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This sous vide garlic confit is an absolute game changer. Not only is it ultra easy, it comes out perfectly soft and creamy, and the resulting garlic flavored oil can be used for all sorts of recipes!
Seriously, I could just eat piece after piece of this garlic straight out of the oil. No bitterness, just the sweet taste of delicious garlic.
It takes less than 5 minutes of actual work to prepare this too...who doesn't have 5 minutes?!?!?
You may ask why we choose to use the sous vide method here - it's simply because it is soooo easy to keep a consistent temperature to ensure the garlic cooks properly, with basically no hands - on effort.
Jump to:
What is Garlic Confit?
Basically, garlic confit is a French culinary technique that involves slowly cooking garlic cloves in oil or fat until they become soft, sweet, and tender (you can also confit vegetables, meat, fish - like this sous vide duck confit).
The garlic cloves are submerged in oil or fat and cooked over low heat for several hours, until they are fully cooked and infused with the flavor of the oil or fat. You can use olive oil, ghee, lard, or any oil of your choosing to do this!
Why This Recipe Works
- Letting the garlic cook in oil for hours results in ultra creamy (even spreadable) garlic.
- The oil that the garlic is cooked in is like liquid gold.
- The garlic can be used right away or frozen for future use.
- Make as small or large a batch of this as you need/want.
- You can infuse it with other flavors if you want too (scroll down for options)!
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What is Sous Vide?
Sous vide is basically a method of cooking using what is called an immersion circulator (i.e. the sous vide machine). This immersion circulator circulates water in a temperature controlled water bath at a certain temperature to perfectly cook your food every time.
Because the temperature doesn't change, and it keeps your meat (or dessert, veggies, etc.) at the same temperature, your risk of overcooking becomes very minimal.
To learn even more about sous vide cooking, head over and read "what is sous vide cooking and the benefits of sous vide cooking."
What is the Water Displacement Method?
The displacement method is where you slowly submerge a ziplock bag in water pushing the air out of the top of the bag (the bag should be slightly open at the top to allow air to escape).
Use a clip (I use sous vide magnets) to clip the bag to the side to keep it from floating and getting air and/or water inside.
Tools Used
You will also want to check out these posts on the best sous vide containers and the best sous vide bags for more information!
If you don't have a lot of experience cooking sous vide yet, you may want to pop over and read what sous vide cooking is and the benefits of sous vide cooking.
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
The recipe calls for 2 heads of garlic, but I sometimes just substitute 1 cup of pre-peeled garlic because peeling garlic suuuuucks.
A good quality olive oil is important as you want to ensure your oil has a great flavor when finished cooking so you can use it elsewhere.
We use fresh thyme to add a little herbal element, but you can substitute rosemary, sage, chili peppers or even truffles!
Step By Step Instructions
Heat a sous vide water bath to 190F degrees.
Place the peeled garlic cloves, olive oil, salt and thyme in a vacuum seal or ziplock freezer bag. **I recommend using a ziplock with the water displacement method as it is difficult to vacuum seal with the amount of olive oil we are using.
Slowly lower the bag into the water bath, sealing the top once almost submerged (water displacement method).
Clip the bag to the side and cook for 3-5 hours, ensuring the garlic stays fully submerged the whole time.
Remove from the water bath and use immediately, or place in a ice bath for 5 minutes, then store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Flavoring Options
While we keep the recipe simple here, you can also use some of these add-ins to amp up the flavor of your garlic and/or oil!
- Add herbs such as rosemary, sage, oregano or any spices you would like in place of the thyme.
- We like to use fresh toasted cumin seeds, coriander seeds or fresh allspice.
- Add 1-2 strips of fresh lemon peel for a nice citrusy flavor.
- Add a couple thin slices of black truffle for an ultra earthy flavor.
- Add in dried chili peppers (any kind of dried pepper works here).
Expert Tips
- You can use 4 or 8 ounce canning jars to cook the garlic also. Just make sure the lids are tightened so they are barely finger tight (stop tightening when you feel the lids grab the jar).
- Use good quality garlic and olive oil for the best results - better ingredients will yield better results!
- You can substitute black garlic for the regular garlic here - the results come out very similar.
- Add additional olive oil (or whatever cooking fat you use) to the bag if you would like to create additional infused oil.
- This recipe can be doubled, tripled, or made into any quantity you'd like. I like to make a lot because we use it all the time!
How to Use Garlic Confit
You can use this garlic confit in any recipe that calls for garlic. It's especially good used in some of these favorite's:
- Use it on this air fryer garlic bread or this pesto challah, or just spread it on a piece of crusty french bread before dipping it in this stewed duck , veal stew, or dutch oven beef stew;
- Put it on pizza, whether you make your own tandoori chicken pizza or order one from you favorite spot;
- Use it in mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes or chinese fried rice even!
- Its absolutely amazing used served with fresh veggies like this sous vide broccoli, mashed sweet potatoes, balsamic brussels sprouts, or honey roasted parsnips.
- Try it in this linguine with clams, Instant Pot shrimp scampi or scallop scampi.
- Use in sauces, vinaigrettes or dips! Also smear it right on this sous vide prime rib.
Frequently Asked Questions
Garlic confit is safe as long as it was cooked at the proper temperature, is handled correctly and is stored in the fridge for no longer than 5-7 days before use.
While sous viding with raw garlic is not recommended (unless making this sous vide garlic confit), adding roasted or confit garlic to the sous vide bag when cooking meat, chicken or vegetables adds a wonderful flavor to your dish.
Raw garlic should not be added to sous vide steak as it cooks at too low a temperature to actually cook the garlic. You'll end up with uncooked, bitter garlic on your steak. In addition, cooking garlic for long periods of time at too low of a temperature could cause foodborne illnesses.
Storage Instructions
Sous vide garlic can be stored in the fridge in the same container it was cooked in (or a separate container) for 5-7 days, or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
I don't recommend freezing more than 3 months as it may start to lose it's flavor.
You can use the oil that garlic was cooked in to cook other dishes - we love to use it to make fried rice!
If you love this recipe, leave a comment below and let us know your favorite thing about it. We'd also love to connect on Instagram! Follow us at @went_here_8_this for awesome recipes and all sorts of fun food stuff 🙂
Recipe
Sous Vide Garlic
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat a sous vide water bath to 190F degrees.
- Place the peeled garlic cloves, olive oil, salt and thyme in a vacuum seal or ziplock freezer bag. **I recommend using a ziplock with the water displacement method as it is difficult to vacuum seal with the amount of olive oil we are using.
- Slowly lower the bag into the water bath, sealing the top once almost submerged (water displacement method).
- Clip the bag to the side and cook for 3-5 hours, ensuring the garlic stays fully submerged the whole time.
- Remove from the water bath and use immediately, or place in a ice bath for 5 minutes, then store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Expert Tips:
- You can use 4 or 8 ounce canning jars to cook the garlic also. Just make sure the lids are tightened so they are barely finger tight (stop tightening when you feel the lids grab the jar).
- Use good quality garlic and olive oil for the best results - better ingredients will yield better results!
- You can substitute black garlic for the regular garlic here - the results come out very similar.
- Add additional olive oil (or whatever cooking fat you use) to the bag if you would like to create additional infused oil.
- This recipe can be doubled, tripled, or made into any quantity you'd like. I like to make a lot because we use it all the time!
Nutrition
Kevin
Pretty irresponsible to not mention that you can get botulism poisoning from garlic oil. And the official safe storage time in the fridge is 4 days (iirc), absolutely NOT 2 weeks.
Seriously, this is terrible.
Danielle
The risk of botulism in garlic oil is when garlic is stored in oil at room temperature. We are storing this garlic in the fridge. As far as keeping it 2 weeks, if you're uncomfortable with that time you can throw it out after a week (USDA recommendation for raw garlic in oil) or freeze it.
gigi
Yum! I made this and we use it to spread on bread when we serve it with soups. It's soooo good sprinkled with a touch of salt. Love how easy it is too.
Danielle
Thanks!