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This easy Garlic Confit recipe transforms fresh garlic cloves into soft, golden, spreadable bites with just a few minutes of prep. The cloves cook gently in olive oil with optional fresh herbs until they are buttery, mellow and easy to mash.
You also get a batch of deeply flavorful garlic-infused oil. Spread the cloves over crostini, mash them into potatoes, toss them with pasta or use the oil for dipping, salad dressings, roasted vegetables and more.
Kellie’s Note
Garlic Vibes Only
I love making Garlic Confit as an easy appetizer or salad topper when hosting. I’ve been making it for years as a budget-friendly party starter for crostini.
Pronounced kown-fee, Confit is a French cooking technique in which an ingredient is cooked slowly in fat at a low temperature. For Garlic Confit, peeled garlic cloves are gently cooked in olive oil until they become soft, spreadable and lightly golden.
The finished garlic has a much milder flavor than raw garlic. It is buttery, slightly sweet and easy to mash into almost any savory dish.
Garlic Confit is similar to roasted garlic, but the cloves cook completely surrounded by oil. This gives you two delicious ingredients: tender garlic cloves and fragrant garlic-infused olive oil. A less popular but equally as delicious Confit is Tomato Confit, which is great for summertime.
I’m a big fan of garlic in all forms, but I think garlic that I can spread might just be my favorite. If you think the same way I do, you likely already know and love the many joys of Roasted Garlic! Garlic Confit is very similar to oven roasted garlic, as it’s spreadable and soft.
Why You’ll Love This Garlic Confit
- Only a few ingredients: The base recipe requires just garlic and olive oil. Fresh herbs are completely optional.
- Mild and buttery: Slow cooking softens garlic’s sharp bite and gives it a mellow, lightly sweet flavor.
- Two recipes in one: You get spreadable garlic cloves and a rich garlic-infused oil.
- Endlessly versatile: Use it with bread, pasta, potatoes, vegetables, meat, dips, dressings and more.
- Easy to freeze: Portion the garlic and oil into small containers so you always have some ready for another meal.
Ingredients For Garlic Confit
- Garlic cloves: Choose firm, plump cloves without soft spots, discoloration or green sprouts. Freshly peeled garlic is ideal, but refrigerated pre-peeled cloves can save time.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Use an olive oil you already enjoy. The oil absorbs plenty of garlic flavor and can be used in dressings, pasta, vegetables and other dishes.
- Fresh herbs: Thyme and rosemary are my favorites. Oregano, bay leaves, peppercorns or a small pinch of red pepper flakes also work. Leave the herbs out for a simple two-ingredient version.
See the recipe card below for the complete ingredient amounts.
How to Make Garlic Confit
- Preheat the oven. Heat the oven to 300°F.
- Arrange the garlic. Place the peeled garlic cloves in a small ovenproof baking dish. Choose a dish that keeps the cloves close together rather than spread across a large surface.
- Add the oil. Pour in enough olive oil to cover the cloves. Add the fresh herbs, if using.
- Bake. Bake uncovered for approximately 45 minutes. The oil may bubble gently around the cloves as they cook.
- Check for doneness. The garlic is ready when the cloves are lightly golden, completely tender and easy to pierce or mash with a fork.
- Cool and store. Allow the confit to cool briefly before transferring the garlic and oil to a clean airtight container. Refrigerate promptly.
Tips for the Best Garlic Confit
- Use a small baking dish. A snug dish makes it easier to cover the garlic without using an excessive amount of oil.
- Keep the cloves covered. Garlic that sticks out above the oil may brown or dry out before the center becomes soft.
- Watch the oil. Gentle bubbling is normal, but the garlic should not look like it is aggressively frying.
- Rely on the texture. The cloves should be completely tender and spreadable. If the centers are still firm, continue baking and check them again after a few minutes.
- Use clean utensils. Always use a clean spoon or fork when removing garlic from the storage container.
- Save every drop of oil. Use the infused olive oil in salad dressing, pasta, roasted vegetables, sauces, marinades or as a dip for bread.
- Do not worry if the oil becomes firm. Olive oil can become cloudy or solid when refrigerated. Spoon out the amount you need and it will soften as it warms.
Garlic Confit Variations
- Classic herb: Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary or a combination of both.
- Spicy: Add a small pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Savory: Add several whole black peppercorns and one small bay leaf.
- Bright and aromatic: Add a thin strip of lemon zest, avoiding the bitter white pith.
- Simple: Leave out the herbs and make the confit with only garlic and olive oil.
How to Use Garlic Confit
Garlic Confit can be used anywhere you want mellow, buttery garlic flavor. Be sure to save the infused oil because it is just as useful as the cloves.
Ways to Use the Garlic Cloves
- Spread them over crostini, toast, crackers or garlic bread.
- Add them to sandwiches, wraps, turkey burgers or grilled cheese.
- Mash them into potatoes, hummus, dips or softened butter.
- Stir them into marinara sauce, soup, oven risotto or gravy.
- Spread them under the skin of roast chicken.
- Add them to pizza, focaccia, cheese boards or charcuterie boards.
- Mash them into a vinaigrette or creamy salad dressing.
- Serve them with burrata, goat cheese, mozzarella or baked brie.
Ways to Use the Garlic Oil
- Serve it as a dip for warm bread.
- Whisk it into salad dressing or vinaigrette.
- Toss it with pasta and Parmesan cheese.
- Drizzle it over roasted or grilled vegetables.
- Use it to sauté vegetables, shrimp or chicken.
- Spoon it over pizza, soup, mashed potatoes or grilled meat.
- Brush it over bread before toasting.
More Recipes for Garlic Lovers
Once you have a jar of Garlic Confit in your kitchen, try a few more of my favorite garlic-packed recipes.
- Roasted Garlic Aioli
- 40 Clove Garlic Chicken
- Homemade Garlic Butter Sauce
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
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Garlic Confit Recipe
Equipment
- Small ovenproof baking dish
- Clean airtight storage container
- Recipe Card Ingredients
Ingredients
- 15 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed to cover the garlic
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, rosemary or oregano, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Arrange the garlic. Place the peeled garlic cloves in a small ovenproof baking dish.
- Add the oil and herbs. Pour the olive oil over the garlic, adding more if needed to keep the cloves covered. Add the fresh herbs, if using.
- Bake. Bake uncovered for approximately 45 minutes, or until the cloves are lightly golden, completely tender and easy to pierce or mash with a fork.
- Cool. Remove the dish from the oven and allow the Garlic Confit to cool briefly.
- Store. Transfer the garlic and oil to a clean airtight container and refrigerate promptly. Keep the cloves covered with oil and use within four days. Freeze for longer storage.
Notes
- Use a small baking dish that allows the garlic cloves to remain covered with oil.
- Add more olive oil if one cup does not completely cover the cloves.
- Gentle bubbling is normal, but the garlic should not fry aggressively.
- Refrigerate promptly at 40°F or below and use within four days.
- Do not store homemade Garlic Confit at room temperature.
- Always use a clean utensil when removing garlic from the container.
- Freeze small portions for up to three months and thaw them in the refrigerator.
- Olive oil may become cloudy or firm in the refrigerator. This is normal.
- Prep time is based on starting with peeled garlic cloves.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe for garlic confit !! I didn’t think anything could be better than roasting garlic but you have done it !! I want to add fresh herbs but HELP – which ones ???? can’t wait to make this
Hi Debbie! You can add any fresh herbs you like….we tend to lean into the woody herbs like thyme, rosemary or oregano but basil works well, too.