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Roasted garlic just got easier with this air fryer recipe. In this post, I’ll share how to roast garlic in the air fryer + my favorite ways to use it.
Serve roasted garlic as an appetizer with hot bread, pop it on a pizza with artichokes and olives, or swap out raw garlic in recipes for roasted instead.
There is a restaurant in LA that puts garlic in everything from appetizers through dessert. It is what they are known for. We went there for Valentine’s Day when David and I just started dating. I think it was the first time that I’d ever had roasted garlic cloves brought to the table along with warm slices of bread.
The softened garlic cloves spread easily onto the bread, like butter in clove form. And while people get anxious about the potency of garlic, roasting garlic mellows it out. It has all of the flavor and warmth without any of the sharpness.
Now I roast garlic at home fairly often. And with the help of this air fryer recipe, roasting garlic just got easier!
How to use roasted garlic
Roasted garlic is one of my favorite pizza toppings.
Since I usually eat my pizza cheeseless, adding roasted garlic gives a dominant flavor to tie everything together. Plus, it has some creaminess and spreadability that gives the essence of cheese without being an actual vegan cheese.
When I’m making pizza it’s easy to throw a garlic head into the air fryer while I’m waiting for the dough to come to room temperature and oven to heat.
Tip: If the air fryer roasted garlic isn’t totally creamy before getting added to the pizza, that’s okay since it will still cook for a while longer on top of the pizza.
Roasted garlic is a lovely warming change to homemade hummus or cilantro basil pesto.
Roasted garlic has a mild sweetness that gives that garlic flavor without the sharpness. Just swap out the raw garlic and put in roasted instead.
Roasted garlic is a wonderful addition whipped into mashed potatoes or smashed into air fryer baked potatoes.
Or you can get really simple and give a nod to that Valentine’s Day appetizer from many years ago by just smearing roasted garlic on toasted baguette.
I like to dip my baguette into extra virgin olive oil & balsamic glaze. Then I smash a clove or two of garlic on top of it.
This wintery time of year when a cold kale salad with lemon tahini dressing isn’t quite as appealing, having a side of warm bread with roasted garlic makes that dinner of salad a bit more inviting.
How to roast garlic in the air fryer (Roasted garlic air fryer recipe)
To roast garlic in the air fryer, cut ¼ inch off the top of a head of garlic, showing the cloves underneath.
Drizzle the exposed parts of the cloves with extra virgin olive oil, wrap it in aluminum foil like a pouch, and pop it into the air fryer.
A medium sized head of garlic takes about 20 minutes at 400 degrees. The timing will vary depending on the size of your head of garlic.
You’ll know it’s done when the garlic cloves have some give to them. You can also pull one clove from the head and smear it onto a cracker to see if it’s ready. If it spreads easily, you’re good to go. If not, continue to air fry the garlic in 5 to 10 minute increments until it’s ready.
The head of garlic will be hot, of course, when coming out of the air fryer. So allow it to rest for a bit before fully digging into it.
Once it’s had a chance to cool, remove the garlic from the peel by giving each clove a light squeeze. Each one should pop right out of its skin.
Roasted garlic air fryer recipe
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic medium-sized
- Drizzle extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Remove any excess papery peel from a head of garlic (but still leave each clove covered.) Cut 1/4 inch off the top of a head of garlic, exposing the tops of the cloves underneath.
- Drizzle extra virgin olive oil onto the exposed parts of the cloves.
- Wrap the head of garlic in aluminum foil and put it into the air fryer.
- Air fry at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Stop to check the doneness of the cloves. They should have a gentle give to them when they are ready. If they're not quite done, wrap them in foil again, and continue to cook in 5 to 10 minute increments until ready.
- Give the head of garlic a few minutes to cool before diving into it. Once it's cool, gently squeeze on each clove, and it will pop right out of its skin.
- Serve the roasted garlic with warmed bread, use it in recipes instead of raw garlic, or put it on a pizza as a topping.
Susan says
Yum! I love roasted garlic, it is so magical.
Cadry says
Agreed! It’s incredibly simple but so good.
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says
What a great idea! I am much more likely to make roasted garlic in my air fryer than in the oven. I bet it’s delicious on pasta!
Cadry says
Me too! You can’t beat the convenience in not having to wait for the oven to heat, and that it cooks in much less time. It would be delightful on pasta!
Becky Striepe says
OMG this is a game-changer!
Cadry says
All the roasted garlic, all the time.
Dianne says
I LOVE roasted garlic! I’ve never thought to make it in the air fryer. Such a genius idea!
Cadry says
Thanks, Dianne! I hope you’ll have that much more roasted garlic in your life now. 😀
Sheena says
I often roast 4 heads of garlic at a time. It keeps a few days in the fridge, and it can be frozen. But usually it just gets eaten up! You can leave out the oil and it’s still great.
Cadry says
That’s a good idea to roast 4 head of garlic at a time, Sheena! You sound like a serious garlic lover like I am. I’ve roasted garlic in the air fryer without the oil, and it felt a little dry to me. I don’t avoid oil, and so I prefer to add a drizzle.