Garlic Confit

If you’ve never had Garlic Confit before you are in for a treat! This French technique where whole, peeled garlic cloves are slow cooked in extra virgin olive oil until they become soft, buttery, and sweet, losing their sharp, raw pungency. The cloves develop a creamy, spreadable, caramelized texture with an aromatic garlic-infused oil that can be used for cooking, dressings, or dipping. I use it in so many different ways! Another favorite, especially in summer when the garden is overflowing our Tomato Confit. Both are amazing over grilled steak, chicken or shrimp!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Incredible Flavor & Texture: The slow-cooking process removes the harshness of raw garlic, replacing it with a soft, creamy texture and a nutty, mild, and sweet flavor.

Easy “Prep-Ahead” Ingredient: Garlic confit is easy to make in large batches with very little effort. Making it the perfect, long-lasting staple to always have on hand!

It’s Paleo and Whole30: Having no gluten, grains, or dairy, it is the perfect dish if you need to keep it Paleo or Whole30 friendly.

Ingredients You Will Need

Garlic: adds a savory note that enhances the dish with its bold and aromatic flavor.

Fresh rosemary: is an evergreen shrub and is used in cooking for its earthy, woodsy flavor having hints of pepper, lemon and mint, perfect for this garlic confit.

Extra virgin olive oil: the least processed form of olive oil and retains its natural antioxidants and vitamins. I love Garcia de La Cruz.

Salt: always salt in moderation in accordance with your dietary preferences.

Instructions

Preheat oven: to 250˚.

Place peeled garlic cloves: in an oven-proof casserole.

Pour the olive oil over: being sure to cover the garlic slightly.

Add: the rosemary sprigs.

Sprinkle: with salt.

Bake for 2 hours: uncovered for the most buttery, garlic confit.

Allow to cool: and store in an airtight glass jar.

Enjoy!

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Use a high quality olive oil: as it is extra delicious when spooning over your crusty bread or food of choice. It also makes a great base for a delicious garlic confit pasta sauce!

Buy the garlic pre-peeled: to save a lot of time and it comes in large quantities too which means you can make extra garlic confit!

If serving it immediately: use a pretty casserole dish so you can bring it straight from the oven to the table! Especially for dipping and spreading over crusty bread.

Recipe Variations

Spicy Confit: Add red chili flakes, crushed Calabrian chilies, or whole black peppercorns to the oil for a subtle kick.

Mixed Veggie/Aromatic: Mix garlic with shallots or pearl onions for added depth.

Storage Tips

You can store this garlic confit in a glass jar for several weeks. Bring it to room temperature or warm slightly before enjoying for optimal flavor. It also freezes well for up to 3 months. I freeze it silicone ice cube trays and once frozen, move to a zip lock bag or freezer safe glass container.

FAQ’s About Garlic Confit

How to use garlic confit?

My favorite way is over grilled chicken or steak but its hard to resist spreading on crusty bread. It is also amazing puréed and used in sauces or dressing.

Can I store it at room temperature?

No. Garlic confit must be refrigerated. Improperly stored garlic in oil (low-acid and oxygen-free) poses a risk of botulism.

What if the oil solidifies?

Olive oil will solidify when cold. Simply let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to turn back into liquid, or gently reheat.