BHA & BHT Free Cajun Herb Oil
This bold, fragrant oil brings the soul of Cajun cooking into a single pour — smoky paprika, cayenne heat, earthy dried herbs, and a bright finish of lemon zest and fresh chives all suspended in good extra-virgin olive oil. Bottled and store-bought flavored oils often sneak in synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT to extend shelf life, but when you make your own from scratch, you know exactly what's in it. Every ingredient here is clean and straightforward — nothing processed, nothing artificial, just real spices, fresh herbs, and quality olive oil. The technique is simple but smart: gently warming the dried spices in oil coaxes out their flavor before the fresh herbs and lemon go in off the heat, keeping everything bright and vibrant. Straining the finished oil gives it a silky, restaurant-quality texture that looks stunning pooled on a plate or drizzled over grilled fish, roasted vegetables, or crusty bread. Let it rest for thirty minutes and the flavors knit together into something that tastes like it took far more effort than it did. Make a jar on Sunday and you'll find yourself reaching for it all week.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp celery salt
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely sliced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Combine the olive oil, smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, cayenne, black pepper, kosher salt, and celery salt in a small saucepan over low heat. Warm, stirring occasionally, until the oil is fragrant and the spices begin to sizzle gently at the edges, about 3–4 minutes. Do not let the oil smoke or the spices scorch.
- 2
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the spiced oil cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley, chives, fresh thyme leaves, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
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