By Katie Goodman

Roasted garlic is a great way to add flavor depth to a dish: toss it in with a pasta dish, mash it into mashed potatoes, puree it into marinades, or even spread it just as-is on a piece of toast. If you’ve never roasted your own garlic before, have no fear. Roasted garlic is incredible simple to prepare and delicious. It becomes so mild while roasting than you can even eat whole cloves if you’d like. Expect a mild nutty flavor.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400° F. I like to use the toaster oven because it preheats faster, uses less energy, and doesn’t make the kitchen as hot in the summer as does the full-sized oven.

Step 2: Cut the top 1/4" to 1/2" off of a whole head of garlic. The tops of each individual clove should be exposed. If there are smaller cloves on the side that were not tall enough to reach where you cut, simply cut the tops off of those cloves individually.

Step 3: Place the head of garlic on a small rectangle of foil, a little smaller than a piece of notebook paper.

Step 4: Drizzle the top of the garlic with a bit of olive oil, about 1-2 teaspoons.

Step 5: Pull 2 sides of the foil up and together, then fold or roll down. Repeat with the other side until you have a neatly folded package to keep the oil inside.

Step 6: Roast in a 400° oven for about 30 minutes. The garlic should be soft, fragrant, and golden.

Step 7: Allow the garlic to cool. When cool enough to handle, you can squeeze individual cloves out of the skin and add them to whatever yummy thing you are making.

Step 8: If you would like to mash the garlic, place the cloves on a small plate and mash with the back side of a fork until the desired consistency is reached.

Note: You can roast more than one head of garlic at a time, if needed, and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

About the Author:

Katie Goodman resides in New Mexico with her husband and two children (a 4-year-old boy and an 18-month-old girl). Learning in the kitchen, eating, trying new recipes, and sharing them with friends and loved ones are some of Katie's favorite things to do. She wholeheartedly believes that part of the goodness in life is enjoying good food with good friends and family, and goodLife {eats} is a place for her to share what she finds good in the kitchen.