Shallot Confit
Shallot confit with fresh herbs is a versatile condiment with a savory and subtly sweet flavor that can be used in a variety of dishes.
When shallots are raw, they have a delicate yet pungent taste, so the best way to bring out their natural sweetness is by cooking them. Confit shallots are submerged in olive oil, and cooked on low heat over a long period of time. The result is jammy, melt-in-your-mouth shallots, and a delicious infused oil.
There are various ways you can use this delectable condiment. You can serve it with red meat, pizza, tacos, oat flour crepes, make salad dressings with it (use in place of the raw shallots in my simple shallot vinaigrette), pasta, frittatas, burgers or deconstructed burger bowls, etc. The options are truly endless.
What is Confit?
Confit (pronounced cone-fee) is a French word that means to preserve. It sounds fancier and more difficult than it actually is. This mostly hands-off slow cooking method involves cooking an ingredient in a generous amount of olive oil at a low temperature over a long period of time until tender. Then you store it completely submerged in the cooking oil to preserve it for a longer period of time.
The most popular type of confit is duck confit, but you can really confit just about any ingredient such as cherry tomatoes or other alliums like garlic or onions.
Ingredients
- Shallots – beautiful purple alliums that come in a variety of sizes and are the star ingredient of this confit recipe.
- Fresh thyme sprigs – add extra flavor.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – for cooking and preserving.
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper – to taste.
How to Make Shallot Confit
Step 1. Peel the shallots and slice them in half lengthwise. If your shallots are really small you can leave them whole.
Step 2. Add the peeled and halved shallots to the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish or Dutch oven pot along with the extra virgin olive oil. Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss to combine, then spread them back out into a somewhat even layer and nestle in a few thyme sprigs.
Step 3. Bake uncovered for 1 hour 20 minutes until the shallots are soft and tender.
Step 4. Allow the shallot confit to cool to room temperature. Discard herb sprigs and then transfer it to an airtight container or jar. Pour over the olive oil from the pan. Make sure to submerge the shallots in the cooking oil completely. Top with a tightly sealed lid.
Step 5. Store in the fridge for 1 month or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this shallot confit using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No fresh thyme? – you can use other fresh herbs such as rosemary, oregano, or sage. If you don’t have any fresh herbs, you can also use bay leaves.
- Add-ins – red pepper flakes, lemon zest, a splash of red wine vinegar or white wine, or a pinch of cane sugar to bring out more sweetness in the shallots.
Variations
- Shallot and garlic confit – add fresh garlic cloves.
- Mixed allium confit – add in any other vegetables in the allium plant family such as leeks, garlic, onions, scallions/green onions, or garlic scapes.
Helpful Tips
The cooking time may vary depending on the size of your shallots. If they’re smaller, they may only need an hour.
Use the highest quality ingredients for the best flavor.
More Homemade Condiments
Shallot Confit
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds shallots
- 1 ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 5 fresh thyme sprigs or more to taste
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F/150℃.
- Peel the shallots and slice them in half lengthwise. If your shallots are really small you can leave them whole.
- Add the peeled and halved shallots to the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish or Dutch oven pot along with the extra virgin olive oil. Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss to combine, then spread them back out into a somewhat even layer and nestle in a few thyme sprigs.
- Bake uncovered for 1 hour 20 minutes until the shallots are soft and tender.
- Allow the shallot confit to cool to room temperature. Discard herb sprigs and then transfer it to an airtight container or jar. Pour over the olive oil from the pan. Make sure to submerge the shallots in the cooking oil completely. Top with a tightly sealed lid.
- Store in the fridge for 1 month or the freezer for up to 3 months.