2 Ingredient Garlic Confit (3 ways)
Buttery soft, spreadable and packed with flavour: this two ingredient garlic confit is a staple in my fridge and I have a feeling it’ll become one in yours too!
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When slow cooked in oil, sharp and pungent garlic turns into something so mellow, rich and almost sweet. Once you try it, there’s absolutely no going back.
I make a batch every single month because it’s just that good. The garlic turns so soft you can literally squish it between your fingers and it spreads like butter on any surface.
3 ways to cook garlic confit
- Airfrying garlic confit is the quickest way to get soft, spreadable garlic with minimal effort. Place the peeled garlic cloves in a ramekin and cover them completely with oil. I like to use extra virgin olive oil because the flavour works beautifully with the garlic. If your ramekin has a lid, use that or simply cover it with foil. Set the air fryer to 105°C and cook for about 90 minutes. Every 15 minutes, give the ramekin a gentle shake to ensure the garlic cooks evenly. The cloves should turn buttery soft without browning.
I like to do a simple toothpick test to check if it’s done. Insert a toothpick into a clove and if it slides through easily, your garlic confit is ready. If they still feel a little firm, continue cooking until they soften completely.
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can always use your oven to make garlic confit. Preheat it to 110°C and place the garlic and oil filled ramekin on the middle rack. If your oven has a fan, keep it off for gentle cooking but if you prefer to keep the fan on, it will cook faster similar to an air fryer, so check for doneness sooner. Let it bake for about 120 minutes.
You can also make garlic confit on the stovetop. Place the garlic and oil in a pot over the lowest heat possible. Stir every few minutes to ensure even cooking and prevent any garlic from browning. Unlike the air fryer or oven methods, this requires more attention as the garlic can start to crisp up if the heat is too high. Feel free to turn off the heat for a few seconds if the oil starts bubbling too fast. What you want is for the cloves to soften and infuse into the oil without browning. This method is quicker, taking around 30–40 minutes but it’s very important to be patient and keep an eye on it to get that perfect, buttery soft texture.
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Ways to use garlic confit
- Shortcut for Tempering: Instead of starting a dish by frying raw garlic in oil, I love to just add garlic confit to the pan. It saves time and gives a deeper, richer garlic flavour right from the start!
- Blend into Sauces & Dressings: Mash or blend it into sauces, salad dressings or my personal favourite hummus for a smooth garlic flavour.
- Spread on Bread: The most obvious way. Use it like butter, spread it on warm bread, sprinkle some flaky salt on top and enjoy a so so good bite.
- Drizzle the Oil Over Everything: The infused oil is just as good as the garlic itself and I like to drizzle it over practically anything and everything- soups, salads or even plain rice for an instant flavour boost.
- Make Garlic Butter: Mash it into softened butter to make an instant garlic butter that’s perfect for making a delicious garlic bread!
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2 Ingredient Garlic Confit (3 ways)
Buttery soft, spreadable and packed with flavour: this two ingredient garlic confit is a staple in my fridge and I have a feeling it’ll become one in yours too!
prep time
5 min
cook time
Airfryer: 1.5 hours Oven: 2 hours Stovetop: 30–40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup garlic cloves (3-4 heads of garlic)
- 1 - 1.5 cup extra virgin olive oil, enough to fully submerge the garlic cloves
Optional Extras
- Fresh herbs: thyme, rosemary, basil or bay leaves
- Whole spices: black peppercorns or red chilli flakes
Instructions:
- Prepare the garlic: Peel the garlic cloves and place them in a ramekin or an oven safe dish.
- Add the oil: Pour enough olive oil to fully submerge the garlic cloves. I like using extra virgin olive oil because its flavour works really well with the garlic. If you’re adding optional extras like herbs or spices, add them in this step.
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Cook using your preferred method:
• Airfryer– Cover the ramekin with a lid or foil. Place it in the air fryer at 100–105°C for 1.5 hours. Shake the ramekin every 15 minutes to ensure even cooking.
• Oven– Preheat to 110°C. Cover the ramekin with a lid or foil and bake for 2 hours. If your oven has a fan setting, keep it off. If you choose to leave it on, the garlic will cook faster, similar to an air fryer.
• Stovetop– Add the garlic and oil to a heavy-bottomed pan over the lowest heat possible. Stir every few minutes to prevent browning. Cook for 30–40 minutes until the garlic is soft and spreadable. - Check for doneness: Insert a toothpick into a garlic clove. If it slides through easily, the garlic confit is ready.
- Cool and store: Let the garlic and oil cool completely and then transfer them to a clean, airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Always use a clean spoon when taking some out to prevent contamination. If you want to store it for longer, you can freeze portions and thaw as needed.
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