Smoked garlic is the food item you never knew you needed until now! This easy smoked garlic recipe creates buttery soft cloves with a mellow and caramelized flavor. It's a delicious smoky twist to roasted garlic. Smoked garlic is easy to make, easy to use and is now one of my favorite ways to incorporate garlic into recipes.

Fellow garlic lover, let me start by saying that smoked garlic is magic. Truly next level garlic.
You have roasted garlic (hi, big fan here) and then you have smoked garlic which just adds an irresistibly smoky, earthy, rich flavor to the garlic bulbs.
A smoked garlic clove is soft and lightly caramelized. Smoky and pungent and deliciously indulgent.
why you'll love it
I use a Traeger pellet grill for the smoking process but you can certainly use any similar type of smoker or pellet grill.
Smoke it at very low heat for a couple of hours to allow the smoke to penetrate the garlic and gently cook it, then bump up the heat and roast the garlic at a much higher temp! This will leave you with soft, caramelized smoked garlic that's ready to enjoy as-is or to toss into other dishes.
You can enjoy the complex flavor that smoked garlic adds to recipes like this creamy cauliflower soup, this keto Shepherd's pie and spaghetti sauce.
It's also great minced and tossed into my keto ranch dressing, eggs gribiche, and egg salad. Or make your own smoked garlic compound butter or aioli. You just can't go wrong!
the ingredients
This smoked garlic recipe is a no-fuss way to make the most out of your garlic! It only calls for two ingredients:
- regular garlic (whole heads, not the individual cloves)
- olive oil or avocado oil
You will also need a pellet grill (or similar smoker) and either aluminum foil or pink butcher paper like this (although I've found it for a much better price at Home Depot).
an easy smoked garlic recipe
This Traeger smoked garlic is such a breeze! Prep the garlic in the same way you would when roasting, pop it into your pellet grill and you'll soon have buttery soft and smoky garlic cloves ready to enjoy.
Here's a quick look at the steps but be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page to view the printable recipe card and all of the recipe notes.
- Preheat your pellet grill to 225. If you have a Traeger with a "Super Smoke" feature, turn that on.
- Take about a pound of fresh garlic (about 7-9 whole heads) and use a sharp knife to slice a thin layer off the tops of the heads of garlic, exactly how you would prepare roasted garlic. Each bulb of garlic should be able to sit (mostly) flat on its base and the garlic cloves should be exposed on the top.
- Place garlic on a baking sheet and drizzle each head of garlic with the oil. Let the oil seep down into the garlic cloves.
- Set the pan in the smoker and smoke for 2 hours. Remove and heat the grill to 400°F. Wrap all of the garlic together in aluminum foil or peach butcher paper and place it on the grill grates. Roast it for 20-30 minutes or until the garlic cloves are tender.
- Remove and let it cool for 10-15 minutes, then use or store in the refrigerator immediately (proper food storage is extra important with this recipe!).
how to store smoked garlic
Please read: It's important to store smoked garlic the right way, in an airtight container in the refrigerator or in the freezer.
Don't leave smoked garlic out at room temperature as garlic in oil (including garlic roasted or smoked in oil) can create an environment to produce botulism.
Let the garlic cool for a few minutes, then immediately refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. After that, I recommend freezing any extra.
how to freeze it
- Storing whole cloves: First, you can remove the smoked garlic cloves from the skins and place them each (whole) on a parchment lined baking sheet or plate. Set them in the freezer and once they're frozen, store them altogether in a Ziplock bag.
- For mashed smoked garlic: Remove the smoked garlic cloves from the skins and transfer them to a small bowl. Use a form to mash the garlic, then divvy up the mixture into an ice cube tray. Place in the freezer and once they're frozen, you can pop the garlic cubes out and store them all in one freezer-safe bag.
tips for the best results
- The two-hour smoke time is mainly to give the garlic a nice smoky flavor (lower temperatures will require longer) but it won't produce super soft garlic cloves in the same way that roasting garlic (high, direct heat) will. This is why we bump the temp up for the last 20-30 minutes- it will allow that smoked garlic to caramelize and become soft. Modify that time as needed based on the texture of the garlic after smoking.
- Smoked garlic (just like roasted garlic) has a milder flavor than fresh garlic so you'll need to use more of it in your recipes. I typically will double (or even triple) the amount of fresh garlic that a recipe calls for when I'm swapping in roasted or smoked garlic.
- Use any variety of wood pellets.
how to use smoked garlic
You can spread it on a cracker, blend it into dressings or soups or dips. Here are a few ideas if you're looking for different ways to enjoy it:
- tahini sauce
- cauliflower mash
- pot roast or braised beef
- dairy-free ricotta
- beef kabobs
- chicken pot pie casserole
- Tuscan soup
So many delicious ways to use it! I love this easy smoked garlic recipe. It's the foolproof way to add a wonderfully smoky, earthy, savory flavor to some of your favorite dishes!
Smoked Garlic Recipe (2 Ingredients)
It's so simple and easy to smoke garlic on a Traeger (or similar pellet grill)! Fresh garlic becomes smoky, savory, and caramelized with buttery-soft cloves.
Ingredients
- 1 pound garlic (about 7-9 whole heads)
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
Instructions
- Preheat the pellet grill to 225°F. If you have a Traeger with a "Super Smoke" feature, turn that on.
- Use a sharp knife to slice a thin layer off the pointed top of each garlic head to expose the cloves.
- Place garlic on a baking sheet, cut-side up (they should be able to sit mostly flat on the base of the head). Drizzle each head of garlic with a generous amount of oil, letting it seep down into the exposed cloves.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the smoker. Smoke for 2 hours uncovered.
- Remove the pan from the pellet grill. Increase the temperature to 400°F.
- Carefully wrap all of the garlic together in a large sheet of aluminum foil or peach butcher paper. Wrap in a second sheet to secure.
- When the grill reaches 400°, place the bundle seam-side down directly on the grill grates. Roast the garlic for 20-30 minutes or until the garlic cloves are soft.
- Remove the garlic and let it cool for 10-15 minutes. Use or store it in the refrigerator immediately (see recipe notes on importance of food storage, tips for storing).
Notes
important note about storing
- Please read: It's important to store smoked garlic the right way, in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Don't leave smoked garlic out at room temperature as garlic in oil (including garlic roasted or smoked in oil) can create an environment to produce botulism. Let the garlic cool for a few minutes, then immediately refrigerate for up to three days. Freeze any extra.
freezing smoked garlic
- Freezing whole cloves: First, you can remove the smoked garlic cloves from the skins and place them each (whole) on a parchment lined baking sheet or plate. Set them in the freezer and once they're frozen, store them altogether in a Ziplock bag.
Freezing mashed garlic: Remove the smoked garlic cloves from the skins and transfer them to a small bowl. Use a form to mash the garlic, then divvy up the mixture into an ice cube tray. Place in the freezer and once they're frozen, you can pop the garlic cubes out and store them all in one freezer-safe bag.
- The two-hour smoke time is mainly to give the garlic a nice smoky flavor (lower temperatures will require longer) but it won't produce super soft garlic cloves in the same way that roasting garlic (high, direct heat) will. This is why we bump the temp up for the last 20-30 minutes- it will allow that smoked garlic to caramelize and become soft. Modify that time as needed based on the texture of the garlic after smoking.
using smoked garlic
- Smoked garlic (just like roasted garlic) has a milder flavor than fresh garlic so you'll need to use more of it in your recipes. I typically will double (or even triple) the amount of fresh garlic that a recipe calls for when I'm swapping in smoked garlic. Toss it into your favorite dishes, including soups, sauces, salad dressings and dips!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!