• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
WhānauKai
  • WhānauKai
  • Whānaukai Recipes
    • Bread – Parāoa
    • Cakes – Keke
    • Slices – Keke Tapatahi
    • Biscuits – Pihikete
    • No Bake – Tunu kore
    • Savoury – Kai Mōkarakara
    • Pastry – Pōhā
    • Dessert – Purini
    • Peanut Butter – Pata Pīnati
    • Techniques – Āhua ā-mahi
  • About Naomi Toilalo
    • The Giving Series
  • Gallery
  • Whānaukai Cookbook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
menu icon
go to homepage
  • WhānauKai
  • Whānaukai Recipes
    • Bread – Parāoa
    • Cakes – Keke
    • Slices – Keke Tapatahi
    • Biscuits – Pihikete
    • No Bake – Tunu kore
    • Savoury – Kai Mōkarakara
    • Pastry – Pōhā
    • Dessert – Purini
    • Peanut Butter – Pata Pīnati
    • Techniques – Āhua ā-mahi
  • About Naomi Toilalo
    • The Giving Series
  • Gallery
  • Whānaukai Cookbook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
search icon
Homepage link
  • WhānauKai
  • Whānaukai Recipes
    • Bread – Parāoa
    • Cakes – Keke
    • Slices – Keke Tapatahi
    • Biscuits – Pihikete
    • No Bake – Tunu kore
    • Savoury – Kai Mōkarakara
    • Pastry – Pōhā
    • Dessert – Purini
    • Peanut Butter – Pata Pīnati
    • Techniques – Āhua ā-mahi
  • About Naomi Toilalo
    • The Giving Series
  • Gallery
  • Whānaukai Cookbook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
×
Home

Roasted Garlic Knots

Updated: Dec 1, 2025 · Published: May 14, 2024 by Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Reviews

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

These Roasted Garlic Knots are soft bread, filled with roasted and fresh garlic, herbs and a touch of cheese and then wrapped in a knot. These delicious morsels melt in your mouth and will have you reaching for more. Eat them as they are or as a side kick to your favourite winter soups or summer salads.

A close up, flat lay shot shows a photo of freshly baked roasted garlic knots with speckles of garlic and herbs seen in the dough and on top.

These Pona Kāriki Tunu (Roasted Garlic Knots) celebrate the sweetness of roasted garlic and the sharpness of fresh. Bound together with pata (butter) and tīhi (cheese), they are sure to become a favourite in your whare (house). Don't forget, whenever you want to increase the number of knots you make, just adjust the number on the 'servings' section of the recipe. Kia tunu parāoa tātou - let's bake some bread.

More savoury bread recipes:

Having a brunch with your whānau (family) or friends? Take my Bacon and Egg Brunch Buns or try these Maple Bacon Cheese Toasties for a spin. They are both bursting with flavour and are perfect for hosting.

Videography and photography by Sarah Henderson.

Ingredient Tips for these Roasted Garlic Knots:

Bread ingredients are in different vintage bowls and are sitting on a wooden board. They are sitting on a cream tablecloth.
  • Sugar: Use huka hāura (brown sugar), huka mā (white sugar), marahihi māpere (maple syrup) or mīere (honey) in the dough.
  • Instant yeast: Use īhi horo (instant yeast) in this recipe for efficient rising. If you are using Surebake or breadmakers yeast, double the amount. 
  • High grade flour: Always use puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour) in bread recipes for the fluffiest result. 
  • Oil: Use any noni (oil) you have for the pokenga (dough).
  • Garlic: We use the kāriki (garlic) in two ways in this recipe. We roast the majority and crush some fresh for a flavour explosion.
  • Fresh herbs: I use fresh pāhiri Itariana (Italian parsley) but fresh basil or oregano would also work well. If you don't have any just leave it out and use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.
  • Onion powder: This adds a subtle onion flavour in the background and is so good in many recipes. If you don't have it though, no worries, leave it out.
  • Dried Oregano: Any dried herbs like parsley or basil can work here.
  • Cheese: I like to use mozzarella cheese for the pona (knots) but use what you have.

Expert Tips:

Always give the yeast enough time to activate before adding the dry ingredients. The yeast will float to the top and it will be slightly foamy when it is ready.

Follow the kneading times as they are written because the gluten needs time to develop properly. If you need some more tips, check out this How to Knead Dough post.

When hand kneading use the palm of your hands, not your fingers. The dough and hands seem to get much stickier when it is worked like that, so work those palms in to the dough.

Make sure the kāriki (garlic) is roasted until it is super soft. If you squeeze it, the garlic should come out like a paste. If not, roast it for another ten minutes. The roasted garlic can be done days in advance and kept in a sealed container in the fridge until needed.

Try and use a tray 25 cm x 30 cm so the pona kāriki (garlic knots) bake evenly. If the knots are close-ish together they will rise better in an upwards direction, creating light and fluffy buns, infused with amazing flavour.

Step by Step Instructions for Roasted Garlic Knots:

Note: The full recipe card with the full list of ingredients, instructions and step by step video are found at the bottom of this page.

In a small cermic bowl, yeast has activated and it floating to the top of the water. The bowl is on a wooden table.

1. Activate the Yeast:

Add the wai aromahana (lukewarm water) and huka (sugar) into a bowl. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. 

Sprinkle in the īhi (yeast) and stir. 

If you are using instant yeast, leave it for 5 minutes until the yeast has floated to the top. 

If you are using surebake yeast, leave for 10 minutes until the yeast has floated to the top and is foamy. 

2. Add the Dry Ingredients:

Add the puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour), tote (salt) and noni ōriwa (olive oil) to the activated yeast mixture. 

Mix together with a bread and butter knife until a shaggy dough forms.

A sticky dough is being kneaded on a wooden table. Hands are seen kneading the dough.

3. Knead the Dough:

Now it is time to knead the dough.

If you are using a stand mixer, place the dough in the mixing bowl. Using a dough hook, knead for 8 – 10 minutes on low-medium speed. 

If you are kneading by hand, add the dough to a lightly floured bench or table. Knead the dough with the palms of your hands (not with your fingers), for 10 – 12 minutes. 

4. First Rise:

Add the dough to a bowl, cover with a bowl cover or tea towel and leave for 1 ¼ - 1 ½ hours, until it has doubled in size. 

As the dough rises, prepare the kāriki (garlic).

On a wooden table site a cast iron pan lined with baking paper. Four whole garlic cloves have been roasted are upside down on the baking paper. A pink natural tablecloth is seen at the front.

5. Roast the Garlic:

Preheat the oven to 160 °C on the bake setting. 

Place the 4 tōpuku kāriki (garlic bulbs) on to a papa kotikoti (chopping board). Chop the top parts off and place them cut side up on a small baking tray or cast iron pan, lined with baking paper. 

Sprinkle with tote (salt) and (pepa) pepper and drizzle with the noni ōriwa (olive oil) and then flip them over so they are cut side down. 

Roast in the oven for 45 minutes until they are soft and rich in flavour. The kāriki (garlic) is done when it is super soft. If you squeeze it, the garlic should come out like a soft paste. If not, give it another ten minutes of roasting time. 

Leave them aside to cool. 

A charcoal coloured mortar and pestle is squashing a butter and herb mixture. The shot is close and speckled of fresh herbs are seen.

6. Crush the Fresh Garlic:

As the roasted garlic cools, add five fresh kāriki (garlic cloves) to the mortar and pestle. Penupenua kia māene (mash until soft and fine). 

You can also finely chop the kāriki (garlic) on a papa kotikoti (chopping board) and smoosh it with the back of your knife. 

7. Make the Herby Garlic Butter:

Combine the crushed kāriki (garlic), tote (salt), huka (sugar), paura aniana (onion powder) and orekano (oregano) in the mortar and pestle or in a bowl.

Chop the pāhiri Itariana (Italian parsley) in to fine-ish pieces. Add it to the garlic mixture.

Finally, add in the pata kūteretere (softened butter) and squeeze in all of the cooled kāriki parahunuhunu (roasted garlic). Whakawhenumia ngā kai katoa (combine all of the ingredients together).

The Cheese and Tomato Dough is being rolled out on the table with a wooden rolling pin. Flour is visible all over the table.

8. Set aside some of the Garlic Butter:

Reserve ¼ cup of this pata kāriki (garlic butter) to baste onto the hot buns.

9. Prepare the Oven Tray:

Line a 25 cm by 30 cm tray with high-ish sides with baking paper.

10. Roll out the Dough:

Once the pokenga (dough) has risen, add it to a lightly floured surface and roll it out to a 50 cm x 27 cm rectangle. 

11. Fill it with Garlic and Cheese:

Add the pata kāriki (garlic butter) and spread it out to the edges. Sprinkle the tīhi kua waruwarutia (grated cheese) on to the top half of the dough. Then fold the bottom half of the dough up so that it is halved (check the video for reference). 

In a black tray lined with brown baking paper is unbaked roasted garlic knots that are filled with a garlic butter and herbs which are seen coming out of the unbaked dough.

12. Create the Roasted Garlic Knots:

With the dough folded, mark out 12 equal strips and cut the strips with a sharp knife. 

Hold each end of a strip and twist it two or three times. Then fold the two ends under each other. It is that simple, you have made a pona (knot). 

Repeat this process with each of the 12 pieces, placing each pona (knot) in to the tray as you go. Space them out evenly. 

13. Second Rise:

Cover the tray with a tea towel and rise for another 30 - 45 minutes on the bench, until they have puffed up and are close together in the tray.

14. Heat the Oven:

Preheat the oven to 170 °C as they rise.

In a black tray lined with brown baking paper are freshly baked roasted garlic knots with speckles of garlic and herbs seen in the dough and on top. They are on a wooden table.

15. Bake the Roasted Garlic Knots:

Once they have risen, bake the garlic knots for 30 minutes. 

As soon as they come out of the oven, brush them with the reserved pata kāriki (garlic butter)! 

Serve them warm with your favourite soups, salads or summer barbecues.

A extreme close up shows Naomi's hands holding a freshly baked roasted garlic knot showing the texture of the bun and the herby garlic butter peeking through.

Storing the Roasted Garlic Knots:

These are best served warm.

If you have any left over, store in a plastic bag or in a sealed container. 

Toast them under the grill the next day to bring them back to life.

Delve a little deeper into these

Parāoa (Bread) Recipes

A sprinkle of flour and touch of kneading will bring about delicious creations.

Browse all Bread
  • Baked cheese and pesto scrolls sit in a black tray, white baking paper peeps out from the tray.
    Cheese and Pesto Scrolls
  • Close up of Cheese and Tomato Scrolls that are freshly baked.
    Cheese and Tomato Scrolls
  • A flatlay shot shows freshly baked Custard and Raspberry Scrolls sitting in a tray.
    Custard and Raspberry Scrolls
  • Freshly baked cheesy bacon savoury muffins are sitting on a cooling rack. One of the muffins has no case showing the whole muffin with cream cheese topping and a parmesan crisp on top.
    Cheesy Bacon Savoury Muffins
Naomi Toilalo is at the table laden with baking. There is lamingtons, lemon meringue pie, custard slice and cream buns. She is decorating a cake in front of her and smiling.

DID YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE?

It would be so awesome if you could please leave a review/comment by clicking the “leave a comment” section at the top of the page. 

I love seeing you all make my creations, so send a whakaahua (photo) or kiriata (video) to my Instagram and show me what you made. Let me know if you have any pātai (questions) too, I would love to help.

Freshly baked roasted garlic knots are in black tray with brown baking paper. They are shiny with butter and fresh herbs and filling are seen on the top of the knots.
Print Pin

Roasted Garlic Knots - Pona Kāriki Tunu

Delicious soft bread buns wrapped in to a knot, filled with roasted and fresh garlic, fresh and dried herbs and a touch of cheese.
Course Baking
Cuisine Bread
Keyword garlic bread recipe, garlic knots, garlic knots nz, maori kai, roasted garlic bread nz, roasted garlic bread recipe, roasted garlic bread recipe nz, te reo Māori
Prep Time 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes minutes
Rise time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Total Time 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Servings 12 garlic filled buns

Ingredients

The Dough - Te Pokenga

  • 1 ⅔ C (400 ml) wai aromahana (lukewarm water)
  • 2 tablespoon huka (sugar, any sugar will work)
  • 2 ½ teaspoon (8 g) īhi horo (instant yeast) OR 1 ¾ tablespoon (16 g) Surebake/bread makers yeast.
  • 4 ½ C (675 g) puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour)
  • ½ teaspoon tote (salt, fine)
  • 2 tablespoon noni ōriwa (olive oil, or neutral oil)

Roasted Garlic - Te Kāriki Tunu

  • 4 tōpuku kāraki (garlic bulbs)
  • 2 tablespoon noni ōriwa (olive oil, or neutral oil)

Garlic Butter - Te Pata Kāriki

  • 5 wāhi kāriki anō (garlic cloves)
  • ½ teaspoon tote (salt)
  • 1 tablespoon huka (sugar)
  • 15 g pāhiri Itariana māota (fresh Italian parsley). This can be swapped for your favourite fresh herbs or 2 teaspoon of dried herbs like basil, thyme or rosemary.
  • 1 teaspoon paura aniana (onion powder). Also optional but so delicious.
  • 1 teaspoon orekano raki (dried oregano)
  • 130 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
  • 200 - 250 g tīhi kua waruwarutia (grated cheese, a melty cheese like mozzarella is ideal)

Instructions

Activate the Yeast:

  • Add the wai aromahana (lukewarm water) and huka (sugar) into a bowl.
    Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
  • Sprinkle in the īhi (yeast) and stir.
  • If you are using instant yeast, leave it for 5 minutes until the yeast has floated to the top.
    If you are using surebake yeast, leave for 10 minutes until the yeast has floated to the top and is foamy.

Add the Dry Ingredients:

  • Add the puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour), tote (salt) and noni ōriwa (olive oil) to the activated yeast mixture.
  • Mix together with a bread and butter knife until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead the Dough:

  • Now it is time to knead the dough.
    If you are using a stand mixer, place the dough in the mixing bowl. Using a dough hook, knead for 8 – 10 minutes on low-medium speed. 
    If you are kneading by hand, add the dough to a lightly floured bench or table. Knead the dough with the palms of your hands (not with your fingers), for 10 – 12 minutes. 

First Rise:

  • Add the dough to a bowl, cover with a bowl cover or tea towel and leave for 1 ¼ - 1 ½ hours, until it has doubled in size. 
  • As the dough rises, prepare the kāriki (garlic).

Roast the Garlic:

  • Preheat the oven to 160 °C on the bake setting.
  • Place the 4 tōpuku kāriki (garlic bulbs) on to a papa kotikoti (chopping board).
  • Chop the top parts off and place them cut side up on a small baking tray or cast iron pan, lined with baking paper.
  • Sprinkle with tote (salt) and (pepa) pepper and drizzle with the noni ōriwa (olive oil) and then flip them over so they are cut side down.
  • Roast in the oven for 45 minutes until they are soft and rich in flavour.
    The kāriki (garlic) is done when it is super soft. If you squeeze it, the garlic should come out like a soft paste. If not, give it another ten minutes of roasting time.
  • Leave them aside to cool.
    Note: The roasted garlic can be done days in advance and kept in a sealed container in the fridge until needed.

Crush the Fresh Garlic:

  • As the roasted garlic cools, add five fresh kāriki (garlic cloves) to the mortar and pestle.
    Penupenua kia māene (mash until soft and fine).
  • You can also finely chop the kāriki (garlic) on a papa kotikoti (chopping board) and smoosh it with the back of your knife.

Make the Herby Garlic Butter:

  • Combine the crushed kāriki (garlic), tote (salt), huka (sugar), paura aniana (onion powder) and orekano (oregano) in the mortar and pestle or in a bowl.
  • Chop the pāhiri Itariana (Italian parsley) in to fine-ish pieces.
    Add it to the garlic mixture. Whakaranuhia (stir to combine).
  • Finally, add in the pata kūteretere (softened butter) and squeeze in all of the cooled kāriki parahunuhunu (roasted garlic). (See the video for the easiet way to do this).
  • Whakawhenumia ngā kai katoa (combine all of the ingredients together).

Set aside some of the Garlic Butter:

  • Reserve ¼ cup of this pata kāriki (garlic butter) to baste onto the hot buns.
    The rest will be used to spread on to our delicious pokenga (dough).

Prepare the Oven Tray:

  • Line a 25 cm by 30 cm tray with high-ish sides with baking paper. 
    Note: Make sure the tin isn't too much bigger than this so that the buns rise together and all of the flavour is infused.

Roll out the Dough:

  • Once the pokenga (dough) has risen, add it to a lightly floured surface.
  • Roll out the dough to a 50 cm x 27 cm rectangle. 

Fill it with Garlic and Cheese:

  • Add the pata kāriki (garlic butter) and spread it out to the edges.
  • Sprinkle the tīhi kua waruwarutia (grated cheese) on to the top half of the dough.
  • Then fold the bottom half of the dough up so that it is halved (check the video for reference).

Create the Roasted Garlic Knots:

  • With the dough folded, mark out 12 equal strips and cut the strips with a sharp knife.
  • Hold each end of a strip and twist it two or three times. Then fold the two ends under each other.
    It is that simple, you have made a pona (knot).
  • Repeat this process with each of the 12 pieces, placing each pond (knot) in to the tray as you go.
    Space them out evenly.

Second Rise:

  • Cover the tray with a tea towel and rise for another 30 - 45 minutes on the bench, until they have puffed up and the knots are touching each other.

Heat the Oven:

  • Preheat the oven to 170 °C as they rise.

Bake the Roasted Garlic Knots:

  • Once they have risen, bake the garlic knots for 30 minutes. 
    As soon as they come out of the oven, brush them with the reserved pata kāriki (garlic butter)!
  • Serve them warm with your favourite soups, salads or summer barbecues.

Storing the Roasted Garlic Knots:

  • These are best served warm. If you have any left over, store in a plastic bag or in a sealed container. 
    Toast them under the grill the next day to bring them back to life.

Video

https://d14qqjrp3wb13p.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11203425/Pona-Kariki-WV-Final.mp4

More Bread - Parāoa

  • A close up of toasted sandwich with meat and melty cheese shows the Kneaded seeded loaf as a toastie.
    Kneaded Seeded Oat Bread
  • Unbaked No-knead Seeded Oat Loaf is in a black tin sitting on a wooden table. Sprinkles of fine seeds are on top of the loaf with three slits cut in to it.
    No-knead Seeded Oat Bread
  • A top shot shows A whole cheese and onion pizza on a round wooden board, two pieces are cut and pulled out revealing the gooey cheese topping.
    Cheese and Onion Pizza
  • Close of Nutella Hot Cross Buns that have been sliced open and really gooey Nutella come out of the centre of the buns.
    Nutella Hot Cross Buns

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cherie

    February 17, 2025 at 11:29 am

    This recipe has given me legend status amongst friends and family!!! Thank you for always generously sharing your cooking secrets.

    Reply
    • Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai

      February 17, 2025 at 11:36 am

      Yes Cherie! How good are the flavours in this recipe?!? I love that it has given you legendary status in your whānau, you deserve it! Thank you for the feedback!

      Reply

Leave a Review Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Footer

Categories

  • Basics – Tohutao Waiwai
  • Biscuits - Pihikete
  • Bread - Parāoa
  • Cakes - Keke
  • Dessert - Purini
  • No Bake - Tunu kore
  • Pastry - Pōhā
  • Peanut Butter - Pata Pīnati
  • Savoury - Kai Mōkarakara
  • Slices - Keke Tapatahi
  • Techniques - Āhua ā-mahi

Latest

  • Peanut Butter Jelly Cheesecake
  • White Chocolate and Plum Ganache
  • Banana and Caramel Poke Cake
  • Chai Crème Brûlée
  • Chilled Mocha Cheesecake

techniques

White Chocolate and Plum Ganache

Sweet Lemon Pastry

How to make Italian Meringue

White Chocolate Yogurt Cream

Parmesan Wafer Crisps

Naomi Toilalo

Ko Naomi Toilalo ahau!
Welcome to my kāuta,
I share recipes and my
kete of te reo Māori!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Copyright © 2025 WhānauKai