Mustard Free Moroccan-Spiced Herb Oil
Warm, fragrant, and impossibly versatile, this herb oil brings the soul of North African cooking straight to your kitchen with nothing more than a handful of spices, fresh herbs, and good olive oil. The technique is simple but smart — garlic cloves are gently coaxed in the oil over low heat until the fat turns silky and aromatic, then strained out so you get all the flavor without any harsh bite. A carefully layered spice blend of cumin, paprika, coriander, ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon blooms into the warm oil, creating a base that smells like a spice market and tastes even better. Bright lemon juice, lemon zest, and a generous handful of flat-leaf parsley and cilantro are stirred in at the end, keeping the herbs fresh and vivid rather than wilted. Many condiments and spice blends sneak in mustard powder or mustard-based emulsifiers, but every single ingredient here is straightforward and easy to verify — no hidden culprits, no label anxiety. Drizzle it over roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, crusty bread, or a bowl of hummus and watch it disappear. It's the kind of finishing touch that makes everything on the table taste like you really know what you're doing.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the oil base
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
Spice blend
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- ½ tsp fine salt
Fresh herbs
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
- 1
Combine the ground cumin, sweet paprika, ground coriander, ground ginger, ground turmeric, ground cinnamon, cayenne (if using), and fine salt in a small bowl and stir until evenly mixed.
- 2
Pour the olive oil into a small saucepan and add the crushed garlic cloves. Warm over low heat until the oil is fragrant and small bubbles form steadily around the garlic, about 4–5 minutes — do not let the garlic brown. Remove from heat.
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