Description

This 3-Ingredient Garlic Confit recipe offers a deliciously mellow and buttery spread made by slow-roasting garlic cloves in olive oil. The low-temperature oven cooking transforms sharp raw garlic into soft, sweet, and caramelized cloves, perfect for adding decadent flavor to a wide variety of dishes. Simple, vegan, and elegant, this confit enhances everything from breads to roasted vegetables and sauces.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

3 large heads of garlic (~38 large cloves)
⅓ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil (or more as needed to fully submerge the garlic)
¼ teaspoon fine salt
Optional: sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary, or red pepper flakes

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Instructions

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 250°F (121°C) to prepare for the slow roasting process that gently softens and caramelizes the garlic.
Prepare the Garlic: Separate the cloves from the garlic heads and peel each clove carefully. Lay the peeled cloves in an even layer in a small oven-safe dish, ideally around 14.5 ounces capacity to hold all cloves comfortably.
Add Olive Oil and Salt: Pour the extra virgin olive oil over the garlic cloves, adding enough to fully submerge them to prevent burning during cooking. Sprinkle the fine salt evenly over the garlic. Optionally, add sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary, or red pepper flakes for additional flavor.
Roast the Garlic: Place the dish in the oven and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the garlic cloves turn golden brown and become soft. Test doneness by mashing a clove with the back of a fork; it should mash easily and be tender.
Cool and Store: Once done, you can serve the garlic confit immediately or allow it to cool and store it submerged in the olive oil in an airtight container. Keep refrigerated to maintain freshness and flavor.

Notes

Ensure the garlic cloves are fully submerged in oil to avoid burning during roasting.
Use fresh, good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor and texture.
Store garlic confit in the refrigerator and consume within 2 weeks for optimal freshness.
You can customize flavor with herbs or spices like thyme, rosemary, or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Use the garlic confit as a spread on bread, a seasoning addition to soups, sauces, or roasted dishes for a rich, mellow garlic flavor.