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Home » Recipes » Garlic Confit

Garlic Confit

Published: Nov 18, 2021 · Modified: Nov 18, 2021 by Farah Abumaizar · 26 Comments

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Slice of bread with garlic confit spread on it and more garlic being spooned out of a jar

An easy way to up your garlic game, this stovetop garlic confit requires just garlic cloves and olive oil and 30-45 minutes of stovetop cooking to give tender and meltingly sweet garlic cloves that can be used a variety of ways.

What is garlic confit?

To confit something in French basically means to cook it over a long period of time in order to preserve it.

Garlic confit is a method of cooking garlic very slowly in olive oil to make tender, sweet garlic cloves that can be preserved in the oil and used a variety of ways.

Adding olive oil to a saucepan full of garlic cloves

Why confit garlic in the first place?

Because it’s delicious! Garlic is one of my favorite things ever, but turning it into something spreadable is just next level. This gets rid of all the bitterness from garlic while preserving its beautiful flavor.

The difference between garlic confit and roasted garlic is that garlic confit tends to be more subtle and sweet. With roasting, the cooking happens unevenly so some bits might be bitter and browned. Garlic confit soaks in that olive oil and cooks gently into a sweet paste.

pot of simmering olive oil with garlic for confit

How to use garlic confit?

It pairs so well with so many things. It can be as simple as spreading some on crusty bread, to mixing this in with mashed potatoes, using this in any pasta dish. This also is amazing as a sandwich spread (try mixing some with a little mayo)

Also, garlic confit can be used in so many applications. I love adding it to any pasta sauce I’m making. I like spreading some on crusty bread, or adding a few cloves on a plate of steak or lamb. This works really well as a pizza topping once it comes out of the oven. Another

This is also great mixed with some yogurt and served with rice dishes, or add some to mayo to make a great sauce to serve with something like shawarma, and as a spread for any sandwich.

Flatlay photo of garlic confit on bread and a jar of garlic confit

Try adding some whole confit garlic cloves as a topping to your pizza ! Or serving with homemade fluffy dinner rolls.

Perhaps best of all, mix some with some creamy mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower. Delicious!

How to make garlic confit:

Garlic cloves in the process of being peeled

Easy! Just place peeled garlic cloves in a saucepan that’s full of warm olive oil. Make sure the garlic is submerged in the oil, and cook slowly on low heat until garlic is soft and tender.

This took me about 45 minutes but could take as little as 30 minutes (and even an hour!) You aren’t looking for deeply browned garlic, just garlic that will easily smush with a fork.

Tip: How to easily peel garlic cloves

My husband has a handy little trick that he saw online somewhere and has been using ever since. Place one head of garlic at a time in a jar, cover the lid, and shake vigorously. You want the garlic to be hitting the sides of the jar, at which point the head will break apart and the skin will come off.

It’s so handy and it really works! Here’s a video to see it in action: In the video, they break the head of garlic apart first but we don’t even bother doing that!

peeled garlic cloves and olive oil in a measuring cup

Even bigger tip, use garlic you’ve purchased already peeled. This is SUCH a timesaver.

Storing the confit:

Pouring the garlic confit into a jar

It will last in a clean jar, covered with the oil for several weeks in the fridge. Make sure you use a clean spoon when fishing out any of the cloves.

Making sure garlic confit is safe to eat:

Garlic confit can NOT be stored at room temperature. Garlic is a low acid food and is at risk of food-borne bacteria. After your confit has been made, immediately store it in the fridge in a clean jar. It’s ok if the oil solidifies, you can fish out the garlic cloves from it anyway easily.

spoon in a jar of garlic and oil

FAQs:

How do you store garlic confit?

Garlic confit HAS to be stored in the fridge (for up to three weeks) and can also be stored in the freezer for longer time periods

Can you add herbs to the oil?

Absolutely! Add any fresh herbs to infuse the oil with flavor.

How long do I cook the garlic in the olive oil?

The garlic needs to be cooked until very soft and tender. You should be able to smush it with a spoon. It may brown a little on the exterior, but this isn’t necessary. I sometimes make it browner than other times!

Garlic Confit

An easy and delicious way to transform garlic cloves into meltingly tender and sweet garlic that can be used in a variety of dishes
5 from 11 votes
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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 100kcal
Author: Farah Abumaizar

Ingredients

  • 3 heads of garlic, peeled 200 g of cloves
  • 1 cup olive oil 220 g

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil on medium low heat until hot, then add in all the peeled garlic cloves.
  • Make sure the garlic is submerged, add a little extra olive oil if you need to. Reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 30-45 minutes until garlic is fork tender.
  • Remove from heat and store in a jar in the fridge with the olive oil you used in the pan for up to 2-3 weeks.

Video

Notes

Storing leftover confit: Leftover garlic confit MUST be stored in the fridge, and will last 2-3 weeks tightly covered in a clean jar in the fridge.
If you won’t consume it during that time, you can freeze it in a freezer safe container for several months.
Adding herbs: For extra flavor, feel free to add fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme or oregano sprigs to the oil to infuse the garlic with flavor. You can also add chili peppers for some heat!

Nutrition

Calories: 100kcal
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @everylittlecrumb or tag #everylittlecrumb!

If you liked this recipe, you might like:

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dannii says

    November 18, 2021 at 3:18 pm

    5 stars
    Anything with garlic is good with me and this looks amazing.

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      November 19, 2021 at 8:26 pm

      Thanks so much Dannii!

      Reply
  2. Natalie says

    November 18, 2021 at 3:13 pm

    5 stars
    That was delicious. My husband loved it. I’m going to make this recipe again for sure.

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      November 19, 2021 at 8:27 pm

      So happy to hear it Natalie!

      Reply
  3. Danielle Wolter says

    November 18, 2021 at 2:47 pm

    5 stars
    I am all about this. I’m not sure why I’ve never made it before now! It came out so good and I’m going to be using it on everything!

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      November 19, 2021 at 8:27 pm

      I’m so glad you liked this!

      Reply
  4. Claudia Lamascolo says

    November 18, 2021 at 1:47 pm

    5 stars
    We are huge garlic fans and grow it so this is the perfect find for us since we are always looking to use so much of it thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      November 19, 2021 at 8:27 pm

      That’s amazing! Can only imagine how lovely this would be with fresh garlic

      Reply
  5. Tavo says

    November 18, 2021 at 1:43 pm

    5 stars
    I love this recipe! It is so usable and enjoyable even on its own!

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      November 19, 2021 at 8:27 pm

      Thanks so much Tavo for the kind comment! So glad you liked!

      Reply
  6. Rae says

    April 14, 2021 at 2:02 am

    I have high quality olive oil and olive oil that I use for everyday cooking. For this recipe would the quality of oil make a difference or does it get over powered by the garlic and/or ‘cooked up’ that I should just go with the standard everyday cooking?

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      April 17, 2021 at 11:55 am

      I’d go with the high quality! That drizzle of oil with the softened garlic on a piece of bread would taste wonderful- I don’t think the garlic would diminish from the olive oil especially since it soaks it all up 😍

      Reply
  7. Justanother Humanbeing says

    February 20, 2021 at 6:57 pm

    you can make a great salad dressing with this too. I use the oil, you could definitely use some smashed garlic as well, although use olive oil as well because the oil itself is quite concentrated. Then, add some maple syrup for sweetness, your acid of choice, i use rice vinegar (the one for sushi rice), black pepper and this part is important, dijon mustard. It’ll make it all homogenous so you won’t have to worry about the oil and acid separating. inconveniently, i don’t have the measurements but you can personalize it to your liking.

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      February 20, 2021 at 8:23 pm

      Well thank you so much for the wonderful suggestion! I can just imagine how delicious that would be- will try it out!!!

      Reply
  8. Sasha says

    October 30, 2020 at 11:30 pm

    5 stars
    Amazing flavour and so easy to make ! I’m a garlic addict and I think I will be making this a regular !

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      November 02, 2020 at 7:50 pm

      I’m so happy to hear that Sasha! I love how easy this is too! Thanks for taking the time to comment

      Reply
  9. Patricia @ Grab a Plate says

    June 15, 2020 at 6:33 pm

    5 stars
    This will be on my table, stat! I’m a garlic fiend and cannot wait to dig in! Wonderful and so easy!

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      June 15, 2020 at 6:36 pm

      Thanks Patricia we really love this!!

      Reply
  10. Pam Greer says

    June 15, 2020 at 5:33 pm

    5 stars
    My fridge is not complete unless there is a jar of this garlic confit in it!! We use it on everything! Love it just as is scooped on some bread. I use it a lot in salad dressings and pasta. So good!

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      June 15, 2020 at 5:36 pm

      So glad to hear that Pam!

      Reply
  11. Heidy says

    June 15, 2020 at 5:24 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe for Garlic Confit is perfect for so many things and the flavor it adds is awesome. Next time I am going to make a larger batch!

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      June 15, 2020 at 5:36 pm

      Yay thanks for the feedback Heidy!

      Reply
  12. Angela says

    June 15, 2020 at 5:05 pm

    5 stars
    What a great way to make a bunch and keep in the refrigerator. I have only done garlic roasted in the oven. This is a great alternative.

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      June 15, 2020 at 5:36 pm

      It’s so simple and adds so much flavor!

      Reply
  13. Taylor Kiser says

    June 15, 2020 at 4:48 pm

    5 stars
    Love this! So easy to make and so many ways to use it!

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      June 15, 2020 at 5:37 pm

      Absolutely! We put this on everything

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Farah! I've been cooking and baking most of my life. I love Middle Eastern food, and decadent breakfast and desserts. Welcome to my food world!

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