Garlic Confit

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Learn how to make garlic confit at home with just two ingredients. This slow-roasted ingredient is a delicious add-in to so many dishes!

Garlic has long been one of my favorite ingredients to use, but ever since I started making garlic confit I’ve become full-blown obsessed.

With just two ingredients and some time in a low oven, you can transform raw garlic into a rich, melt-in-your-mouth addition for any recipe.

While this is a simple recipe, it easily elevates any recipe you use it in, from a sizzling chicken dish to a quick aioli.

If you’re garlic fan, this is one recipe you absolutely need to keep in your back pocket!

What is confit?

You might have seen dishes like duck confit at restaurants. Traditionally, a confit is made by slow-cooking meats in their own fat. 

However, you can apply this method to other ingredients too, as confit is derived from the French word for preserving. 

To make this garlic confit, we’ll submerge the garlic in oil and slow cook it.

Ingredients for garlic confit

You’ll need:

Garlic cloves – As much as you like! We need whole, peeled garlic cloves.

Olive oil – For slow-roasting the garlic. You can also use grapeseed or canola oil, if you prefer.

That’s it!

You can also add aromatic herbs like thyme or rosemary.

Peeling garlic cloves

I actually don’t mind peeling garlic by hand, but when you’re doing a lot it helps to make it go more quickly!

I’ve tried a few different hacks for peeling garlic. Give one of these a try yourself!

For any method, first separate the heads of garlic into individual cloves.

Shake it up – Put the unpeeled cloves into a container with lid. Seal and shake it up! The peels will loosen and (hopefully) fall off. The downside to this one is the cloves get a bit banged up from hitting each other, but that’s just cosmetic.

Use the microwave – Heat the garlic in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Be careful to not heat the garlic too long.

Hot water – Put the cloves into a bowl and pour over hot water. Cover and let soak for about 1 minute; the skins will loosen and float up in the bowl.

You can also buy pre-peeled garlic cloves at the grocery store, though it is a lot more expensive than whole, unpeeled cloves.

How to make this recipe

Heat the oven to 250°F.

Separate the cloves and remove the peels. 

Add all the garlic cloves to a small baking dish, like a ramekin. You don’t want to use a large dish because the cloves need to be submerged in oil.

Add in enough olive oil (or grapeseed or canola) to cover the cloves.

Place in the oven and cook for 1-2 hours, until the cloves are golden brown and completely soft.

If you’re not using the confit right away, use a spoon to transfer the garlic into a clean jar or storage container.

Pour in the olive oil to cover the cloves. Seal well and store immediately in the refrigerator.

If you have extra infused oil that doesn’t fit in the container, you can strain it using a coffee filter into another jar. Store this infused oil in the refrigerator as well.

Storing garlic confit

This garlic confit must be stored in the refrigerator. It is not shelf-stable, and you can risk botulism with improper storage.

Place the garlic and the infused oil into an airtight container. Make sure the cloves are completely covered in the oil, which will help prevent bacteria growth.

Use the garlic confit and the oil within 2 weeks. I recommend making only enough that you know you will use up, so nothing goes to waste!

Note that when storing, the oil will solidify somewhat. For me it never gets fully solid, but is more like a creamy spread or dip texture. 

You don’t need to reheat the oil or garlic before using. Simply add it to you recipe!

Uses for garlic confit

Honestly, you will find so many uses for this garlic confit! I can never resist eating a clove or two right away.

Spread a clove onto freshly toasted bread for a luscious snack.

Chop or mash a clove or two into mayonnaise along with some lemon juice, salt, and pepper to create a tasty aioli.

Smash and add into homemade salad dressings. Try it in my creamy garlic dressing!

Swap it in when making garlic mashed potatoes, or add to a pan of roasted vegetables.

You can also use the oil by itself to cook vegetables, eggs, and meats — anywhere you want some garlic-infused flavor.

Give this deliciously buttery garlic confit a try!