MSG Free Garlic Basil Herb Oil
There is something almost meditative about making your own infused oil from scratch — watching garlic turn pale gold in a slow, lazy sizzle is genuinely satisfying. This herb oil is built entirely from whole, recognizable ingredients: good olive oil, fresh basil, thyme, rosemary, garlic, and a pinch of sea salt. That simplicity is exactly what makes it so appealing for anyone avoiding flavor enhancers and additives that sneak into store-bought condiments and finishing oils. The low-and-slow technique is key here — gently warming the garlic and woody herbs coaxes out deep, mellow flavor without any bitterness, and the residual heat does the work of wilting the basil into something fragrant and vivid. Straining everything out leaves you with a clean, bright oil that looks gorgeous and tastes like a proper restaurant kitchen secret. Drizzle it over roasted vegetables, swipe it across warm bread, or use it as a finishing touch on pasta — it elevates almost anything it touches. Stored in a sealed jar, it keeps in the fridge for up to five days, so you can make a batch and reach for it all week long.
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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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