This air fryer roasted garlic is quick, easy, and the perfect complement to just about any savory recipe! 

Air fryer roasted garlic garnished with sprigs of thyme

If you’re a regular reader, you know that I love roasted garlic. I put it in just about everything, from Homemade Roasted Garlic Tomato Sauce to Jalapeño Cornbread Waffles. It’s one of those ingredients that can really take a dish to the next level.

But up until recently, I always roasted my garlic in the oven. I mean, it’s called roasted garlic, of course you make it in the oven, right? You can’t grill it or boil it…

…but you can air fry it. And friends, air fryer roasted garlic is a game-changer.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s easy to make traditional roasted garlic, and the results are delicious. But it does take some time and patience. Air fryer roasted garlic is quick, easy, and produces perfectly caramelized, buttery cloves every time. 

Does Roasting Garlic Make It Less Strong?

One of the great things about roasted garlic is that it’s much less pungent than raw garlic, so it’s perfect for recipes where you want to add a lot of flavour without overwhelming the other ingredients. Even if you’re not usually a fan of garlic, you might just find that you love it when it’s roasted!

Overhead view of ingredients for roasted garlic

Notes on Ingredients

Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.

  • Garlic – Choose two heads that are similar in size to ensure that both are finished cooking at the same time.
  • Olive oil 

What Should I Look for When Buying Garlic?

Look for heads of garlic that are large and firm, with plenty of cloves. Avoid any heads that are starting to sprout, or that feel either mushy or “empty” when you give them a squeeze. (That empty feeling means the head is drying out.)

How to Make Air Fryer Roasted Garlic

So, how do you make roasted garlic in an air fryer? It’s this easy:

Prepare the garlic. Cut the tops off of the garlic heads, exposing the cloves. Place each head on a piece of foil, then drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil over the exposed cloves. Wrap the foil around the garlic.

Two garlic heads wrapped in foil in air fryer

Air fry. Air fry the garlic at 380°F/193°C for 25 minutes. Let it cool in the air fryer with the door closed for about 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove the garlic cloves. If you want whole or sliced garlic cloves, use your fingers to peel off the skin to remove them. If you’re using the roasted garlic as a spread, you can simply squeeze them out into a bowl.

Tips for Success

There’s really not much to this recipe, but here are some must-know tips before you get started.

  • Make sure all of the cloves are exposed. Sometimes there are smaller cloves on the side of the head of garlic that you miss when you lop off the top. Don’t forget to cut those open too!
  • Doubling or tripling the recipe. As long as you don’t crowd your air fryer basket, you can make more than two heads of garlic. Since it can be frozen, you might just want to make a big batch!
  • Let it cool. Even if it feels cool on the outside, the cloves inside can burn your fingers when you try to squeeze them out if you’re not careful.
Whole roasted garlic heads and cloves with sprigs of thyme

How to Store 

Roasted garlic will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

To freeze roasted garlic, simply place the cloves in a freezer-safe bag or container and store in the freezer for up to six months.

When you’re ready to use, you can immerse the freezer bag in hot water to soften them, let them thaw in the fridge, or simply throw them into the pot of whatever you’re cooking while they’re still frozen (the heat from cooking will thaw them).

10 Ways to Use Roasted Garlic

And here are some of my favourite ways to use this air fryer roasted garlic!

Roasted garlic heads with sprigs of thyme

Enjoy friends! If you make this air fryer roasted garlic recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much! 

Air fryer roasted garlic garnished with sprigs of thyme

Air Fryer Roasted Garlic

Here's how to make roasted garlic in an air fryer. It's just as delicious as the original recipe, but it takes half the time!
5 (from 9 ratings)

Ingredients

  • 2 heads of garlic
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil

Instructions 

  • Cut off the top of the head of garlic, with the cloves still connected, but just enough to expose them a bit. You want all the cloves slightly exposed. Place in some foil and drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil over the top of each head. Wrap the foil around the garlic and air fry at 380°F/193°C for 25 mins. Let it cool in the air fryer (with the door closed) for about 5/-10 minutes before squeezing – else it’ll probably burn your fingers!
  • Remove softened cloves from the skin if using in a recipe with a knife or a tiny spoon or squeeze the cloves out. If not using immediately, refrigerate for up to 4 days (or freeze). Enjoy!

Notes

Roasted garlic will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. To freeze roasted garlic, simply place the cloves in a freezer-safe bag or container and store in the freezer for up to six months.
Calories: 22kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 0.2g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 0.3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 12mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 0.03g, Vitamin A: 0.3IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 5mg, Iron: 0.1mg

Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.