Nutmeg Free Garlic Basil Herb Oil
There is something deeply satisfying about making your own herb oil from scratch, and this version is as fragrant and gorgeous as anything you'd find at a fancy olive bar. Garlic cloves are gently coaxed into the warm oil until pale and golden, releasing a mellow, savory depth without any sharpness, while fresh thyme, rosemary, and basil layer in that unmistakable garden aroma. The slow, low-heat method is the real secret here — it keeps everything from scorching and lets the flavors bloom gradually into the oil rather than burning off. Many store-bought infused oils and spice blends sneak in warming spices you might not want, so making this at home with just five clean ingredients gives you total control over what goes in the bottle. Strain it into a jar and you have a silky, bright green-tinged oil that's ready to drizzle over crusty bread, roasted vegetables, pasta, or grilled proteins. It keeps in the fridge for up to five days, though honestly it tends to disappear much faster than that.
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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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