How To Make Garlic Confit | Easy And Delicious
This easy Garlic Confit recipe is made by slowly simmering garlic cloves in olive oil until they become tender and are infused with the rich, nutty flavor of the oil. This simple food preservation technique delivers a dish any garlic lover will adore.
In This Article
Nutritional Benefits
Garlic has some incredible health benefits thanks to the allicin it contains. Allicin, the sulfur compound that gives garlic its distinctive taste, has been shown to reduce cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose, among other things. Allicin formation results from enzymatic breakdown that occurs when garlic is finely crushed, minced, or chewed. However, these enzymes are inactivated by heat, which means allicin is destroyed in cooked garlic.
That said, garlic does retain some of its nutrients after cooking including an array of vitamins and minerals and its anti-inflammatory properties too. Then there are the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the extra virgin olive oil. Plenty to keep us nourished.
Risk Of Botulism
According to the CDC clostridium botulinum – the bacterium that causes foodborne botulism – can occur when chopped garlic is stored improperly in oil. They recommend refrigerating things like confit garlic as soon as possible and discarding any leftovers after four days. Whilst the garlic is whole in this recipe I still believe it prudent to follow this advice. As such, I simply make a batch whenever I want it because it takes no effort at all, just a little time in the oven.
Ingredients – What You’ll Need To Make Garlic Confit
Only two simple pantry items are needed to make this delicious slow-roasted garlic dish. You can also add a touch of extra flavour by dropping in herbs like thyme, rosemary, or oregano herb, but it’s not essential.
- Whole bulbs of garlic – One or two is enough to make a small batch of garlic confit that can be consumed in a couple of days. See why I think that’s important due to the possibility of botulism in the FAQ section below.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) – the amount you need will depend on what you’re using to cook the garlic in. You just want enough to ensure the garlic cloves are completely submerged when cooking.
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme – this is optional but adds lots of extra flavour.
You can use any robust herb or whole spice you like when slow-roasting the garlic. Rosemary is another one that perfectly complements the garlic and olive oil.
How To Make Homemade Garlic Confit
The word confit means to ‘preserve’ and it involves cooking food in a lot of fat at a low temperature. Garlic in this case, and while the dish does require a couple of hours of cooking, the hands-on time is next to nothing. Particularly if you’re a very proficient garlic peeler (I have a tip for that in the recipe video so be sure to watch it).
- Preheat oven to 90°C / 195°F (low heat is best to ensure the garlic cooks slowly and evenly)
- Peel all the cloves of garlic and slice off the bottom end where the root was.
- Add all peeled garlic cloves into the pan you’re using to cook this in. I used a tiny frying pan with a 5-inch (~12cm) diameter. You could also use a ramekin.
- Pour in enough olive oil to completely submerge the amount of garlic cloves used.
- Place a few sprigs of thyme on the top and place in the oven to cook for 2 hours. Check at the 90-minute mark to see how it’s going.
- To serve, drop a big clove into a nourishing bowl, make salad dressings with it, or simply spread it on some toast.
- Store any leftover confit as soon as possible. Discard any that hasn’t been used within four days
Your confit garlic is ready when the cloves are soft but remain intact. If it’s falling apart or the garlic tastes rancid, it’s cooked for too long.
How To Use Garlic Confit
Roasted garlic confit adds a subtle, sweet, and garlicky flavor to your dishes. Add it to pasta, sauces, spreads or use it to make things like garlic confit mashed potatoes or garlic confit butter, which can be used to make delicious garlic bread. I think the best way to use this is simply to spread the garlic cloves on toast and drizzle over some olive oil when it’s fresh out of the oven.
Substitutions And Variations
Instead of the thyme, try other sprigs of fresh herbs, some red chilli flakes or add in whole spices like star anise or black peppercorns.
Tips For Success With This Recipe
Choose fresh whole heads of garlic with firm, plump garlic cloves for the best flavor.
Don’t trim the root end of the garlic clove if you don’t want the garlic soaking up too much oil. On the flip-side trimming it lets more of the garlic flavour seep into the oil as it cooks. I enjoy the oil slightly more garlicky, so I generally always trim the cloves.
Allow the garlic to cook slowly until it is tender and translucent. The slow cooking process can take several hours but means the garlic won’t burn and taste rancid.
Storing/Freezing/Make Ahead
Let the confit come to room temperature then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. A mason jar with a tight-fitting lid is perfect for this. Ensure the garlic is completely submerged in the oil to prevent spoilage.
The Use Of EVOO In Cooking
This is always a contentious issue largely due to the belief that EVOO has a lower smoke point and will go rancid/be detrimental to health when heated. This is not true and its smoke point is actually 210°C/410°F (much higher than frying temperature 180°C/360°F!), which has been confirmed by research showing that EVOO degrades differently to other vegetable oils when heated. The fatty acid profile of EVOO is more resistant to oxidation, and compounds such as phenolic acids, flavones etc ensure the oil remains stable even when exposed to high temperatures. It will lose some of its nutrients but it’s far from detrimental to your health when used in cooking.
FAQ
You can add a clove into salad dressings, use it to make garlic bread, add some to your mashed potatoes (delicious!), blend some into your soup, or even mix it into pasta. I also add a clove or two along with some of the oil into nourishing bowls.
The CDC notes that when chopped garlic in oil is stored improperly, botulism can occur. The same is true for herbs in oil too. Their recommendation is to refrigerate any garlic in oil as soon as possible and discard it after four days. Whilst the garlic is whole in this recipe I still approach with caution. My recommendation to ensure this dish remains safe and delicious is make a small batch whenever you’d like it. Avoid large batches that are likely to be stored for long periods of time.
More Preserving Recipes With Garlic
If you try this recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment, rate it, and remember to tag @wholenaturalkitchen in your pics or reels on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok!
How To Make Garlic Confit | Easy And Delicious
Equipment
- 1 small frying pan or ramekin (the pan I used was 5 inches (~12cm) diameter)
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil (enough to cover the garlic)
- A few sprigs of thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 90°C / 195°F.
- Peel the garlic cloves and slice off the bottoms where the root was attached (see note 1).
- Add all cloves into the pan you're using to cook this in. I used a tiny frying pan with a 5-inch (~12cm) diameter. If you have a shallow pan like I did, make sure they're in a single layer so all the cloves will be covered by the oil. If you're using a ramekin this won't be a concern.
- Pour over enough EVOO to completely cover the garlic.
- Place a few sprigs of thyme on the top, then place in the oven to cook for 2 hours.
- To serve, drop a big clove into a nourishing bowl, make salad dressings with it, or simply spread it on some toast (see note 2).
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Gabby Campbell
Gabby is a degree qualified Naturopath/Nutritionist (BHSc Nat) with a love of all whole foods. She started her Naturopathic career in clinical practice before making the move to recipe development and online education – a result of wanting to combat the misinformation that abounds on the internet about food and health. Whole Natural Kitchen aims to transform the way you think about healthy eating by helping you embrace an abundance of nutritious foods while leaving the health fads behind. MORE ABOUT GABBY
I’m confused. In one place you say to trim the root section. In another you say to not trim the root section so it doesn’t soak up too much oil. Which is it?
Thanks for picking that up Carol. I will go back and amend the post so it’s less confusing. The simple answer is it can be either, so whichever you prefer is fine. The tips section should just say ‘Don’t trim the root end of the garlic clove IF you don’t want the garlic to soak up too much oil’. I personally trim the ends because I find a little more garlic flavour seeps out into the oil, which I like. I apologise, as didn’t realise the discrepancy initially.
Finally made this recipe today. Easy to make and soooo delicious….. can I freeze it in ice cube trays?
So glad you enjoyed it Liane! It is really delicious. And yes it can be frozen. I’ll update the post with that information so it’s always there for reference. You can freeze portions in ziplock bags and flatten them out to remove any air, or freeze in an ice cube tray. I would cover the tray with plastic wrap to avoid freezer burn though. To thaw, just place in the fridge overnight. Also – freezing is best done as soon as it’s cooled once you’ve made it but if you got it straight in the fridge it should still be fine.
This recipe looks easy to make with minimal ingredients and is so delicious too. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Kushigalu. It’s definitely easy! Hope you enjoy it.
This garlic confit is worth all the hype. Perfect on top of sliced bread or even roasted meats.
So glad you enjoyed it Sharon!
I love this confit recipe! I can put this on practically anything! DELISH!!!
Me too Holley. So happy to hear you enjoyed it.
Oh wow! I love how you made this garlic confit in the oven. So much flavor and so easy too.
Yes, I found it so much easier in the oven than on the stovetop. It’s too easy to forget doing it that way!
Made this and it got me in the mood for all the cozy fall foods. TY!!!
My pleasure Carrie!