Creamy Garlic Confit Pasta
Creamy Garlic Confit Pasta
Ingredients
For the Garlic Confit
- 2 1/2 cups garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 cups olive oil, enough to submerge garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
For the Creamy Pasta Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups garlic confit, cooked, from above
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream, or milk, as needed
- 12 ounces pasta, such as elbow macaroni or ditalini, cooked according to package directions
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for serving
Instructions
- 1
To make the garlic confit: Place the peeled garlic cloves into a medium saucepan. Pour olive oil over the garlic until they are completely submerged. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Place the saucepan over low heat. Cook the garlic in the oil until it is soft and tender, gently bubbling, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. This will take approximately 30-40 minutes. Do not let the garlic brown.
⏱️ 35 min
- 3
Once the garlic is cooked and tender, remove the confit from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. Reserve the garlic-infused oil for other uses.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
While the garlic confit is cooling, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
To make the creamy pasta sauce: In a large pan or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Add the cooked garlic confit to the melted butter. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, mash the garlic confit in the pan until it forms a chunky paste.
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
Add the tomato paste to the mashed garlic and stir to combine, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and mix well. Bring to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Gradually whisk in the heavy cream until the sauce reaches a creamy, uniform consistency. Continue whisking as the sauce simmers and thickens slightly, about 3-5 minutes.
⏱️ 4 min
- 10
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce in the pan. Stir well to coat all the pasta with the sauce.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Add the torn or chopped fresh basil leaves and the grated Parmesan cheese. Mix until the cheese is melted and incorporated into the sauce.
⏱️ 2 min
- 12
Serve the pasta immediately in bowls. Optionally, garnish with additional grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Creamy Garlic Confit Pasta
For the Garlic Confit
- 2 1/2 cups garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 cups olive oil, enough to submerge garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
For the Creamy Pasta Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups garlic confit, cooked, from above
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream, or milk, as needed
- 12 ounces pasta, such as elbow macaroni or ditalini, cooked according to package directions
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for serving
Instructions
- 1
To make the garlic confit: Place the peeled garlic cloves into a medium saucepan. Pour olive oil over the garlic until they are completely submerged. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Place the saucepan over low heat. Cook the garlic in the oil until it is soft and tender, gently bubbling, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. This will take approximately 30-40 minutes. Do not let the garlic brown.
⏱️ 35 min - 3
Once the garlic is cooked and tender, remove the confit from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. Reserve the garlic-infused oil for other uses.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
While the garlic confit is cooling, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
To make the creamy pasta sauce: In a large pan or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Add the cooked garlic confit to the melted butter. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, mash the garlic confit in the pan until it forms a chunky paste.
⏱️ 3 min - 7
Add the tomato paste to the mashed garlic and stir to combine, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and mix well. Bring to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Gradually whisk in the heavy cream until the sauce reaches a creamy, uniform consistency. Continue whisking as the sauce simmers and thickens slightly, about 3-5 minutes.
⏱️ 4 min - 10
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce in the pan. Stir well to coat all the pasta with the sauce.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Add the torn or chopped fresh basil leaves and the grated Parmesan cheese. Mix until the cheese is melted and incorporated into the sauce.
⏱️ 2 min - 12
Serve the pasta immediately in bowls. Optionally, garnish with additional grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.
⏱️ 1 min