Carrageenan Free Garlic Basil Herb Oil
Flavored oils from the store often sneak in stabilizers and emulsifiers — carrageenan among them — to extend shelf life and improve texture. Making your own means you know exactly what's in the bottle, and this version keeps things beautifully simple: just olive oil, fresh herbs, garlic, and a pinch of sea salt. The technique is all about low, patient heat — warming the oil slowly so the garlic turns pale gold and the thyme and rosemary release their aromatic oils without any bitterness. A final steep with fresh basil off the heat gives the finished oil that gorgeous green tint and a bright, almost floral fragrance that dried herbs just can't replicate. Strained clean and salted, it's the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches taste more intentional — drizzled over roasted vegetables, swirled into pasta, or used as a dipping oil with crusty bread. It keeps in the fridge for up to five days, so you can make a batch at the start of the week and reach for it constantly.
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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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