How to Make & Freeze Roasted Garlic

By: Angela Judd | April 23, 2024

My secret to quick home cooking that tastes like it took all day? Roasted garlic. Its rich, sweet flavor adds depth and complexity to dishes.

Each year, after curing my garlic harvest, I save the largest bulbs to plant next year, store some to use fresh, and then use the rest to make roasted garlic.

If you have abundant garlic, don’t let it go to waste! Instead, consider making and freezing roasted garlic.

Turn ordinary garlic into a rich, sweet, and buttery flavor booster by roasting whole heads in the oven until caramelized, then freeze the soft cloves for easy use anytime. This easy method turns fresh garlic into a rich, ready-to-use kitchen staple that adds instant depth to soups, veggies, sauces, and more.

Jump to Recipe

How to Freeze Roasted Garlic

Allow the garlic to cool. Then, place the cloves in an individual layer in a ziplock-style bag. I like these reusable ones; seal them tightly and store the bags in the freezer for up to one year.

If you love finding new ways to preserve flavor from the garden, you’ll also enjoy this simple method for how to roast and freeze peppers for smoky, garden-fresh flavor anytime.

Using Frozen Roasted Garlic

Whenever you need roasted garlic, grab a cube from the freezer and let it soften naturally or warm it quickly in the microwave. The flavor stays bold and smooth, and the garlic will be soft and spreadable. It’s perfect for adding to various dishes like roasted veggies, soup, mashed potatoes, or as a spreadable bread topping.

Roasted garlic is a simple yet flavorful ingredient that can elevate your cooking. You can always have this tasty addition on hand by making and freezing it. Whether you’re a home cook looking to add depth to your dishes or a gardener with abundant fresh produce, consider making roasted garlic today. Your taste buds will thank you!

For detailed growing instructions, check out this post on how to grow garlic.

Add roasted garlic to mashed new potatoes – it’s so good!

Angela Judd

Make and Freeze Roasted Garlic

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 45

Total Time 50

Course: Meal Prep

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

Garlic Bulbs
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper To taste

Equipment

Reusable Food Storage Bags

Method

How to Roast Garlic:

Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C), cut off the top portion of each head of garlic to expose the cloves, and arrange them in a pan with the cut side facing up.
Drizzle the exposed tops with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Cover the pan tightly with foil.
Pop it in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the cloves are soft and caramelized. (Get ready for your house to smell amazing!)
For a more intense flavor, you can roast the garlic for longer until it becomes deeply caramelized.
To use right away, let the cloves cool slightly before squeezing them from their skins. The roasted garlic will be soft and spreadable, perfect for adding to various dishes like roasted veggies, soup, mashed potatoes, or as a spreadable bread topping. Store the extra garlic in a jar and use within a week.

How To Freeze Roasted Garlic:

Allow the garlic to cool. Then, place the bulbs in an individual layer in a reusable ziplock-style bag.
Seal them tightly and store the bags in the freezer for up to one year.

How to Use Frozen Roasted Garlic:

When ready to use your frozen roasted garlic, let a few cubes defrost on the counter for a couple of hours or pop them in the microwave for quick thawing. The flavor will remain just as delicious as when you first made it.