Roasted Garlic Confit
If you are a garlic lover like me, then you will love this Garlic Confit – a savory, flavorful mixture made by roasting garlic with olive oil and fresh herbs. The garlic cloves slowly caramelize, turning soft and sweet, giving them a tender texture and a unique flavor like no other. It takes just 10 minutes to prepare this miracle mixture, and under two hours to roast it, while your kitchen smells heavenly.
This mixture is like a magical elixir, it can instantly transform a simple dish into something extraordinary. By the way, this garlic confit is my secret ingredient for outstanding pizza. Another way to enjoy it is by adding it to Instant Pot Beef Stew with stew meat, onions, and brown sugar, making it taste like a restaurant meal. Also, try it on buttery Fondant Potatoes and thank me later.
Table of contents
Similar to traditional roasted garlic, the sweet taste you get when it’s cooked slowly. Using extra-virgin olive oil adds a bit of extra flavor as it is absorbed during cooking. Roasted garlic on its own is good enough to eat with a spoon, but it also works well as garlic oil to pour onto salads, soups, veggies, or meat. This is one of the go-to recipes that I keep on hand to make regular dinners shine. It can be used to quickly create a dip, to cook an amazing steak, make fantastic chicken breast, or just serve it with breadsticks for a killer appetizer.
Why you will love this recipe
- Just a few ingredients: For this delicious recipe, all I need are garlic, olive oil, and some herbs.
- It pairs well with a variety of dishes: I enjoy spreading this garlic confit on bread, adding it to potatoes, hearty salads, meat, stir-fries, or anything that can benefit from a hint of garlic.
- Easy to do: I simply toss everything in a baking dish and let it bake for about 2 hours. That’s all there is to it.
- Use the oil: After the garlic is gone, the oil is also a flavorful addition to salad dressings, for sautéing, pizza sauce, hummus, or marinades.
What you will need
- Garlic: I use 4 large heads of organic garlic, with the cloves separated and peeled.
- Oil: For cooking, I prefer extra-virgin olive oil because it provides a subtle, fruity depth that enhances slow cooking, creating a sweet, buttery profile. The oil is also perfect for salads, marinades, and sautéing.
- Herbs: I chose rosemary sprigs for a woody, slightly flowery taste, and thyme sprigs for an earthy, citrusy flavor.
How to prepare
Preheat the oven: First, I preheat the oven to 250 degrees F while I peel the garlic cloves.
Bake the confit: I mix the oil, garlic cloves, and herbs in a small baking dish, then bake it in the oven for about 1½ to 2 hours, or until it is soft and golden brown.
Chill and store: Afterward, I remove it from the stove and let it cool in an ice bath, then pour it into a jar. Then it needs to go into the fridge right away to prevent botulism.
Expert tip
Keep your garlic confit safe
The main thing to worry about with garlic confit is botulism, or Clostridium botulinum, a dangerous foodborne illness. It grows easily in this oily atmosphere because it provides an oxygen-free, low-acid environment that allows the bacteria to reproduce. The most important thing to remember is to refrigerate the confit immediately rather than letting it sit at room temperature. In fact, use an ice bath to cool it quickly and refrigerate it right away. Then, keep it refrigerated at all times and use it within 7 to 10 days. For longer-term storage, seal it in freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
More tips to consider:
- Be sure to keep garlic confit refrigerated at all times. Never leave it out at room temperature, even for a short time. Remove what you need from the jar and put the leftovers back in the refrigerator immediately.
- Do not let the garlic burn! Burnt garlic has the worst smell and taste and will ruin the whole batch, even if only one piece gets overdone.
- Try not to make too much. This is delicious stuff, but since it only lasts a certain amount of time in the fridge, I like to make only as much as I need. Although it can be frozen, I prefer not to do it that way.
- If I do freeze my garlic confit, I freeze it in ice cube trays, then put the cubes in freezer bags for use as needed.
- Although I like olive oil, other oils can be used, such as grapeseed or canola oil. But make sure it is an oil that you like the taste of, since it is a main ingredient.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Other herbs and spices: In addition to rosemary and thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, dill, oregano, and sage can be added.
- Fruity flavors: Another way to add extra flavor is to sprinkle in some citrus zest. Lemon or lime adds a nice fresh taste.
- Add extracts: Certain extracts would also add a delightful touch to this confit, such as mint, cinnamon, vanilla, or almond.
- Use different oils: vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, or another mild oil you like for making salads would also work well.
- Spicy garlic: To heat this garlic confit, I sometimes add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Serving suggestions:
One of my favorite ways to use this garlic confit is to make garlic bread. I can spread it on my homemade yeast bread, which takes only 5 ingredients and less than an hour, or make my favorite beer bread, which is so easy you don’t even have to knead it! I could also just get a basket of crusty French bread or baguettes, which taste amazing with some of this spreadable garlic confit.
To make my Instant Pot feta pasta viral recipe stand out even more than it does now, I sometimes add some of this garlic confit along with the regular minced garlic for an extra bold garlic flavor. Mashed potatoes and other vegetables also benefit from some of this buttery garlic flavor. Try it with my low-carb Instant Pot mashed cauliflower for more flavor.
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: I chill the garlic confit in ice water right away to cool it off before pouring it into a jar to chill in the fridge. It cannot be left at room temperature, but can be refrigerated for 7 to 10 days.
- Freezing: If there is too much left over, I freeze it in ice cube trays before putting them into a freezer bag. They will stay fresh for up to 3 months that way.
- Defrost: I thaw the garlic confit in the refrigerator overnight and keep it chilled until ready to use.
Frequently asked questions
This means it is getting burnt, and it is a major no-no. Burnt garlic not only smells horrible but also tastes awful. It is probably caused by the oven temperature being too high. If you set it for 250 degrees F and the garlic is still getting too brown, check the oven temperature with an oven thermometer. Your oven probably runs hot. Lower the temperature and cover it with foil.
The best size is one where the garlic all fits in a single layer but does not have too much room in between the cloves. They should fit snugly so they cook together and retain heat. But they should not be on top of each other. Those garlic cloves that get pushed underneath the rest will not cook properly and may need to go back into the oven for a little longer.
When the fats in the oil get cold, they solidify and get hard just like any other fat. It will probably start looking cloudy as well. Olive oil has a high fat content (though it is a good fat) that turns solid when refrigerated. This is normal and perfectly safe. It will soften and turn into a liquid once it warms up a little.
There are so many different tricks for peeling garlic quickly, but the one I like best is to break the garlic head by hitting it with the palm of your hand. Then, put the cloves into a jar or bowl with a lid and shake it for 30 seconds. Shake it vigorously, now. Not just lightly. Then, the cloves will be peeled or so loose that the skin will fall right off. Really! No peeling needed!
More easy spreads and dips:
Loved this recipe? I’d love to hear from you! 💛 Leave a 5-star rating ⭐️ in the recipe card below and share your thoughts in the comments – I read and appreciate every single one!
Let’s stay connected! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube for more delicious, sweet and savory recipes. Have a question? Ask in the comments, and I’ll be happy to help! 😊 with love Catalina!
Garlic Confit
Ingredients
- 4 large heads of garlic separate the cloves and peel
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 sprigs thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F.
- In a small baking dish, combine the peeled garlic cloves, oil, and fresh herbs.
- Bake until the garlic is tender, stirring from time to time. This will take about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The garlic should be soft and golden.
- Remove from the stove and let it fully cool on a wire rack.
- Store the confit in a clean jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Use the garlic as a spread and the garlic oil as a dip.
Notes
Keep your garlic confit safe
The main thing to worry about with garlic confit is botulism, or Clostridium botulinum, a dangerous foodborne illness. It grows easily in this oily atmosphere because it provides an oxygen-free, low-acid environment that allows the bacteria to reproduce. The most important thing to remember is to refrigerate the confit immediately rather than letting it sit at room temperature. In fact, use an ice bath to cool it quickly and refrigerate it right away. Then, keep it refrigerated at all times and use it within 7 to 10 days. For longer-term storage, seal it in freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months.More tips to consider:
- Be sure to keep garlic confit refrigerated at all times. Never leave it out at room temperature, even for a short time. Remove what you need from the jar and put the leftovers back in the refrigerator immediately.
- Do not let the garlic burn! Burnt garlic has the worst smell and taste and will ruin the whole batch, even if only one piece gets overdone.
- Try not to make too much. This is delicious stuff, but since it only lasts a certain amount of time in the fridge, I like to make only as much as I need. Although it can be frozen, I prefer not to do it that way.
- If I do freeze my garlic confit, I freeze it in ice cube trays, then put the cubes in freezer bags for use as needed.
- Although I like olive oil, other oils can be used, such as grapeseed or canola oil. But make sure it is an oil that you like the taste of, since it is a main ingredient.
Garlic is one of my favorite flavors. I would put it in everything if I could. I can’t wait to make this.
My favorite flavor! I would love to try this!
This is fantastic! I am so excited to give it a try! I love garlic!
This is so simple and adds so much flavor! Thank you for the recipe!
Huge garlic fan here, so this is perfect for really enjoying that flavor!
I am excited about this! I just love garlic so I know I will be a fan.
I have never heard of doing this to garlic before! I’m curious how different it tastes from just using fresh garlic.
This would be so great on homemade bread. I will have to make this soon.
I use a bunch of minced garlic in several of my recipes. I’ll have to give the garlic confit a try. I bet we will love it too.
I’ve never actually heard of this before. My family does love garlic though. I’ll have to try this out.
This would be a perfect recipe to make for my cloves of garlic. I am going to try this at home!
I’m always on a hunt for delish recipes like this. I’m so glad I found yours. Thank you
I really love it! I’ve been looking for this!
That looks absolutely delicious and tasty! I would really love to try this recipe!
Hi. This confit is in my oven now. I’m very excited about it. If I used this on roasted chicken or potatoes would it be added before cooking? Wouldn’t it burn? Thanks for your help
You can add it before cooking and also after. For example I like to use it instead of oil, or rub it under the skin of chicken.
Do I put oil in with the garlic when freezing the confit?
Loved this garlic confit recipe! It’s so easy to follow and the results are delicious. I can’t wait to use it in my cooking. Thanks for sharing!
I tried this garlic confit recipe and it turned out amazing! The rich, mellow flavor of the garlic makes everything taste better. I used it in pasta and on toast, and I can’t get enough! Thanks for sharing such an easy and delicious recipe!
I tried this garlic confit recipe and it was fantastic! The flavors are rich and the texture is so creamy. I can’t believe how easy it was to make. Definitely a new staple in my kitchen – thank you for sharing!
I’ve seen other recipies but they don’t have the special touches of Rosemary and Thyme. Excellent and so delicious 😋 I recommend this recipe. It’s a keeper. 👍🏿
So happy that you like it, thank you!
This garlic confit recipe looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it out. The step-by-step instructions are super helpful, especially for beginners. Thanks for sharing!