This TikTok Food Trend Will Have Garlic Lovers Rejoicing All Fall Long

We’ve tried some pretty outlandish snacks because TikTok told us to (hi, mustard-topped watermelon, ranch pickles and carrot bacon). But getting us to try the latest trend on the app won’t take much convincing at all, considering #foodtok is all about roasted garlic these days. Snacks, soups, appetizers and mains using the caramelized allium are all over our feed, but we’ve narrowed down our favorite viral recipes to bring you the best of the best. Read on to learn more about the trend, how to roast garlic at home and what to cook with it.

If you’re anything like us, you measure garlic with your heart—if a recipe calls for three cloves, you’re using six (or nine…). But many roasted garlic TikTok recipes take it way over the top with dozens and dozens of cloves. Could it be that home cooks everywhere are hungry for comforting recipes now that fall is underway? Sure. Does roasted garlic’s earthy taste, soft texture and intoxicating aroma play a part in its popularity? Definitely. But TikTok is all about visuals, so there’s no doubt that users simply can’t get enough of watching content creators squeeze the roasted cloves out of their skins. The crackling of the browned garlic husk, the silky squish of the creamy golden nectar inside and the fountain-like explosion of caramelized deliciousness bursting through make for some hypnotizing plant-based ASMR.

Roasting garlic softens its sharp, spicy flavor, turning it buttery, earthy and almost sweet. Not only is it easier for some people to digest than raw garlic, but it’s damn delicious to boot. Needless to say, it’s a practice well worth adding to your culinary repertoire.

Luckily, roasting garlic at home is super simple. You can do it in the microwave, air fryer, on the stove or even in batches of pre-peeled cloves. But to get that TikTok-famous squeeze, there’s no better method than roasting whole, unpeeled heads of garlic in the oven. Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F. While it preheats, cut the top quarter off a head of garlic and discard. Peel a few layers of excess skin from the garlic without disconnecting the cloves. Place the garlic head on a small piece of aluminum foil large enough to encase it.

Step 2: Drizzle olive oil onto the exposed end of the garlic. Wrap the entire head in foil, covering it without letting the foil touch the garlic directly. You can also sprinkle on whatever seasonings, spices or herbs you’d like, like salt and pepper, rosemary or crushed red pepper flakes.

Step 3: Place the foil packet on a baking sheet (or just pop it directly on the middle rack) and roast it in the oven for 45 to 90 minutes. The longer you roast it, the more browned and caramelized it’ll get. Just keep an eye on the exterior of the garlic head to ensure the skin doesn’t burn.

Step 4: When it’s cooked to your liking, remove the garlic from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Then, squeeze from the bottom of the head towards the top until the cloves pop or squeeze out.

Ready to get in on the garlicky fun? Here are five of our favorite viral TikTok recipes to try at home.

We’re feeling warm and cozy just looking at it. Four whole heads of garlic are roasted, mashed and combined with butter, fresh herbs and spices for this soul-soothing recipe.

We’re betting even a vampire would be tempted to take a sip of this epic fall soup. Six heads of roasted garlic, onion, potato, milk, bouillon and fresh thyme are puréed until smooth in the food processor to make it.

Cohen opts for roasting 30 cloves of garlic on the stove low and slow in a sea of butter instead of using the oven.

Half a stick of soft butter meets a head of roasted garlic and dried herbs to create a life-changing condiment. Spread it on a tortilla, toast, sandwich or grilled cheese.

For when you’re aiming to impress. Roasted garlic, soft butter and black truffles are combined and refrigerated, resulting in the fanciest compound butter you’ll ever make. Make it the crowning glory on seared steak, use it to sauté vegetables in or toss it in homemade pasta.