How long to cook garlic: 40–50 min in the oven at 200°C (180°C fan), 20–25 min in an air fryer at 190°C and 1–2 min pan-fried. Every way to cook it is below, with the temperature and how to tell it’s done.
Sliced or crushed, in oil, stirring. Add it after onions, not with them.
Before you start
To roast, slice the top off the bulb to show the cloves and drizzle with oil.
How to tell it’s done
Roasted garlic is soft enough to squeeze out of its skin; fried garlic is pale golden (it turns bitter when brown).
Questions
How long to cook garlic in the oven?
Whole bulb: 40–50 min at 200°C (180°C fan), 400°F, gas 6. Whole bulb, wrapped in foil.
How long to cook garlic in an air fryer?
Whole bulb: 20–25 min at 190°C (375°F). Whole bulb, wrapped in foil.
How long to pan-fry garlic?
Sliced: 1–2 min over a medium heat. Sliced or crushed, in oil, stirring. Add it after onions, not with them.
Times are a guide for typical home portions: ovens, air fryers, microwaves and the size of what you’re cooking all vary. Check meat, poultry and fish with a thermometer before serving. Safe temperatures follow USDA and UK Food Standards Agency guidance, last checked 11 November 2026.