Slow-cooked and full of flavor, confit potatoes are a simple 5-minute prep restaurant-worthy side dish that’s gluten-free and vegan!
If you’re looking for a simple yet impressive side dish, look no further than confit potatoes!
Slow-cooked to perfection, they’re fork-tender, flavorful, and so easy to make.
Whether you’re serving them with roasted meat, fish, or adding them to a salad, I promise you, these potatoes bring a touch of restaurant-quality elegance to literally any meal.
Naturally gluten-free and vegan, they’re a great choice for holiday dinners or special occasions with a large crowd.
I highly recommend pairing these potatoes confit with this prosciutto-wrapped chicken meatloaf, or this elegant veal Milanese or flavor-packed fish piccata.
And don’t forget about the leftover confit oil—it’s packed with delicious flavor!
You can use it to roast vegetables, sauté greens, or drizzle over salads for a rich, savory boost.
Jump to:
What is a confit potato?
A confit potato is a way of cooking potatoes by slowly cooking them in fat, like duck fat, butter, or olive oil, at a low heat.
This makes the potatoes soft, flavorful, and creamy.
The word "confit" comes from French and means "to preserve". It is traditionally used for cooking and preserving meats, vegetable and fruits.
Whilst the confit technique is mostly famous for the popular duck confit, or garlic confit, it can be used for vegetables too, such as tomato confit or potato confit.
Ingredients
The beauty of making potatoes confit is that you need the most basic ingredients!
Here's what you'll need:
- Potatoes: Fingerling potatoes are my top choice for making confit! Baby potatoes, red potatoes and new potatoes are a great alternative.
- Olive oil: I love the rich flavor of extra-virgin olive oil combined with potatoes, but you can substitute it with any neutral vegetable oil, like grapeseed or canola. Alternatively, a more budget-friendly olive oil works well too.
- Fresh herbs: I like to use fresh thyme springs, but I also recommend fresh sage leaves, fresh oregano, rosemary springs or a combination of these herbs.
- Garlic: This is optional, but adds an amazing depth of flavor to both the oil and the potatoes. You can use whole cloves for a milder taste or grate them for a more intense flavor.
How to make confit potatoes
This confit potato recipe is incredibly easy to make, with just 5 minutes of prep time!
Here’s a quick overview of the recipe with step-by-step pictures to guide you.
For the full printable recipe, scroll down to the bottom of the post.
STEP 1. Place the potatoes, garlic, thyme, and salt in a small baking dish. Pour in enough olive oil to completely cover the potatoes.
STEP 2. Place in the oven and cook for 90-120 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Avoid letting the oil boil.
Once cooked, the potatoes can be served right away as a side dish alongside roasted or grilled meat or fish, or added to salads for extra flavor and texture.
For crispy confit potatoes, transfer them in a skillet, add a little confit oil, and sautée until the potatoes are nicely crisp, about 5 minutes.
Storage tips
Transfer the potatoes confit and their cooking oil to a clean, airtight container and keep refrigerated.
They will keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
How to store leftover oil from confit
Here’s how to store your leftover confit oil so it stays fresh and ready to use:
- Once the oil has cooled a bit, strain it through a fine sieve or cheesecloth to get rid of any food or herbs. This keeps the oil clean and prevents it from spoiling.
- Pour the strained oil into a clean, airtight jar or bottle. A glass jar with a lid works perfectly!
- Transfer the container to the fridge to keep the oil fresh.
- Write the date on the jar so you remember when you stored it. For the best flavor and safety, use it within 1 week.
- If you use the oil again for cooking, don’t overheat it—this can break down the oil and affect the taste.
Leftover confit oil is a flavor-packed treasure!
Re-use it to make more confit veggies, meat or fish, use it to roast veggies, sauté your favorite ingredients, or add extra richness to dishes. Trust me, you’ll love it!
More potato recipes to try
If you've tried and loved this potato confit recipe, I have more potato dishes to share!
Some of our family favorite potato recipes include this classic Italian frittata, these delicious purple baked potatoes, these flavourful quick roasted potatoes, and these colourful purple mashed potatoes.
Did you try this recipe?
Please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thepetitecook!
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Recipe
Confit potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 lb fingerling potatoes, (baby, new or red potatoes work well too)
- 3 garlic cloves, whole or grated
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 cups Extra-virgin olive oil
- sea salt flakes and freshly-cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Place the potatoes on a single layer in a baking dish. Add garlic and thyme springs, and season with sea salt and pepper. Pour in enough olive oil to completely cover the potatoes.
- Preheat your oven to 110°C/220 °F. Transfer the potatoes to the oven and cook for 90-120 minutes, or until they’re fork-tender. Avoid letting the oil bubble.
- Once ready, remove the potatoes from the oven and cool at room temperature.
- For crispy confit potatoes, transfer them to a baking sheet and broil for 2–3 minutes, or sauté them in a hot pan.
- Serve the confit potatoes immediately as a side dish or let them cool in the oil for a later use.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Sophie says
I’ve been looking for a confit potatoes recipes for ages, thank you so much, I made them yesterday and they were a hit!