Chili Garlic Confit (Spicy Garlic in Olive Oil)
This chili garlic confit is made of whole garden garlic cloves slow-cooked in olive oil with cayenne and chili flakes until they turn soft, sweet, and jammy. You get two things at once: spreadable spicy garlic and a fragrant chili oil. Keep it in the fridge and spoon it onto toast or roasted potatoes.
The garlic in this jar is all from my own garden. I grew far more than we could use fresh, so after harvesting I cured and dried the heads – you can see it in the photos – and then turned a good part of the crop into confit. Everything here comes from the garden except, of course, the olive oil. I add cayenne and chili because I love the gentle heat they lend the cloves and the oil, though you can leave them out for a classic, mellow confit. I keep mine in jars in the fridge and spoon it onto toast or roasted potatoes. It is, honestly, delicious.
Why I add chili (and how to keep it simple)
Classic garlic confit is just garlic and oil, and it is wonderful that way. I add cayenne and chili flakes because the heat slowly infuses both the cloves and the oil as they cook, so you end up with a warm, spicy garlic you can spread on anything and a chili oil that is gold for drizzling. It is a gentle heat, not a fiery one, and you control it – add more for a real kick, or leave the chili out entirely for a mellow, traditional confit. Everything but the oil came from my garden, chili peppers included.
How to make chili garlic confit
It could not be simpler. Peel the cloves and lay them in a single layer in a small pan or baking dish, then add the cayenne, chili, salt, and any herbs. Pour over enough olive oil to cover the garlic completely – this is what poaches it evenly. Cook it low and slow, either on the stovetop at the barest simmer or in a low oven, until the cloves are soft and just golden; you want tiny bubbles, never a fry. Let it cool completely, then spoon everything into a clean jar with the cloves under the oil. Full quantities and timing are in the recipe card below.
Is chili garlic confit safe? Store it cold
This is the one thing to get right. Garlic in oil, with or without chili, can grow the bacteria if it is left at room temperature and no amount of sterilizing the jar makes it shelf-stable. So treat it as a fridge condiment: cool it, then refrigerate it straight away in an airtight jar with the cloves covered in oil. To keep it longer, freeze it in an ice-cube tray for up to three months. Never leave garlic confit on the counter or in the pantry.
How to use chili garlic confit
My two favorites are the simplest: the soft cloves smashed onto hot buttered toast, and a spoonful tossed through roasted potatoes so they crisp up in the chili oil. Beyond that, mash the cloves into dips, hummus, and dressings, stir them into pasta or mashed potatoes, or use the fragrant oil to finish soups and roasted vegetables. For more garlic-forward cooking, try our roasted garlic pasta, roasted garlic mushrooms, or browse all our vegan garlic recipes.
Summarise & Save This Recipe
★ Add us as a trusted Google source
Chili Garlic Confit
Equipment
- Small saucepan or baking dish
- Spoon
- Airtight jar
Ingredients
- 8 heads garlic about 200 g, cloves peeled
- 300 ml olive oil or enough to cover the cloves
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper or 1-2 tsp chili flakes, to taste
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 sprigs thyme optional, from the garden
- 1 bay leaf optional
Instructions
- Peel the garlic cloves and spread them in a single layer in a small saucepan or baking dish.
- Add the cayenne (or chili flakes), salt, and the thyme and bay leaf if using. Pour in enough olive oil to cover the cloves completely.
- Cook low and slow: on the stovetop over the lowest heat for 40 to 50 minutes, or in a 120-135°C (250-275°F) oven for about 1 to 1½ hours, until the cloves are soft and lightly golden. The oil should barely bubble, never boil or fry.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool completely.
- Transfer the cloves and the chili oil to a clean, airtight jar, keeping the garlic fully covered in oil, and refrigerate right away.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Garlic stored in oil can grow the bacteria that cause botulism if kept at room temperature. Cool it, then refrigerate it right away and use within about one week, or freeze it. Never store garlic confit on the counter or in the pantry.
No. The safety rules for garlic in oil are the same with or without chili or cayenne. Keep it refrigerated in an airtight jar with the cloves covered in oil, use it within about a week, or freeze it for longer.
In the fridge, keep it in an airtight jar with the cloves fully covered in oil and use it within about one week. For longer storage, freeze the cloves and oil in an ice-cube tray for up to 3 months.
Low and slow. You want the oil just barely bubbling, never boiling or frying, so the cloves turn soft and golden without browning hard. Use the lowest stovetop heat or a low oven around 120 to 135°C (250 to 275°F).
Spread the soft cloves on toast, toss a spoonful through roasted potatoes, mash them into dips, hummus, and dressings, or stir them into pasta. Use the fragrant chili oil to drizzle over soups and roasted vegetables.
Yes. Leave out the cayenne and chili flakes for a classic, mellow garlic confit; everything else stays the same. The chili simply adds a gentle warmth to the cloves and the oil.
