Roasted Garlic Confit (Oven Baked)
Roasted Garlic Confit, oven baked and slow roasted to perfection, is the ultimate in garlicky goodness. This easy recipe is versatile enough for pretty much anything and the aroma throughout your house will be irresistible.
As a lover of garlic, I have always abided by the law of doubling the amount of garlic cloves in any given recipe. Alfredo sauce? Never enough garlic. Sandwiches? Hummus? Garlic is their king. And this Roasted Garlic Confit is the perfect addition to all of it.
Garlic lovers should check out my Pesto Pasta and Smashed Potatoes.
What do I need to get started?
The best part of this recipe? Very easy and made with ingredients found in any standard kitchen.
- Olive oil. I recommend extra virgin olive oil for the best, most tasty results.
- Heads of garlic.
- Fresh thyme.
- Peppercorns.
- Salt.
How to make Garlic Confit in the Oven
Oven roasted Garlic Confit is my personal favorite method for garlicky goodness because of how easy it is. Just garlic and oil and a few additions to make it extra tasty.
Place your peeled garlic cloves into a small baking dish. Pour in your olive oil, ensuring that the cloves are completely submerged. Add in the thyme, peppercorns, salt, and any additional ingredients that you’ve chosen to add for flavor.
Bake in the oven at 300 for about an hour. The garlic should be golden and soft – and smell absolutely divine.
Tips and Tricks
- Use fresh ingredients for best results. Pre-peeled garlic is easy, but the flavor is not quite as strong as a head of raw garlic. Peeling garlic cloves is more than worth it for the sharp flavor of fresh garlic.
- The taste of olive oil adds something special to this dish, but you can use a more neutral grapeseed oil if that is your preference.
- Add some red chili flakes for an extra kick of heat.
- Don’t like thyme? Replace it with any herb of your choice – rosemary is delicious in garlic confit as well.
Storage
This is very important: Garlic Confit must be stored in the refrigerator. Garlic Confit cannot be stored at room temperature due to risk of botulism.
Where to use Garlic Confit
- Salad Dressing.
- Mix into mashed potatoes, like my famous Garlic Rosemary Mashed Potato recipe for an extra oomph of flavor.
- Spread onto some fresh baked bread for a snack.
- Drizzle onto pasta.
There is very little where Roasted Garlic Confit in the oven would not be delicious – add it to anything that you think would benefit from a bit more garlic!
Garlic Confit (Oven Baked)
Garlic Confit uses oven roasted garlic cloves to make an excellent spread for toast and pasta and oil that can be drizzled on just about anything.
Ingredients
- 4 heads of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
- 2 cups olive oil
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Place the peeled garlic cloves in a small baking dish. Ensure the dish is deep enough to hold the garlic and olive oil.
- Pour in enough olive oil to completely submerge the garlic.
- Add the thyme, peppercorns, and a pinch of salt to the dish.
- Carefully transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for about 1 hour, or until the garlic is soft and golden.
- Once done, remove the dish from the oven and allow the garlic and oil mixture to cool completely.
- After cooling, transfer the garlic confit (garlic and oil) to an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
The soft, sweet garlic cloves can be spread on toasted bread, mashed into potatoes, or tossed into pasta dishes. The infused oil is excellent in cooking, salad dressings, or drizzled over bread.
Be mindful not to overcook the garlic as it can turn bitter. The low and slow cooking process should yield perfectly sweet and tender cloves.
Always use fresh garlic for the best flavor.
For an added kick, consider adding a few dried chili peppers to the oil.
