Roasting garlic is easy to do and now with the air fryer it just got faster. You are going to learn how to roast garlic in an air fryer plus some tips about garlic.
Roasted garlic is a softer and mellow version of garlic. It is tasty in a cauliflower mash, creamy dips, soups, salad dressing and oh so many other dishes.
We love to remember previous meals fondly. We can sit around with our closest friends and relive our favorite meals for hours. One of my all time favorite appetizers was a restaurant in Frisco Texas. It was whole roasted garlic bulbs with figs and toasted french bread. OMGeee!
Warning! Roasting garlic at home will make you ferociously hungry. The aroma of air fryer roasted garlic lingers in a house in a beautiful way.
Just close your eyes and think about whole heads of garlic dripping with olive oil and dashed with salt and pepper being roasted to buttery perfection. It smells and taste as beautifully as you are imagining.
How do you store roasted garlic?
You can store roasted garlic in the refrigerator if you are only storing it for up to 3 days. To do this allow the roasted garlic to cool completely. Once it is cool place it in a plastic baggie, press out the air and seal it. You can store roasted garlic in the freezer for up to 1 year.
How to tell if roasted garlic has gone bad?
The first step to telling if roasted garlic has gone bad is a visual inspection. Garlic that is going back will often have brown spots and the cloves will start to turn yellow or brownish. The second step is to smell the garlic.
If roasted garlic has gone bad it will smell foul and sour.
Healthy garlic has a distinctive smell to it. If it has lost that smell that you are familiar with, discard the bulb and cloves. Garlic that has gone bad will feel soft and mushy. Good garlic will feel firm when you gently squeeze it.
If garlic cloves have gone soft, it is best to discard of it right away.
How long will roasted garlic last?
Roasted garlic can last up to 3 days in the refrigerator. It needs to be put into an airtight container as soon as it cools down to the touch. If you place the garlic submerged in olive oil and in an airtight container it can last up to a week.
Can you freeze roasted garlic?
Yes, you can freeze roasted garlic. The best way to freeze it is to remove the garlic cloves from the papery skin. Then place the individual garlic cloves on a plate with plenty of space between each one.
Cover the plate with plastic wrap. Place them in the freezer for 45 minutes. Then remove them from the plate and place them in an airtight container.
Ways to use roasted garlic
- In a creamy aioli dip
- Spread on toasted sourdough of french bread
- Added to mashed potatoes
- Add it to casseroles or sauces
- Add it to soups instead of fresh garlic for a buttery rich flavor
How to roast garlic in an air fryer
1 Cut ¼ inches off the top of a head of garlic. The goal with this is to expose the garlic cloves so that they absorb the olive oil and caramelize even better during the roasting process.
2 Remove the extra papery skin so that the top of the garlic cloves are fully exposed.
3 Place the garlic clove in the middle of a piece of aluminum foil.
4 Drizzle the clove with olive oil and dash it with salt and pepper.
5 Wrap the garlic clove tightly in the foil. Wrap it up like it is a pouch holding the garlic. This will keep the oil from dripping out. It also makes it easier to open up and check after roasting.
6 Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees. Most air fryers only need about 3 minutes to heat up.
7 Place the garlic clove in the air fryer basket.
8 Roast the garlic in the air fryer for 20 minutes. The time for individual air fryers will vary. Also note that you can roast it for longer for further caramelization as desired. Feel free to check the garlic clove in 10 minute increments.
Note: The garlic clove will be hot when you first remove it from the oven. Be careful of hot steam escaping when you open the tin foil pouch.
Allow the head of garlic to cool before removing the individual cloves of roasted garlic.
How to remove cloves from a roasted head of garlic?
Once the head of garlic is roasted and cooled to the touch, you can remove the individual cloves. To remove the cloves from the head just gently pinch the end of the clove and squeeze it out.
They should come out fairly easily. If you have any trouble feel free to trim the end off with a knife and then squeeze the cloves out.
Ingredients
- 1 head of garlic
- 1 T extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ t salt
- ¼ t pepper
Instructions
- Cut ¼ inches off the top of a head of garlic.
- Remove the extra papery skin so that the top of the garlic cloves are fully exposed.
- Place the garlic clove in the middle of a piece of aluminum foil.
- Drizzle the clove with the olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Wrap the garlic clove tightly in the foil.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees.
- Place the garlic clove in the air fryer basket.
- Roast the garlic in the air fryer for 20 minutes.
- Allow the head of garlic to cool to the touch.
- To remove the cloves from the head just gently pinch the end of the clove and squeeze it out.