Breastfeeding Friendly Garlic Basil Herb Oil
There is something deeply satisfying about a homemade herb oil that smells this good — warm garlic, fragrant rosemary, and fresh basil all steeped together into something you'll want to drizzle on absolutely everything. For anyone navigating the extra nutritional demands of nursing, having a flavorful, wholesome fat on hand makes it so much easier to add richness and depth to simple meals without relying on processed sauces or store-bought dressings with long ingredient lists. Extra-virgin olive oil is the star here, delivering the kind of quality fat that supports a nourishing diet, and the fresh herbs bring real flavor without any additives or preservatives. The low-and-slow technique is what makes this work — gently warming the garlic until it turns pale golden (never brown) pulls out its mellow sweetness, while the basil steeps off the heat to keep that bright, grassy note intact. Straining out the solids gives you a clean, shelf-stable oil that keeps in the fridge for up to five days and comes back to life beautifully at room temperature. Use it to finish roasted vegetables, swirl into soups, or just tear some good bread and dip away — it's the kind of simple, feel-good kitchen staple that makes eating well during a demanding season genuinely enjoyable.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- 1
Combine the olive oil, smashed garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprigs in a small saucepan. Set over the lowest heat your burner allows and warm until the oil reaches a gentle, lazy sizzle around the garlic — small bubbles forming slowly at the edges of the cloves, about 8–10 minutes. The garlic should turn pale golden and fragrant but not brown; if it begins to color quickly, lift the pan off the heat for 30 seconds.
- 2
Remove the pan from the heat and add the fresh basil leaves, pressing them gently into the warm oil with a spoon. Let the basil steep in the residual heat for 5 minutes, until the leaves are wilted and the oil is bright green-tinged and fragrant.
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