Air Fryer Garlic Confit
Description
Soft, golden garlic cloves slow-cooked in olive oil in the air fryer. Spreadable, sweet, and ready in 40 minutes — plus a jar of garlic-infused oil.
Ingredients
- 1 small head garlic, about 10–12 cloves, peeled
- ¼ cup olive oil, or enough to fully submerge
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 sprigs thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 250°F (120°C) for 3–5 minutes.
- Arrange the peeled garlic cloves in a single layer in a small oven-safe dish that fits your air fryer. Don't crowd them.
- Pour in enough olive oil to submerge the cloves completely, about ¼ inch above the tops. Add the salt, pepper, and thyme.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- Air fry at 250°F for 30–40 minutes, stirring gently at the halfway point. The confit is done when a clove mashes with no resistance and is pale gold.
- Optional: remove the foil for the final 2–3 minutes for light color. Watch closely.
- Cool to room temperature — no more than 1 hour. Transfer the cloves and oil to a clean glass jar, keeping the cloves fully submerged.
- Refrigerate immediately. Label with the date.
Equipment
- Baking Pan
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days, cloves fully submerged in oil. Label the jar with the date. Garlic in oil carries a botulism risk — never store at room temperature, and don't extend the fridge window. Per the National Center for Home Food Preservation, garlic-in-oil should be refrigerated no more than 4 days; USDA FSIS allows up to 7.
Freezing: Freeze in an ice cube tray, cloves covered with the oil. Once solid, transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. Keeps for several months. Add a frozen cube directly to a hot pan — no thawing needed.
Scaling: See the time chart above for 1–4 heads of garlic.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 65kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 0.3gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 73mgPotassium: 17mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.04gVitamin A: 18IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 0.2mg