If you're looking for the secret ingredient that will transform your meals from mundane to mouth-watering, look no further than Air Fryer Roasted Garlic. With its rich, savory-sweet, almost nutty taste and soft, spreadable texture, roasted garlic is a must-have in any kitchen. And, thanks to the air fryer, it's easier than ever to create this simply sensational ingredient with minimal effort - all within 25 minutes!
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⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Get ready to have your socks knocked off, because this air fryer roasted garlic is a game changer for garlic lovers everywhere! Not only is air fryer roast garlic incredibly easy to make, but its myriad uses make it a welcome ingredient in any kitchen.
If I’m being honest, it’s on the same level of boost-your-culinary-game goodness as making browned butter. I can't wait to show you how to roast whole garlic in an air fryer so you can start enjoying this delicious, spreadable goodness in no time!
Aside from being wildly delicious, air fried garlic is also:
- Quick & Easy - It takes just one cut across the top to expose the cloves, a quick drizzle of oil, and sprinkle of seasoning, then the air fryer does all the rest.
- Delectably Versatile - While it's delicious enough to spread on a slice of sourdough bread all by itself, this air fryer garlic is also an excellent addition to cauliflower soups, stews, pasta sauces, boursin mashed potatoes, compound butters, salad dressings, or really ANYTHING savory.
- Made With Just 3 Ingredients - All you need is a head of garlic, plus some salt and pepper. Easy peasy!
🍴Ingredients
You don’t need much to roast garlic in the air fryer. Here’s everything you’ll need at the grocery store:
- Head of Garlic - Perhaps my favorite part about this recipe is that you roast a head of fresh garlic, so there’s no need to peel the individual cloves. Hooray for simplicity!
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - For richness. Feel free to swap in your favorite high smoke point oil like avocado oil or grapeseed oil instead.
- Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Pepper - Adding a little seasoning brings all the roasty, toasty, nutty, sweet, and savory flavors of this roasted garlic air fryer goodness to the fore.
⏲️ Substitutions & Variations
One of the great things about this roasted garlic recipe air fryer magic is its versatility. Feel free to get creative and try any of the following optional variations:
- Add a sprinkle of your favorite herbs, like rosemary or thyme, to the garlic before roasting for an herbaceous burst of flavor.
- For a sweet and savory twist, drizzle a bit of hot honey or balsamic glaze over the roasted garlic before serving.
- If you prefer a spicy kick, sprinkle some red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne pepper onto the garlic before air frying.
📖 Step by Step Instructions
This air fryer roast garlic comes together in just a few simple steps:
Step 1: Preheat & Prep Garlic. Preheat your air fryer to 400F. Slice the bottom of the garlic head (the root or brown side) off to expose the garlic heads within with a sharp knife.
Step 2: Season. Place the garlic head and/or your garlic whole cloves in the middle of your aluminum foil squares and drizzle the garlic with olive oil and cracked black pepper.
Step 3: Wrap. Fold the aluminum tin foil over the whole head of garlic or individual garlic cloves like a small foil packet, making sure that the foil completely covers the garlic.
Step 4: Air Fry the aluminum foil wrapped garlic cloves for 22 minutes.
Step 5: Remove the pieces of foil from the air fryer and let the garlic cool enough to unwrap the roasted garlic in foil with your fingers. Now you can use the whole roasted garlic cloves in all your favorite garlic recipes!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Cut off the bottom of the garlic head, not the top of the garlic bulb! This exposes the most surface area so the oil and seasoning can get into each clove.
- Don't skimp on the olive oil! It helps to keep the garlic moist and tender as it roasts in the air fryer, plus adds a lovely flavor.
- Make sure to use a high-quality air fryer with even heat distribution to ensure your garlic cooks evenly and doesn't burn.
- Keep an eye (and your nose) on the garlic as it cooks. The exact cooking time may vary depending on the size of the cloves and the air fryer used. You want it to turn golden, but not burn — burnt garlic has an acrid taste, and nobody wants that so adjust your cook time as needed.
Ideas for using Roasted Garlic
The sheer volume of possibilities for recipes with roasted garlic is astonishing! Honestly, once you make a batch of this air fryer roasted garlic recipe, I have a feeling you'll find no shortage of ways to put this super flavor booster to use. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:
- Spread it on toasted crusty bread for a delicious and simple appetizer. It's far lower in calories than butter, but packs a big wallop of flavor!
- Mix the crushed, caramelized garlic cloves into mashed potatoes, because garlic mashies are the bomb.
- Use it as a great way to boost the flavor of homemade salad dressings, sauces, or dips.
- Create garlic butter by mixing the roasted garlic into softened butter - then make some homemade garlic bread or garlic toast!
- As a wonderful garlic flavor addition to pasta dishes, cauliflower soups, or stews.
The “rule” is, if you would normally put garlic in it, try using roasted garlic instead. Chances are, you're gonna love it.
💭 Recipe FAQs
When properly cooked, roasted garlic from the air fryer should be golden brown and soft. The cloves should be easy to squeeze out of their skins (Dr. Pimple Popper fans, unite!) and have a soft, buttery, spreadable texture. The taste of roasted garlic is mellow, sweet, and slightly nutty, with none of the harsh bite associated with raw garlic.
After roasting, allow the garlic to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container or glass jar and storing it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Alternatively, you can place the roasted garlic in olive oil or the vinegar of your choice to flavor either and preserve the garlic for longer.
You sure can - here's my favorite way! Simply place the cooled, roasted cloves in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container (I like filling a small ice cube tray with it) or zip-top bag, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
If you try this recipe for Air Fryer Roasted Garlic, please leave a 🌟 review and share your creation with me on social media! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest - for more delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter! 📧
Air Fryer Roasted Garlic
Ingredients
- 4 Garlic Heads , Or peeled garlic
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- Sprinkle Pepper & Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400F
- Slice the bottom of the garlic head, the root or brown side, off to expose the garlic heads within.4 Garlic Heads
- Place the garlic head and/or your garlic cloves in the middle of your aluminum foil squares and drizzle the garlic with olive oil, cracked pepper and salt.2 tablespoons Olive Oil, Sprinkle Pepper & Kosher Salt
- Fold the aluminum foil over the garlic like a small package, making sure that the foil completely covers the garlic.
- Place the aluminum foil wrapped garlic cloves into the base of your air fryer and cook for 22 minutes.
- Once cooked, remove the garlic from the airfryer and let it cool slightly so that you’re able to use your finger to unwrap the garlic. Then use in your favorite garlic recipes!
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