Easy Air Fryer Garlic Confit

Do you read a recipe that says “two cloves of garlic,” and proceed to add four or five? If yes, then you’re just as obsessed with garlic as me and there’s no such thing as too much. 🧄 There’s nothing quite like the smell of slow-roasted garlic wafting through the kitchen too – it’s sweet, buttery, and tastes absolutely heavenly. 

This Easy Air Fryer Garlic Confit is one of my go-to small-batch snacks to make during my weekend “ingredient prepping” routine. It’s a small-batch, fuss-free way to make your everyday cooking taste a little more gourmet and a bit shmancy.

In my last feature, I shared how I prefer prepping building blocks for the week ahead like my healthy rice blend, rather than complete meals. Prepping versatile ingredients like this garlic confit gives you the freedom to create gourmet-style snacks and meals throughout the week without feeling like you’re eating the same “leftover” container every day.

Why I Love This Air Fryer Garlic Confit

• It’s ridiculously easy to make: You only need two ingredients and about 30 minutes.
• It’s versatile: It’s a flavour bomb that can be used in all kinds of different dishes. Scroll down for the 5 ways that I like to use it on a near weekly basis.
• It’s small batch: This is perfect for when you only need enough for a week or even a single indulgent sitting.
• It cooks easily in the air fryer: There’s no need to preheat the big oven because the air fryer easily handles this small batch.
• The aroma: Honestly, your kitchen will smell incredible!

5 Ways to Use Your Roast Garlic Confit

Once you have this liquid gold sitting in your fridge (or in a dry, dark spot), the possibilities are endless. Here is how I usually use my weekly batch:

1. On fresh bread: Spread the soft garlic cloves straight onto warm, crusty sourdough or baguette. Add a pinch of sea salt or a drizzle of balsamic glaze for a real treat.
2. Roasted garlic hummus: Blend the cloves and a tablespoon of the garlic-infused oil into your store-bought or homemade hummus. Trust me, you’ll never look back.
3. Salad dressings and sauces: Whisk it into vinaigrettes or creamy dressings. I’ll be sharing a recipe for a garlic yoghurt salad bowl very soon, so stay tuned!
4. Extra garlicky pasta: Use the infused oil and the “smooshed” cloves as a base for pasta. From a simple Aglio e Olio to my favourite garlic prawn spaghetti, it is a total game changer.
5. Garlic focaccia on peak mode: Mix the garlic confit into your focaccia dough as well as pressing some cloves onto the top before baking for a great flavour burst.

Recipe: Small-Batch Air Fryer Garlic Confit

Servings: This lasts anywhere from 1 week (if you use it sparingly in cooking) to not even a day (if you start eating it with fresh bread and can’t control yourself).

Ingredients

• 1/2 to 1 cup peeled garlic cloves
• Approx. 1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or enough to submerge the cloves)

Equipment

• A small oven-safe ramekin or ceramic bowl (preferably with a lid, otherwise foil works perfectly).
• Air fryer (you can still use an oven, but considering the energy a large oven uses, it’s best to cook this at the same time with other things like roast vegetables).

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat Air Fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 180ºC for at least 5 minutes to ensure an even cook.

Step 2: Garlic Bath Time. Place your peeled garlic cloves into the small oven-safe ramekin. Pour the extra virgin olive oil over the top until the cloves are almost entirely submerged.

Step 3: Cover Up. Place the lid on your ramekin. If you don’t have a lid, cover the bowl tightly with aluminium foil. This prevents the garlic from burning and allows it to “confit” in the oil.

Step 4: Cook. Place the ramekin carefully into the air fryer basket. Cook at 180ºC for approximately 20 minutes.

Step 5: The Smoosh Test. Carefully remove the ramekin from the air fryer. It will be very hot! Remove the lid or foil. The oil should be bubbling beautifully. Use a fork to gently press down on a garlic clove. If it’s nice and soft and easy to spread, it’s ready. If it still has some resistance, pop it back in for another 3 to 5 minutes.

Storage Tip: Once cooled, store the garlic and the oil in a clean and airtight glass container.

Enjoy!