Nitrate & Nitrite Free Garlic Parsley Herb Oil
This herb oil is one of those quietly brilliant kitchen staples that makes everything it touches taste better. Gently coaxing sliced garlic in extra-virgin olive oil over the lowest possible heat draws out its sweetness without any bitterness, and then a handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley and a couple of thyme sprigs steep in the residual warmth to release their bright, grassy fragrance. The result is a glossy, deeply aromatic oil that tastes like it came from a very good restaurant. For anyone avoiding preservatives and cured-meat additives, a flavored oil like this is a genuinely clean win — every single ingredient here is whole and unprocessed, with nothing hidden in a spice blend or bottled shortcut. Drizzle it over roasted vegetables, swirl it into soup, spoon it onto crusty bread, or use it as a finishing touch on grilled fish or chicken. It also makes a beautiful base for a simple vinaigrette. Stored in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator, it keeps for up to three days, so you can make a batch at the start of the week and reach for it whenever a dish needs a little lift.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, loosely packed
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- 1
Combine the olive oil and sliced garlic in a small saucepan over the lowest possible heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is softened and just barely golden at the edges, about 10–12 minutes. Watch closely — the garlic can brown quickly and will turn bitter if it darkens past pale gold.
- 2
Add the parsley and thyme sprigs, if using, to the warm oil. Stir to submerge the herbs, then remove the pan from the heat. Let the herbs steep in the residual heat for 5 minutes, until the parsley is wilted and the oil is fragrant.
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