Making your own aromatic-infused olive oils for salads and dressings has never been easier. You will need a good quality extra virgin olive oil and a few ingredients of your choice. Learn how to combine olive oil with herbs, spices, garlic, chilies, citrus peels, and even floral blossoms. Add immense flavor to delight your guests!
If you love this Infused Olive Oil Guide, you will also love this Bread Dipping Oil, Greek Seasoning Blends or How To Make Greek Yogurt!
Ten amazing aromatic suggestions
Basil oil: In a 16 oz(500 ml) glass bottle, put two sprigs of fresh basil, washed and dried. Fill to the top with good extra virgin olive oil, ensuring the oil covers the sprigs completely. Keep in a dark and cool place for two weeks. Discard the sprigs when the oil does not cover them anymore. The basil aroma will last for a long time.
Garlic oil: Put two cups of olive oil and 12 whole peeled cloves of garlic in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the oil sizzles. Lower the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the oil to cool completely. Discard the garlic and transfer the olive oil to a well-sealed bottle. Keep in a dark and cool place.
Fennel oil: In a 16 oz(500 ml) glass bottle, put one tablespoon of lightly pounded fennel seeds and two sprigs of fresh fennel fronds, washed and completely dried. Optionally, add 1-2 whole cloves of garlic, peeled. Top up with good olive oil, seal and store in a dark and cool place for 2-3 weeks before using.
Oregano oil: In a clean and dry 16 oz(500 ml) glass bottle, put 2-3 sprigs of fresh oregano (or marjoram), washed and completely dried. (Alternatively, add two spoons of dry oregano, finely grated, but the aroma of fresh oregano is much more intense and fresh). Fill the bottle with good olive oil up to the top, seal it tightly, and leave it in a dry and dark place for ten days. Throw away the twigs and use the olive oil.
Rosemary and garlic oil: In a 16 oz(500 ml) glass bottle, put two peeled whole cloves of garlic and two sprigs of fresh rosemary. Add a few seeds of black pepper. Fill with good olive oil, close the bottle and store it in a dark and dry place. After two weeks, discard the rosemary and garlic and use the oil.
Citrus flavored oil: Cut the peel from half a lemon and half an orange using a potato peeler or a very sharp knife. Avoid the white part; in case you have some on the peel, scrap it off. Put the peels in a clean and dry 16 oz (500 ml) glass bottle. Fill with good olive oil and seal the bottle tightly. Keep for ten days in a dry and dark place and then use the olive oil. After two months, throw away the peels so they don’t deteriorate and spoil the taste of the oil.
Olive oil with coriander: Lightly pound one tablespoon of coriander seeds in a mortar. Place them in a 16 oz (500 ml) glass bottle, and add one small piece of whole lemon peel (without the white part; see above section) and a few black peppercorns. Fill to the top with good olive oil and store in a dry, dark place for two to three weeks before using. At two months, throw away the orange peel.
Cinnamon clove olive oil: Put two large cinnamon sticks and 5-6 cloves in a 16 oz (500 ml) glass bottle. Fill with good olive oil and store for ten days in a dark and cool place. After ten days, use the olive oil.
Spicy hot pepper oil: In a 16 oz (500 ml) glass bottle, put between two to five dried chili peppers (or other dried hot peppers of your choice), depending on how spicy you want the oil. Fill to the top with olive oil, seal, and store in a dark and cool place for two weeks. Discard the peppers before using the oil.
Alternatively, add one sweet red pepper or one green long-horn pepper, whole without cutting the stem, in a wide-mouth glass jar large enough to fit the pepper without breaking it (the juices from the flesh would spoil the oil). Fill to the top with good olive oil, seal, and store in a dark and cool place for two weeks. Discard the pepper and use the oil.
Flower olive oil: Put ten dried Moroccan rose buds (you will find them in spice shops and good grocery stores) in a 16 oz (500 ml) glass bottle. Fill with good oil, close the bottle, and store in a dry, cool, and dark place for three weeks. After the designated time, discard the roses and use the oil.
Lemon olive oil without a lemon: Get two sprigs of lemon grass. Wash and dry them very well. Pound them with a heavy pestle until they break and crack. They have a wonderful, lemony aroma. Place them in a 16 oz (500 ml) glass bottle, fill it with olive oil, close it, and leave it in a dark and dry place for ten days. Discard the lemongrass and use the olive oil.
Tips and tricks
- Choose the best extra virgin olive oil for your budget. Avoid olive oil blends.
- Sterilize the glass bottles before using: Wash them well inside with warm, soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Lay them on a tray with a clean cotton towel and put them in a preheated oven at 100°C for 15 minutes.
- Double-check that the glass bottles are completely dry before using.
- Store your infused olive oil in a dry, dark, and cool place.
How to use your infused olive oil?
Use it in your salad dressing.
Upgrade your salad by drizzling an infused oil and balsamic vinegar on top.
Make garlic bread.
Toast slices of sourdough bread and drizzle them with the garlic olive oil. Serve it with tomato pasta, lasagna, a hearty stew or a large salad.
Drizzle infused olive over meats and vegetables.
An aromatic olive oil is perfect for finishing a dish. Drizzle spicy or lemony olive oils over roasted or grilled meats or vegetables for immense flavor.
Use it with pasta, soups, and even pizza.
Upgrade plain spaghetti to a fabulous meal with a generous drizzle of garlic olive oil, chili flakes, and grated parmesan. Spoon citrus olive oil over lentils and chickpeas or stir it into yogurt with some tahini for a quick sauce. Drizzle some spicy oil on your margarita pizza for some kick.
Recipes have been adapted from dinanikolaou.gr.
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How To Make Infused Olive Oil
Ingredients
Garlic olive oil
- 12 garlic cloves whole, peeled
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Basil Olive oil
- 2 fresh basil sprigs
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Fennel oil
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 2 sprigs of fennel fronds
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 garlic cloves whole, peeled. Optional
Oregano oil
- 3 fresh oregano sprigs or two tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Rosemary and garlic olive oil
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- 2 garlic cloves whole, peeled
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Citrus olive oil
- ½ lemon for the peel
- ½ orange for the peel
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Coriander olive oil
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 lemon for the peel
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Cinnamon olive oil
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Spicy olive oil
- 5 dried chili peppers
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Flower olive oil
- 10 Moroccan rose buds
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Lemon olive oil (without a lemon)
- 2 lemongrass sprigs
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Basil olive oil
- In a 16 oz(500 ml) glass bottle, put two sprigs of fresh basil, washed and dried. Fill to the top with good extra virgin olive oil, ensuring the oil covers the sprigs completely. Keep in a dark and cool place for two weeks. Discard the sprigs when the oil does not cover them anymore. The basil aroma will last for a long time.
Garlic olive oil
- Put two cups of olive oil and 12 whole peeled cloves of garlic in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the oil sizzles. Lower the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the oil to cool completely. Discard the garlic and transfer the olive oil to a well-sealed bottle. Keep in a dark and cool place.
Fennel olive oil
- In a 16 oz(500 ml) glass bottle, put one tablespoon of lightly pounded fennel seeds and two sprigs of fresh fennel fronds, washed and completely dried. Optionally, add 1-2 whole cloves of garlic, peeled. Top up with good olive oil, seal and store in a dark and cool place for 2-3 weeks before using.
Oregano olive oil
- In a clean and dry 16 oz(500 ml) glass bottle, put 2-3 sprigs of fresh oregano (or marjoram), washed and completely dried. (Alternatively, add two spoons of dry oregano, finely grated, but the aroma of fresh oregano is much more intense and fresh). Fill the bottle with good olive oil up to the top, seal it tightly, and leave it in a dry and dark place for ten days. Throw away the twigs and use the olive oil.
Rosemary and garlic olive oil
- In a 16 oz(500 ml) glass bottle, put two peeled whole cloves of garlic and two sprigs of fresh rosemary. Add a few seeds of black pepper. Fill with good olive oil, close the bottle and store it in a dark and dry place. After two weeks, discard the rosemary and garlic and use the oil.
Citrus olive oil
- Cut the peel from half a lemon and half an orange using a potato peeler or a very sharp knife. Avoid the white part; in case you have some on the peel, scrap it off. Put the peels in a clean and dry 16 oz (500 ml) glass bottle. Fill with good olive oil and seal the bottle tightly. Keep for ten days in a dry and dark place and then use the olive oil. After two months, throw away the peels so they don't deteriorate and spoil the taste of the oil.
Coriander Olive oil
- Lightly pound one tablespoon of coriander seeds in a mortar. Place them in a 16 oz (500 ml) glass bottle, and add one small piece of whole lemon peel (without the white part; see above section) and a few black peppercorns. Fill to the top with good olive oil and store in a dry, dark place for two to three weeks before using. At two months, throw away the orange peel.
Cinnamon olive oil
- Put two large cinnamon sticks and 5-6 cloves in a 16 oz (500 ml) glass bottle. Fill with good olive oil and store for ten days in a dark and cool place. After ten days, use the olive oil.
Spicy hot pepper olive oil
- In a 16 oz (500 ml) glass bottle, put between two to five dried chili peppers (or other dried hot peppers of your choice), depending on how spicy you want the oil. Fill to the top with olive oil, seal, and store in a dark and cool place for two weeks. Discard the peppers before using the oil. Alternatively, add one sweet red pepper or one green long-horn pepper, whole without cutting the stem, in a wide-mouth glass jar large enough to fit the pepper without breaking it (the juices from the flesh would spoil the oil). Fill to the top with good olive oil, seal, and store in a dark and cool place for two weeks. Discard the pepper and use the oil.
Flower olive oil
- Put ten dried Moroccan roses (you will find them in spice shops and good grocery stores) in a 16 oz (500 ml) glass bottle. Fill with good oil, close the bottle, and store in a dry, cool, and dark place for three weeks. After the designated time, discard the roses and use the oil.
Lemon olive oil without a lemon
- Get two sprigs of lemon grass. Wash and dry them very well. Pound them with a heavy pestle until they break and crack. They have a wonderful, lemony aroma. Place them in a 16 oz (500 ml) glass bottle, fill it with olive oil, close it, and leave it in a dark and dry place for ten days. Discard the lemongrass and use the olive oil.
Notes
Alternative recipe for a non-spicy pepper oil
Add one sweet red pepper or one green long-horn pepper, whole without cutting the stem, in a wide-mouth glass jar large enough to fit the pepper without breaking it (the juices from the flesh would spoil the oil). Fill to the top with good olive oil, seal, and store in a dark and cool place for two weeks. Discard the pepper and use the oil.Tips for success
- Choose the best extra virgin olive oil for your budget. Avoid olive oil blends.
- Sterilize the glass bottles before using: Wash them well inside with warm, soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Lay them on a tray with a clean cotton towel and put them in a preheated oven at 100°C for 15 minutes.
- Double-check that the glass bottles are completely dry before using.
- Store your infused olive oil in a dry, dark, and cool place.
Nutrition
Making infused oils is a go to for me when I have fresh herbs I don’t know what to do with. I love the basil, oregano and rosemary oils- they add a ton of flavor to recipes.
This is amazing! I love infused olive oil and love how many different recipes you gave here. I already have several on my counter and want to make these for Christmas presents!
I love these oil recipes! They look so beautiful. I am going to make several bottles to give away for Christmas!
I love this idea! I think I’ll make these for Christmas gifts this year. I know I’d love to receive a bottle. 😀
Wow, this infused oil is amazing, I am dying to try this! I am loving the variety of recipes you also included, this is super helpful. These would be super good to make, Thank you for sharing this recipe, I can’t wait to try it out!
Wow, I love this! They look really beautiful and would be nice to give as gifts to family and friends.
What a great idea to make your own infused oils! 🙂 I want to try all of these soon, but especially that basil one and the rosemary/garlic one. Yum!
I’m a big fan of infused olive oil and I love that you provide so many different ways to make it in this post. I will definitely be trying a few.
I absolutely love all these ideas! I’m doing a few of these for holiday gifts. THANK YOU!!!!
I’ve never made infused olive oil before but this looks really tasty and like a nice way to add extra flavor to the oil.