• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Umami Days

Umami Days

Meaty with a dash of veggies

  • Recipes
    • By meal
      • Breakfast
      • Lunch / dinner
      • Snacks
    • By main ingredient
      • Poultry
      • Meat
      • Seafood
      • Eggs
      • Mushrooms
      • Tofu
      • Vegetables
    • By carb
      • Rice
      • Noodles
      • Bread
  • Kitchen
    • Kitchen how-tos
    • Cooking ingredients
    • Kitchen tools
  • Food Tales
    • Edible Garden
    • Dining
  • Newsletter
  • Recipes
    • By meal
      • Breakfast
      • Lunch / dinner
      • Snacks
    • By main ingredient
      • Poultry
      • Meat
      • Seafood
      • Eggs
      • Mushrooms
      • Tofu
      • Vegetables
    • By carb
      • Rice
      • Noodles
      • Bread
  • Kitchen
    • Kitchen how-tos
    • Cooking ingredients
    • Kitchen tools
  • Food Tales
    • Edible Garden
    • Dining
  • Newsletter

How to make herb-infused olive oil

04.24.2021 (Updated: 03.24.2022)

You’ve seen them in the grocery and they cost plenty. But did you know that it’s easy and inexpensive to make herb-infused olive oil at home? Here’s how.

Homemade herb infused olive oil

But did you know that it’s easy and inexpensive to make herb-infused olive oil at home? Not only do you cut on cost, you can also get as creative as you wish, combining herbs and spices that suit your taste more. I tell you, the only part of the preparation that took a long time was drying the bottles thoroughly after washing them inside and out. After that, it was a breeze.

But, first things first. What kind of bottle should you use? You can use just about any bottle with a tight cover. However, note that metallic bottle covers can get rusty over time. And pouring oil from a bottle with a wide round mouth might be messy. I chose these clear glass bottles. They have spouts for easy and spill-free pouring, and rubberized cork stoppers to keep the flavor and aroma in. I consciously stayed away from metal caps because they might leave a metallic taste in the oil.

Second consideration: use fresh or dried herbs? I used fresh (I grow herbs in my garden) but there’s no reason why you can’t use dried. Note though that you may have to refrigerate the oil if you use fresh herbs because the water content of the herbs might make the mixture prone to bacteria growth at room temperature.

If using fresh herbs, wash then dry them between stacks of kitchen towels. Or you can place them in the oven (temperature at the lowest setting) for a couple of minutes just to get rid of surface water. Cut leafy herbs to allow them to expel their flavors faster or leave them whole if you want to make the oil bottles decorative (I left them whole because I am entertaining the idea of giving away herb-infused olive oil to friends-who-cook for Christmas).

Third consideration: what combination of herbs to use. Ah, that’s where you can get creative. Basil, thyme, tarragon, sage, rosemary, oregano, cilantro, bay leaves… combine two or more. Then, add some spices and aromatics — peppercorns, garlic cloves, lemon or lime peel…

If there is a combination that you find particularly good with chicken, for instance, use that for one bottle of oil. Have another bottle with a combination of herbs and spices that’s good with red meat, another one to go with seafood, for salads…

Note that you cannot use the oil immediately. You have to leave them alone for at least a week to allow the flavors and aromas to be absorbed by the olive oil.

Not a fan of olive oil? You can haveherb-infused cooking oil. Slip some ginger, garlic and shallot in your vegetable cooking oil, allow the flavors to develop for a week or two and imagine what sautéing and stir frying would be like.

Ah, I tell you, playing with things like this in the kitchen beats the stress every time.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, the blog owner earns commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

In the spotlight

Steamed pompano with ginger sauce garnished with scallions, fried garlic and shallots

Steamed pompano with ginger sauce

Bacon asparagus puff pastry spirals

Bacon asparagus puff pastry spirals

Spanish oxtail stew

Spanish oxtail stew

Korean fried chicken wings

Korean fried chicken wings

Shrimp spring rolls

Hungry for more?

Subscribe to the newsletter to get the latest posts in your inbox.

No spam. Read the privacy policy.

More Kitchen, Kitchen how-tos

Jute leaves (saluyot)

Jute leaves (saluyot): Cleopatra’s anti-aging secret?

Tiramisu and tea

What Is the difference between mascarpone and cream cheese?

Lifting cooked pasta from the pan using kitchen tongs

How to cook al dente pasta minus the myths and hype

Edamame (fresh soy beans in pods)

How to cook edamame (fresh soy beans in pods)

Sidebar

Connie Veneracion, 2020

Hi, I’m Connie!

Home cook and writer by passion, photographer by necessity, and good food, coffee and wine lover forever. I write recipes, cooking tips and food stories. No AI is used in creating content for this blog.

More about me and Umami Days.

  • About
  • Privacy
  • Copyright
  • No AI
  • Contact

Created by a human for humans · Copyright © 2025 Connie Veneracion · All Rights Reserved