Air-Fryer Garlic: The Perfect, Quick, Crispy Treat

Air fryers are a great way to cook garlic. It's an easy process that takes around 20-25 minutes. First, you need to preheat your air fryer to around 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, cut the top off the head of garlic and place it on a square piece of aluminium foil. Drizzle the garlic with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the foil around the garlic, creating a pouch, and place it in the air fryer. When the garlic is soft, carefully open the foil pouch and remove the garlic using oven mitts or tongs. Let it cool for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the cloves and enjoy!

How to prepare garlic for air frying

Preparing garlic for air frying is a simple process. First, preheat your air fryer to 380-400°F (190-193°C). While you are waiting for the air fryer to heat up, prepare your 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 mushy or "empty" when you give them a squeeze.

Cut the tops off the garlic heads, exposing the cloves. Place each head on a square piece of aluminium foil and drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil over the exposed cloves. Season with salt and pepper if you wish. Wrap the foil around the garlic, bringing the sides up and over the garlic and closing the ends to create a pouch.

When your air fryer is preheated, place the garlic in the basket or cooking pan and air fry for 16-25 minutes, until the garlic is soft and beginning to caramelise and turn golden brown. Remove the garlic from the air fryer carefully using oven mitts or tongs, as the outside of the air fryer will be hot. Let the garlic cool for at least 10 minutes before opening the foil pouch, as hot steam will escape.

When the garlic is cool, squeeze the garlic bulb gently so that the cloves easily slide out of their shells. You can now use the roasted garlic cloves in a variety of dishes, such as pasta, appetizers, dipping oil, or on sandwiches and toast.

Air fryer temperature and cooking time

The temperature and cooking time for garlic in an air fryer will depend on the type of garlic dish you are making. For roasted garlic, preheat your air fryer to 380-400°F (190-193°C). When the air fryer is preheated, add the garlic and cook for 20-25 minutes. The garlic is ready when it is soft and has begun to caramelize and turn golden brown.

When the garlic is done, carefully remove it from the air fryer using oven mitts or tongs. Let the garlic cool for at least 10 minutes before handling. Be very careful when opening the foil pouch, as hot steam will escape.

To remove the garlic cloves from their shells, squeeze the garlic bulb gently or start at the base of the bulb and squeeze out the cloves (like you are squeezing out toothpaste). The roasted garlic cloves can be served in pasta dishes, appetizers, dipping oil, or on sandwiches and toast.

How to remove garlic from the air fryer

To remove garlic from the air fryer, you should first carefully take out the garlic using oven mitts or tongs. This is because the outside of the air fryer will be hot. Let the garlic cool for at least 10 minutes. Then, unwrap the foil and, starting at the base of the garlic bulb, squeeze out the cloves. You can then use the garlic as desired.

How to unwrap garlic after air frying

To unwrap garlic after air frying, first, make sure you are wearing oven mitts or using tongs to protect your hands from the heat. Then, carefully open the foil pouch, as hot steam will escape. Let the garlic cool for at least 10 minutes before handling. Once the garlic is cool enough to touch, carefully unwrap the foil. Starting at the base of the garlic bulb, squeeze out the cloves (like you are squeezing out toothpaste). You can then use the roasted garlic as desired.

How to store leftover garlic

To cook garlic in an air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 380-400°F (190-193°C). Cut the top off the head of garlic and place it on a square piece of aluminium foil. Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil over the exposed cloves and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the foil around the garlic and place it in the air fryer basket or cooking pan. Air fry for 16 to 25 minutes, until the garlic is soft and golden brown. Remove the garlic carefully using oven mitts or tongs and let it cool for at least 10 minutes. Open the foil pouch carefully, as hot steam will escape. When ready to use, squeeze the garlic bulb gently so that the cloves slide out of their shells.

To store leftover garlic, it depends on whether it is peeled or unpeeled. Unpeeled garlic should be stored in a cool, dry place with good airflow, such as a mesh bag or a loosely woven basket in your pantry or on your counter out of the sun. It can also be stored in a paper wrapper. Unpeeled garlic should not be stored in the fridge, as it will start to sprout within days. Peeled garlic, on the other hand, should be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the fridge. It may start to lose pungency after a few days, but it will be fine to use for about a week. If you have a large amount of leftover garlic, you can also finely chop, grate or press the raw garlic cloves into ice cube trays, cover them with oil, and freeze them.

Frequently asked questions