Garlic Confit
Posted on December 21, 2025
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This Garlic Confit is pure kitchen gold and about to become your new secret weapon! Soft, buttery garlic cloves get slowly simmered in silky olive oil until they transform into something completely different from raw garlic. They become melt-in-your-mouth tender, sweet, and spreadable, losing all that sharp bite and developing this rich, mellow flavor that's almost caramelized. The best part? You get two ingredients for the price of one, the garlic cloves themselves and the aromatic, garlic-infused oil that's perfect for cooking, drizzling, or using as a dressing base. I love adding fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or bay leaf while it simmers to infuse even more flavor into the oil. The whole process takes less than 40 minutes and requires almost no effort, just gentle heat and patience. Once you have a jar of this in your fridge, you'll find yourself reaching for it constantly. Smear those soft cloves on crusty bread, toss them into pasta with the infused oil, mash them into mashed potatoes, stir them into soups, or add them to roasted vegetables for instant depth of flavor. It's one of those simple preparations that makes everything taste better and feels like you put in way more effort than you actually did. Fair warning though, once you start making garlic confit regularly, you'll want to put it on absolutely everything!
This Garlic Confit is pure kitchen gold! Soft, buttery garlic cloves slowly simmered in olive oil until they're melt-in-your-mouth tender and sweet. The result is spreadable garlic that's lost all its bite and infused oil that's packed with flavor. Smear it on toast, toss it with pasta, add it to roasted veggies, or use it as a base for dressings. Once you make this, you'll wonder how you ever cooked without it!
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Preparations
Prep Time:
5 minutes
Cook Time:
25 minutes
Steep Time
10 minutes
Total Time:
40 minutes
Cuisine:
French-inspired
Course:
Sauce, Kitchen Essentials
Calories:
45 kcal (approx. per tablespoon with oil)
Servings:
About 1 cup (12-15 cloves plus oil)
Author:
Ronica Rupan
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 12-15 cloves garlic, peeled (about 2-3 whole heads)
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil (or enough to fully submerge the garlic)
- Optional: 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme, rosemary, or 1-2 bay leaves
Instructions
1. Prep the Garlic
Peel your garlic cloves. To make peeling easier, you can smash them lightly with the flat side of a knife, the skins will slip right off. You can leave them whole or slice any extra-large cloves in half so they cook evenly.
2. Add Garlic and Oil to Saucepan
Place the peeled garlic cloves in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Pour in enough olive oil to completely cover the garlic cloves by at least half an inch. If you're using herbs, add them now, tucking the sprigs or bay leaves into the oil.
3. Simmer on Low Heat
Place the saucepan over the lowest heat setting on your stove. You want the oil to barely simmer with just tiny bubbles forming around the garlic. This is not frying! If the oil starts bubbling vigorously or the garlic begins to brown too quickly, reduce the heat immediately. Let it gently simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The garlic should be soft, golden, and tender when pierced with a fork, but not browned or crispy.
4. Steep Off Heat
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the garlic steep in the hot oil for another 10 minutes. This allows the flavors to continue developing and ensures the garlic is completely tender throughout.
5. Cool and Store
Let the garlic confit cool to room temperature. Transfer everything, the garlic cloves, oil, and herbs if you want to keep them for presentation, to a clean, dry glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Remove the herb sprigs if you prefer a cleaner look or if you're storing it for the full 2 weeks. Make sure the garlic is completely submerged in oil. Seal and refrigerate.
6. Use and Enjoy
Use the soft garlic cloves and infused oil in all your favorite dishes! The garlic will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks as long as it stays completely covered in oil.
How to Use Garlic Confit
- On Toast: Smash the soft cloves onto crusty bread and drizzle with the infused oil
- In Pasta: Toss with hot pasta, pasta water, and the garlic oil for instant sauce
- With Eggs: Add to scrambled eggs or omelets for rich, mellow garlic flavor
- Roasted Vegetables: Toss vegetables with the cloves and oil before roasting
- Mashed Potatoes: Mash the soft cloves right into your potatoes
- Salad Dressings: Use the infused oil as a base for vinaigrettes
- Pizza or Flatbread: Spread the cloves on dough before topping
- Soups and Stews: Stir in for deep, savory flavor
- Compound Butter: Mix with softened butter for garlic bread
Cooking hacks and tips
Tips & Notes
- Low and slow is key: The garlic should never fry or brown. Keep the heat low and watch it carefully, especially at the beginning.
- Botulism safety: Garlic confit must be stored in the refrigerator and used within 2 weeks. The low-acid environment of oil can create conditions for botulism if left at room temperature.
- Keep it submerged: Always make sure the garlic stays completely covered in oil during storage. If any cloves are exposed to air, they can spoil.
- Use quality oil: Since the oil becomes infused with flavor, use a good quality olive oil that you enjoy the taste of.
- Herb options: Thyme and rosemary are classic, but you can also try oregano, sage, or even dried chili flakes for heat.
- Scaling up: This recipe is easy to double or triple. Just make sure your pan is large enough that the garlic can spread out in a single layer.
- Don't waste the oil: The garlic-infused oil is liquid gold! Use it for cooking, drizzling, or making dressings.
- Visual cue for doneness: The garlic should be golden, soft, and easily pierced with a fork. It should not be brown or crispy.
- Freezing option: You can freeze garlic confit for up to 3 months. Freeze in ice cube trays for easy portioning.
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This is where I love to share my passion for cooking, baking, and flavor. When I’m not creating delicious recipes, you’ll find me spending time with my family, working on my spice blends at Flora & Mana, or enjoying a homemade baked goods. Join me on this culinary journey to taste, healthy meals and fun kitchen hacks!
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Comments (3)
Deb
This looks so perfect for my first homemade break.
Leah Kelly
When I made this Garlic Confit, I fell in love. I put it on almost everything. I follow you on Instagram
Vanessa Adams
Thank you everso much. I am looking forward to making and trying this. Though not for a couple of weeks, am going on holiday on Monday.