Infused Olive Oil Recipes
Surprise your loved ones with a pretty homemade gift they'll enjoy using. These Infused Olive Oil Recipes are simple to prepare and have many flavor options such as lemon and thyme, chili oil, and herb-infused oil.
Servings: 12 tablespoons
Calories: 119kcal
Ingredients
Basic Infused Olive Oil
- 1 cup Olive Oil
- 3 tablespoons Herbs or choice of flavor infusion
Dried Herb Blend (acidify)
- 1/4 cup Dried Rosemary
- 1/4 cup Dried Thyme
- 1/4 cup Dried Oregano
- 1½ tablespoons Citric Acid
- 1 cup Water
- 4 - 6 cups Olive Oil
Fresh Herb Blend (acidify)
- 12 sprigs Fresh Rosemary reserve a sprig for bottle
- 12 sprigs Fresh Thyme keep a small sprig for the bottle
- 12 sprigs Fresh Oregano reserve a sprig for the bottle
- 1½ tablespoons Citric Acid
- 1 cup Water
- 4 - 6 cups Olive Oil
Lemon Thyme Olive Oil (acidify)
- 2 Lemons, peel only reserve some peel for the bottle
- 6 sprigs Fresh Thyme reserve a sprig for the bottle
- 2½ teaspoons Citric Acid
- 1/2 cup Water
- 4 cups Olive Oil
Garlic Infused Olive Oil
- 1/3 cup Garlic coarsely chopped in 1/4-inch pieces
- 1½ tablespoons Citric Acid
- 1 cup Water
- 2 cups Olive Oil
Chili Infused Olive Oil
- 5 - 7 Dried Chilis sliced down the middle
- 2 cups Olive Oil
Bread Dipping Oil (acidify)
- 3 tablespoons Dried Oregano
- 3 tablespoons Dried Basil
- 3 tablespoons Dried Thyme
- 3 tablespoons Dried Rosemary
- 2 teaspoons Dried Parsley
- 1½ tablespoons Citric Acid
- 1 cup Water
- 4 cups Olive Oil
Instructions
Acidify
- If the flavor you choose does not need to be acidified skip to "Infuse" otherwise follow the steps to acidify the garlic or herbs.
- Place either the garlic or the herbs in the bottom of the medium bowl (the garlic needs a different amount of solution so it cannot be combined with the herbs).
- Mix the appropriate amount of citric acid with the coordinating amount of water and pour over the herbs or garlic (the amounts of citric acid and water are listed for each flavor and was specifically determined based on the combination and amount of herbs or garlic).
- Nest the smaller bowl on top of the herbs and or garlic so they are fully submerged in the solution. You can pour some water into the smaller bowl to weigh it down.
- Allow the garlic or herbs to soak at room temperature for 24 hours, which allows the acid to fully penetrate the ingredients and bring the acidity beyond the growth limit for bacteria.
Infuse
- Clip a candy thermometer to the size of a medium-sized saucepan and heat the oil to 140º F.
- Remove the herbs or garlic from the acidic solution and pat dry. Place in the oil. If flavor doesn't require acidifying then just add the ingredients to the oil.
- Heat for a maximum of 5 minutes to infuse the most amount of flavor. Anytime over 5 minutes may damage the oil.
- Strain the herbs or peels out of the oil and pour it into a prepared jar.
Store
- Add any decorative ingredients such as lemon peel or sprigs of fresh herbs (as long as they have been acidified) to the desired bottle.
- Strain the oil through a cheesecloth or a small strainer into a measuring cup to remove any particles from the oil.
- Arrange the small funnel on top of the bottle and pour the infused olive oil into the bottle and seal with the top or cork.
- Place the oil away from heat and light and keep it in the fridge for a longer shelf-life.
Notes
- Garlic, basil, oregano, and rosemary are all herbs that will need to be soaked in a citric acid solution to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Citric acid can be found in many grocery stores or stores where canning products are sold.
- The color of the green herbs will change slightly when soaking in the acidic solution.
- Keep the chopped garlic or herbs submerged by applying weight by placing a smaller bowl on top. You can even add some water to the bowl if necessary to weigh it down more.
- Acidic solutions that aren't concentrated enough or decrease the soaking time could result in an unsafe oil.
- Use baker's twine to tie around the neck of the bottle for a pretty gift.
Storage Information:
- Fresh Ingredients: Infused oils made with fresh herbs and fresh garlic will last for up to 2 to 3 weeks stored in the fridge if you follow the acidification process (if required). If you choose not to do the acidification process the oil should be stored in the fridge and used within 2 to 4 days.
- Dried Ingredients: Other flavor combinations and dried herb-infused oil will last up to 3 months if stored in a cool dark place such as a pantry.
Nutrition
Serving: 12servings | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 18IU | Iron: 1mg