AbstractBACKGROUNDClove oil (CO) is an aromatic oily liquid used in the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries for its functional properties. However, its disadvantages of pungent taste, volatility, light sensitivity and poor water solubility can be solved by applying microencapsulation or complexation techniques.RESULTSEssential CO was successfully solubilized in aqueous solution by forming inclusion complexes with β‐cyclodextrins (β‐CDs). Moreover, phase solubility studies demonstrated that essential CO also forms insoluble complexes with β‐CDs. Based on these results, essential CO–β‐CD solid complexes were prepared by the novel approach of microwave irradiation (MWI), followed by three different drying methods: vacuum oven drying (VO), freeze‐drying (FD) or spray‐drying (SD). FD was the best option for drying the CO–β‐CD solid complexes, followed by VO and SD.CONCLUSIONMWI can be used efficiently to prepare essential CO–β‐CD complexes with good yield on an industrial scale. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry