Slow-cooked garlic confit and garlic oil are staples in my kitchen—and for good reason. The cloves become rich, sweet and silky, offering a mellow umami that transforms everything from a slice of rustic bread to sauces, dressings and soups. If you like garlic even a little, one batch of this confit will make you want to add it to nearly every dish. Note that confit tastes very different from raw garlic: it’s smooth, sweet and lacks the raw bite.
This recipe really can change how you cook. Whether I make a massive batch at work or a small jar at home, garlic confit is always in my pantry. It softens and sweetens garlic, making each clove spreadable and easy to add to many recipes, and it leaves behind an intensely flavored garlic oil that elevates whatever it’s used in.
What is Confit?
Confit is a French term that means “to preserve.” In cooking, it refers to food slowly cooked over time in oil or its own fat—think duck confit. Garlic confit is often mistaken for roasted garlic, but the technique and flavor are distinct. Slowly poaching peeled garlic cloves in olive oil mellows and sweetens the garlic, making the cloves soft and easily mashable, while producing a fragrant oil perfect for finishing dishes.
So Easy!
Making garlic confit is straightforward: cover peeled garlic cloves with good-quality olive oil and cook gently until the cloves are tender and lightly browned. The result is a silky, sweet garlic with deep savory complexity. I use it for garlic bread, puréed into sauces, in dressings, or just spread on bread with a pinch of coarse salt. It also adds a rich layer of umami to soups and gravies.
Make plenty—this keeps in the refrigerator and gets used every day in my kitchen.
Ingredients
Basic ingredients for garlic confit:
- Garlic: Peeled cloves. You can peel fresh heads of garlic or use pre-peeled cloves for convenience.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Use good-quality olive oil. You may substitute up to 25% with a neutral oil if desired.
- Bay leaves or herbs (optional): Bay leaves, rosemary, thyme or a pinch of crushed red pepper add variation, but garlic and oil alone are excellent.
See the recipe card below for exact amounts and full instructions.
Step-By-Step, Pro Tips included!
Main steps to make garlic confit:
- Gather ingredients.
- Quick-peel tip: break heads into cloves, place them in a container with a lid (or between two bowls) and shake vigorously for about 20 seconds—remaining skins peel off easily.
- Place peeled cloves in a small or medium saucepan and pour in enough oil to fully cover them. Add bay leaves or herbs if using.
- Variation: add crushed red pepper, whole peppercorns, or sprigs of rosemary or thyme for extra flavor. Remove large herb pieces before storing.
- Heat over medium until the oil barely simmers, then lower to the gentlest heat. Cook until cloves are very tender but not falling apart—only lightly browned. To test, pierce a clove with a knife; it should be easily mashable. This can take about 30–45 minutes; stir occasionally.
- Oven method: place cloves and oil in a small baking dish, cover cloves with oil and bake at 350°F on the middle rack until soft (about 45 minutes).
- Remove from heat and immediately transfer confit to a clean jar. Cool to room temperature, then seal and refrigerate. Store in the fridge and use within 2–3 weeks. The oil may thicken when chilled but will loosen at room temperature.
If you love garlic, try combining this confit into aioli or other condiments for extra depth.
My Favorite Ways to Use Garlic Confit and Garlic Oil
After the inevitable first spoonful on warm bread, I use garlic confit in many dishes. A few favorites:
- Make a garlic butter for the best garlic bread;
- Mix with Calabrian peperoncino in a marinade for spicy shrimp;
- Stir into mayonnaise for a garlicky spread or dip;
- Use in Spaghetti Aglio e Olio for extra depth;
- Add to turkey, chicken or beef gravy for added savory richness;
- Stir into soups to boost flavor;
- In dips, spreads, marinades, vinaigrettes and other dressings;
- As a savory accent in a simple Caprese salad;
- Fold into mashed potatoes to elevate them several notches.
Enjoy this recipe and experiment with the many ways garlic confit can enrich your cooking. If you try it, leave a note about how you used it—it’s a joy to hear how people adapt this simple, versatile ingredient.
Garlic Confit and Garlic Oil
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Ingredients
- 3 whole heads garlic, cloves separated and peeled (about 1 cup peeled cloves)
- 1–2 cups extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed to cover cloves
- 2–3 bay leaves, or other herbs (optional)
Instructions
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Place cloves in a small or medium saucepan and pour in enough oil to fully cover them. Add bay leaves or herbs if using.
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Heat over medium until the oil just begins to simmer, then lower the heat to the gentlest setting. Cook until cloves are very tender but not falling apart—lightly browned. Test by piercing a clove with a sharp knife; it should be easily mashable. This usually takes 30–45 minutes. Stir occasionally.
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Remove from heat and transfer confit to a clean jar. Cool to room temperature, seal and refrigerate. Use within 2–3 weeks. The oil may thicken in the fridge but will loosen at room temperature. Buon appetito!
Notes
- To peel garlic quickly: separate cloves, place them in a lidded container or between bowls, and shake vigorously for about 20 seconds. Remaining skins will slip off easily.
- Oven method: preheat to 350°F. Place cloves and oil in a small baking dish, make sure cloves are covered, set the dish on a sheet pan, and bake on the middle rack until soft (about 45 minutes). Cool and store in the refrigerator.
- Flavor variations: add crushed red pepper, black peppercorns, rosemary or thyme while cooking; remove large pieces before storing.
- Freezing: you can freeze garlic confit (with or without oil) in an airtight container for up to two months. Keep in mind oil may not freeze solid.
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