Can garlic be roasted in the air fryer? The answer is yes! This air fryer roasted garlic recipe is a quick and easy way to get delicious and tender cloves that can be used for garlic bread, potatoes, sauces, soups, condiments and more! It's buttery, creamy, and delectable.
Garlic is one of my favorite ways to season food. So, of course, I absolutely love air fryer garlic. The aroma fills the kitchen as it gets perfectly roasted and caramelized. Roasted garlic tastes amazing in my Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Potatoes, Air fryer Cheesy Garlic Crescents, or my popular Spicy Garlic Aioli Sauce.

Recipe Video:
Why You Will Love This Recipe:
- No need to turn on the oven. You can make the best roasted garlic using your air fryer in half the time it would take to make it in the oven!
- Roasted garlic has so many uses. It's creamy and you can use it on vegetables, like these air fryer green beans or air fryer baby carrots. Did I mention that it also makes an excellent dinner side dish? See below for more ideas on how to use roasted garlic.
- Make a batch of roasted garlic and store it in the refrigerator or freezer for later use.
Q&A:
Roasted garlic has a milder, sweeter flavor. Raw garlic has a more pungent, spicy flavor.
Roasting caramelizes the garlic giving it a milder and sweeter taste. It still tastes like garlic but it's not spicy and it has a creamy texture.
Yes, elephant garlic can be used.
Yes, you can freeze roasted garlic for up to 3 months. See freezer instructions below.
Absolutely. See my oven instructions below.
Air Fryer Roasted Garlic Uses:
Roasted garlic goes great with a variety of foods. You can use it to make garlic bread, sauces, dips, and soups. It’s taste amazing on top of steak, chicken, mashed potatoes, or in baked potatoes. You can even eat it straight up by itself! It’s so delicious! My whole family agrees that roasted garlic makes an excellent side dish.
What to Serve with Roasted Garlic:
- Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Potatoes
- Air Fryer Brown Sugar Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Tortilla Pizza
- Air Fryer Steakhouse Baked Potatoes
- Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
- Air Fryer Broccoli
Equipment Needed:
- Air Fryer
Ingredients:
- Garlic - One whole head/bulb of garlic.
- Olive Oil - I used extra virgin olive oil.
- Butter - Butter adds a rich flavor. I’ve tried this recipe with and without butter and my family voted that the roasted garlic with butter was the best. I used unsalted butter.
- Salt and Pepper - Season with salt and pepper to taste. I only used a pinch of each.
Air Fryer Instructions:
1. Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and set the timer for 20 minutes.
2. Slice ¼ inch from the top of the garlic bulb.
3. Place the garlic cut-side-up in the middle of a square piece of aluminum foil.
4. Drizzle the garlic bulb with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and add the butter to the top.
5. Tightly wrap the garlic bulb with the foil.
6. Add the wrapped garlic to the air fryer and roast for 20 minutes until the garlic is very tender and browned.
7. Once done, remove the garlic from the air fryer, let it cool, then enjoy!
Oven Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Slice ¼ inch from the top of the garlic bulb.
3. Place the garlic bulb, sliced side up, on a square piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and butter. Wrap with foil and add to a baking sheet.
4. Roast the garlic in the oven for 45 minutes until soft and caramelized.
How to Freeze Roasted Garlic:
Mash the roasted cloves and place in a freezer safe container. Be sure to label and date it. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe Variations And Substitutions:
- Seasonings - Try different seasonings like thyme, rosemary, or Italian seasoning.
Storage And Reheating Instructions:
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Mash the roasted cloves and place in a freezer safe container. Be sure to label and date it. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Pro Tips:
- This recipe can be double or tripled. Just be sure to cook in a single layer. Do not stack.
- Let the foil packets cool before opening them. They will be hot!
- The air fryer I used was the Instant Vortex Plus 6 quart. Since all air fryers are different, you will need to adjust the cook time based on the air fryer you are using.
Easy Air Fryer Roasted Garlic
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon butter
Instructions
Air Fryer Instructions:
- Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and set the timer for 20 minutes.
- Slice ¼ inch from the top of the garlic bulb.
- Place the garlic cut-side-up in the middle of a square piece of aluminum foil.
- Drizzle the garlic bulb with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and add the butter to the top.
- Tightly wrap the garlic bulb with the foil.
- Add the wrapped garlic to the air fryer and roast for 20 minutes until the garlic is very tender and browned.
- Once done, remove the garlic from the air fryer, let it cool, then enjoy!
Oven Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Slice ¼ inch from the top of the garlic bulb.
- Place the garlic bulb, sliced side up, on a square piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and butter. Wrap with foil and add to a baking sheet.
- Roast the garlic in the oven for 45 minutes until soft and caramelized.
Notes
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Mash the roasted cloves and place in a freezer safe container. Be sure to label and date it. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- This recipe can be double or tripled. Just be sure to cook in a single layer. Do not stack.
- Let the foil packets cool before opening them. They will be hot!
- The air fryer I used was the Instant Vortex Plus 6 quart. Since all air fryers are different, you will need to adjust the cook time based on the air fryer you are using.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate. For accurate nutritional information you should refer to the nutritional labels on the packages of the specific ingredients that you used.
Sam
I love that this can be done in the air fryer! I made a couple bulbs and they were perfect.