Roasted garlic is one of those flavors that really can't be replicated in any other way. The dry roasted garlic you can buy just isn't the same as using the whole cloves in recipes. So, it's a good thing that roasting garlic in the Ninja Foodi is super easy and you can do multiple heads at one time!
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I've been roasting garlic for years and years in the oven, but it used to take between 45 minutes and 1 hour and now I can get it done in about 35 minutes using the Ninja Foodi.
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Even in the oven, I used a lower temperature than what many recipes call for because it resulted in a better flavor and more consistent results. The goal of roasting garlic is to soften the cloves and caramelize the tops until they are golden brown.
When done right, roasted garlic has a mild and sweet flavor that adds that special touch to so many dishes!
What are the Parts of a Garlic Bulb?
A garlic bulb is made up of multiple garlic cloves; there is a root end and a stem end; and then the paper skin that not only covers each clove, but also envelopes the entire bulb.
When we refer to a bulb of garlic, we are talking about the entire vegetable. This is also called a head of garlic. When we refer to the cloves, we are talking about the inside components of a garlic bulb.
It is important to know what your recipe is calling for, because if it calls for a bulb of garlic and you add one clove, you will not get the flavor intended in the recipe. The opposite is just as true! If you use an entire bulb, instead of a clove, you will know it! Except for roasted garlic; because it is so mild, you can always add more to a dish and it won't ruin it!
What is the Difference between Elephant Garlic and Regular Garlic?
Although there are several different types of garlic, the two I see most often at the grocery store are elephant garlic and smaller white (sometimes purple hued) garlic.
What I found most interesting while doing research for this article is elephant garlic is not really garlic, it's a type of leek. Who knew? Not me.
I think I may have purchased elephant garlic once or twice and I can't say that I remember any differences, but, apparently, just like a leek is milder than an onion, elephant garlic is milder than the smaller variety.
My go-to is the smaller white garlic and that is what I use in all of my recipes. The type of garlic I see most often is softneck garlic that has multiple cloves encased in a paper-like skin and a soft, flexible stalk. Usually the stalk is cut short or sometimes you can find braided garlic where the stalks are left long and multiple bulbs are braided together to form a very decorative and functional kitchen decoration.
If you are lucky enough to find braided garlic, simply hang it and use the bulbs or even pick out individual cloves! It is best to hang it in a dry and dark place, but I'll get into that later when we go over storage.
The other type of garlic that you might run across is hardneck garlic. The main difference is in the stem. The hardneck garlic has a woody stem that goes through the middle of the garlic and is most often found in colder climates.
These both are interchangeable in any recipe, so don't worry about which type you get.
How long does Garlic last and How do I Store it?
In this section, I am specifically referring to an intact whole bulb of garlic that has not been roasted, I'll get into storage of roasted garlic later in the article.
An intact bulb of garlic will last 3-6 months if properly stored, but once you break it and start using the cloves, you will want to use it up within 7-10 days.
The best place to store a whole head or bulb of garlic is in a dry, dark place where the temperature is around 60℉/15℃. Now, most kitchens don't stay 60℉ all year round, so do the best you can to find a cabinet away from the stove or other heat sources and one that is protected by sunlight.
You do not want to store your whole bulb of garlic in a plastic bag of any sort; instead, either leave the bulbs loose or use a mesh breathable bag.
You also don't want to store your garlic bulbs in the refrigerator, although I am guilty of doing this all the time. I know better and I still do it! The humidity in the refrigerator as well as the cold temps are not garlic-friendly.
Garlic bulbs (not roasted) stored in the refrigerator tend to sprout faster and can get some black spots or become soft. If you do store your garlic in the fridge, make sure it is not in the high humidity drawer that you would store your other veggies in. Garlic stored in the fridge usually lasts a few weeks before you start to see those green sprouts. I have very rarely seen black areas on the skin, but it can happen. If you have brown spots on your unpeeled garlic clove, it's best to discard it.
If you see green sprouts coming from your garlic, that doesn't mean you can't use it. As long as the skin and outside look good, those shoots will not hurt you.
Here is a picture of some garlic that sprouted quite a bit. I won't use this because it's REALLY gone to town with sprouts. Instead, I'm going to plant it. If it works out, I'll be sure to write a post on it!
I have heard that the green part that grows in the middle of a garlic clove is bitter, but I have not done a comparison because if my garlic starts to sprout, I roast it up.
If you wanted to use the garlic either chopped, minced, or sliced, you can simply cut it open and remove the green part, which is sometimes called the germ. It is not a germ as in bacteria, it is simply the shoot from which another bulb will grow. *That is the part that comes out of the soil, so if you want to plant your own garlic from sprouted cloves, you bury the clove, not the green part.
Can I Substitute Jarred or Fresh Minced Garlic for Roasted Garlic?
Like I said before, there really isn't any substitute for freshly roasted garlic. It has an entirely different taste and texture from minced, chopped, sliced, or even smashed garlic.
If a sauce calls for roasted garlic AND the sauce will NOT be blended, then using a whole peeled garlic clove is your best bet if you don't have time to roast a bulb. You will want to add this at the beginning of cooking so it has a chance to soften. An example where this would work is my recipe for Spaghetti in the Ninja Foodi.
While the roasted garlic adds a flavor that can't be beat, adding several whole cloves would impart a mild garlic flavor and the 3 minutes of pressure cooking the sauce will cook it enough so it isn't bitter.
If a sauce calls for roasted garlic and will be blended, do not use unroasted garlic or it will be way too overpowering.
As far as jarred minced garlic goes... yes, it's convenient, but I don't think it comes close to being as good as freshly minced garlic. It has a funny taste to me, so I never use it. Instead, I use a (affiliate link)garlic press from Pampered Chef that allows me to mince several cloves at once AND I don't have to peel the garlic! That's the best part!
You can add smashed, sliced, chopped, or minced garlic in place of (or in addition to) roasted garlic in any recipe, but keep in mind the differences in flavor. How you prep your garlic greatly impacts recipes, so I'll go over the basics in the next section.
How Should I Prepare My Garlic for a Recipe?
Knowing when to use whole, smashed, chopped, minced, or roasted garlic is very important when cooking.
Now, most recipes will tell you specifically how it should be prepped, but if you are making up your own recipe, knowing how the garlic will taste in a recipe is very important.
Basically, the more surface area exposed, the more intense the garlic flavor. The one exception is roasted garlic. Roasted garlic can be kept whole, chopped or even made into a paste and it will still have the same mildly sweet and delicious flavor.
Uncooked garlic is much stronger than cooked garlic and burnt garlic... well, please don't burn the garlic, it's horrid. In fact, if you do burn the garlic when sautéing, the best thing to do is clean out the pot and start over because it will ruin your meal.
In order of strongest flavor to mildest flavor here is the list:
- Minced garlic
- Chopped garlic
- Sliced garlic
- Smashed garlic
- Whole garlic cloves
- Roasted garlic
So, if you want a very garlicky flavor in your dish, use minced or chopped and if you a very subtle, almost candy like garlic flavor, used roasted garlic.
What Ninja Foodi Recipes use Roasted Garlic?
You can use roasted garlic as an addition to a ton of Ninja Foodi recipes and other recipes as well, but, here are a few of mine that use roasted garlic.
How Many Bulbs of Garlic Can I Roast at One Time?
As many as you want. I usually batch mine and do about 5 heads/bulbs of garlic at time.
You can even place them all in the same foil pouch, no problems. You can also use parchment to create the pouches.
How do I Store My Roasted Garlic?
Since I do about 5 bulbs at a time, it usually takes me about a 3-4 days to use them all. After I let them cool all the way, I place them in a plastic sealable bag or a sealed container and keep them in the refrigerator. It is recommended that you use your refrigerated roasted garlic within 4 days.
Now, keep in mind, I cook a lot and, because I test my recipes several times, I can use all 5 bulbs in 2 days just testing recipes. You might use just one bulb a week and roasted garlic will not keep for 5 weeks, so we freeze it!
One way to freeze garlic (roasted or raw) is to peel the paper off and place the cloves on a parchment lined tray, place in the freezer and when frozen, place the cloves in a freezer bag. They will last 6 months or longer this way and you can grab out what you need, when you need it.
The way I freeze my roasted garlic is by creating a paste out of a whole bulb right on my cutting board. I don't add anything to it, but you can add salt or even a bit of olive oil if you want.
IMPORTANT: If you submerge garlic, roasted or raw, in olive oil, you MUST either refrigerate it or freeze it right away. Do Not let it sit on the counter because it is the perfect environment for botulism to grow.
Here is a quick video on how to make garlic paste:
How do I Roast Garlic if I don't have the Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper?
You can roast garlic in any type of cooking appliance you have. You can probably even roast it in a slow cooker, but I haven't tried that yet.
Keep in mind that garlic cloves come in different sizes and the times may need to be decreased or increased based on the size of your garlic bulbs. If you have bulbs that are varying sizes, just remove the smaller ones when they are done and continue to roast the larger ones until they are done. Don't be afraid to turn your heat up or down based on how they are roasting.
Traditional Oven Directions for Roasting Garlic
Preheat the oven to 375℉/190℃ and prep your garlic the same as in the recipe below.
Place the foil pouch on a tray in the oven and bake on 375℉/190℃ for 45 minutes to 1 hour. You will start to smell the wonderful aroma of roasted garlic when they are ready.
If the garlic is soft, but not brown enough for you, open the packet and continue baking for another 5-10 minutes.
Ninja Foodi Indoor Grill Directions for Roasting Garlic
Prepare the garlic the same way as instructed in the recipe below.
Preheat the Indoor Grill on the roast function at 325℉/163℃. Place the pouch of garlic in the basket and bake for about 30 minutes.
Check for doneness and, if the garlic is not soft enough, roast another 5-10 minutes.
If the garlic is soft, but not brown enough for you, open the packet and continue roasting for another 5-10 minutes.
Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fry Oven Directions for Roasting Garlic
Prepare the garlic the same way as instructed in the recipe below.
Set the pouch of garlic on the tray that comes with the oven. Please note that I do not suggest using parchment for the pouches because it could catch on fire being so close to the heating element.
Select the Air Roast function on 350℉/177℃ and roast for about 35-40 minutes.
Check for doneness and if the garlic is not soft enough, roast another 5-10 minutes.
If the garlic is soft, but not brown enough for you, open the packet and continue roasting for another 5-10 minutes.
How to Roast Garlic in the Ninja Foodi
Keep in mind that garlic cloves come in different sizes and the times may need to be decreased or increased based on the size of your garlic bulbs. If you have bulbs that are varying sizes, just remove the smaller ones when they are done and continue to roast the larger ones until they are done. Don't be afraid to turn your heat up or down based on how they are roasting.
You can either use the basket with the diffuser legs or the rack in the low position. You can wrap your prepared garlic in foil or in parchment and follow the same instructions.
Cut the stem end of the garlic about ½" from the top so you expose the garlic cloves.
Place the whole bulbs with the cut side up on a sheet of foil or parchment and drizzle with olive oil. You just want a light coating on the exposed cloves so they don't dry out.
Close up the foil or parchment and place in the basket (or on the rack in the low position) and close the TenderCrisp lid. Select the bake/roast function on 325℉/163℃ and set the time for 35 minutes.
When the time is up open the foil and make sure they are done. If they aren't soft, bake in 5 minute intervals until they are soft.
If the garlic is soft, but not brown enough for you, open the packet and continue baking for another 5-10 minutes.
The cloves of your roasted garlic will pop right out when you squeeze the bottom of the bulb.
Ninja Foodi Roasted Garlic
Ingredients
- 5 bulbs garlic You can use less or more and that will not change anything else about the recipe.
- 1 Tbsp olive oil I never measure, but this is a good estimate
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Instructions
- Cut the stem end off of the garlic about ½" down to expose the garlic cloves. Place the bulbs on a sheet of foil or parchment. Drizzle with olive oil to coat the tops. Close the pouch and place in the basket.
- Close the TenderCrisp lid and select the bake function on 325°F/163°C and bake for 35 minutes. Open the pouch to make sure garlic is soft and brown. If you want a little more browning, leave the pouch open and bake at 325℉/163℃ in 5 minute increments until it is done.
- Allow to cool and then either store the bulb in an airtight container in the fridge or squeeze the cloves out and store or freeze.
- Add the roasted garlic to your favorite dishes and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
About the Recipe Author, Louise Long
Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.
She published her first cookbook in the Fall of 2018 and is very interested in writing several more.
Louise is also the creator of an online Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooking Course with over 100 instructional step-by-step videos. People absolutely rave about the course and all the value they have received from it.
Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and learning more about the appliances they love.
Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper 101
Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker
Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.
She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can. Get more Information about Louise & contact information
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Rosemary
Hi Louise,
Just made roasted garlic and the expression of delight on my face confirms your posted photo with the 'see I told you, isn't this good' questioning expression. YES .... it's great !
Thanks for this article and instructions.
Louise
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Marilyn Williams
Hi Louise,
First time I have ever roasted garlic and it looks and smells delicious. Ready to add to your recipe for Shepherd pie tomorrow,
Loving all of your recipes and YouTube videos.
Thank you.
Louise
I'm so glad you gave it a try! I love roasted garlic and I hope you do too! I'm glad you are enjoying the recipes and videos.
Lexie Rose Bailey
I have 8 bulbs roasting right now, Thanks Louise!
Louise
Enjoy!
Amy Boyce
Awesome recipe just love garlic and add the roasted garlic in all my cooking... freezing in ice cubes with a little olive oil is fantastic to have on hand for cooking did about 7 bulbs at a go in the ninja
Louise
I love cooking with roasted garlic too!
marianwhit
I season mine liberally...my "go to" is Adobo and fresh ground pepper.