The Ultimate Olive Oil Infusions

Olive oil is a staple in the kitchen, but this basic has many layers. One of my favorites is olive oil infusions. Infusing olive oil is the process of soaking herbs, spices, and/or fruit in olive oil. You can either buy premade or make your own. I’ve been infusing olive oil for a number of years now. At this point I’ve probably made over 20 different varieties and find its uses infinite. I only use extra virgin olive oil. It does have a slight taste but the quality can’t be beat. My how-to-infuse instructions are as follows: Heat your infusion and olive oil of choice to about 140 F for 5 – 10 minutes. Then, allow to cool in a dark, dry place. Finally, pour the mixture into an airtight jar and leave to infuse. 

Years of experience have also taught me about the importance of safety when it comes to infusing olive oil. Items used to flavor oils can be a source of bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. If you make your own, I recommend using dried herbs whenever possible, soaking anything fresh in citric acid, heating the oil, not exceeding 24 hours when infusing, using within a couple of days after opening, and storing in the refrigerator. If you opt for a premade infusion, only buy ones you can verify have been acidified. Now that you have the basics, I’m excited to share with you my list of the absolute best infusions for olive oil.

A popular pairing with olive oil even outside the bottle, the real beauty of garlic is there are just so many versions of it you can use, each with a slightly different flavor payoff. Roasted, raw, caramelized…all are delicious. Garlic is a pungent additive and has a huge flavor impact when infused with olive oil. Use it for dipping. Think soft, absorbent bread with a strong crust. It’s also the perfect seasoning for pasta. My personal favorite way to use it is over pasta marinara with a sprinkle of oregano.

When we talk about garlic, black garlic (garlic that has been fermented) is often forgotten about or overlooked. But it’s great to infuse, the end product being more of a savory sweetness. Due to its umami-like quality, it pairs well with stir-fries. Or add it as a seasoning along with rice vinegar the next time you eat a cup of ramen. I learned this trick while living in Seoul, South Korea, and trust me when I say it’s a real game changer.

Originally from Greece before reaching France and England, many may be surprised to learn that lavender is part of the mint family. English lavender is most commonly used for culinary purposes, but there are others, including Provence lavender, Royal Velvet lavender, Betty’s Blue lavender, and Melissa lavender. Spanish and French lavender are purely ornamental. When lavender is infused in olive oil, it can be used in both sweet and savory dishes to add either a herbaceous or fresh effect. It really is one of the most versatile olive oil infusions on this list.

Wonderful when used in cake and cookie recipes, you can also blend with honey to then drizzle over berries. You can whisk it into a whipped cream frosting for a vanilla cake recipe or even use it to add flavor when making homemade ice cream. On the savory side, try it with less common dishes such as lamb or duck. Or, go back to the honey blend suggested from before, but this time, use it for a unique honey-glazed ham recipe.

The use of bay leaves in cooking is controversial, with some claiming they have no real taste. Here are some tips to get the most out of their somewhat elusive flavor. Look for bay leaves from California, as opposed to Europe, as they are a bit more intense. Also, make sure to use your dried bay leaves as soon as possible. The longer they sit on the shelf, the more they lose their flavor.  If you still find the bay leaf too subtle for your liking, make an infusion mix of bay leaves, lemon, and peppercorn. Or just add a bay leaf to any of the other infusion suggestions on this list. You may still not taste the bay leaf, but you may find everything else has more flavor. That means it’s doing its job. 

It is best to use bay leaf-infused olive oil raw. Just before digging in, drizzle over your fish, stews, gumbo, or anything with a heavy taste as the subtle bitterness of the bay leaf helps to balance this out.

There are many reasons to save your lemon peels — to zest for adding to a cake, to use as an all-natural cleaning alternative, or even for making a fancy Jell-O shot. Let’s add another to the list: For infusing into olive oil. Making lemon chicken? Add lemon-infused olive oil to add even more of that lemony flavor. I also bake my fish in it when making fish tacos, as it adds a freshness to the dish. Also perfect for pancakes and scones. Remember to let your peels dry out before infusing!

If you’re a true citrus fan like me, you understand and appreciate the subtle differences between not only the different citrus fruits but also the variety within one fruit. Lemons are no different. You’ve got Meyer, Sicilian, Eureka, Lisbon…the list goes on. Play around with what you can find at your local grocery store to discover your favorite. You’ll be surprised to find that places like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Sprouts carry quite a variety.

Basil brings with it images of rugged, hilly coastal plains along the sea and warm breezes that smell every so faintly of citrus, lavender, and herbs. Basil, on its own, is a great introduction to the Mediterranean’s flavor palette. Pair basil with garlic, and you’re getting closer to the smells and scents of this rich region where the West and the East meet. But by combining basil, garlic, and olive oil, the three pillars of Mediterranean cooking, you create the ultimate Mediterranean experience.

It’s hard to go wrong with this infusion; it beautifully enhances almost any savory dish. Personal favorites include a Caprese salad with balsamic vinegar, hummus, and pita bread, pizza Margherita, or homemade focaccia if you’re into making your own bread.

A tip for those attempting homemade basil infusions: Don’t leave basil leaves in the olive oil for over 24 hours. They become mussy and start disintegrating after this due to their water content.

Sage is a member of the mint family and has a piney, earthy, and slightly minty flavor with very subtle peppery notes. Many confuse it with thyme. While also part of the mint family, thyme leans more earthy with a slight lemony flavor and tastes more minty than sage. Sage-infused olive oil is perfect as is, but it also combines well with many other ingredients to make infusion combos. Try wild mushrooms or garlic.

Cooking with sage is a real treat. Use this infusion as a rub on turkey and chicken before cooking for added moisture and flavor. Sage-infused olive oil is actually the secret ingredient to making vegan mashed potatoes. Nix the butter, add this olive oil infusion instead with baked garlic (when garlic is baked, it becomes almost butter-like in texture), and add a generous amount of salt to your boiled potatoes and mash all together. Voila! Vegan mashed potatoes.

Let’s turn up the heat! If you like things spicy, infusing chilis with your olive oil will be right up your alley. For just a hint of spice, use chili flakes. If you like it real spicy, add whole dried red chilies to your infusion. As with all infusions, you will heat the flakes or whole chilis with the olive oil over low heat for about 5 to 10 minutes or until you start seeing bubbles.

I like to save this unique infusion for house parties when I have a cheese or charcuterie board out for my guests. It adds a whole other flavor palette to the mix, and it’s a real crowd pleaser. Guests can use it for dipping as it pairs well with almost any dried meat or cheese. Or they can create their favorite meat and cheese combo on a cracker and drizzle the chili-infused oil on top. Other great uses are for your morning fried egg or as the finishing touch along with some grated parmesan to a bowl of lentil soup. Perfect if you like a little bit of zing.

Starting your own herb garden? Rosemary is an easy herb to grow at home, and a great way to use your freshly grown produce is to add it to your olive oil. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, for safety reasons, it is always best to use dried herbs. If you simply can’t wait and want to use your fresh sprigs, remember to soak in citric acid first.

Sub for regular olive oil to make some yummy and savory roasted potatoes. You can even grab some fresh-cut sprigs of rosemary and add it as a garnish on top. Rosemary-infused olive oil is also great rubbed into a chicken before a slow cook in the oven. If you struggle with dry and flavorless turkey at Thanksgiving, give your bird a rub down of this olive oil infusion next holiday season and get ready for the incoming compliments from friends and family. Speaking of the holidays, homemade olive oil infusions of any kind make a great gift, thanks to that special DIY touch.

There are so many mushrooms to choose from for infusing in olive oil. Porcini, truffle, and shiitake are some of my favorites. Porcini is popular and you can find many varieties sold by well-known brands. You can also find truffle infusions, although it is not quite as common. If you want to try your hand at homemade, I suggest using dried mushrooms. Rinse your dried mushrooms with hot water and thoroughly dry before you start the process of making your infused olive oil as described at the beginning of this article. For something even more appetizing, consider combining your mushroom of choice with sage.

I love this infusion over flatbread, preferably ones with cured meats and goat cheese. But a simple onion flatbread works just as well. You can even add sautéed mushrooms to really deepen that earthy flavor. Besides flatbreads, risotto is another great dish for this particular olive oil infusion.

My top two uses for this infusion are baked potatoes and biscuits. Add as a final topping to a baked potato that has all the trimmings. I’m talking about butter, sour cream, bacon bits, green onions, and the works. Or use it as a light wash before baking for some extra herbiness on cheddar chive biscuits. Smother in butter, and you’ve got something truly special.

Chives are often confused with green onions, the main difference being that chives are considered a herb and green onions are vegetables. Both have an onion-like flavor, but chives are milder and more herbaceous. Chives are also smaller in appearance and look a bit like grass. You can either roughly chop or mince your chives before beginning the infusing process. Since this is a fresh ingredient, I would recommend making this a day before you actually use it, allowing the chives to infuse in the olive oil for 24 hours before straining out the chives and then using what you’ve made immediately.

A citrus fruit with a more complex flavor profile than a regular orange, blood oranges always tasted like, to me, a cross between a grapefruit and raspberries. A blood orange-infused olive oil has a wonderful, fresh tanginess with a subtle touch of sweetness. This infusion is great for both sweet and savory dishes. Do you struggle to eat your bitter greens (kale, arugula, mustard greens)? Drizzle blood orange-infused olive oil over them with a pinch of salt before eating to help take away their unpleasant, bitter bite. Use in place of regular olive oil the next time you bake a cake for some extra depth and a subtle citrus flavor. I think it works best in a ciambellone, also known as an Italian tea cake, as it intensifies its citrus flavor. If you decide to make your infusion, simply use the peel of two blood oranges. This is also a popular choice to add to olive oil, and you can find many varieties online or at your local specialty store.

Oregano is an earthy, green, and subtly sweet herb. There are a number of edible varieties of oregano, including the common variety, Origanum vulgare, also known as Greek oregano, Italian oregano, and Turkish oregano. Greek oregano is my top choice for olive oil infusions. Oregano also has health benefits thanks to its high levels of antioxidants. Antioxidants fight free radicals in the body, and studies have shown oregano to be high in two, carvacrol and thymol. We love food that not only tastes good but is good for you. Oh, the power of nature!

Oregano is a herb that has a greatly different impact when used fresh versus dried. I recommend using fresh oregano as the aroma is more intense and prominent but be careful as using anything fresh does come with risk. Soaking in citric acid is advised. This is one of my favorite infusions to use as a salad dressing. Pack even more flavor into your salads by adding balsamic vinegar as well. Don’t care for oregano? Use its sweeter and milder cousin, marjoram.

“Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.” These lyrics from the well-known song, Scarborough Fair, always come to mind when I talk about thyme. Thyme belongs to the mint family and has a mild, earthy flavor. When making your own infusion, you can use either fresh or dried thyme to add a herbal flavor to your olive oil. Consider using this infusion instead of plain olive oil if you like to make your own tomato sauce. 

Thyme is also one of the main herbs in the spice blend, herbs de Provence, which is usually a blend of thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, savory, marjoram, oregano, bay leaf, and sometimes lavender. You can make your own herbs de Provence blend or buy one from your local grocery store to use in a homemade infusion. This infused olive oil is best for seasoning meat or fish, especially when grilled. You can also easily elevate grilled skewers by using this infusion as a marinade.  

Fresh dill is recommended for infusing in olive oil as it loses much of its flavor when dried. You can even gently crush the herb to encourage it to release its flavor. Since this is a fresh infusion, remember to take the proper safety precautious to keep bacteria from growing in your olive oil. This is another great choice if you are looking to start your herb garden journey. Dill is an easy-to-grow herb as it is tolerant of minimal care and adaptable to many different climates. Full sun is best, and it prefers well-drained soil.

Let your dill infuse in olive oil for 24 hours (or a little longer if a stronger taste is desired) in a cool, dry place. Once open, use within 3 days. Dill-infused olive oil is great as a marinade for roasting vegetables. You can toss cucumbers in it for a quick but flavorful snack or make sauces such as aioli, tartar, or anything mayo-based.