One of my favorite kitchen tricks is keeping a small jar of roasted garlic in the fridge at all times. It makes such a big difference when you add it to everyday meals.
The problem is that turning on the oven just to roast a few heads of garlic always felt like too much effort. So I started making it in the air fryer instead, and honestly it works perfectly.
This air fryer roasted garlic recipe is about as simple as it gets. A few heads of garlic, some olive oil, salt, and pepper – that’s the whole list.
You wrap each head in foil, air fry for about 25 to 30 minutes, and end up with soft, golden, caramelized cloves that taste incredible.
Use it as a spread, stir it into sauces, or mix it into mashed potatoes. However you use it, it makes everything taste a little more special.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Incredibly Easy to Make – You only need garlic and olive oil so anyone can pull this off with zero cooking experience.
Rich and Buttery Flavor – The air fryer caramelizes the garlic into a sweet and mellow paste that tastes absolutely amazing.
No Need to Heat Up Your Oven – The air fryer keeps your kitchen cool while still delivering that deep golden roasted garlic flavor.
Ingredients
- 4 heads Whole Garlic
- 4 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 4 small pieces Aluminum Foil
How To Make
Step 1
Slice the top quarter off each head of garlic to expose the cloves inside. Remove any loose, papery outer skin, but keep the heads intact.
Step 2
Place each garlic head cut-side up on a small square of aluminum foil. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil over the exposed cloves of each head, letting it seep down between them. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
Step 3
Wrap each garlic head snugly in its foil, creating a sealed packet with the seam on top.
Step 4
Place the foil-wrapped garlic packets in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 370 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cloves are deeply golden and completely soft when you press the side of the packet gently.
Step 5
Carefully unwrap the foil and let the garlic cool for about 5 minutes. Squeeze the roasted cloves out of the skins by pressing from the bottom of each head. The garlic should slide out easily in a buttery, caramelized paste.
Step 6
Use the roasted garlic immediately as a spread on crusty bread, stirred into mashed potatoes, or mixed into sauces and dressings. Store any leftovers in a small jar covered with olive oil in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Tips
How Much to Slice Off the Top
You want to cut just enough off the top so that most of the cloves are exposed. If you cut too little, the oil won’t reach the cloves and they won’t roast evenly.
A good guide is to slice about a quarter inch off the top. You should be able to see the inside of almost every clove. If a few cloves on the outer edge are still covered, that’s fine – they’ll still cook through from the steam inside the foil.
Make Sure the Oil Soaks In
After you drizzle the olive oil over the exposed cloves, take a second to gently rub it around with your finger so it gets down between all the gaps. The oil is what keeps the garlic from drying out and helps it caramelize instead of just turning hard.
If the oil just pools on top and doesn’t seep in, some cloves in the center won’t get any and they’ll come out pale and a little bitter. A quick rub makes a big difference.
Wrap the Foil Tight
When you wrap the garlic, make sure there are no gaps or openings in the foil. The whole point of the foil is to trap steam inside so the cloves basically steam-roast at the same time.
If there’s an opening, the moisture escapes and the garlic dries out instead of getting soft and creamy. Pinch the foil together at the top and give it a little twist so the seal is snug.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks
- Air Fryer Crispy Garlic Gnocchi
- Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli
- Air Fryer Roasted Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when the roasted garlic is done?
The best way to check is to gently press the side of the foil packet with a spoon or your finger (carefully – it’s hot). The garlic should feel very soft and squishy, almost like it has turned into a paste inside the skin.
If it still feels firm, wrap it back up and air fry for another 5 minutes. Every air fryer runs a little differently, so yours might need a touch more or less time than the 25-30 minutes listed.
Air Fryer Roasted Garlic
- air fryer
- 4 heads Whole Garlic
- 4 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 4 small pieces Aluminum Foil
- Slice the top quarter off each head of garlic to expose the cloves inside. Remove any loose, papery outer skin, but keep the heads intact.
- Place each garlic head cut-side up on a small square of aluminum foil. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil over the exposed cloves of each head, letting it seep down between them. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
- Wrap each garlic head snugly in its foil, creating a sealed packet with the seam on top.
- Place the foil-wrapped garlic packets in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 370 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cloves are deeply golden and completely soft when you press the side of the packet gently.
- Carefully unwrap the foil and let the garlic cool for about 5 minutes. Squeeze the roasted cloves out of the skins by pressing from the bottom of each head. The garlic should slide out easily in a buttery, caramelized paste.
- Use the roasted garlic immediately as a spread on crusty bread, stirred into mashed potatoes, or mixed into sauces and dressings. Store any leftovers in a small jar covered with olive oil in the refrigerator for up to one week.