Garlic Confit Recipe (Stovetop + Oven Method)

Garlic confit is what happens when raw garlic is slowly cooked in olive oil until soft, mellow, and buttery. This simple vegan condiment is one you’ll find yourself reaching for all week, whether you’re spreading it on bread, stirring it into pasta, or cooking with the infused oil.

Garlic confit is a classic technique where whole garlic cloves are slowly cooked in oil until soft, sweet, and spreadable. Gentle heat tames raw garlic’s sharpness, turning it mellow and buttery while infusing the oil with deep garlic flavor. Because garlic is cooked and stored in oil, this condiment should always be refrigerated and used within a safe timeframe—simple precautions that make this method both reliable and easy to work into everyday cooking.

Once made, the confit becomes a versatile workhorse in the kitchen: spread it on bread, stir it into pasta, blend it into sauces, or use the infused oil anywhere you’d normally reach for olive oil. This recipe covers both the traditional stovetop method and an easy oven option, so you can choose the approach you like and get the same rich, concentrated result every time.

What Is Garlic Confit?

Garlic confit refers to both the method and the finished ingredient: whole garlic cloves gently cooked in oil at low temperatures until tender and fully softened. Rather than browning or caramelizing, the garlic slowly relaxes, becoming spoon-soft and subtly sweet.

As the garlic cooks, the oil absorbs its flavor, creating a fragrant garlic-infused oil that’s just as useful as the cloves themselves. The result is a two-part staple—spreadable garlic and seasoned oil—that adds depth and richness to dishes without the harsh bite of raw garlic.

Is Garlic Confit Safe?

Garlic confit is safe to make and eat when it’s handled and stored properly. Because garlic is cooked and preserved in oil—a low-acid, oxygen-free environment—it should always be refrigerated and never stored at room temperature to reduce the risk of bacterial growth. Refrigeration is the standard safety practice for garlic-in-oil preparations.

For best results, store garlic confit in a sealed container in the refrigerator and use it within one week. If you’d like to keep it longer, freezing is a safe option and works well for both the softened garlic and the infused oil. When proper storage guidelines are followed, garlic confit is a reliable technique that’s easy to keep in regular rotation.

Key Ingredients

Garlic confit is built from just a few ingredients, but each one plays a specific role in the final texture and flavor. Keeping the list simple—and choosing good-quality basics—makes all the difference.

• Garlic: Whole garlic cloves are the star here. As they cook slowly in oil, they soften completely and lose their sharp bite, becoming sweet, mellow, and spreadable. Look for fresh, firm heads of garlic with large cloves if possible—they’re easier to peel and cook more evenly.
• Olive Oil: The oil acts as both the cooking medium and a flavor carrier. It gently cooks the garlic while absorbing its aroma, creating a garlic-infused oil that’s useful well beyond the confit itself. Extra-virgin olive oil adds the most depth, but any good-quality olive oil will work.
• Thyme (Optional): Thyme adds a subtle herbal note that complements the garlic without overpowering it. It’s optional and easy to swap—bay leaf, rosemary, or a few peppercorns can be used instead, depending on how you plan to use the confit.

How to Make Garlic Confit (Stovetop Method)

This stovetop method is the most direct way to make garlic confit and gives you the clearest control over heat and texture. The goal is gentle cooking—softening the garlic fully without browning it. For full recipe instructions, scroll to the end of this post.

Step 1: Prepare the Garlic -Separate the garlic heads into individual cloves and peel them completely. Since this recipe uses a large amount of garlic, a faster peeling method will save time.

To loosen the skins, place the cloves in a large metal bowl, cover with another bowl to form a dome, and shake vigorously for 20–30 seconds. Most of the skins will release on their own, and the rest can be slipped off easily. You can also lightly crush each clove with the flat side of a knife to crack the skin, or use a silicone garlic peeler—a flexible rolling tube designed to remove skins quickly.

Keep the cloves whole and intact so they cook evenly and stay fully submerged in the oil. Larger cloves are easier to handle and tend to cook more consistently.

Step 2: Combine and Simmer – Place the peeled garlic cloves in a small saucepan and add enough olive oil to fully cover them. Add the thyme sprigs if using. Set the pan over low heat and bring it to a very gentle simmer.

You’re looking for just a few small bubbles rising occasionally through the oil. If the oil begins to bubble vigorously or the garlic starts to take on color, the heat is too high. Adjust as needed to keep the garlic pale and slowly cooking.

Step 3: Cook Until Soft – Continue cooking for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The garlic is done when the cloves are completely soft and mash easily when pressed with a spoon. They should remain light in color and tender, not browned or crisp.

Step 4: Cool and Store – Remove the saucepan from the heat and discard the thyme sprigs. Let the garlic confit cool slightly, then transfer the cloves and oil to a clean, airtight glass container, making sure the garlic stays fully submerged in the oil. Refrigerate promptly.

Oven Garlic Confit (Optional Method)

If you prefer a more hands-off approach, garlic confit can also be made in the oven. This method uses gentle, even heat and requires less monitoring while producing the same soft, mellow garlic and infused oil.

• To make oven garlic confit, place the peeled garlic cloves in a small oven-safe dish and add enough olive oil to fully submerge them. Add the thyme sprigs if using, then cover the dish tightly with a lid or foil.
• Bake at 225–250°F (110–120°C) for 2 to 2½ hours, checking once or twice to ensure the garlic remains pale and fully covered in oil. The garlic is ready when the cloves are very soft and mash easily when pressed, with no browning or crisping.
• Remove from the oven, discard the thyme sprigs, and let cool slightly. Transfer the garlic and oil to a clean, airtight container, keeping the cloves submerged, and refrigerate using the same storage guidelines as the stovetop method.

How to Use Garlic Confit

Once you have garlic confit on hand, it can be easily used in everyday cooking. The softened cloves add mellow garlic flavor without bite, while the infused oil can be used anywhere you’d normally reach for olive oil.

• Spread and toast – Mash the garlic cloves and spread them directly onto toasted bread, focaccia, or baguette. Add a swipe of our vegan ricotta for an extra-luxurious feel. Finish with flaky salt to bring out the garlic’s natural sweetness.
• Pasta, grains, and sauces – Stir the cloves into pasta, risotto, or grain dishes, or blend them into creamy sauces and dressings. The flavor is rich but restrained, making it easy to layer without overpowering other ingredients.
• Dips and condiments – Blend garlic confit into hummus or vegan aioli for a smoother, more rounded garlic flavor. A spoonful adds depth without the sharpness of raw garlic.
• Vegetables and greens – Sauté greens, roasted vegetables, or mushrooms in the garlic-infused oil, or toss softened cloves directly into the pan to finish a dish.
• Cooking oil substitute – Use the infused oil anywhere olive oil is called for—pizza dough, roasted vegetables, or simple vinaigrettes all benefit from the added garlic flavor.

Garlic Confit on Mushroom Toast (Optional)

This garlic confit makes an excellent base for simple mushroom toast. If you’d like to make it, roast oyster mushrooms while the garlic confit simmers. Toss the mushrooms with a little olive oil and roast at 425°F for about 30 minutes, turning once halfway through, until they’re nicely colored around the edges but still juicy in the center.

To assemble, lightly toast two thick slices of sourdough bread in olive oil. Top each slice with softened garlic cloves and roughly chopped roasted mushrooms.

Finish with fresh thyme leaves and a generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt, which brings out the garlic’s sweetness and the mushrooms’ umami.

How to Store Garlic Confit Safely

Garlic confit should always be stored in the refrigerator. Because garlic is preserved in oil, it creates a low-acid, oxygen-free environment that isn’t safe at room temperature. Refrigeration keeps the confit stable and safe to use.

• Transfer the cooled garlic and oil to a clean, airtight glass container, making sure the cloves remain fully submerged. Stored properly, garlic confit will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.
• When chilled, the olive oil may solidify and turn opaque or pale yellow. This is normal and doesn’t indicate spoilage—the oil will return to a liquid state as it warms.
• For longer storage, garlic confit can be frozen. Portion the cloves and oil into small containers or ice cube trays, then thaw in the refrigerator as needed. Do not thaw at room temperature.

FAQs

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This recipe was originally published in 2024 and updated in 2026 to include an oven-baked version and serving suggestions.