they just completely change the recipe for the better. Browned butter is one of those ingredients. I love browning the butter for my rice crispy treats and it makes ALL the difference. Roasted Garlic is one of those ingredients too. I love batch roasting my garlic and adding it to hummus, soups, stir fry dinners, sourdough bread, you name it! It’s so simple to make and just an amazing ingredient to have on hand.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Two Methods To Cook Roasted Garlic

Can you call it roasted garlic if you slow-cook it? Or is it Slow cooked garlic? Well, your tastes buds wont know the difference and you don’t have to heat up your entire oven! Win-win! I will give you step-by-step instructions for both oven roasting and slow cooking your garlic, so you’ll never be without 🙂

Two Ingredient Roast Garlic

Literally just olive oil and garlic. It is so simple, isnt that always the case for the best things in life?

Ingredient List

Garlic

Any garlic from the store works well here. When in season, I love to use hard-neck garlic because it has large bulbs. For this recipe today, I am using a soft neck variety from the grocery store.

Olive Oil

A good olive oil will make all the difference. Make sure the olive oil your using is fresh, because olive oil can go rancid very quickly in the right environment. 

Tools and Equipment

Simple ingredients and simple kitchen tools! You only need an oven or slow cooker, a vessel for the oven, and a sharp knife. Easy-peasy!

Oven Roasted Garlic Instructions

Preheat the Oven

Warm up your oven to 375°F (190°C). This ensures it’s ready to work its magic once the garlic goes in.

Prep the Garlic Bulbs

Take each bulb and slice off the top, just enough to expose the tops of the cloves. There’s no need to peel them; the skins will protect the cloves as they roast.

Set Up Your Baking Dish

Place the garlic bulbs cut-side up in a snug baking dish. If you don’t have a dish handy, you can wrap each bulb individually in foil—it works like a charm.

Add a Generous Drizzle of Olive Oil

Drizzle olive oil over the tops of the garlic bulbs. Be generous—it’ll keep the cloves moist and infuse them with a rich, buttery flavor.

Cover and Roast

Cover the baking dish with foil to trap the steam. If you wrapped your bulbs in foil earlier, they’re good to go as-is. Pop them into the oven and let them roast for 30-40 minutes.

Check for Doneness

Start checking at the 30-minute mark. The garlic is done when the cloves are soft, golden, and almost caramelized. If it’s not quite there, give it another 5-10 minutes.

Cool and Squeeze

Once the garlic has cooled just enough to handle, gently squeeze the bottom of each bulb to pop out the soft cloves. Discard the skins, and your roasted garlic is ready to enjoy.

Slow Cooker Roasted Garlic Instructions

Prep the Garlic Bulbs

Just like with the oven method, cut the tops off each bulb to expose the cloves.

Set Up Your Slow Cooker

Drizzle a bit of olive oil on the bottom of your slow cooker to prevent sticking, then place the garlic bulbs cut-side up inside.

Drizzle with Olive Oil

Next, drizzle more olive oil over the tops of the garlic bulbs. This step ensures they roast (or slow cook!) evenly and don’t dry out.

Cook Low and Slow

Set your slow cooker to the low setting, cover it, and cook for 4-5 hours. The garlic will become tender and golden, with the same sweet flavor as oven-roasted.

Cool and Squeeze

Let the garlic cool slightly, then gently squeeze each clove out of its skin. Toss the skins, and your slow-cooked garlic is ready to spread, mix, or use however you like!

Pro Tips

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Roasted Garlic

Choose the Right Garlic

Fresh garlic will always give you the best flavor. Look for firm, plump bulbs with tightly packed cloves. If you can find it, hardneck garlic is a great choice for its large, easy-to-use cloves.

Use Good Olive Oil

Since this recipe is so simple, the olive oil you use really matters. A fresh, high-quality olive oil will enhance the flavor of the garlic, while an old or rancid oil will do the opposite.

Check for Doneness Early

Every oven or slow cooker is a little different, so start checking your garlic a bit earlier than the full cooking time. Look for soft cloves that are golden brown and smell heavenly.

Keep it Covered

Whether you’re using foil in the oven or the lid of your slow cooker, keeping your garlic covered ensures it stays moist and roasts evenly.

Batch Roast for Later

Roasting a few extra bulbs of garlic doesn’t take any extra effort and gives you plenty of leftover roasted garlic to freeze or refrigerate for future recipes. Pro tip: freeze it in small portions for easy access.

Experiment with Uses

Don’t stop at bread or soups! Roasted garlic adds an amazing depth of flavor to mashed potatoes, salad dressings, sauces, or even scrambled eggs.

No Special Equipment Needed

You don’t need fancy gadgets to make roasted garlic. A baking dish, foil, or a basic slow cooker will do the trick just fine.

Storing Your Roasted Garlic

Keep leftover roasted garlic in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze the cloves in oil or plain, and they’ll stay fresh for months.

Roasted Garlic Recipe