This garlic confit recipe is easy as can be—and you'll look like a star in the kitchen to boot!
How to Make 2-Ingredient Garlic Confit
Updated on Oct. 04, 2024
There are few smells as universally intoxicating as the smell of roasting garlic. Thankfully for the cooks out there, there doesn’t have to be a fancy multi-course meal in the works to bring about this particularly delicious smell. In fact, this slow cooked garlic is so delicious that people are swarming the internet to learn how to make it! Read on for a simple process and all the hints you need to make delicious garlic confit at home.
What Is Garlic Confit?
Confit is a French cooking technique where you cook or preserve something in its own fat, like the classic duck confit. But vegetables can also be confited, cooked low and slow in plenty of oil. Garlic confit requires only a few minutes of active work, then the garlic and oil will work their magic in a warm oven.
In the end, you’ll have plump cloves of slow cooked garlic in a tasty garlic-infused oil to use in dressings, cook with or drizzle on some nice bread.
How to Make Garlic Confit
To make garlic confit, you only need 2 ingredients, plus whatever additional seasonings you’d like. It’s a great dish to make if you have an excess of garlic hanging out in your kitchen, especially if it’s starting to turn into sprouted garlic! I recommend olive oil for this method. It has a much lower smoke point than other cooking oils, but that’s not an issue because this is roasted at such a low temperature.
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 bulbs garlic
- Optional: Rosemary or thyme, whole chiles
Directions
Step 1: Peel the garlic
To peel the garlic, separate the individual cloves from the bulb, then put the cloves in a large jar or between two metal bowls. Shake the garlic hard for a couple minutes to help the skin separate. If the skins don’t fall off completely, they will at least come off more easily.
Step 2: Bake
Place all the peeled garlic in an oven-safe dish with tall sides. Cover with oil so they’re completely submerged. If you’re using herbs or chiles, add those as well. Bake at 250°F for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Your house will now smell amazing! Use your garlic confit immediately or transfer it to a jar with the delicious oil. Enjoy garlic confit spread on slices of homemade French bread, mixed in sauces or dolloped over some roasted vegetables. Or go crazy and eat it straight from the jar!
How to Store Garlic Confit
Store your garlic confit in the fridge. Garlic is a low-acid vegetable, so it’s important to store any garlic-infused product in the fridge to prevent bacteria from forming. The oil will get thick or solidify when it’s cold, but it will come back to liquid once it’s been taken out of the fridge for a bit.
Also, learning how to store garlic means you’ll always have these essential cloves on hand for your next recipe.
How Long Does Garlic Confit Last?
Garlic confit will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer. Chances are you won’t have to worry about that, though, since it’s bound to get eaten right up!
Next Up: This is how to get rid of garlic breath.
Recipes for Garlic Lovers
Chicken & Garlic with Fresh HerbsThe key to this savory chicken is the combination of garlic, fresh rosemary and thyme. I like to serve it with mashed potatoes or crusty Italian bread. —Jan Valdez, Lombard, Illinois. Looking for variations? Learn how to make creamy garlic chicken.
Garlic Butter Steak BitesIt takes only a few minutes to enhance a simple sirloin steak. This recipe uses not one but two forms of garlic to really make those flavors shine. —Julie Andrews, Rockford, Michigan
Pasta and Veggies in Garlic SauceBig garlic flavor and a little heat from red pepper flakes help perk up this fresh-tasting pasta dish. It's wonderful with chicken and beef entrees. —Doris Heath, Franklin, North Carolina
Garlic Parmesan WingsTake a bite out of these perfectly seasoned chicken wings. Golden brown and crispy, the skin is flavored with garlic powder, parmesan cheese and herby parsley. Enhance the flavors by dipping it in a garlic parmesan or sriracha mayo sauce, or stick to the classics like bleu cheese and ranch. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Skillet Potatoes with Red Pepper and Whole Garlic ClovesYou'll be surprised that a skillet potato recipe this simple has so much flavor. I love how the whole garlic cloves turn sweet after being caramelized. Yum! —Anita Osborne, Thomasburg, Ontario
Garlic KnotsThese novel garlic knots are handy because they can be made ahead of time and reheated when needed. —Jane Paschke, University Park, Florida
Garlic-Dill Soda BreadIt's amazing how bread can be made in a slow cooker, which is why this recipe is awesome—who knew it could be so simple! Let the inviting aroma of dill and cheese fill your kitchen. —Melissa Hansen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Chicken with Garlic SauceSkip the takeout order and make this 30-minute Chinese chicken with garlic sauce recipe at home. It'll take the same amount of time—without spending extra money or leaving the house!
Onion & Garlic BiscuitsBake a dozen of these oniony, herby biscuits for a little something new in the holiday bread basket. They're also awesome with a bowl of chili, soup or stew. —L. Dorow, Fairmont, Minnesota
Greek Garlic ChickenLively flavors of the Greek Isles come through in this mouthwatering chicken entree. I created this dish so my husband and I could have a nice dinner after a busy day out and about. —Margee Berry, Trout Lake, Washington. If you like this, then you must try Chinese chicken with garlic sauce.
Orzo with SpinachAdd color and flavor to your plate with creamy orzo with spinach. This dish is a balance of comfort and sophistication, perfect for entertaining or a cozy night in.
You can take your dishes to a whole new level by learning how to roast garlic.
Garlic Green Beans with GorgonzolaI updated this green bean holiday side dish by adding a touch of white wine, fresh thyme and green onions. It's delicious, easy to make and my family loves it! —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada
Mozzarella Mushrooms with Garlic ToastI came up with this dinner using ingredients I had on hand. It turned out to be so delicious, my wife and I now make it for special occasions. —Marc Bushee, Moorhead, Minnesota
Lemon & Garlic New PotatoesThis is a simplified version of a dish my Costa Rican host sister used to make when I was in the Peace Corps. It has become a favorite side dish at my house. —Katie Bartle, Parkville, Missouri
Gingered Short Ribs with Green RiceI love the flavors of Korean cuisine, so I created short ribs for the slow cooker. The dish is beautiful, too! —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia
Garlic-Mashed Rutabagas & PotatoesMy family absolutely loves mashed potatoes. I created this recipe to lighten up the calories and sneak in a serving of rutabagas. If you have the time, boil the potatoes in chicken broth to add even more flavor. —Rosemary Tatum, Sterlington, Louisiana
Onion-Garlic Bubble BreadI've relied on this bread recipe often over the years. Frozen dough hurries along the golden pull-apart loaf. It's wonderful with Italian dishes, especially spaghetti and lasagna. —Charlene Bzdok, Little Falls, Minnesota
It may also be a nice side to these tasty San Francisco style Vietnamese American garlic noodles.
Tortellini SoupThis quick, easy rustic Italian tortellini soup recipe is flavorful and comforting. Italian sausage, spinach and tender cheese tortellini simmer in a rich tomato broth, creating a soup that cooks for only 20 minutes.
Au Gratin PotatoesOnce you've tried homemade au gratin potatoes, you'll never reach for the boxed stuff again.
Garlic Crescent RollsThe simple comfort of warm crescent rolls gets dressed up with a brush of herbed garlic butter and a shower of Parmesan cheese.
Butter SteakThis garlic butter steak recipe is the restaurant-quality steak you've been looking for. The pan-seared steak is deliciously rich and garlicky, and the butter makes it oh, so tender—even if you use a budget cut like top sirloin or flat iron steak.
Creamy Lemon PastaSilky strands of fettuccine tangle in a lemon-garlic sauce in this creamy lemon pasta. Pops of fresh tomato, garlic and parsley add flavor, and a finishing sprinkle of lemon zest shines through the richness of the sauce.
Honey-Garlic Glazed MeatballsMy husband and I raise cattle on our farm here in southwestern Ontario, so it's no surprise that we're fond of these saucy meatballs. I know your family will like them, too. —Marion Foster, Kirkton, Ontario. If you enjoyed this recipe, then learn how to make honey garlic chicken.
Garlic Shrimp & Orzo SaladI enjoy cold pasta salads and rice salads, so I decided to make one with orzo, a rice-shaped pasta. Feel free to add other favorite veggies—like asparagus and green beans—and serve with rolls or pita bread. —Valonda Seward, Coarsegold, California
Garlic Lemon ButterThis tangy flavored butter offers a nice change from plain butter and gives a refreshing new taste to an ear of corn. When I serve this on the side during fresh corn season, the same question always gets asked—"What's in the butter that makes it so delicious?" —Margie Wampler, Butler, Pennsylvania
