Last Updated on December 17, 2025 by Sabrina Currie
This easy creamy garlic confit mashed potatoes recipe is the perfect cozy side dish for Christmas dinner or a Thanksgiving table but easy enough to pair up with meatloaf or stew any night of the week. With just 5 ingredients and mostly hands-off cooking time, I think these are the best mashed potatoes ever!
Learn how easy it is to make garlic confit in olive oil (or duck fat) at low temperature until the cloves of garlic turn soft and golden brown.
Jump to:
Why I Love This Recipe
- Sweet garlic flavor without sharpness. Confitting heads of garlic at low heat coaxes out gentle flavor and softens the cloves.
- Garlic oil. The olive oil turns into a delicious garlic oil that is a great ingredient for anything savory you use oil for. (Store in the fridge)
- Confit the garlic in the oven while roasting veggies, chicken or a turkey. Or even roast it in the same pan for a similar result.
- Restaurant-style texture. Use a potato ricer for a perfect potato mash or use a potato masher for a rustic texture.
- Make-ahead friendly. These mashed potatoes keep well covered in the fridge and reheat well with a little warm milk.
- Flexible flavours. Finish with fresh herbs like fresh chives, fresh thyme, or fresh sage for a little extra if you like.
Recipe Ingredients
Garlic confit potatoes sound fancy but they are actually really simple to make! Slow cooked garlic transforms the humble potato into an impressive side dish.
Mashed potatoes pair well with this easy stuffed roast chicken or pork tenderloin and a simple arugula salad or Greek salad.
- Potatoes - I like russet potatoes for their floury and fluffy texture once mashed. If you have another favorite potato, go ahead and use it instead, just ensure it is well cooked so it mashes well.
- Garlic - Slow cook a head of garlic in olive oil or duck fat until soft and just starting to get golden brown. It's easy and you can make it up to 2 weeks ahead and store in the refrigerator.
- Oil - High quality extra virgin olive oil or duck fat are the classic choices but any fresh tasting oil you like best can be used.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions + Variations
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes will feel and taste 'creamier' while Russet potatoes feel 'fluffier'.
- Dairy: Swap whole milk for heavy cream for a richer mashed potato or use skim milk or low-sodium chicken stock in place of whole milk for a lighter mash. For a tangy flavor, use ¾ cup of sour cream in place of the milk.
- Duck-fat confit: Making duck confit? Sub duck fat for oil and tuck in garlic during the last 45-60 minutes so it cooks gently. Store garlic separately under fat and refrigerate promptly for up to 2 weeks.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. ) Preheat your oven to 120°C/250°F.
Slice the tops off bulbs of garlic or peel individual cloves and place them in an oven-safe ramekin or shallow dish. Cover with olive oil (or duck fat if using). Add rosemary sprigs or fresh thyme if you like, and a pinch of salt. Place in the oven and bake for 45-60 minutes until the cloves are tender and just starting to get golden brown.
Step 2. Place peeled and cut potatoes in cold water in a large heavy-bottomed pot and add 1 tablespoon salt. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer until very tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain well, then return to the warm pot 2-3 minutes to steam off excess moisture.
Step 3. Mash the potatoes, salt, pepper and confit garlic cloves together or put them through a ricer.
Heat the milk just to steaming in the microwave or in a small pan over medium-low heat.
Step 4. Stir in the hot milk and butter until well mixed and the butter is melted in. Season with extra salt and black pepper if needed. Stir in fresh herbs if using.
Step 5. Spoon the garlic confit mashed potatoes into a warmed bowl or portion into oven-safe ramekins set on a large baking dish and keep over a warm place until serving. Drizzle a tablespoon of the garlic scented olive oil over top if you like, and serve while hot.
Expert Tips
For best results, don't skip salting the boiling water for the potatoes and let them steam dry a bit after draining. Heating the milk before adding will help prevent lumpy mashed potatoes.
How To Store Garlic Confit Oil Safely
Refrigerate garlic confit and its infused oil at 4°C/40°F or colder. Garlic oil is delicious and versatile but also very perishable. Use it fresh within 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing in small 2 tablespoon portions so it's easy to thaw and use.
*Never keep garlic oil at room temperature as it is a known risk for botulism.*
Recipe FAQs
Flavorful garlic confit oil is delicious whisked into salad dressings, drizzled on roasted veg, brushed on grilled bread, used to fry eggs, or finish soups and steaks.
Yukon Gold potatoes are medium-starch with thin golden skin and yellow flesh, giving them a naturally creamy, slightly buttery texture that holds together well-great for roasting, gratins, soups/stews, and silky mashed potatoes. Russets are high-starch and drier with thick brown skin and white flesh, so they bake up fluffy, crisp beautifully (great for fries and hash browns), and tend to break down more easily in liquid, making them ideal for baked potatoes, extra-fluffy mash, and dishes where you want a light interior or more thickening power.
Yes. Chill and then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pot on the stove over low heat adding a little extra milk as needed.
Pin These Mashed Potatoes For Later
Save this garlic confit mashed potatoes recipe to Pinterest for next time or share it with your friends on Facebook!
More Great Salad + Side Dish Recipes
Looking for more great side dishes for your main dish? A bright salad always livens up a meal. Risotto, pasta and beans are great alternatives to potatoes and my crispy Brussels sprouts will make a believer out of anyone!
- Easy Creamy Lemon Asparagus Risotto With Parmesan
- Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad
- Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Crispy Prosciutto
- Vegan Italian White Beans
If you have any questions or comments, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. I try to answer any recipe related questions quickly as I know you might be in the middle of making it.
Also check out my FREE PRINTABLE meal planner to make menu planning and grocery shopping a breeze and my shopping guide. And if you like this recipe, I would love it if you give it a star rating in the recipe card.
Cheers and happy cooking, Friends! Sabrina
📖 Recipe
Easy Creamy Garlic Confit Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- 2 teaspoon olive oil enough to cover the garlic
- 2 teaspoon salt, divided plus extra for boiling potatoes
- 4 cups russet potatoes
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup whole milk warmed
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Optional: nutmeg, minced parsley or chives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 120°C/250°F. Slice the tops off the bulbs of garlic or peel individual cloves and place them in an oven-safe ramekin or shallow dish and cover with olive oil. Add herbs if using, and ½ teaspoon salt per bulb of garlic. Place in the oven and cook until tender and golden brown, about 45-65 minutes.
- Add potatoes to a large pot of cold salted water (about 1 tablespoon per liter/quart of water). Water should cover the potatoes by 1 inch/2.5 cm. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low heat and cook until very tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain them and return to pot to steam-dry 2 minutes. Meanwhile, remove a bulb of garlic from the oil and peel the cloves of garlic (8-12 cloves).
- Mash the potatoes, 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper and confit garlic cloves together or put them through a ricer.
- Heat the milk just to steaming in the microwave or in a small pan over medium-low heat. Stir in the hot milk and butter until well mixed and the butter is melted in. Season with extra salt and black pepper if needed. Stir in fresh herbs if using.
- Garnish with fresh herbs like chopped chives, parsley or thyme or a drizzle of the leftover garlic oil and serve while hot.
Leave a Reply