How to Roast Garlic in a Pan (+ Stovetop Garlic Confit)

This is your guide to how to roast garlic in a pan in under 20 minutes (or more for stovetop garlic confit)! This quick roasted garlic is a must-have condiment for any garlic lover. It’s mellow and smooth, perfect for spreading over bread, adding to veggies, pasta, sauces, and tons of other dishes! Plus, bonus methods for how to roast garlic in oven and microwave roasted garlic!

The Ingredients

All you need for stovetop roasted garlic cloves are two simple ingredients!

• Garlic: I used 25 individual cloves of garlic, which is somewhere between two to three whole garlic heads. When choosing the garlic, go for a firm head that feels heavy for its size. Avoid garlic that seems moldy, soft, or dry.

• Oil: Use any neutral cooking oil. I used olive oil, but avocado oil would also work very well. You can also use other oils like canola/vegetable oil, but the flavor won’t be as nice. For a budget-friendly option, you could use half olive oil and half canola oil or other cheaper oil.

To cut down on prep, you could use pre-peeled garlic cloves from the grocery store.

How to Roast Garlic in a Pan?

Pan roasting garlic is super simple and requires just 4 steps. Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions.

An easy way to peel garlic is to add the unpeeled garlic cloves to a lidded container or mason jar. Then shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds. Some will fully peel, and the rest should be fairly easy to peel, after that.

Step 3: Finally, remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Then remove the garlic from the oil to gently smash with a fork. Your quick roasted garlic is ready to enjoy!

Save the garlic-infused oil to use later on. It will provide a wonderfully fragrant flavor to savory dishes!

How to Make Stovetop Garlic Confit

To adjust this recipe from pan roasting garlic to stovetop garlic confit is simple:

Step 1: Use a medium saucepan and add enough oil to fully submerge the garlic cloves. Heat over medium-low until hot, then add the garlic.

Step 2: Reduce the heat to low and cook for between 35-45 minutes until tender/creamy.

This low and slow cooking method will make for super creamy, plant-based buttery, mildly sweet garlic but take less time than oven confits (which often take 2+ hours).

Alternative Methods for Roasting Garlic

How To Make Oven Roasted Garlic? Oven roasted garlic is easiest with whole heads of garlic. First, slice off the top inch from a whole head of garlic, drizzle with oil, and place the bulb in a foil (or parchment) parcel on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes at 350F/176C. Remove the foil in the last 10 minutes for extra caramelization. When ready, easily squeeze the cloves from the skin.

How to Make Microwave Roasted Garlic? If you want the quickest way to make roasted garlic, it’s probably microwave roasted garlic. Slice off the top of the garlic head, add to a small dish with a few tablespoons of water and a generous glug of oil, then cover with plastic wrap or a lid and heat at 50% in 2 ½ minute increments until tender. This method won’t be as caramelized or brown but will be tender and mellow.

How to Make Pan-Roasted Garlic Without Oil? There is an oil-free method, but I haven’t tried it. Use a small pan with a lid, and DON’T peel your garlic cloves. Heat the pan over medium heat, drop in the garlic cloves, cover with the lid, and cook for about 10-15 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to make sure the garlic cooks evenly. When ready, the garlic peel will be blackened and ‘burnt’ looking, but the garlic within should be tender and mellow. It won’t be as tender (or caramelized) as the method with oil, though.

Toni’s Recipe Tips and Notes

• Don’t boil the garlic: Or it may burn and/or become tough.
• Store the roasted garlic cloves correctly: Make sure to ALWAYS keep the garlic and oil stored in the refrigerator. Be careful when storing the garlic and oil together. It increases the shelf life, but there is also a risk of botulism. So I prefer to store them separately, just in case.
• To avoid bitter garlic: It’s best to trim off the tough root end from the garlic cloves.
• For a super smooth roasted garlic puree: Transfer the quick roasted garlic cloves/ garlic confit (minus the oil) to a food processor or blender and blend into a smooth puree.
• Add fresh herbs: Since the garlic-infused oil can be re-used, you can infuse it with extra flavors. I like to add fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, or even chili flakes.

FAQs

How to Use Roasted Garlic?

If you’re a huge fan of garlic, like me, then you’ll never run out of ways to enjoy this tender, lightly caramelized roasted peeled garlic or garlic confit.

• Bread: Use the mashed pan-roasted garlic over bread, whether homemade sandwich bread, focaccia, no-knead bread, garlic bread, crostini, or garlic naan.
• Pizza: Add to pizzas and flatbreads.
• Sandwiches: Mash into sandwiches, paninis, vegan grilled cheese, and wraps.
• Burgers: Spread over burgers or this tofu steak.
• Butter: Combine with vegan butter for a simple garlic butter.
• Dips: Use in place of raw garlic in hummus (and other dips) for a mellow, caramelized flavor.
• Charcuterie: Add to sharing boards, vegan cheese boards, charcuterie boards, etc.
• Potatoes: Use to flavor creamy mashed potatoes or crispy roasted potatoes.
• Sauces: Use in this 5-minute garlic sauce and uncooked sauces in place of raw garlic for a more mellow flavor (like a garlic mayo!).
• Dressings: Add to dressings, like this lemon dressing or green goddess.
• Pasta: Add to pasta salads or mash and use within hot pasta dishes too. Perhaps one of these 20 vegan pasta dishes!
• Veggies: Mix into sauteed or roasted vegetable dishes (especially roasted tomatoes)!

How to Store Roasted Garlic?

Fridge: Allow the roasted garlic cloves to cool and then store in an airtight container in the fridge for between 3-5 days. Store the infused garlic oil separately in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

You can also store the garlic submerged in the oil but keep it stored in the refrigerator at all times and only use up to 14 days. It may last longer, but because of the risk of botulism, I don’t risk it.

Freeze: You could also freeze the roasted garlic cloves, either whole or mashed. I like to add the mashed roasted garlic to a small Ziplock or Stasher bag, flatten it, and freeze for 3 months. Then, you can just break off pieces as needed. Alternatively, portion it into a small ice-cube tray.

They don’t need long to thaw at all and can even be added to recipes from frozen (be careful when adding it to hot oil, though, as it will spit).

More Delicious Ways to Enjoy Garlic

Vegan Dinners

Garlic Rice

Vegan Appetizers

Crispy Garlic Baked Potato Wedges (+ Air Fryer Method)

Vegan Dinners

Garlic Ginger Soup [With Noodles]

Vegan Lunches

Vegan Lemon-Garlic Mediterranean Quinoa (Salad OR Warm)

If you tried this how to roast garlic recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla