Garlic confit is a simple recipe that lets the oven do all the work, turning garlic into a fabulously flavorful pantry essential. Overall, it's super versatile, perfect for adding a tasty twist to pasta, potatoes, and more.
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What's garlic confit?
Garlic cloves cooked for a long time is garlic confit. The cloves are cooked at a low temperature in high fat until they become soft, tender, and flavorful. You simmer the peeled cloves gently in any fat of your choice until they are very soft and spreadable.
The garlic mellows and develops a rich, sweet flavor and a creamy, caramelized texture. The resulting garlic confit can be used as a spread on bread and added to sauces, soups, or mashed potatoes. It's a great way to enjoy garlic in a more subtle and nuanced way compared to raw or sautéed garlic.
Why you'll love it?
Versatile: A small recipe that can be used on breads, sauces, soups, stews, and more, making it the best thing in your culinary arsenal.
Hands-Off Cooking: Yes, it takes a long time to make, but with the oven doing most of the work, your effort is minimal.
Effortless Flavor: The garlic caramelizes gently, developing a rich and mellow taste that's a perfect, delicious, fragrant addition to dishes.
Ingredients
Garlic: I always say that when a recipe has few ingredients, use the best quality possible. So, reach for the freshest garlic for this oven-roasted garlic confit.
I know peeling them can be a pain, but the hot water trick really works for me. Submerge the cloves in hot water and let them sit for a few minutes. The skin will slip off easily.
Oil: You can make garlic confit with canola oil, grapeseed oil, or olive oil. As I said before, the only thing you need to take care of is that it's of good quality.
Herbs: I made garlic confit with rosemary for that added flavor. It’s not essential, but it works wonderfully with garlic. Thyme, peppercorns, whole chilies, or even thinly sliced lemons would be fantastic.
How to make garlic confit in an oven?
Step 1: Place the peeled garlic cloves and your herbs in a small baking dish.
Step 2: Pour oil till the cloves are submerged.
Step 3: Roast the confit in the oven for an hour or two till golden and soft.
Pro tips
- How long you need to bake confit depends on your oven temperature and quantity. I love to make it in small batches, so it took about an hour.
- This is a garlic confit in the oven recipe. But yes, you can make garlic confit on the stovetop. It’ll be more hands-on, and you’ll need to check on the garlic every once in a while and stir it to make sure it doesn’t burn. Keep the heat low and let it slowly roast.
- I didn't add salt to my confit. You can if you wish.
- You can store the confit with the herbs or discard them.
How to use garlic confit?
There are many delicious uses for garlic confit. Wherever you use garlic in a recipe, you can switch it with this instead. You can add it to mini no-knead focaccia or my easy homemade cornbread.
- Spread: Mash and spread the softened garlic confit on my easy everyday bread or toast like butter for an aromatic snack or appetizer.
- In Pasta Dishes: Add to pasta sauces, such as a simple tomato sauce, for a rich and savory flavor.
- Sandwich base: Buttery garlic confit makes for an excellent base for any sandwich.
- Potatoes: Mix with smashed potatoes for a creamy twist, or add it to baked sweet potatoes
- Salad Dressing: Mix confit and olive oil and turn it into a delicious dressing for salads or as a marinade for grilled vegetables.
- Roasted Vegetables: Toss roasted vegetables like carrots, Brussels sprouts, or cauliflower with garlic confit and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese for a tasty side dish.
- Dips and toppings: Blend it in any dip you love and serve with crackers, veggies, or sandwiches:
FAQs
Let the it cool completely. Then transfer it into a sterilized jar and keep it refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. This brings us to botulism.
It’s a concern when making garlic confit or any other type of preserved food. The bacteria that cause it thrive in low-oxygen environments like those found in oil. If you don’t store it without proper precautions, you risk botulism contamination. To prevent it:
1. Use fresh garlic and thoroughly clean it before cooking.
2. Make sure the garlic is fully submerged in the oil during cooking and storage.
3. Cook the garlic for a long enough time to kill any bacteria present.
4. Most importantly, please remember to store it in the refrigerator. Never at room temperature.
Use it within 2 weeks. Most recipes say that garlic confit's shelf life is 2 months, but I like to err on the safer side.
Yes, garlic confit can be frozen. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature. Then transfer the garlic cloves along with the oil into a freezer-safe container or in a covered ice cube tray. Seal the container and freeze it.
📖 Recipe
How To Make Garlic Confit
Ingredients
- 1 head Garlic
- 3/4 cup Canola oil
- 3-4 sprigs Rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 120 C or 250 F.
- Peel the garlic cloves.
- Place the rosemary and garlic cloves in a small baking dish. Pour over the oil.
- Bake for 1 hour until the garlic is soft and lightly brown.
- Let the confit cool before transferring it to a sterilized jar. Store in the refrigerator. Use within 2 weeks.
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