Stovetop Roasted Garlic {Garlic Confit}
by Katie Webster
September 9, 2014 (updated 9/20/22) Jump To Recipe
Calling all garlic lovers! This stovetop roasted garlic purée and roasted garlic oil is bound to hit the mark. You can use it in soups, pastas, vegetables, on toast or in dips.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe For Stovetop Roasted Garlic
This recipe for stovetop roasted garlic is an essential culinary technique sometimes called Garlic Confit. It has a wide variety of uses and goes with so many vegetables and seasonal ingredients. Once you learn how easy it is to make you’ll always keep a jar of it on hand for whenever you need a pop of bold roasted garlic flavor.
Like the name implies, this is a roasted garlic puree made on the stovetop, not in the oven. It is cooked to golden roasted perfection in a saucepan with much more oil than usual, and without the garlic skin on.
When it’s done roasting and you puree the garlic, you’re left with this amazingly rich roasted garlic oil. Both of these ingredients are pretty much like the flavor equivalent to an afternoon shot of espresso into any and all savory vegetable recipes. So you can see why I wanted to share it today!
Just think of it: grilled eggplant drizzled with lemony dressing made with a little of this puree and oil whisked in, top that off with chopped parsley! (Try my Roasted Eggplant Chickpea Salad for starters.)
Or how about some creamy white bean puree with roasted garlic swirled right in. Spread it on slices of baguette, then top it with swiss chard sizzled in a little of this homemade garlic oil. Oh baby! I could go on, but you get my idea.
Having ingredients like this roasted garlic puree and oil is what makes preparing simple whole food so effortless.
Another reason this technique is cool is that it is even better than oven-roasted garlic.
Here’s why: You know how when you make roasted garlic in the oven, you cut the tips off the garlic, drizzle it with oil, and then wrap it up with foil? Right, like I did for my roasted garlic cheddar potato soup or the ever-popular roasted garlic hummus.
Well, there is always a tiny bit of garlic left behind in the little crevices of the garlic skins. That’s no biggie and totally okay when you’re only roasting a few heads, but when you want to make a large amount of roasted garlic, it seems like a real waste. This stovetop technique avoids that problem.
Plus you get that roasted garlic oil I mentioned. A Win-Win!
Key Ingredients For This Recipe
Garlic
You’ll need 4 large or 5 medium heads of garlic, broken into individual cloves.
Water
Boiling water is used to help soften the garlic and prepare it for being roasted.
Avocado oil
If you don’t have avocado oil you can use organic canola oil. You’ll need this to roast the garlic.
Olive oil
You’ll also need extra-virgin olive oil for the roasting step.
Step-by-Step Instructions to Make This Stove Top Roasted Garlic
Step 1: Soak garlic
Place the garlic in a medium heat-proof bowl. Pour boiling water over the garlic and let sit until about room temperature and the garlic skins are loosened, 40 minutes to 1 hour.
Step 2: Peel and Roast garlic
Peel the garlic and trim root end from each clove. Transfer the garlic to a small heavy-bottomed saucepan and add avocado or canola oil and olive oil.
Place over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking very gently, pulling pot to edge of burner to keep heat low enough if necessary to prevent the mixture from boiling, until the garlic is very soft when pricked with a fork and golden-brown, 40 to 50 minutes.
Step 3: Drain and Purée garlic
Cool completely. Strain the garlic, reserving oil.
Puree the garlic. Store in separate covered containers in the fridge for up to two weeks. Bring oil to room temperature before using if it becomes solid in the refrigerator.
FAQs and Expert Tips
The puree and oil will keep for quite a while. I am going conservative here and saying they last for 10 days, but maybe longer. If the roasted garlic oil gets solid in the fridge, just pull it out and let it come up to room temperature before using. Do not store either at room temperature unless you are interested in brewing your own botox.
I find that straight olive oil is too strong and gets a little bitter. Plus it is less expensive to use a blend of canola or avocado alongside the olive oil.
Sometimes the oil will start to bubble too vigorously, and the garlic will brown too quickly, so in that case make sure the heat is as low as it can go. Sometimes I will even pull the saucepan off the side of the burner so it just simmers on one side (This is called mijoter).
Ways to Use Roasted Garlic Confit, Puree & Oil
Looking for more ideas for its uses? Well really I’ll leave it up to you, but here are some more ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
- Use the puree to give a savory flavor boost to vegetable soup or salad dressing.
- I like to embellish my Chicken Stock with a few tablespoons of roasted garlic puree.
- And of course it rocks in a Caesar salad.
- For a fast side dish, male steamed vegetables with some of this garlic puree, a little of the oil, a squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper. That’s it! So easy and delicious.
- Make sure you also use this roasted garlic puree to make this low-carb Spaghetti Squash with Mushrooms and Rosemary Sauce!
Additional Garlic Recipes to Try
- My Easy Garlic Herb Butternut Squash can be made entirely on the stove-top too!
- One of my favorite healthy 20-minute entrees; Lemon Garlic Shrimp.
- This Garlic Herb Marinated Chicken includes a no-muss-no-fuss marinade! And to marinate other proteins follow my guide for my Favorite Garlic Marinade that works with tofu, seafood, beef and pork too.
- You can never go wrong with this Garlic Mashed Broccoli recipe.
Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!
Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Stovetop Roasted Garlic {Garlic Confit}
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 1 cup oil 3/4 cup puree 1x
Description
Calling all garlic lovers!! This Stovetop roasted garlic puree (or garlic confit) and roasted garlic oil is bound to hit the mark. A simple ingredient to add flavor to seasonal vegetables, pasta, soups and more.
Ingredients
- 4 large or 5 medium heads garlic, broken into individual cloves
- 3 cups boiling water
- ¾ cup avocado or organic canola oil
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place garlic in a medium heat-proof bowl. Pour boiling water over the garlic and let sit until about room temperature and the garlic skins are loosened, 40 minutes to 1 hour.
- Peel garlic and trim root end from each clove. Transfer the garlic to a small heavy-bottomed saucepan and add avocado or canola oil and olive oil. Place over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking very gently, pulling pot to edge of burner to keep heat low enough if necessary to prevent the mixture from boiling, until the garlic is very soft when pricked with a fork and golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes.
- Cool completely. Strain garlic, reserving oil, and puree the garlic. Store in separate covered containers in the fridge for up to two weeks. Bring oil to room temperature before using if it becomes solid in the refrigerator.
Notes
Storing Tips:
The puree and oil will keep for quite a while. I am going conservative here and saying they last for 10 days, but maybe longer. If the roasted garlic oil gets solid in the fridge, just pull it out and let it come up to room temperature before using. Do not store either at room temperature unless you are interested in brewing your own botox.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: condiment
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon oil or 1 tablespoon puree
Keywords: roasted garlic, garlic puree, roasted garlic recipe, garlic oil
Katie Webster
Katie Webster studied art and photography at Skidmore College and is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. She has been a professional recipe developer since 2001 when she first started working in the test kitchen at EatingWell magazine. Her recipes have been featured in numerous magazines including Shape, Fitness, Parents and several Edible Communities publications among others. Her cookbook, Maple {Quirk Books} was published in 2015. She launched Healthy Seasonal Recipes in 2009. She lives in Vermont with her husband, two teenage daughters and two yellow labs. In her free time, you can find her at the gym, cooking, stacking firewood, making maple syrup, and tending to her overgrown perennial garden.
Do you have to put so much oil in the pan with garlic? I have trouble digesting oily/fried food.
I Lauren. Yes you need all that oil if you’re going to use this method. It is drained off and the garlic is not really oily. This will give you a really soft garlic puree without hard pieces.
Is it wrong that am mashing the roasted garlic with some salt and eating it straight away?! Love roasted garlic!
★★★★
I love that you’re doing that Heather! It’s so good!
Hi! Great idea. Will be trying this today. Curious about the recipe using this puree you shared on the Friday following this post. Please put a link?
“I will be sharing a delicious low-carb recipe with some of the garlic puree in it that will knock your socks off.”
Thanks!
Hi Nicole. I just added the link to the post for you. Here is is too. https://www.healthyseasonalrecipes.com/spaghetti-squash-mushroom-rosemary-sauce/ Enjoy the garlic!!
I’ve never heard of this technique – thanks so much for sharing it! Like another commenter said, it will be nice to have a non-oven way to make roasted garlic. As for checking out all the veggies before buying, I really try/want to but I feel so guilty walking past stands and not buying! Everyone’s offerings look amazing.
How would you suggest storing the cloves without puréeing? In the oil, in a jar, in the fridge?
That should work well and the garlic cloves will keep longer because they won’t be exposed to air. The only thing is that after a few days the oil will become solid in the fridge, so you’ll just need to warm it up to room temp, the oil will become fluid again and then you can drain the cloves.
Do you think this would freeze well?
Absolutely! Just make sure that the surface is not exposed to air to keep the best flavor. So if it is in a tupperware container, lay a small piece of foil across the surface to seal it.
just wonderin if the puree can be frozen? no sure I could use it before it goes bad. I have a 3 pound bag of garlic.
That is a great idea Donna! Go for it!
Katie, your pictures are incredible, I nearly hit my head on the screen trying to bite it..oops. This is a genius way for roasting garlic. genius.
You are a genius! So glad you dedicated a whole post to it! I love roasted garlic and am already coming up with fun ways to use this. Will be making it soon!
It is fun to have on hand so you can just add a little to all sorts of things. Have fun getting creative Alex and thank you so much for coming by.
THANKS so much for this tip. I have such a love-hate thing with roasting garlic. Love it but hate heating up an oven for something so small. I’m on this!
I’m so glad this technique appeals to you Anne.
How brilliant is this!!! I’ve never attempted to make roasted garlic puree on a stovetop – oh my – the aroma must indeed have been intoxicating!
After reading about “grilled eggplant drizzled with lemony dressing made with a little of this puree and oil whisked in” topped with chopped parsley…I have to go make me some before the drool needs a mop!
Well I can’t take credit for this idea. It is tried and true and I learned it when I worked at a restaurant years ago. Yes, I want to do the eggplant thing too! Ha ha. Thank you for the compliments and for coming by Shashi.
I can only imagine how delicious your kitchen was smelling 🙂 Ahhh! I love garlic! It has lots of health benefits! So bummed my processor broke on me this week. Boo! Sharing with my mom. She loves garlic too.
A broken food processor must be the pits. I have already used mine three times today and it isn’t even noon! FYI, you can mash the cloves with a fork, it just wont be as smooth.