Citric Acid Free Garlic Mint Herb Oil
Flavored oils from the store often sneak in citric acid as a preservative, which makes finding a clean, additive-free option genuinely frustrating. This recipe solves that problem beautifully — every single ingredient is a whole food, nothing processed, nothing hidden. The method is low and slow: garlic warms gently in olive oil until it turns just barely golden, then fresh mint, parsley, and thyme steep off the heat until the oil goes silky and fragrant with a soft green glow. That steeping step is where the magic happens, coaxing deep herbal flavor without any harsh cooking. The result is bright, garlicky, and a little cooling from the mint — drizzle it over roasted vegetables, grilled bread, or a simple bowl of soup and it immediately elevates the whole dish. Straining out the solids gives you a clean, glossy oil that stores 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
- 3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, loosely packed
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- 1
Combine the olive oil and smashed garlic cloves in a small saucepan over low heat. Warm gently until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn pale gold at the edges, about 6–8 minutes — watch closely, as garlic can brown quickly and turn bitter.
- 2
Remove the pan from the heat and add the mint leaves, parsley, and thyme sprigs. Let the herbs steep in the warm oil, off the heat, for 15–20 minutes, until the oil is deeply fragrant and has taken on a light green tint.
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