How to Make Easy Stovetop Garlic Confit with Herbs

Garlic confit stove top cooking method for super flavorful and delicious homemade garlic confit! Perfect for toasts, pasta sauces, and more!

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If you're a garlic lover like me, you're going to LOVE this stovetop garlic confit recipe!

With minimal effort (and maximum payout) this stove top method for making garlic confit only requires a few things: a small saucepan, whole heads of garlic (peeled raw garlic), extra virgin olive oil, and fresh herbs!

The total cooking process takes about 30 minutes, and as a bonus, you get deliciously flavored garlic oil to use as well! I'd call it a win-win in any garlic lover's book!

What is Garlic confit?

Confit is French slow-cooking method, in which foods such as meat, garlic, or even tomatoes are preserved by slowly cooking in fat (in their own fat, where meat is concerned ie: duck confit ) at a low and consistent temperature for an extended period of time.

The result is tender, flavorful, and well preserved food. When the word "confit" is traced back in language, it comes from the French word "confire," which means "to preserve."

Garlic confit applies this method to whole garlic cloves. The fresh cloves are slowly poached in olive oil. The confit method softens the garlic, as well as give it a mellow flavor.

It also infuses the cooking oil with an intense (and amazing!) garlic flavor- so be sure to strain that well and keep it on hand to add to dishes that could benefit from little extra garlic boost!

Ingredients

• 4 bulbs garlic, or 1-2 bags peeled whole garlic cloves.
• About 1 ½ cups extra virgin olive oil. You need just enough oil so that all the garlic cloves are fully submerged in the oil, so you can adjust accordingly, depending on how many cloves you are using.
• A sprig of fresh rosemary and a sprig of fresh thyme. These add a nice, subtle herby flavor to the confit. These are also totally optional, so feel free to leave them out, or substitute with some whole black peppercorns or bay leaves!

How to make Garlic Confit on the Stove

1. Peel the garlic (see recipe card below for my favorite peeling method).
2. Place the garlic cloves into a small saucepan. 
3. Cover with oil until fully submerged.
4. Simmer on medium-low heat for 30-40 minutes. 
5. Once garlic if soft and golden colored, turn off the heat and remove to a cool burner. Allow to cool completely to room temperature. (see recipe card below for full instructions and ingredients list).

Easy peel method for garlic cloves

If you'll be peeling your own garlic for this recipe, rather than using pre-peeled garlic, my preferred method for peeling this many garlic cloves at once is to use the mason jar method.

To peel the garlic using a mason jar, simply separate the garlic cloves from the bulb, add to a jar, screw on the lid, and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. When you pour the garlic out, most of them should be skin free!

How to store

Storing garlic confit properly is imperative to avoid the risk of botulism, a rare (but serious) foodborne illness caused by Clostridium botulinum bacterium.

To keep your garlic confit safe (and botulism-free), be sure to cool it to room temperature, then immediately store it in the refrigerator or freezer. This isn't the time to set it on the stove and forget about it. You'll need to get it into the fridge or freezer within 2 hours for optimal safety.

Don't let the botulism scare you away from making this delicious garlic confit! If prepared and stored properly and promptly, garlic confit can last in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks, and in the freezer for a much longer time period.

Storing garlic confit in the refrigerator

To store in the refrigerator, first allow garlic confit to cool completely off heat on the stove. Once cooled, you can strain the garlic, and place it into an airtight container or glass mason jar, and cover with just enough oil to keep it fully submerged. If using herbs, discard them prior to refrigerating the garlic confit, as they may enhance bacterial growth.

Storing in the freezer

To freeze the garlic confit for a later use, strain well and remove any herbs as listed above. Place the garlic into ice cube trays, and cover with oil. Freeze until solid, and transfer to an airtight container or freezer safe bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months for best quality.

You can add the frozen confit right into sauces or soups, or briefly thaw in the refrigerator for use in recipes like garlic bread or crostini.

Uses

Garlic confit is an excellent homemade condiment that's great to have on hand in your refrigerator or freezer. It adds a mellow and flavorful garlic flavor to any dish!

Add it to salad dressing, spread it onto crusty bread alongside a main dish, or use garlic confit to make the best garlic bread of your life! The possibilities are endless.

Recipes that would work great with garlic confit

Enhance your pasta dishes!

Here are some great pasta sauce recipes that would benefit from the addition of some garlic confit:

• Easy Spicy Spaghetti Arrabbiata Pasta
• Creamy Mushroom Pasta
• Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta
• Spicy Pasta ala Vodka
• Baked Gnocchi Al Forno

Mix into Main Dishes

Garlic confit is a great flavor boost you can add to many dishes for an extra boost of garlic flavor! Here are some tasty mains that would benefit from a bit of extra garlic flavor:

• Dutch Oven Pot Roast
• Parmesan Garlic Mushroom Chicken
• Tuscan Pancetta Chicken
• Mushroom Parmesan Farroto

Stir into Soups

Add a rich, warm garlic flavor to soup and stews with a spoonful of garlic confit! Here are some great soups to add it to:

• Italian Wedding Soup with Leeks
• Beef and Barley Soup
• Roasted Tomato Basil Bisque
• Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup

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